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...

Critically acclaimed debut novelist, Molly McGhee, spoke with me about the best day of her life, her part in The Great Publishing Resignation, losing a parent, and her first book JONATHAN ABERNATHY YOU ARE KIND. Molly McGhee writes fiction and essays and taught in the undergraduate creative writing department at Columbia University where she also graduated with an MFA in fiction. Her debut novel is Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind, described by The New York Times as a story about, “......

Bonus Episode – Climate Edition: Award-winning investigative journalist and Executive Podcast Producer, Amy Westervelt, spoke to me about her accidental career in climate accountability, the greatest threat to free speech, and her deep dive into the origins of climate denial. Amy Westervelt is an independent investigative climate journalist who has been on the climate beat for more than 20 years, reporting for a wide range of outlets over the years, including Inside Climate News, The...

Critically acclaimed debut novelist, Isa Arsén, spoke with me about humanizing machines and the creative process, how to write soft sci-fi, and her genre-bending, “timey-wimey” literary debut SHOOT THE MOON. Isa Arsén is an author and audio engineer based in South Texas and has published several short stories and pieces of experimental interactive media. Shoot the Moon is Arsén’s debut novel, inspired by her own childhood in New Mexico. Named a BookBub Best Book of Fall and Shondaland Best...

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Laurell K. Hamilton, returns to talk about how her writing process has evolved over the last 30 years, how to find words, wisdom, and mental wellness, and celebrating the 30th in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series with SLAY. Laurell K. Hamilton is the trailblazing, genre-bending author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, and the Merry Gentry, Fey Detective series, and is considered an influential pioneer in the urban-fantasy genre. In the 30th...

Bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author, Anne Enright, spoke to me about eagles and moles, the interior engineering of a novel, her love of Irish poetry, and her latest THE WREN, THE WREN. Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize and the Irish Fiction Award for her novel The Gathering. She has also been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Book Awards, and was the first Laureate for Irish Fiction (2015-2018). Her latest novel The Wren,...

Bestselling author and award-winning screenwriter, Dwain Worrell, spoke to me about making the move from the writers' room to the cafe, the art and science of suspense, and his debut novel ANDRONE. Dwain Worrell is an award-winning Marvel and Disney+ TV producer, filmmaker, and novelist whose writing credits include Marvel’s Iron Fist, CBS’s Fire Country, Amazon Studios’ The Wall, and the Disney+ series National Treasure, among others. Dwain also worked as a translator of Mandarin Chinese in...

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, spoke to me about how to write seven novels in 18 months, the psychology of fiction and fandom, and her latest YA mystery, THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games trilogy, Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series. Her latest is The Brothers Hawthorne,...

#1 New York Times bestselling author, James Rollins, spoke to me about his alter ego, veterinarian Dr. Jim, how to write two staccato-paced novels a year, and his latest Sigma Force installment, TIDES OF FIRE. James Rollins is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the Sigma Force series, six standalone adventure thrillers, a novelization of the Indiana Jones franchise, and many others totaling over 44 novels (even he can’t remember the exact number). His latest in his most popular...

Internationally bestselling author, Lucy Clarke, spoke to me about how her love of travel morphed into a destination thriller, building your readership organically, and the chewy female dynamics in her latest novel THE HIKE. Lucy Clarke is a Sunday Times bestseller and the author of eight destination thrillers including Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike.  Told in alternating perspectives her latest...

Bonus Episode: ADHD Coach, researcher, and Doctoral Candidate, Skye Waterson, spoke to me about writing a dissertation with neurodiversity, conquering burnout, and her unconventional approach to writing routines for writers with time blindness and more. Skye Waterson is the Founder of Unconventional Organization, a worldwide, research-based ADHD support service that has helped academics, playwrights, and authors with ADHD “...build strength-focused writing routines so they can meet their...

Acclaimed TV and movie writer, Adam Lorenzo, spoke to me about owning a college bar … while still in college, his work ethic and what keeps him hustling pages, and his latest college survival guide ALL I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM MY COLLEGE BAR. Adam Lorenzo is a writer/producer who works in both live-action and animation who started as a joke writer, selling material to Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update''; Jimmy Kimmel; and David Letterman, which resulted...

New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner, James McBride, spoke to me about eschewing literary fame, his friendship with Spike Lee, and his latest novel THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE. James McBride is a musician, screenwriter, and award-winning author of New York Times bestselling Oprah’s Book Club selection Deacon King Kong, the National Book Award–winner The Good Lord Bird (now a Showtime limited series starring Ethan Hawke), and the American classic The Color...

