Episode Introduction
Richard Paul Evans and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn share Podcast 162 of Breaking Battlegrounds, recorded on November 6, 2023. Evans is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Box. He joined hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone to talk about his children’s board book, My Son Lives in a Tree, and his decision to give his author royalties to charity.
Blackburn was serving her first Senate term for Tennessee at the time. She discussed the Middle East, housing affordability and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), the bipartisan bill she wrote with Sen. Richard Blumenthal. In Kiley’s Corner, Kiley Kipper covers the case of a California woman who went missing in Arizona while driving to a wedding in Connecticut.
Nearly three years later, KOSA is still working its way through Congress. That makes Blackburn’s comments worth revisiting.
Quick Answer
On Breaking Battlegrounds Podcast 162, recorded November 6, 2023, author Richard Paul Evans discussed My Son Lives in a Tree. It is a children’s board book whose author royalties go entirely to The Christmas Box International. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee discussed the Kids Online Safety Act, the Middle East and housing affordability with hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone.
Episode Overview
This episode pairs two very different conversations.
The first is with Richard Paul Evans, one of the best-selling authors of family-centered fiction in the United States. He talks about the inspiration behind My Son Lives in a Tree, a short, humorous picture book about a father trying to bring his son home. He also explains why he chose to donate all of his royalties from the book to charity. Listeners can buy the book through RichardPaulEvans.com or Amazon.
The second guest is Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. She covers three policy areas:
- conditions in the Middle East
- the cost of housing for American families
- her work on the Kids Online Safety Act, legislation aimed at making online platforms safer for minors
The show closes with Kiley’s Corner. Kiley Kipper walks through the case of a California woman who disappeared in Arizona during a cross-country drive to a wedding in Connecticut.
About Richard Paul Evans
Richard Paul Evans was born in Salt Lake City on October 11, 1962, and graduated from the University of Utah in 1984. While working as an advertising executive, he wrote a Christmas story for his children and self-published it in 1993 as The Christmas Box after failing to find a publisher. That book launched a career that now includes more than 40 novels, over 35 million copies in print, and the #1 bestselling Michael Vey young adult series. His novel The Noel Diary became a feature film in 2022.
Evans also founded The Christmas Box International, which runs emergency shelters and provides services for abused, neglected and homeless children and young adults. That organization is the beneficiary of My Son Lives in a Tree.
He is one of the most frequent returning guests on Breaking Battlegrounds:
- He first appeared on Podcast 116, Richard Paul Evans on Christmas Memories.
- He returned after this episode for Podcast 220 on gratitude and the heroes of the holiday season.
- He came back again for Podcast 221 on courage and storytelling.
About Senator Marsha Blackburn
Marsha Blackburn has represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate since January 2019. Before that, she served in the Tennessee State Senate beginning in 1998. She then represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House for 16 years, where she chaired the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Her career before politics was in retail marketing and sales.
When this episode was recorded, Blackburn was in her first Senate term. She won re-election in November 2024 with 63.80% of the vote. On August 6, 2025, she announced a run for governor of Tennessee. She won the August 6, 2026 Republican primary with 43.6% of the vote and advances to the November 3, 2026 general election. Jerri Green won the Democratic primary.
Key Topics Discussed
- The story behind My Son Lives in a Tree and Evans’ decision to donate his royalties
- The Christmas Box International and its work with abused and neglected children
- The Kids Online Safety Act and Big Tech accountability for harms to minors
- Middle East policy, recorded one month after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel
- Housing affordability for American families
- A missing-person case involving a California woman who disappeared in Arizona (Kiley’s Corner)
The Story Behind My Son Lives in a Tree
The book is short and comic on its surface. A family visit to the zoo goes wrong when the son is mistaken for a monkey. The father then tries everything to get him back.
The origin is far heavier. According to Evans’ official book page, the poem came to him about fifteen years earlier, while his young son Michael spent nearly a month in the hospital and doctors could not say when he would come home. It was his daughter who pointed out that the poem was really about Michael.
Here are the publication details from that page:
- The book was illustrated by British artist Andy Catling.
- It was published by Ascendt Publishing on September 22, 2023, as a 32-page board book.
- All of the author’s royalties go to The Christmas Box International to help abused and neglected children.
In the Breaking Battlegrounds interview, Evans walked Warren and Stone through that inspiration and the charitable decision. Listeners interested in the show’s other conversations about fathers and family can also hear Brad Wilcox on fatherhood in Podcast 194.
Senator Blackburn on the Kids Online Safety Act
Blackburn and Blumenthal wrote KOSA together. They first introduced it in February 2022, after Wall Street Journal reporting and a series of five subcommittee hearings with social media companies and advocates. At the time of this November 2023 interview, the bill had not passed either chamber of Congress.
