The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

Journalist, hit entertainment podcaster, and debut novelist, Bobby Finger, spoke to me about writing for Jezebel, turning a screenplay into a novel, and his debut, "The Old Place." Bobby Finger is a writer and co-host of the popular celebrity and entertainment podcast, Who? Weekly, "The podcast that tells you everything you need to know about celebrities you don’t." His debut novel is The Old Place, described as "A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town." It has been named Washington Post‘s 10 Noteworthy Books for September, People‘s Best New Books, Town & Country’s 45 Must-Read Books of Fall, New York’s 25 Notable New Releases, Kirkus Review‘s 150 Most Anticipated Fall Books, LitHub‘s Most Anticipated Books of 2022, among many others. New York Times bestselling author Emma Straub said of the book, “I loved being inside this skillful novel—at the planning parties for church fundraisers, learning to drive with a can of beer in the cupholder, and in the heads of some wonderfully tangy old Texan ladies. Bobby Finger has built a rich world in The Old Place, and I will think of it every time I make toast.” Stay calm and write on ... Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Bobby Finger and I discussed: Growing up in a small Texas town His start in copywriting and freelance journalism Writing screenplays in the margins Becoming a full-time podcaster How to write autofiction with a twist What happens when people leave, and those left behind And a lot more! Show Notes: whoweekly.us The Old Place By Bobby Finger (Amazon) Bobby Finger on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling, award-winning author A.M. Homes, spoke to me about getting sued by J.D. Salinger, the irony of winning the Women's Prize for Fiction, and her latest "The Unfolding." A.M. Homes is a TV producer, art critic, and the author of 13 books, including the bestselling memoir The Mistress’s Daughter. Her last novel, May We Be Forgiven, was the winner of the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her latest novel is The Unfolding, described as a "... darkly comedic alternative history that takes us into the heart of a fractured family living in a divided country." New York Times bestselling author Salman Rushdie called the book, “A terrific black comedy, written almost entirely in pitch-perfect dialogue, that feels terrifyingly close to the unfunny truth.” A.M. Homes was a Co-Executive Producer and Writer on David E. Kelly and Stephen King’s, Mr. Mercedes, and a writer/producer of the Showtime series The L Word. Her work has been translated into 22 languages and appears frequently in Art Forum, Harpers, Granta, McSweeney's, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Zoetrope. She is a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair, Bomb and Blind Spot, and she has taught in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton. Stay calm and write on ... Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file A.M. Homes and I discussed: Her early struggles with dyslexia Why awards and votes of confidence are so important for writers How she helped hire Dennis Lehane to write for Mr. Mercedes Her strange obsession with George Washington and her claim to Capitol Hill How to write your way out of a jam And a lot more! Show Notes: amhomesbooks.com The Unfolding: A Novel by A.M. Homes (Amazon) A.M. Homes on Facebook A.M. Homes on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Bestselling, award-winning author Candice Carty-Williams, spoke to me about the tragicomic nature of being, winning "Book of the Year" at the British Book Awards, and her latest "People Person." Candice Carty-Williams is a TV producer, culture writer, and author of the international bestseller Queenie, a book that was named a best book of the year by NPR, TIME, PARADE, The Guardian, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, and many others. She also became the first black woman to win the "Book of the Year" award at the British Book Awards for Queenie in 2020. Her latest novel is People Person, a book described as an "... insightful novel about the power of family — even when they seem like strangers." The Guardian called it, “A big-hearted story of a young woman coming to terms with her complicated London family from the author of the game-changing Queenie.” Candice created and launched the Guardian 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize in 2016, the first initiative of its kind in book publishing for underrepresented writers. She has written for The Guardian, i-D, Vogue, every iteration of The Sunday Times (London), BEAT magazine, Black Ballad, and more. Her original drama, "Champion," will be airing on BBC One in the U.K., and on Netflix globally, in 2023. Stay calm and write on ... Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Candice Carty-Williams and I discussed: Her early career in book marketing and the disparities she saw in publishing The inciting incident that inspired her latest How to balance humor and depth in fiction Why tragedy plus time equals comedy Great advice from Toni Morrison And a lot more! Show Notes: candicecartywilliams.com People Person By Candice Carty-Williams (Amazon) Guardian 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize Candice Carty-Williams on Instagram Candice Carty-Williams on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning journalist and debut memoirist, Casey Parks, spoke to me about her lifelong reverence for journalism, the emotional cost of writing a memoir, and her debut "Diary of a Misfit." Casey Parks is a reporter for The Washington Post who covers gender and family issues. She spent a decade at The Oregonian writing about race and LGBTQ+ issues and was a finalist for the Livingston Award. A former Spencer Fellow at Columbia University, Parks was awarded the 2021 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award for her debut memoir, Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery. Described as "... a sweeping journalistic saga about sexuality and gender, family trauma and the redemptive force of love...," Publishers Weekly – in a starred review – called the book, “A tantalizing blend of personal history and reportage .... A brilliantly rendered and complex portrait of Southern life alongside a tender exploration of queer belonging [and] a marvel to witness.” Casey's articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Oxford American, ESPN, USA Today, and The Nation. Stay calm and write on ... Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Casey Parks and I discussed: Earning $50 per story at the outset of her career ... ... to working in a virtual newsroom for The Washington Post Why that first byline in the New Yorker changes everything Asking permission to tell the stories of ghosts Why you can never take "no" as the final answer And a lot more! Show Notes: caseyparks.com Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery By Casey Parks (Amazon) Casey Parks for The Washington Post In the Deep South, a Search for Queer Identity - The New York Times Book Review Casey Parks on Facebook Casey Parks on Instagram Casey Parks on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice 2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah, spoke to me about life after becoming a laureate, the difference between authors and writers, and his latest novel "Afterlives." The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 was awarded to Abdulrazak Gurnah "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents" The Tanzanian-born British novelist and Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Kent, has written short stories, essays, and ten novels including Paradise (shortlisted for the Booker Prize), By the Sea (longlisted for the Booker Prize and a finalist for the LA Times Book Award), and Desertion. His latest novel, Afterlives, has been described as "... a sweeping, multi-generational saga of displacement, loss, and love, set against the brutal colonization of east Africa" The New York Times Book Review called the author, "... a master of the art form who understands human failings in conflicts both political and intimate — and how these shortcomings create afflictions from which nations and individuals continue to suffer, needlessly, generation after generation." Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Abdulrazak Gurnah and I discussed: Finding global readers and acclaim two years after the UK release of his latest book The irony of becoming a Nobel laureate in literature Why he always writes the final episode first The intergenerational trauma of war and how he chooses his protagonists Why you may be in the wrong business And a lot more! Show Notes: Afterlives: A Novel by Abdulrazak Gurnah The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 Abdulrazak Gurnah Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Pushcart Prize-winning short story writer and debut novelist, LaToya Watkins, spoke to me about landing the cover of Publishers Weekly's Writers to Watch Fall 2022, the legacy of William Faulkner, and her debut "Perish." LaToya Watkins holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Dallas and her writing has appeared in A Public Space, The Sun, McSweeney's, Kenyon Review, The Pushcart Prize Anthology, and elsewhere. Her debut is Perish, a novel "... about a Black Texan family, exploring the effects of inherited trauma and intergenerational violence as the family comes together to say goodbye to their matriarch on her deathbed." It has been named A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Good Morning America, Essence, Esquire, The Millions, among others, and named Amazon’s best debuts in August 2022. The New York Times Book Review called Watkins’s Perish, "... an impressive feat of storytelling ... a difficult read and a tender story of silences and secrets." Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file LaToya Watkins and I discussed: How she went from first-generation college grad to being compared to Alice Walker and Toni Morrison Carving out the time to write as a mother of three How writing short stories prepared her to write the novel Why it takes her two hours to find her flow state Writing about intergenerational trauma and the cost of slavery And a lot more! Show Notes: latoyawatkins.com Perish: A Novel by LaToya Watkins Writers to Watch Fall 2022 - PW Has Texas Finally Found Its William Faulkner? LaToya Watkins on Instagram LaToya Watkins on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Longtime literary critic and publishing insider, Bethanne Patrick, spoke to me about how she became a famed reviewer, where she puts all the books, and her new investigative podcast "Missing Pages." Bethanne Patrick is a writer, author, and critic whose monthly column on hot books appears in The Washington Post. An influencer in the book world, Bethanne (@TheBookMaven) has over 200K Twitter followers and originated the popular #FridayReads tag. She is also host to the all-new podcast Missing Pages, which investigates the good (rarely), the bad (frequently), and the messy (always) of the publishing industry. Described as an investigative podcast, "Missing Pages uncovers the power struggles, mistaken identities, and unfathomably bad behavior within the secretive world of book publishing. Each episode brings in authors, experts, publishing insiders, and a circus of NYC media elites to tell the real story; unfit for print." Bethanne's book reviews and author profiles have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Poets & Writers magazine, NPR Books, Lit Hub and many others. She is the author of two books for National Geographic, an editor of an anthology for Regan Arts, and is currently writing a memoir for Counterpoint Press. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Bethanne Patrick and I discussed: How she became a self-styled book "maven" The logistical issues of receiving 20 books a week What it's like cracking the Cosa Nostra of publishing Why disruption in the publishing industry can't come fast enough How to start your career by writing reviews And a lot more! Show Notes: bethannepatrick.com Missing Pages on Apple Podcasts Inside the Push to Diversify the Book Business - NY Times DOJ v. PRH: Agents, Publishers Move Center Stage by Bethanne Patrick for PW Bethanne Patrick for The Washington Post Bethanne Patrick on Instagram Bethanne Patrick on Facebook Bethanne Patrick on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice #1 New York Times bestselling author, Mark Greaney, returned to talk about hanging out on the red carpet with Netflix "The Gray Man" stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, turning a failed screenplay into a hit audio play, and his latest, "Armored." "Even if you finish a whole book and it doesn't get published, I promise you you're a much better author at the end of that process than you were at the beginning..." – Mark Greaney Mark's debut international thriller, The Gray Man, was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and highly sought-after Hollywood property. He's released twelve in that series to date including the #1 New York Times bestseller One Minute Out. Netflix has now turned the first book in The Gray Man series into a blockbuster movie starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, available now. His latest is Armored, a novel inspired by the author's popular Audible Original drama. Publishers Weekly wrote that the protagonist, Joshua Duffy, "... proves to be more than just a hardened military tactician. Readers will hope he’ll be back for an encore." A feature film adaptation of Armored is now in development with Sony. Mark is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author or co-author of seven Tom Clancy novels – he co-wrote Clancy’s final three Jack Ryan thrillers prior to his passing. Stay tuned until the show's end for a preview of the Audiobook, audio excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from Armored by Mark Greaney, read by Adam Gold. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Mark Greaney and I discussed: His 15-year, overnight success How he continues to hit regular deadlines and write two books a year What it was like to see his Gray Man on the big screen Why it's less important to be 100% accurate than to be entertaining And a lot more! Show Notes: How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Mark Greaney Writes: Part One MarkGreaneybooks.com THE GRAY MAN | Official Trailer | Netflix Armored by Mark Greaney (Amazon Affiliate) Mark Greaney Amazon author page Mark Greaney on Instagram Mark Greaney on Facebook Mark Greaney on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, Sarah Pearse, spoke to me about Agatha Christie's legacy, how to write plausible police procedurals, and the place that inspired her latest, "The Retreat." Sarah Pearse is the author of The Sanatorium, a stunning crime fiction debut, instant New York Times and international bestseller, as well as a Reese’s Book Club selection and critical success. Her second novel, The Retreat, is Book Two in her bestselling Detective Elin Warner series, and another locked-room style thriller People magazine called, "The Shining but with a full house.” New York Times bestselling author Ashley Audrain said of the book, “Sarah Pearse has expertly crafted another eerie, atmospheric thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read. A wonderfully chilling story of grief, revenge, and family secrets. An absorbing escape!” Sarah Pearse studied English literature and creative writing at the University of Warwick before completing a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism and has worked in marketing and publicity for a variety of household brands. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Sarah Pearse and I discussed: The best writing advice she's ever received How this #writermom wrote a bestseller on maternity leave Using folklore, famously haunted, and sacred places in your writing What mind maps and natural descriptions can do for your setting The best way to conquer your nerves and win the day Her thoughts on rejection And a lot more! Show Notes: sarahpearse.co.uk The Retreat: A Novel by Sarah Pearse (Amazon Affiliate) The Sanatorium: A Novel by Sarah Pearse (Amazon Affiliate) Sarah Pearse on Facebook Sarah Pearse on Instagram Sarah Pearse on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Addendum: Hey just a quick addendum on this week's redux, I am out of town this week and enjoying the sweatiest summer of all time with my kids, but I wanted to revisit a fantastic episode with now National Book Award Winner, Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction Winner, Pushcart Prize nominee, NAACP Image Award nominee, and Carnegie Medals For Excellence Longlist nominee Jason Mott. Congrats! Enjoy, I’ll catch you next week with some fresh writerly wisdom. New York Times bestselling author, Jason Mott, took a timeout to talk with me about the high-wire act of building Hell of a Book, talking about race in America, and NOT working with Brad Pitt. Jason is the author of The Returned, a New York Times bestseller that was turned into a TV series that ran for two seasons. His fourth novel is titled Hell of a Book, and is described as a "... funny and honest [work of fiction] that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole." The book has been named to dozens of "Must Read" lists for 2021 including Entertainment Weekly, The NY Post, GMA, USA Today, Fortune's 21 Most Anticipated Books Coming out in the Second Half of 2021 and more. Charles Yu, author of National Book Award winner Interior Chinatown called the book, "Playful, searching, raw and necessary..." Jason has BFA in fiction and an MFA in Poetry, both from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His poetry and fiction have appeared in various literary journals. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Jason Mott and I discussed: What it's like to write a book in your head for a decade Why he dared to dream to become a writer How to build a technically complex novel, draft by draft His study and love of film noir And why writers need to be nicer to themselves Show Notes: JasonMottAuthor.com Hell of a Book: A Novel by Jason Mott Jason Mott Amazon author page Jason Mott on Facebook Jason Mott on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice #1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry, spoke to me about her past life as a YA mid-lister, the Romance Renaissance, writing your way out of darkness, and her latest "Book Lovers." Emily Henry is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read, and has sold over a million copies of her novels. Her latest, Book Lovers, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, multiple Most Anticipated Read of 2022, and has been described as "... a love story between a by-the-book literary agent and a prickly book editor who fall in love in a small town straight out of a romance movie." New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid called it “... a rom-com lover's dream of a book," and Emma Straub wrote, “I would follow Emily Henry anywhere. A small town, a literary enterprise, a bookstore to rescue, and ..." other sexy things. Emily's books have been featured in Buzzfeed, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, The Skimm, Shondaland, and more. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get The Writer Files Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] In this file Emily Henry and I discussed: What it's like to live in a "lightning strike" Watching your friends succeed wildly Making Romance more accessible to the masses The secrets behind Hallmark Christmas movies How to wake, Wordle, and write 2000 words a day And a lot more! [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: emilyhenrybooks.com Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Amazon Affiliate) Emily Henry Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Emily Henry on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, Ashley Poston, spoke to me about her pivot away from YA, the importance of fan fiction, and her paranormal romance debut "The Dead Romantics." Ashley Poston’s bestselling YA novels have been featured by Teen Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, and more. Her highly-anticipated pivot to romance is The Dead Romantics, a story about a millennial ghostwriter who believes romance is dead, a humorous and heartfelt novel with a fresh, slightly supernatural hook. The New York Times Bestseller and Good Morning America Book Club Pick has been called "‘While You Were Sleeping’ meets ‘Six Feet Under,'" by the NY Times, and bestselling author Emma Straub called it, "Smart, quick, and absolutely bubbling over with love for the genre of romance itself. Delicious.” Ashley Poston has spent the last decade in the publishing industry as a social media coordinator, a marketing designer, and finally an author. