#1 New York Times bestselling author, Tomi Adeyemi, spoke to me about the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, her evolution as a writer, and the final book in her Orisha trilogy, Children of Anguish and Anarchy. Tomi Adeyemi is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Hugo and Nebula award-winning novelist and screenwriter who was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Forbes’s 30 Under 30 in Media, and whose website was named one of the 101 Best Websites for writers...

Stanford Professor, communications expert, and author, Matt Abrahams, spoke with me about tips and tricks to hone your communication skills as a writer, and his award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart. Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in communication with decades of expertise as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective...

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY. Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada,  and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg. His debut middle-grade novel, BRIDGE TO BAT CITY (on sale 4/9/24;...

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY. Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada,  and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg. His debut middle-grade novel, BRIDGE TO BAT CITY (on sale 4/9/24;...

New York Times bestselling memoirist turned novelist, Garrard Conley, spoke with me about going from activist to fictionist, the isolation of being an artist, and his debut novel All the World Beside. Garrard Conley is the New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Boy Erased, as well as the creator and co-producer of the podcast UnErased: The History of Conversion Therapy in America. His memoir became a major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Lucas Hedges,...

Director of Publicity and Press Shop PR Founder, Leah Paulos, spoke with me about how authors can cut through the noise in a challenging news cycle, when to build your platform, and demystifying the book biz. Leah Paulos is the Founder and Director of Publicity at Press Shop PR an independent book publicity firm based in Brooklyn. The Press Shop team has worked on campaigns for over 300 authors since its launch in 2012, including the #1 bestselling campaigns for ON TYRANNY by Timothy Snyder,...

Oscar-nominated screenwriter turned novelist, Iris Yamashita, returns to chat with me about the difference between writing for the ear and the screen, fusing plotting and pantsing, and her anticipated follow-up thriller Village in the Dark. Iris Yamashita has been working in Hollywood for over 15 years and was nominated for a “Best Original Screenplay”  Oscar for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima (directed by Clint Eastwood). The sequel to her debut novel City Under One Roof is Village in the...

Bestselling author, Adelle Waldman, spoke with me about her former life as a journalist, writerly wish fulfillment, and going undercover for her latest workplace novel, Help Wanted. Adelle Waldman is a journalist and the bestselling author of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., which was named a best book of the year by The New Yorker, Economist, NPR, The New Republic, Slate, Bookforum, The Guardian and many others. Her latest novel, Help Wanted, is from W.W. Norton in March of 2024, and...

Newbery Honor-winning children’s author, Veera Hiranandani, spoke with me about her former life in publishing, why no word is ever wasted, and her anticipated middle-grade novel Amil and The After. Veera Hiranandani is an award-winning author of several books for young people, and a faculty member with the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at The Vermont College of Fine Arts. Amil and The After is her latest work of children’s fiction, a stand-alone sequel to her Newbery...

NOTE: This is an updated replay of my amazing chat with Emma Straub, the New York Times bestselling author of six books for adults, including her novel This Time Tomorrow … She is also the author of three picture books, the first of which, Very Good Hats, was published in January 2023. Congrats Emma! Enjoy … 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...

President of Manhattan-based literary agency Lucinda Literary turned author, Lucinda Halpern, returns to chat with me about how to crack the code of publishing, the four types of writers who get book deals, and her latest book Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author. Lucinda Halpern is a literary agent with over 15 years of experience securing book deals with Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, Macmillan, and now the author...

New York Times bestselling author, Ann Napolitano, spoke with me about overcoming rejection early on, how grief transformed her writing process, and getting that fateful call from Oprah about Hello Beautiful. Ann Napolitano is the New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful which was selected as Oprah’s 100th Book Club pick; Dear Edward, an instant New York Times bestseller, a Read with Jenna selection, and an Apple TV+ series; A Good Hard Look, and Within Arm’s Reach. Hello...

New York Times bestselling author, Jami Attenberg, spoke with me about documenting the process of being a writer online and off, building a global literary movement, and her latest, 1000 Words: A Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All-Year Round. Jami Attenberg is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books of fiction, including The Middlesteins, All Grown Up, and her recent memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You. Her work has been published in 16 languages, she is...