Critically acclaimed memoirist, Melissa Bond, spoke to me about her dark night of the soul, crowd-funding her lauded memoir, and the paperback release of BLOOD ORANGE NIGHT: A Memoir of Insomnia, Motherhood, and Benzos. Melissa Bond is a narrative journalist, editor, award-winning poet, and speaker/performer whose breakout debut memoir, Blood Orange Night, is a Barnes & Noble non-fiction book of the month, and was selected by both The New York Times as one of the Best Audiobooks of...

New York Times bestselling author, Tracey Lange, spoke to me about finding literary success later in life, her past life working with inner-city gang kids, and exploring messy family dynamics in her latest THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN. Tracey Lange is the author of debut novel, We Are the Brennans, an instant New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Choice Finalist, praised by The New York Times, Good Morning America, PEOPLE and more. Her latest novel, The Connellys of County Down (Celadon,...

Critically acclaimed author, Hilary Leichter, spoke to me about why she thinks of herself as a realist, how her life imitates art, finding a novel hidden in her closet, and her latest, TERRACE STORY. Hilary Leichter is an award-winning short story writer, and author of the novel Temporary, which was a finalist for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and an NYPL Young Lions Fiction Prize, that was also longlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award, was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice as...

New York Times bestselling author and journalist, Andrea Bartz, spoke to me about her previous life as a magazine editor, how to write feminist psychological thrillers, and all the tension, twists, and toxic relationships in her latest novel THE SPARE ROOM. Andrea Bartz is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor whose last thriller, We Were Never Here, was a Reese’s Book Club pick and an instant New York Times bestseller that’s in development at Netflix. Her latest, The Spare Room, is described as...

Critically acclaimed author, Andrew Lipstein, spoke to me about failure as an MFA, how he sold his first novel, why time spent not writing is also important, and his latest THE VEGAN. Andrew Lipstein is a Brooklyn-based writer who also works in finance and has a mathematics degree. His debut novel, Last Resort, was named a Top 10 Book of the Year by Slate, a 2022 Best Book by The New Yorker, a 2022 Best Book by Vulture, and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. His latest, The Vegan is described...

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Susan Wiggs, spoke to me about why writers need to follow their bliss, how her stories come together like patchwork quilts, and her most “summery” novel yet, WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN. Susan Wiggs is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 50 published novels, with a combined 25 million copies in print, published in 30 countries, and translated into over 20 languages. Her latest, Welcome to Beach Town: A Novel, is described as the “......

New York Times bestselling author and educator, Helen Schulman, spoke to me about her winding path to bestseller, why a writing career is 90% sweat and rejection, and how the #MeToo movement inspired her latest novel, LUCKY DOGS. Helen Schulman is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including Come with Me and This Beautiful Life, and she is currently the Fiction Chair of the Creative Writing Program at The New School. Her latest, Lucky Dogs, is described as a novel that...

New York Times bestselling author, James Swallow, returns to chat with me about the solitary life of a writer, his undying love of ‘80s and ‘90s cinema, why you’re only as good as your last title, and his latest novel DARK HORIZON. James Swallow is the Award-winning New York Times, Sunday Times, and Amazon #1 bestselling author, former journalist, and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) nominated scriptwriter who has written for video games, TV, and radio. His latest, Dark...

New York Times bestselling author, Ashley Audrain, spoke to me about giving herself permission to write sh*tty first drafts, writing in public, and her second novel THE WHISPERS. Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, The Push, was a New York Times, Sunday Times (London), #1 international bestseller, and a Good Morning America Book Club pick. It has sold in more than 40 territories, and a limited TV series is currently in development.  Her latest, The Whispers, is described as “ … a propulsive...

Internationally bestselling authors, Lynne & Valerie Constantine – AKA Liv Constantine – spoke to me about the importance of writers’ conferences, how to write perfidy with your best friend, and their latest thriller THE SENATOR'S WIFE. Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne and Valerie Constantine who are the WSJ, USA Today, and Internationally bestselling authors of Reese’s Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish, which has sold over 500,000 copies and is soon to be adapted for...

New York Times bestselling author, Fiona Barton, spoke to me about why so many famous journalists have turned to crime fiction, the power of the deadline, and her latest hit novel LOCAL GONE MISSING. Fiona Barton is the award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of novels The Widow, The Child, and The Suspect – all three featuring journalist Kate Waters. Her latest thriller, Local Gone Missing, follows a new protagonist in Detective Elise King and follows the brewing...