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get The Writer Files Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] In this file Ashley Poston and I discussed: Her work behind the curtain in publishing What it's like to be a GMA Book Club Pick How to stay in love with writing Why graveyards have curfews The power of deadlines And a lot more! [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: ashposton.com The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (Amazon Affiliate) Ashley Poston Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) How New York Times Bestselling Author & Mortician Caitlin Doughty Writes Ashley Poston on Twitter Ashley Poston on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, Eleanor Brown, spoke to me about the difference between writers and authors, why adoptive families are just like any other family, and her latest novel "Any Other Family." Eleanor Brown's critically acclaimed debut novel, The Weird Sisters, was a New York Times and #1 international bestseller with over half a million copies sold. The novel earned excellent reviews from The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, USA Today, and more. Her latest is Any Other Family, a novel "...about four children, three adoptive mothers, and one complicated, unforgettable family." Kirkus Reviews described it as, "A prismatic story of family, adoption, and how the people we choose to keep close shape who we are.” Eleanor is also an anthologist, editor, teacher, speaker, and adoptive mother herself. She teaches writing workshops and conferences nationwide, including for The Writers' Table and Lighthouse Writers workshops in Colorado. Stay calm and write on ... In this file Eleanor Brown and I discussed: Her 15-year overnight success Why she doesn't read her reviews On becoming an adoptive mother and open adoption Why novelists have to outline at some point How to start with a destination in mind And why you need to start calling yourself a "writer" And a lot more! Show Notes: eleanor-brown.com Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown (Amazon Affiliate) Eleanor Brown Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) The Book Project - LighthouseWriters.org Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, and screenwriter-producer, Dennis Lehane, spoke to me about what he learned from Clint Eastwood, working on "Mr. Mercedes" with David E. Kelley, and his new Apple TV+ show "Black Bird." Dennis Lehane is the bestselling author of 13 novels including four adapted into films of the same name: 2003's Academy Award-winning film Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood; 2007's Gone Baby Gone; 2010's Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese, and 2016’s Live by Night directed by Ben Affleck. His latest is the limited Apple TV+ series, Black Bird, described as a "...fascinating, ripped-from-the headlines story [and] true-crime drama..." based on the 2010 memoir by James Keene and Hillel Levin, In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption. "Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), cuts a deal with the FBI to enter maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend a suspected serial killer, Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser)." Black Bird premieres globally with the first two episodes on Friday, July 8, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday. Lehane was a staff writer on the acclaimed HBO series "The Wire," worked as a writer-producer on HBO’s "Boardwalk Empire," the Netflix series, "Bloodline," and was a writer and producer on the television adaptation of Stephen King’s "Mr. Mercedes." Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get The Writer Files Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] In this file Dennis Lehane and I discussed: Why he sucked at everything except writing and playing pool How he landed a literary agent while parking cars Dealing with impostor syndrome early on How he prefers screenwriting to novel writing today Why narcissists have no place on a TV set And a lot more! [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: Black Bird | Apple TV+ Dennis Lehane on IMDb Dennis Lehane Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene and Hillel Levin (Amazon Affiliate) Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling thriller writer Riley Sager, spoke to me about why he publishes under a pen name, how to write Hitchcockian suspense, and his latest "The House Across the Lake." Riley Sager is the bestselling author of six novels, most recently Home Before Dark and Survive the Night. His award-winning first novel, Final Girls, was a national and international bestseller that has been published in 30 countries. His latest novel, The House Across the Lake, has been named a most anticipated summer book by People, E! News, PureWow, CNN.com, CrimeReads, and many others. It's been described by CrimeReads as "... a psychological thriller version of The Great Gatsby, featuring binoculars for more accurate across-the-lake spying, smaller gatherings for a shorter list of suspects, and a truly bat**** twist for more satisfying consumption." The House Across the Lake was inspired by Riley's "... own pandemic escapes to a cabin in rural Vermont [and] oozes with slow-burn Hitchcockian suspense before building to a finale that will leave readers reeling. " [Discover ⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Stay calm and write on ... In this file Riley Sager and I discussed: The albatross of bad sales early in your career Why his process changes from book to book How to turn common genre tropes on their head What happens to his social life as deadlines loom Taking inspiration from classic film And a lot more! Show Notes: rileysagerbooks.com The House Across the Lake: A Novel by Riley Sager (Amazon Affiliate) Riley Sager Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Riley Sager on Facebook Riley Sager on Instagram Riley Sager on TikTok Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner, Geraldine Brooks, spoke to me about why "truth is stranger than fiction," letting story drive narrative, and the overheard conversation that led to her latest, "Horse." Geraldine Brooks is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel March and the international bestsellers The Secret Chord, Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book, and Year of Wonders (recently optioned by Olivia Colman). Her latest novel, Horse, is described as "... a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history." TIME magazine said of the book, "Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art." Geraldine has also written acclaimed nonfiction works including Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. She started out as a reporter in her hometown, Sydney, and went on to cover conflicts as a Wall Street Journal correspondent in Bosnia, Somalia, and the Middle East. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get The Writer Files Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] In this file Geraldine Brooks and I discussed: Her early years as a war correspondent Why she chose to write a braided narrative based on an overheard conversation Reading history to find verisimilitude Empathy in fiction Writing through a pandemic And a lot more! [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: GeraldineBrooks.com Horse: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks (Amazon Affiliate) Geraldine Brooks Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Geraldine Brooks on Facebook Geraldine Brooks on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Seven-time Emmy nominee and co-creator of the hit TV series "How I Met Your Mother," Carter Bays, spoke to me about working with David Letterman, being a recovering TV writer, and his debut novel "The Mutual Friend." Carter Bays is best known as the co-creator of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother which ran on CBS for nine seasons. A companion series, How I Met Your Father, starring Hilary Duff, premiere on Hulu in 2022. His latest is The Mutual Friend, described as a "... thought-provoking debut novel set in New York City, following a sprawling cast of characters as they navigate life, love, loss, ambition, and spirituality — without ever looking up from their phones." A starred Kirkus review called the book, "... a perfect summer beach read, but one that deserves serious awards consideration as well," and NY Times bestselling author Clare Pooley called the book “... the most extraordinary and beguiling novel I’ve read in years." Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get The Writer Files Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] In this file Carter Bays and I discussed: Why working on the Late Show with David Letterman was a comedy MFA How to get a laugh When he finds the time to write fiction The use of Easter eggs and twists in narrative structure Why you need to get your work in front of strangers And a lot more! [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: carterbays.com The Mutual Friend: A Novel by Carter Bays [Amazon Affiliate] Carter Bays on IMDb Carter Bays on Facebook Carter Bays on Instagram Carter Bays on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, Clare Pooley, spoke to me about rising from the ashes, writing as therapy, her nostalgia for the bygone commute, and her latest "Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting." Clare's blog-to-memoir deal, The Sober Diaries, was published in 2017 to critical acclaim. Her debut novel - The Authenticity Project – was a New York Times bestseller. Inspired by her own experiences, it's been translated into thirty-two languages, was a Radio 2 Bookclub pick, and winner of the RNA Debut Novel Award. Her latest, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting, is described as "... a heartwarming story about the joy of friendships, and the unexpected places they can be forged." Kirkus Reviews called the book “A soothing story where bad things happen yet are overcome, and friendship leads the way to personal acceptance and rebirth.” Bestselling author Mary Laura Philpott called the book, "... a feel-good ensemble story [for] fans of quirky London-set fare such as Ted Lasso." Clare graduated from Cambridge University, and spent twenty years in the world of advertising, before becoming a full-time writer. Stay calm and write on ... In this file Clare Pooley and I discussed: Why making up stories is not a proper job (wink, wink) Her unique creative process (spoiler: it starts in the dark) Big Magic and harnessing the creative muse The necessity of coffee to the writing