The bill’s path since then helps explain why Blackburn’s interview still draws searches.
- 2024 Senate passage: The Senate passed KOSA 91-3 in 2024, but the bill stalled in the House.
- 2026 House action: On June 29, 2026, the House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act 267-117. The House version leaves out the “duty of care” provision that senators say gives KOSA its enforcement power.
- August 2026 committee vote: The Senate Commerce Committee advanced KOSA, as amended by Blackburn’s substitute, by voice vote on August 5, 2026. The bill had 76 Senate cosponsors that day.
- September 2026 objection: According to Tech Times, Sen. Rand Paul blocked a September 30 unanimous consent request. That leaves supporters needing a cloture vote and a deal with the House before the Congress ends on January 3, 2027.
Critics have raised concerns about the bill throughout this process. The advocacy group Fight for the Future, for example, argues that the duty of care could lead to censorship and surveillance, with particular concern for LGBTQ+ youth.
The Middle East and Housing Affordability
Blackburn’s interview took place one month after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. U.S. policy toward Israel, Iran and the wider region was dominating Washington at the time. She also addressed housing affordability, an issue that had moved toward the center of the economic debate as mortgage rates climbed through 2023.
The episode description confirms both topics without detailing her specific positions. For more of the show’s Middle East coverage, listen to:
- Noah Rothman on Iran, Israel and campus protests in Podcast 188
- David Harsanyi on Israel’s geopolitical realities in Podcast 186
On housing, Rep. Juan Ciscomani discussed his bipartisan affordable housing bill in Podcast 201.
Kiley’s Corner: A Disappearance in Arizona
Kiley Kipper’s segment covers the case of a California woman who went missing in Arizona during a cross-country drive to a wedding in Connecticut. The segment reflects the facts as they were known in early November 2023. Readers following the case should check current law enforcement and news sources for later developments.
Key Takeaways From the Conversation
- Charity tie: Evans dedicated all of his author royalties from My Son Lives in a Tree to The Christmas Box International, the children’s charity he founded.
- A personal origin: The playful book grew out of a painful family experience, his son Michael’s long hospital stay.
- KOSA as a signature issue: Blackburn used the interview to discuss the kids’ online safety legislation she continues to lead nearly three years later.
- Timely policy context: Her Middle East and housing comments came at a moment when both issues were driving national debate.
- An unresolved bill: KOSA remains unresolved as of October 8, 2026. The Senate and House versions differ on the duty of care provision.
Listen to the Episode
- Substack episode page
- Apple Podcasts: Breaking Battlegrounds
- Spotify: Breaking Battlegrounds
- iHeart: Breaking Battlegrounds
- YouTube: Breaking Battlegrounds
Related Breaking Battlegrounds Episodes
- Podcast 116: Richard Paul Evans on Christmas Memories
- Podcast 220: The Power of Gratitude with Richard Paul Evans
- Podcast 221: Richard Paul Evans on Courage and Storytelling
- Podcast 194: Brad Wilcox on Fatherhood
- Podcast 188: Noah Rothman on Iran and Israel
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Marsha Blackburn discuss on Breaking Battlegrounds?
On Podcast 162, recorded November 6, 2023, Sen. Marsha Blackburn talked with Chuck Warren and Sam Stone about three issues. She covered the Middle East a month after the October 7 attack on Israel, housing affordability, and the Kids Online Safety Act. KOSA is the bipartisan bill she wrote with Sen. Richard Blumenthal to protect minors from online harms.
What is My Son Lives in a Tree about?
It’s a 32-page board book by Richard Paul Evans, illustrated by Andy Catling and published in September 2023. A father’s son gets mistaken for a monkey at the zoo, and the dad tries everything to bring him home. Evans says the story was inspired by his son Michael’s nearly month-long hospital stay years earlier.
Where do royalties from My Son Lives in a Tree go?
Evans donates 100% of his author royalties from the book to The Christmas Box International. He founded the charity, which operates emergency shelters and provides services for abused, neglected and homeless children and young adults. He discussed that decision during this Breaking Battlegrounds interview.
Has the Kids Online Safety Act become law?
Not as of October 8, 2026. The Senate passed KOSA 91-3 in July 2024, but the House never voted on it. In June 2026, the House passed its own version inside the KIDS Act without a duty of care provision. The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Blackburn’s version on August 5, 2026, and a full Senate vote is still pending.
Has Richard Paul Evans appeared on Breaking Battlegrounds before?
Yes. Evans first joined the show for Podcast 116 in December 2022 to talk about Christmas memories. Podcast 162 was his second appearance. He returned in late 2024 for Podcasts 220 and 221, which focused on gratitude, courage and storytelling during the holiday season.