This is the second part of a year-end retrospective with award-winning indie journalist and author, Adam Skolnick, who returns to rap with me about show highlights from the last half of 2023, hot takes, and shootin’ the breeze. Adam Skolnick 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.  Adam is co-author of Never Finished:...

This is the first part of a year-end retrospective with award-winning indie journalist and author, Adam Skolnick, who returns to rap with me about show highlights from the last half of 2023, hot takes, and shootin’ the breeze. Adam Skolnick 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.  Adam is co-author of Never Finished:...

NOTE: This is an updated replay of an amazing chat I had with Lucinda Halpern, Founder and President of Manhattan-based literary agency Lucinda Literary LLC turned author. Lucinda’s new book, Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author (2/6/2024, Hay House) “... lets readers in on the secrets to writing a book agents will battle over.” Congrats Lucinda! President and Founder of Manhattan-based agency Lucinda Literary, Lucinda Halpern, gave me an insider’s take...

Acclaimed debut novelist, Jo Segura, spoke with me about her love of the romance writing community, why natural history and archaeology are her jam, and her debut romcom RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART. Jo Segura’s debut, Raiders of the Lost Heart, is described as an adventure romance about “Rival archaeologists [who] must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, [that] could leave their careers—and hearts—in ruins. Entertainment Weekly called it, “Romancing the Stone meets Indiana Jones in this...

Yale educator and TV writer/producer, Aaron Tracy, returns to chat with me about surviving the WGA writer’s strike, finally teaching the podcast at Yale, and his latest audio thriller on Audible, Nowhere Man, starring Lee Pace and Zosia Mamet. Aaron Tracy also teaches “The Art and Craft of Television Drama” at Yale University, and his TV credits include Law & Order: SVU, Fairly Legal, The Tap, and Sequestered, a serialized thriller that ran two seasons, for which he was Creator and...

NOTE: This is an updated replay of an amazing chat I had with New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner, James McBride. His latest novel, THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE, was named Amazon’s #1 Book of the Year Pick, and Barnes & Noble's Book of the Year, among many other accolades for 2023. Congrats James! New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner, James McBride, spoke to me about eschewing literary fame, his friendship with Spike Lee,...

Publishing legend, art historian, and author, Charles Scribner III, spoke with me about growing up surrounded by publishing, Hemingway’s Three Rules to Life, and his memoir/family history SCRIBNERS: FIVE GENERATIONS IN PUBLISHING. Charles Scribner III is an art historian, author, editor, and lecturer, who received his BA, MFA, and PhD from Princeton University in art and archaeology.  He worked in publishing for nearly thirty years and is a prominent authority on Caravaggio, Bernini, Rubens,...

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jim Butcher, spoke with me about how he outlined a hit 20-novel series (years before he had an agent), why all steampunks wear goggles, and the second book in his Cinder Spires series, THE OLYMPIAN AFFAIR. Jim Butcher is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and the Cinder Spires novels. The long-anticipated second novel in his Cinder Spires series is The Olympian Affair, described by the author as “League of...

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Susan Wiggs, returns to chat with me about her island writing hideout, rescuing two puppies at the same time, holiday genre tropes, and her latest Christmas book THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS. Susan Wiggs is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 50 published novels, with over 25 million copies in print, published in 30 countries, and translated into over 20 languages. Her latest, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas: A Novel, is described...

Longtime literary critic and publishing insider, Bethanne Patrick, is back to chat with me about the return of her hit podcast Missing Pages, her front-row seat to the sea change in publishing, and her life-affirming first memoir LIFE B. Bethanne Patrick is a world-renowned literary critic, author, and host of the chart-topping and Signal Award-winning podcast Missing Pages. Her work appears frequently in the Los Angeles Times as well as in The Washington Post, NPR Books, and Literary...

#1 NY Times bestselling author, Andrew Child, spoke to me about his lifelong obsession with storytelling, working with Jack Reacher co-author and brother Lee Child, and their latest in the series THE SECRET. In addition to four Reacher novels, Andrew Child – the pen name of author Andrew Grant – has also written his own hit thriller series including RUN, False Positive, False Friend, False Witness, Invisible, and Too Close to Home.  His brother Lee Child is the creator of the international...