life How she embraced the life of a #writerwarrior And a lot more! Show Notes: clarepooley.com Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting: A Novel by Clare Pooley [Amazon Affiliate] Clare Pooley's Amazon Author Page [Amazon Affiliate] Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert [Amazon Affiliate] Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel by Bonnie Garmus [Amazon Affiliate] Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: A Novel by Gail Honeyman [Amazon Affiliate] Clare Pooley on Facebook Clare Pooley on Instagram Clare Pooley on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Mexican-American writer and historian, Isabel Cañas, spoke to me about how to binge-write a novel, her fear of the dark, and swinging for the fences with her gothic debut "The Hacienda." Isabel is a speculative fiction writer, and world traveler – currently working on her Ph.D. dissertation in medieval Islamic literature – who writes fiction inspired by her research and heritage. Her debut novel is the highly-anticipated gothic, The Hacienda, "... a haunted house story with a Latinx refresh .... partly inspired by a home Isabel lived in when she was a child — one she still believes to this day is haunted." Described by The Washington Post as, “[A] gothic tale of doomed love and vengeful spirits." NY Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi called the book, “A hypnotic, sinister tale that is equal parts terrifying and luxurious ... a nightmare lined with velvet.” In this file Isabel Cañas and I discussed: Writing fantasy fan fiction and her convoluted juvenilia Why horror demands vulnerability from the author On haunted houses and ghosts of colonialism and diaspora Zero-drafting How to write 4000 words a day And a lot more! Stay calm and write on ... Show Notes: isabelcanas.com The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas [Amazon Affiliate] Isabel Cañas on Facebook Isabel Cañas on Instagram Isabel Cañas on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, Emma Straub, spoke to me about why everything in life is timing, how to write a book for yourself, time travel, and her latest "This Time Tomorrow." Emma is the bestselling author of five novels — including All Adults Here, The Vacationers, Modern Lovers, and Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures — the short story collection Other People We Married. Her books have been published in 20 countries. Her latest, This Time Tomorrow, has been named One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2022 by Vogue, Oprah, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Reader’s Digest, Today, Parade, Thrillist, Pop Sugar, Lithub and more. Described as "...a moving father-daughter story and a playful twist on the idea of time travel," author Michael Chabon called the book "...a beautifully made, elegant music box of a novel that sets in motion its clever clockwork of delight—then breaks your heart with its bittersweet, lingering song.” Emma and her husband also own Books Are Magic, a popular independent bookstore in Brooklyn, New York. In this file Emma Straub and I discussed: Why getting an MFA helped her slow down her writing How she met everyone in publishing at an indie bookshop The unique perspective of Xennials How to find confidence and pages while being off-balance Why she'd drink less Olde English if she could go back And a lot more! Stay calm and write on ... emmastraub.net This Time Tomorrow a Novel by Emma Straub 'This Time Tomorrow' is the time travel book millennials need - USA Today Emma Straub on Facebook Emma Straub on Instagram Emma Straub on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning author and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Hernan Diaz, spoke to me about rejection, his unusual path to literary stardom, subverting reader expectations, and his latest novel "Trust." Hernan was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award. His first novel, "In the Distance," won the Saroyan International Prize, the Cabell Award, the Prix Page America, and the New American Voices Award, among other distinctions. His latest novel, Trust, has been named one of 2022’s Most Anticipated Books by The New York Times, OprahDaily, The Today Show, Vogue, Vulture, AV Club, and more. Described as "...an immersive story and a brilliant literary puzzle .... about money, power, intimacy, and perception," The NY Times called Trust, “Intricate, cunning and consistently surprising ..." Hernan holds a Ph.D. from NYU, edits an academic journal at Columbia University, and is also the author of Borges, Between History and Eternity. His stories and essays have appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Playboy, The Yale Review, McSweeney’s, and elsewhere. In this file Hernan Diaz and I discussed: Why the path to publication is a Catch-22 for authors The lonely road to Pulitzer nominee and disorientation of fame What he learned from Jorge Luis Borges Re-mapping the isthmus of referential reality How he unlearned academic writing And a lot more! Stay calm and write on ... hernandiaz.net Trust by Hernan Diaz (Amazon Affiliate) Hernan Diaz Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) A Debut Novel. A Tiny Press. A Pulitzer Finalist. – NY Times Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning author and broadcaster, Elizabeth Day, talked to me candidly about How to Fail, hanging out with Gloria Steinem, genre equality, and how she wrote her compeller, "Magpie." Elizabeth is a novelist, lauded journalist, and host of the chart-topping podcast, How To Fail, which has featured guests including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Gloria Steinem, and Brene Brown. Her latest novel, Magpie, was published in the UK in September 2021 and became an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Described as "... a taut, psychological suspense novel about a perfect couple and their seemingly perfect roommate...," bestselling author Matt Haig called it "...a clever, suspenseful read with a brilliant central pivot." Elizabeth was a staff feature writer for the Observer for eight years and her writing has appeared in The Telegraph, The Times, the Guardian, New York Magazine, Vogue, Grazia, Elle, and Vanity Fair. She is also a contributing editor for Harper's Bazaar. Stay calm and write on ... In this file Elizabeth Day and I discussed: How failure makes us human Cooking pasta for Stanley Tucci Why we don't call Jonathan Franzen a "Domestic Thriller" writer Writing about the struggles women go through to become mothers Booking an Airbnb to finish her book And a lot more! Show Notes: elizabethdayonline.co.uk Magpie by Elizabeth Day (Amazon Affiliate) Elizabeth Day Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Elizabeth Day on Facebook Elizabeth Day on Instagram Elizabeth Day on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Critically acclaimed and award-winning author, Michelle Huneven, talked to me about her former life as an LA food critic, how to write self-referential fiction, and the spiritual detective work behind her latest novel "Search." Michelle's books have been New York Times Notables and finalists for the LA Times Book Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. She is the recipient of a Whiting Award for Fiction, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a James Beard Award for feature writing with recipes. Her fifth novel, Search, was named one of the "10 Most Anticipated Fiction Books of 2022" by Kirkus and is described as "... a sharp and funny novel of a congregational search committee, told as a memoir with recipes." Michelle received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and teaches creative writing at UCLA. In this file Michelle Huneven and I discussed: How she draws "psychic juice" from her fiction writing What 20 min. a day can do for your writing routine The "ground aversion" writers face to finishing And a lot more! Stay calm and write on ... Show Notes: MichelleHuneven.com Search: A Novel by Michelle Huneven (Amazon Affiliate) Michelle Huneven Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) My Antonia by Willa Cather (Amazon Affiliate) What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro (Amazon Affiliate) Michelle Huneven on Instagram Michelle Huneven on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Emmy-nominated screenwriter and author, Sascha Rothchild, spoke to me about her humble beginnings in LA, working with Marc Maron on GLOW, and how to write a "bingeable" thriller like her debut, "Blood Sugar." Sascha has written and produced lauded TV shows including GLOW (2017), The Bold Type (2017), and The Carrie Diaries (2013), and was named Variety's “10 TV Writers to Watch” 2015. Her long-form journalism, "How to Get Divorced by 30," was adapted into both an acclaimed memoir and screenplay for Universal Studios. Her debut novel is Blood Sugar, a psychological, noir thriller, named one of the most anticipated reads of 2022 by PopSugar, BookPage, and Crimereads. It's described as "...the story of the most likable murderess you will ever meet," and bestselling author Samantha Downing called it “...a fascinating story, wicked sharp writing, and an unforgettable narrator .... [that] needs to be on your 2022 reading list.” In this file Sascha Rothchild and I discussed: The feeling of powerlessness that comes with publishing your debut Why she needs to wake up and write something every day How to write a novel in the gaps What writers need to know about the frustration of the craft Taking Jane Austen to high tea And a lot more! Stay calm and write on ... Show Notes: SaschaRothchild.com Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild (Amazon Affiliate) Sascha Rothchild on IMDb Circe by Madeline Miller (Amazon Affiliate) Sascha Rothchild on Instagram Sascha Rothchild on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Lipstein reads excerpts from "Last Resort," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Andrew Lipstein is a writer based in Brooklyn. His debut novel "Last Resort" is out now from Farrar, Straus & Giroux in the US, and Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK. His second novel will be published in 2023, also by FSG and W&N. He also works on the product design team at Kabbage, a fintech startup, and was previously at Meural, an art tech startup and his writing has appeared in Interview, the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, The Millions, VICE, McSweeney's, The Rumpus, Electric Literature & more. Storybound is hosted by Jude Brewer and brought to you by The Podglomerate and Lit Hub Radio. Let us know what you think of the show on Instagram and Twitter @storyboundpod. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: Last Resort: A Novel by Andrew Lipstein (Amazon Affiliate) Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice The bestselling author and educator, Jennifer Close, spoke with me about writing her first book on unemployment, how to write a novel in 12 weeks, and her latest, "Marrying the Ketchups." Jennifer is the bestselling author of Girls in White Dresses, The Smart One, and The Hopefuls. Her latest is Marrying the Ketchups (available from Knopf | April 26, 2022), described as a "comedy of manners about three generations of a Chicago restaurant family," and "... a love letter to shared meals and to the family-owned restaurants we all keep coming back to." Jennifer has an M.F.A. in Fiction from The New School and currently teaches creative writing at Catapult. She worked in New York in print magazines for many years and has taught creative writing at George Washington University. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Jennifer Close and I discussed: How writers can use fear as a motivator Why actually "marrying the ketchups" is a little gross What workshopping a novel from start to finish can do for you The difference between scheduling for time vs. word count Why writing doesn't always look like writing And a lot more! Show Notes: Marrying the Ketchups: A novel by Jennifer Close (Amazon Affiliate) Jennifer Close Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Let's Not Do that Again by Grant Ginder (Amazon Affiliate) Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (Amazon Affiliate) 12-Week Novel Draft Generator w/ Instructor Jennifer Close Jennifer Close on Instagram Jennifer Close on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning international journalist, author, and serial pundit, Adam Skolnick, returned for a mostly uncensored chat about assholes, mind-altering substances, the craft of writing, and the meaning of Jack Kerouac's 100th birthday. Adam is an award-winning independent journalist and author covering adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health, among others. He is also the author of One Breath, was the ghostwriter and narrator of David Goggins’ bestselling memoir and audiobook Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds, and co-hosts The Rich Roll Podcast, on the "Roll On" edition. Get ready, we cover some ground here and had a lot of fun along the way. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: How to Ghostwrite a Bestseller with Author Adam Skolnick: Part One AdamSkolnick.com Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – by Author David Goggins (Amazon Affiliate) Jack Kerouac Amazon Author Page On the Centenary of Jack Kerouac’s Birth, Rarely Seen Archival Material from His Publisher ‹ Literary Hub The Wet and the Dry: A Drinker's Journey by Lawrence Osborne (Amazon Affiliate) Malorie Kerouac on Instagram Adam Skolnick on Instagram Adam Skolnick on The Rich Roll Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Internationally bestselling and award-winning Danish novelist, Sara Blaedel, spoke to me about overcoming a learning disorder, how to write Nordic Noir, and her latest novel, "A Harmless Lie." Sara has been dubbed Denmark’s “Queen of Crime,” and is the author of the globally bestselling Detective Louise Rick series. Over 3 million copies of Blaedel’s books have sold in Denmark alone, and the author is published in 38 countries. Her most recent hit, and 10th in the Louise Rick series, is A Harmless Lie, described as a "...darkly atmospheric, deeply emotional thriller..." A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author, said of the book, "Sara Blaedel writes novels as twisty as spirals and electric with intelligence. A HARMLESS LIE is a labyrinth of a mystery, dense and dangerous. Come get lost in it." In 2014 Sara was voted Denmark's most popular novelist for the fifth time. She is also a recipient of the Golden Laurel, Denmark's most prestigious literary award. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Sara Blaedel and I discussed: Why reading young adult mysteries were her getaway and gateway How the pressures and deadlines of journalism inform her work Inviting new readers into a long-running series Why creativity and eccentricity aren't productive to the writer's life And a lot more! Show Notes: SaraBlaedel.dk A Harmless Lie: A Novel by Sara Blaedel (Amazon Affiliate) Sara Blaedel Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Sara Blaedel on Instagram Sara Blaedel on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, Rosie Walsh, talked with me about finding her voice, transitioning from romcom to "emotional thriller," and her latest, The Love of My Life. Rosie Walsh has lived and traveled all over the world, working as a documentary producer and writer. Her American debut, Ghosted, was a New York Times bestseller and has sold more than one million copies worldwide. Her second novel is The Love of My Life, described as a "...stay-up-all-night page-turner. It’s a love story wrapped in a mystery that ... [taps] into our darkest fears about motherhood, family, and trust." Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push, said of the book, “Walsh’s hugely compelling THE LOVE OF MY LIFE instantly pulls you deep into the interior of a marriage. Part thriller, part mystery, part heart-wrenching love story, this is a treasure...” Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Rosie Walsh and I discussed: Writing upmarket fiction under a pseudonym Why she starts all of her books with plot How to write a "book that breathes" What it's like to hang out at death cafes The "bum fight" that is the writer's life And a lot more! Show Notes: RosieWalsh.com The Love of My Life: A Novel by Rosie Walsh (Amazon Affiliate) Rosie Walsh on Facebook Rosie Walsh on Instagram Rosie Walsh on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning journalist and acclaimed author, Brandon Presser, spoke to me about his credo as a globetrotter, the Instagram-ification of travel, and his latest non-fiction novel, "The Far Land." Brandon has a degree in art history and architecture from Harvard University, has worked in Paris at the Louvre, in Tokyo as an architectural apprentice, and in Thailand as a scuba diving professional. He has also traveled to over 130 countries, written over 50 travel books, and was awarded a Society of American Travel Writers award for his achievements in guidebook writing. Brandon's latest is The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific, and has been described as a "... thrilling true tale of power, obsession, and betrayal at the edge of the world. " Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks said of the book, “The Far Land swells in the cause and effect of actions of passion. Brandon Presser's fascinating narrative of the relentless consequences of the Bounty mutineers asks: were they brave or damned? They lived so very troubled ever after. You can’t make this stuff up!” Brandon currently contributes to Bloomberg Businessweek and Condé Nast Traveler and could be seen on Bravo's television series, "Tour Group" where he led a group of eclectic travelers around the world. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Brandon and I discussed: How the Mutiny on the Bounty became the most notorious maritime event of all time Why travel journalists are like prostitutes How to get a blurb from Tom Hanks His mixed emotions about publication day Having dinner on Marlon Brando's island And a lot more! Show Notes: BrandonPresser.com The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific by Brandon Presser (Amazon Affiliate) Brandon Presser on Instagram Brandon Presser on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, C.J. Box, spoke to me about his early years as a small-town reporter, how to write a novel in 3-4 months, and his latest Joe Pickett book, Shadows Reel. C.J. is the author of 30+ novels including 22 Joe Pickett novels, seven stand-alone novels, including The Bitterroots; and the story collection Shots Fired. Over ten million copies of his books have been sold in the U.S. and abroad. He has won the Edgar, Anthony, a French Prix Calibre.38 and was awarded the 2016 Western Heritage Award for Literature by the National Cowboy Museum, to name only a few. His latest in the Joe Pickett series is Shadows Reel, and Kirkus said of the book “Joe’s 22nd adventure continues to give good value. Old-school Nazis, newfangled terrorists, Big Sky country—it’s all here.” His books have been translated into 30 languages and two TV series based on his novels are in production (BIG SKY on ABC and JOE PICKETT on Spectrum Originals). He is an Executive Producer for both series. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file C.J. Box and I discussed: His 20-year, overnight success Why Game Wardens in Wyoming meet more bad guys How to write two books in one The unique research and meticulous plotting that goes into his novels Why he takes time to pay it forward for his fellow scribes Puffing cigars with Mark Twain And a lot more! Show Notes: cjbox.net Shadows Reel (A Joe Pickett Novel Book 22) by C.J. Box (Amazon Affiliate) C.J. Box Author Page (Amazon) C.J. Box on Facebook C.J. Box on Instagram C.J. Box on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Critically acclaimed, internationally bestselling novelist, Stephanie Wrobel, spoke to me about her humble beginnings as a copywriter, turning her thesis into a bestseller, and the process of writing This Might Hurt. Stephanie is the author of Darling Rose Gold, an instant bestseller of 2020 that received rave reviews, and was nominated for multiple awards, including the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Her follow-up is This Might Hurt, described as "...a dark, thrilling novel about two sisters—one trapped in the clutches of a cult, the other in a web of her own lies." New York Times bestselling author of The Push, Ashley Audrain said of the book, "... [a gripping] clever exploration of fear and vulnerability right until the flawless ending—one you’ll most certainly want to talk about.” Stephanie has an MFA from Emerson College and has had short fiction published in the Bellevue Literary Review. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Stephanie Wrobel and I discussed: The challenges of writing "the second novel" Researching real-life cults How she writes a chapter-a-day instead of using word counts Why she loathes the idea of standing desks How to rediscover your love of writing And a lot more! Show Notes: StephanieWrobel.com This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel (Amazon Affiliate) An author-curated playlist inspired by Stephanie Wrobel's This Might Hurt - Spotify Stephanie Wrobel on Twitter (@stephwrobel) Stephanie Wrobel on Instagram (@stephaniewrobel) Stephanie Wrobel on Facebook Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning short story writer and novelist, Kim Fu, spoke to me about speculative vs. science fiction, how to critique the future, and her collection Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century. Kim is the author of two novels and a collection of poetry. Her novel For Today I Am a Boy won the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, and a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice. Her debut story collection, Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century, has been described as "12 unforgettable tales [where] the strange is made familiar and the familiar strange...." It was named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year at LitHub, Electric Lit, Kirkus, The Rumpus and CBC Books, as well as a BuzzFeed and WIRED Pick for a Book You Need to Read This Winter. Kim’s writing has appeared in Granta, the Atlantic, the New York Times, Hazlitt, and the TLS. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Kim Fu and I discussed: The challenges of the transition from realism to speculative short stories A criticism of the Metaverse and her love of video games How she channeled the fear and dread of our current dystopia Why she writes in 12-hour sprints The power of pop-up Zoom accountability groups And a lot more! Show Notes: Kim-Fu.com Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu (Amazon Affiliate) How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (Amazon Affiliate) Review: 'Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century,' by Kim Fu Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice This week four women with several combined decades of experience in the writing and publishing industries joined me for a roundtable to talk about ... How the last two years have changed how writers and publishers approach their business/craft The difficulties of getting an indie book on the New York Times bestsellers list Self vs. traditional publishing pathways and distribution models How fast do you need to go, speedboat or yacht? Hybrid models for writers Trends for 2022 And resources for aspiring scribes Guests: Angela Engel has more than two decades of experience in sales strategy and business development for companies like Chronicle Books, Dwell Studio, and Moleskine. Angela Engel launched The Collective Book Studio a woman-owned publisher transforming content into beautiful books. thecollectivebook.studio IG: thecollectivebookstudio ibpa-online.org Publishers Marketplace Publisher's Weekly Shelf Awareness Award-winning author Jennifer Irwin’s debut novel, A Dress the Color of the Sky, was published in 2017 and has received rave reviews, won seven book awards, and was optioned for a feature film. jenniferirwinauthor.com A Dress the Color of the Sky by Jennifer Irwin [Amazon Affiliate] - https://amzn.to/3GXlBm7 womensfictionwriters.org nanowrimo.org Richmond-based publisher Kimberley Wells Eley of KWE Publishing, signed an agreement with Morgan James Publishing as an Imprint, opening new doors and possibilities for all her authors. KWE Publishing LLC IG: kwepub morgan-james-publishing.com Women In Publishing Summit Award-winning author & Book Coach Dallas Woodburn is the debut author of the novel The Best Week That Never Happened. A former John Steinbeck Fellow in Creative Writing and a current San Francisco Writers Grotto Fellow, her work has been honored with the Cypress & Pine Short Fiction Award, the international Glass Woman Prize, second place in the American Fiction Prize, and four Pushcart Prize nominations dallaswoodburnauthor.com writeonbooks.org Overflowing Bookshelves podcast Thriving Authors Academy Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Stay calm and write on ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling and award-winning novelist, Elizabeth George, spoke to me about her exacting research, the discipline of psychological suspense, and interweaving cultural issues into her latest, Something to Hide. Dubbed "an essential writer of popular fiction today” Elizabeth is the recipient of the Anthony Award, the Agatha Award, France’s Grand Prix [graan pree] di Literature, and has been twice nominated for the Edgar Award. She's best known as the author of the Lynley mystery series that was adapted into the lauded PBS/BBC show – "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" series – currently streaming on Amazon Prime and others. Her latest, Something to Hide: A Lynley Novel, marks the 21st in that series. The New York Times Book Review called it, "... another intelligent, intricate mystery starring Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley of New Scotland Yard.” Elizabeth is also a philanthropist who, through The Elizabeth George Foundation, "... makes grants to writers and to organizations benefiting disadvantaged youth, particularly in the area of the arts." Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Elizabeth George and I discussed: Why she approaches the writing craft with the same discipline and perseverance she had as a teacher How to structure a mystery layer by layer Understanding the editorial process and learning to be a more efficient writer The foundation of any great novel, her secret hacks ... And a lot more! Show Notes: ElizabethGeorgeOnline.com ElizabethGeorgeFoundation.org Something to Hide: A Lynley Novel by Elizabeth George (Amazon) Mastering the Process by Elizabeth George (Amazon) Elizabeth George Author Page (Amazon) Elizabeth George on Facebook Elizabeth George on Instagram Elizabeth George on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning Irish author, Ruth Gilligan, spoke to me about researching the gothic wilds of Ireland, how to engineer a thriller, and her latest, The Butchers' Blessing. Ruth Gilligan is a writer and academic from Dublin and was the youngest person ever to top the Irish Bestsellers’ List. She has published five books and her most recent novel, The Butchers' Blessing, (published as The Butchers in the UK) is described as a "...haunting and unforgettable thriller brimming with secrecy, tradition, and superstition...". It won the 2022 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize, whose judges called it "...a page-turning, roller coaster of a read.” B&N Reads called the book, "An achingly beautiful novel of family, tradition, Ireland and the deep secrets buried in all three," and it received a Starred review from Publishers Weekly. Ruth contributes literary reviews to the Irish Independent, Guardian, TLS, and LA Review of Books. She's also a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham and is an ambassador for the global storytelling charity Narrative 4. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, links to TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" coffee mugs anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below... Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Ruth Gilligan and I discussed: How a high school writing exercise turned into a bestseller The in-depth (four-year) research process behind her latest Why her meticulous plotting is like architectural engineering How to write a thriller from four unique POVs Why writers always need to set themselves greater challenges And a lot more! Show Notes: RuthGilligan.com The Butchers’ Blessing: A Novel by Ruth Gilligan Narrative 4 Ruth Gilligan on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Critically-acclaimed debut author, Jean Chen Ho, spoke to me about the art of nonlinear storytelling, the shifting POVs in her novel Fiona and Jane, and the value of a strong writing community. Jean was born in Taiwan and grew up in Southern California. She is a doctoral candidate in creative writing and literature at the University of Southern California – where she is a Dornsife Fellow in fiction – and has an MFA from UNLV. Her much-anticipated debut novel is a collection of linked stories titled Fiona and Jane. Booklist called it "tender and timeless," a book that "...explores the intimate facets of female friendship, Asian American immigrant experiences in Los Angeles and New York, and the debilitating power of family traumas.” Bestselling author Alexander Chee wrote, “Fiona and Jane is a high wire act. . . .Jean Chen Ho’s brilliant debut is as assured as what must surely follow.” And Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, called it, “A knockout of a book.” Jean's writing has also been published in The Georgia Review, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Guernica, The Rumpus, Apogee, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and others. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, links to TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" coffee mugs anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Jean Chen Ho and I discussed: Why writers shouldn't pick up their phones until noon The rigors and routines of editing How going to Happy Hour and talking about writing ... counts as writing! The loneliness of being a writer Deadlines, accountability, the importance of writing groups And a lot more! Show Notes: Jean-Chen-Ho.com Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho Jean Chen Ho on Instagram Jean Chen Ho on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning journalist and bestselling biographer, Laurence Leamer, spoke to me about getting banned from Mar a Lago, why book proposals are a con job, and Truman Capote's Women (and terminal writer's block). Laurence is best known as the New York Times bestselling author of multiple celebrity biographies, including the trilogy, The Kennedy Women, The Kennedy Men, and Sons of Camelot. His latest, Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era, was named one of 2021's Most Anticipate Books in People, The New York Post, and Town & Country. The book has been described as an in-depth exploration of "...the complex web of relationships and scandalous true stories behind Truman Capote's never-published final novel, Answered Prayers..." Publishers Weekly wrote of the book, “Biographer Leamer (The Kennedy Women) showcases his knack for telling a rattling good tale in this vivid look at Truman Capote’s failed attempt to write ‘the greatest novel of the age.’ . . . This juicy story delivers.” Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, links to TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" coffee mugs anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Laurence Leamer and I discussed: The advice, "If your books aren't controversial, you're doing it wrong" Why writers always answer the phone on the first ring Over-research and God's greatest gift to writers The difference between living and dead biography subjects And a lot more! Show Notes: Leamer.com Laurence Leamer - Wikipedia Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era By Laurence Leamer (Amazon) Laurence Leamer Author Page (Amazon) Laurence Leamer on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter 5eAZShcQzjRgNX13Y5a1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning author and essayist, Vanessa Veselka, spoke to me about her transformation as an artist, writing out of necessity, and the journey from nervy debut to National Book Award longlist. Vanessa is the author of the debut novel Zazen, which won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize in 2012. Her second novel, The Great Offshore Grounds, was longlisted for the National Book Award for Fiction 2020, and winner of the Oregon Book Awards' Ken Kesey Award for Fiction. The book has been described by author Roxane Gay as “A magnificent beast of a novel.... One of the rare novels that understands the realities of American poverty,” and was named one of "The 10 Best Books of 2020," by Vulture. Vanessa's short stories have appeared in Tin House and ZYZZYVA, and her nonfiction in GQ, The Atlantic, Smithsonian, The Atavist, and was included in Best American Essays and the anthology Bitchfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" coffee mugs anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Vanessa Veselka and I discussed: Suffering and the itinerant life of an artist The novel as a democratic artform Why writers need to stand their ground and trust their intuition How to find magic in your writing process Protecting your most productive time And a lot more! Show Notes: VanessaVeselka.com The Great Offshore Grounds: A novel By Vanessa Veselka (Amazon) Zazen By Vanessa Veselka (Amazon) Vanessa Veselka on Facebook Vanessa Veselka on Instagram Vanessa Veselka on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning filmmakers and multi-hyphenate screenwriting duo, Kaz and Ryan Firpo, spoke to me about their breakout Hollywood moment, writing Marvel's Eternals, and how to eat a whale. The Firpos are cousins who grew up in Northern California – with a storied background in commercials and documentary filmmaking – who describe themselves as "filmmakers who write." In 2017 their first feature screenplay, RUIN, topped The Black List (a showcase for film writers) making them a hot commodity in Hollywood. In addition to writing and directing their first feature, their original sci-fi screenplay MIMI FROM RIO was purchased in a bidding war by Netflix with Ridley Scott producing. Their first entry for the MCU is the complex story, Eternals, about a race of immortals who help shape Earth's history and civilizations, and who must emerge from hiding after thousands of years to protect the world from the evil Deviants. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file The Firpos and I discussed: The importance of The Black List to launching their careers Working with Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao of Nomadland fame World-building vs. act-building in screenwriting Why you should read all the screenwriting craft books you can Having drinks with Angelina Jolie And a lot more! Show Notes: Marvel Studios’ Eternals | Final Trailer Bet Raise Fold: The Story of Online Poker Director: Ryan Firpo [Amazon] Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee [Amazon] Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field [Amazon] Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Critically-acclaimed debut author, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson, spoke to me about becoming a late-stage "literary debutante," Walmart militias, and the #writinglife as an introvert. Jocelyn is a veteran public school art teacher, whose short story “Control Negro” was anthologized in Best American Short Stories 2018, guest-edited by New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay, and read live by LeVar Burton as part of PRI’s Selected Shorts series. Her buzzy debut is 2021 Kirkus Prize Finalist, My Monticello, five stories and a novella all set in Virginia. It has been described as a "...precisely imagined [novel exploring] burdened inheritances and extraordinary pursuits of belonging....Set in the near future..." It was selected by National Book award winner Charles Yu as his most anticipated book of the year, hailed as a "masterly feat” by the NY Times, called "electrifying" by Colson Whitehead, and "absolutely unforgettable" by Roxane Gay. Netflix recently bought the title novella "My Monticello" for adaptation and Jocelyn’s writing has appeared in Guernica, The Guardian, Kweli, Joyland, among others, and she has been a fellow at TinHouse, Hedgebrook and VCCA. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Jocelyn Nicole Johnson and I discussed: What inspired her quasi-dystopian fiction How she was discovered at a short story reading Why getting tweeted by Roxane Gay was a game-changer How to build a writing community as a wallflower And a lot more! Show Notes: JocelynJohnson.com My Monticello: Fiction By Jocelyn Nicole Johnson (Amazon) 'My Monticello' grapples with the past, present and future of American racism - NPR Jocelyn Nicole Johnson on Facebook Jocelyn Nicole Johnson on Instagram Jocelyn Nicole Johnson on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Journalist and Founder of the bestselling Six-Word Memoirs series, Larry Smith, spoke to me about his evolution as a journalist, TEDxing the Six-Word Memoir, and famous micro-memoirists. In the early days of Twitter, with a single tweet in 2006 – “Can you describe your life in six words?" – Larry Smith launched what would go on to become a runaway global phenomenon. The Six-Word Memoir Project has gone on to become a bestselling series of books, live event programs, a board game, and a popular lesson plan taught by teachers around the world. The 10th book in the series, A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year: Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic, offers a snapshot of unique viewpoints of kids, parents, and teachers sharing their six-word pandemic stories. The book also features numerous notable contributors including Piper Kerman (Smith’s wife and author of Orange Is the New Black), W. Kamau Bell (CNN commentator and comedian), Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love), and many others. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews In this file Larry Smith and I discussed: Interning with Dave Eggers at SF Weekly and launching Smith Magazine Shortened attention spans and the influence of Ernest Hemingway The power of storytelling for processing complex emotions Why writers need to get outside and take a walk And a lot more Show Notes: A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year: Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic by Six-Word Memoirs [Amazon] sixwordmemoirs.com sixwordsmith.com sixinschools.com Larry Smith on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling psychological thriller writer, Chevy Stevens, spoke to me about her life as a recluse, dreaming in prose, scaring the King, and her latest, Dark Roads. Chevy's debut novel Still Missing went on to become a New York Times bestseller and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel in 2010. Her popular books, including Those Girls – which Stephen King called “Incredibly scary and suspenseful,” – have been published in more than thirty countries and optioned for film. Her seventh novel, the standalone thriller, Dark Roads, has been described as an "instant classic" by #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box. Author Gillian Flynn has called Chevy's work both "Gripping ... [and] unforgettable." Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, In this file Chevy Stevens and I discussed: Why writers need to be protective of their (daydreaming) time The romanticization of the writing life Tossing novel drafts in the trash bin The real-life "Highway of Tears" and a legacy of broken promises How to write a proper prologue, your first 50 pages ... And a lot more Show Notes: ChevyStevens.com Dark Roads: A Novel by Chevy Stevens (Amazon) Chevy Stevens Amazon author page Chevy Stevens on Facebook Chevy Stevens on Instagram Chevy Stevens on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Co-hosts of the top international podcast "What You Will Learn," Adam Ashton and Adam Jones, spoke to me about why writers should (and can) read more, how to turn a podcast into a book, and The Sh*t They Never Taught You. What You Will Learn became Australia's #1 Book Podcast with over 4 million downloads, 300 episodes, and interviews with some of the biggest non-fiction authors in the business (including Seth Godin). The Adams pledged to deliver "The Best Bits From The Best (Non-Fiction) Books" weekly on their show, and now they've distilled their collective knowledge even further into their own book. Their compendium, The Sh*t They Never Taught You, offers "... takeaways from over a hundred of the world’s greatest thinkers, capturing lessons in personal development, career, business, personal finances, human nature, history, and philosophy." Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file the Adams and I discussed: Everything from growth mindset, GTD, to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People The formulas for reading more with greater retention Why turning a podcast into a book isn't easy The importance of sticky notes, marginalia, life-changing books... And a lot more Show Notes: What You Will Learn What You Will Learn on Apple Podcasts The Sh*t They Never Taught You: What You Can Learn From Books (Amazon) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Amazon) Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene (Amazon) What You Will Learn on Facebook What You Will Learn Instagram What You Will Learn Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning writer and journalist, Leïla Slimani, spoke to me about the challenges of writing historical fiction, impostor syndrome, and what it's like to live In the Country of Others. “Imagination is the strongest, most powerful human capability. It allows everything: you can move in time, in space, create worlds. That’s what I look for when I write, and when I read, too.” – Leïla Slimani Leïla is the French-Moroccan author of the award-winning, #1 internationally bestselling novel The Perfect Nanny – a New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of the Year – for which she became the first Moroccan woman to win France’s most prestigious literary prize, the Goncourt. Her latest novel, In the Country of Others (first in a planned trilogy about how women’s lives change over three generations), was named a Best Book of the Summer by Vogue, E Weekly, BuzzFeed, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Town & Country, Observer, The Millions, and Parade. Salman Rushdie said of the book, “The world of this novel—Morocco after World War II, leading up to the revolt against French colonialism—is beautifully created.... An exceptional, powerful novel from this justly celebrated writer,” and The New York Times Book Review wrote, "In the Country of Others . . . lays bare women’s intimate, lacerating experience of war and its consequent trauma.” Leila is also an award-winning journalist and outspoken commentator on women’s and human rights, and a French diplomat to French president Emmanuel Macron for the promotion of the French language and culture. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Leïla Slimani and I discussed: Giving voices to the voiceless and time traveling in your work Racial inequality and the global taboos surrounding the history of colonization The importance of coffee and cigarettes to the creative process A writer's guilt, the perils of success... And why writers just need a good glass of (French) red wine Show Notes: Leïla Slimani In the Country of Others: A Novel by Leïla Slimani (Amazon) Leïla Slimani Amazon author page Hey, Creator! Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Internationally bestselling novelist and short story author, Nickolas Butler, spoke to me about working sh*tty jobs, the irony of his latest title, Godspeed, and defining the modern western. Nickolas is an Iowa Writers' Workshop grad and author of the award-winning novel Shotgun Lovesongs, The Hearts of Men, and Little Faith, and the story collection Beneath the Bonfire. His latest novel is Godspeed, described as "... an incisive portrait of working-class life, the meth epidemic, and the many stratified realities of this one America we all live in, separately." New York Times bestselling author, Ace Atkins, said of the book, “A fast-moving, highly addictive novel of ambition, obsession, and long-festering dreams of the haves and have nots." Nickolas has published articles, reviews, short stories, and poetry in publications such as Ploughshares, Narrative, and The New York Times Book Review, among others. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Nickolas Butler and I discussed: Harnessing storytelling and the inner-lives of blue collar workers How to write a novel in under six months The importance of writing for your core readership And why writers need to challenge themselves, harness the power of deadlines, and turn their art into a craft Show Notes: NickolasButler.com Godspeed by Nickolas Butler (Amazon) Nickolas Butler Amazon author page Nickolas Butler on Instagram Nickolas Butler on Facebook Nickolas Butler on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Decorated speculative fiction and YA author and pundit, Charlie Jane Anders, chatted with me about the genesis of storytelling, how to weather 20 years of rejection, write through hard times, and her latest how-to for writers Never Say You Can’t Survive. "Being a writer doesn't have to mean you have a cool haircut and live in Brooklyn and go to fancy literary parties. It can mean that you're just someone who enjoys making up stories ... you don't even have to publish them." – Charlie Jane Anders Charlie Jane's novel Victories Greater Than Death – the first book in a new young-adult trilogy, April, 2021 – and 2019's Locus Award winner The City in the Middle of the Night – named one of the year's best books by the Guardian and others and optioned for TV by Sony. Her 2016 novel, All the Birds in the Sky, was #5 on Time Magazine's list of the year's 10 best novels, and won the Nebula, Locus and Crawford awards. Her latest is Never Say You Can’t Survive, a book about how to use creative writing to get through hard times. It's described as "... a practical guide to storytelling [and a] ... a manual for creativity in unprecedented times." Charlie Jane's fiction and journalism have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, McSweeney's, Mother Jones, Boston Review, Tor.com, Tin House, WIRED magazine, and many other places. Her TED Talk, "Go Ahead, Dream About the Future" has been viewed over 2M times. She also co-hosts the Hugo Award-winning podcast Our Opinions Are Correct with Annalee Newitz. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Charlie Jane Anders and I discussed: The importance of why "we all contain multitudes" Impostor syndrome and rubbing elbows with famous authors Her creative chameleon characteristics And why writers need to juxtapose the small and personal against the huge and epic Stay calm and write on ... Show Notes: CharlieJaneAnders.com Never Say You Can't Survive by Charlie Jane Anders Charlie Jane Anders Amazon author page Our Opinions Are Correct the Hugo Award-winning podcast TED Talk, "Go Ahead, Dream About the Future" welovebookstores.org Charlie Jane Anders on Facebook Charlie Jane Anders on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice New York Times bestselling author, Jason Mott, took a timeout to talk with me about the high-wire act of building Hell of a Book, talking about race in America, and NOT working with Brad Pitt. Jason is the author of The Returned, a New York Times bestseller that was turned into a TV series that ran for two seasons. His fourth novel is titled Hell of a Book, and is described as a "... funny and honest [work of fiction] that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole." The book has been named to dozens of "must read" lists for 2021 including Entertainment Weekly, The NY Post, GMA, USA Today, Fortune's 21 Most Anticipated Books Coming out in the Second Half of 2021 and more. Charles Yu, author of National Book Award winner Interior Chinatown called the book, "Playful, searching, raw and necessary..." Jason has BFA in fiction and an MFA in Poetry, both from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His poetry and fiction have appeared in various literary journals. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Jason Mott and I discussed: What it's like to write a book in your head for a decade Why he dared to dream to become a writer How to build a technically complex novel, draft by draft His study and love of film noir And why writers need to be nicer to themselves Show Notes: JasonMottAuthor.com Hell of a Book: A Novel by Jason Mott Jason Mott Amazon author page Jason Mott on Facebook Jason Mott on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Haig reads an excerpt from The Midnight Library, backed by an original Storybound remix with Robert Wynia, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Robert Wynia is a founding member of the Portland band Floater. Known for their progressive concept albums, Floater is famous for incorporating stylized storytelling. Wynia also releases music under his own name and released his book Night Walks with its own accompanying soundtrack in 2020. Storybound comes to you from The Podglomerate and Lit Hub Radio. Season 4 is some of their most inspired work yet, so be sure to subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune in. Matt Haig is the author of 20 books including the #1 bestselling memoir, Reasons to Stay Alive, five novels – including How to Stop Time – and several award-winning children’s books. His work has been translated into over 40 languages. His latest novel is The Midnight Library, a runaway, #1 bestseller and reader favorite of 2020. It was a Goodreads Choice Awards Best Fiction Book of 2020, a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Amazon, the New York Public Library, among many others. The New York Times said of the book, "An absorbing ... vision of limitless possibility, of new roads taken, of new lives lived, of a whole different world available to us somehow, somewhere, [perhaps] exactly what’s wanted in these troubled and troubling times.” Stay calm and write on … [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] Show Notes: How NY Times Bestselling Author Matt Haig Writes MattHaig.com The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig (Amazon) Matt Haig Amazon author page Matt Haig on Instagram Matt Haig on Facebook Matt Haig on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Internationally bestselling thriller author, Samantha Downing, took a break to chat about her "20-year, overnight" success, writing psychopaths, and how to write a novel in six months. Samantha's debut novel, My Lovely Wife – about a married couple teaming up to commit murder – was a #1 international bestseller that earned Edgar and ITW Thriller Award nominations and an Amazon Best Thriller of the Month selection. Her latest bestseller, psychological thriller, For Your Own Good, has been called “A perfect summer book,” by NPR and described as "...a twisted and compulsively readable spin on the teacher-student relationship." New York Times bestselling author B.A. Paris called it, a "... wonderfully dark, twisty and compelling thriller set in a prestigious private school." And the book has been recently optioned by Robert Downey Jr. and Greg Berlanti for a series adaptation at HBO Max. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Samantha Downing and I discussed: Why she chose to showcase the insular world of an elite private school as the setting for her latest How psychopaths tend to hide in plain sight Her unique creative process and how she cranks out pages Why there are stacks of unfinished manuscripts she never goes back to And why writers need to love the craft and be ready when opportunity knocks Show Notes: SamanthaDowning.com For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing Samantha Downing Amazon author page A Sickness Spreads, A Parent Dies, And A Mystery Unfolds In 'For Your Own Good' – NPR Samantha Downing on Facebook Samantha Downing on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices