Kris Clink's Writing Table

With the publication of Tularosa in 1996, Michael McGarrity turned to writing full time. Many of his novels have been national best sellers. He holds a BA with distinction in psychology and a master's degree in clinical social work. As an undergraduate, he held a Ford Foundation Scholarship at the University of New Mexico. He is an honor graduate of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy. His career in criminal justice spanned over twenty-five years and included creating treatment programs for drug offenders, supervising outreach services for at-risk juveniles, and re-establishing mental health services for the Department of Corrections after the infamous 1980 riot at the New Mexico Penitentiary. As a Santa Fe County deputy sheriff, he worked as a patrol officer, training and planning supervisor, community relations officer, and was the lead investigator of the sex crimes unit, which he established. Additionally, he taught courses at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, served as a caseworker and investigator for the Public Defender's District Office, and conducted investigations for a state government agency. In 1980 he was named New Mexico Social Worker of the Year and in 1987 was recognized by the American Legion as Police Officer of the Year. In 2004 he received the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts — Literature. He is also the 2015 recipient of the Frank Waters Exemplary Literary Achievement Award and the 2015 Santa Fe Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts – Literature. He has been instrumental in establishing the Hillerman-McGarrity Creative Writing Scholarship at the University of New Mexico, the Richard Bradford Memorial Creative Writing Scholarship at the Santa Fe Community College, and the N. Scott Momaday Creative Writing Scholarship at the Institute of American Indian Arts. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife Emily Beth (Mimi). His latest novel is Night in the City. Learn more at Michaelmcgarrity.com Special thanks to Net Galley for advance review copies. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Aimee Phan was born and raised in Orange County, California. She received her BA in English from UCLA and her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She is the author of two books for adults, We Should Never Meet: Stories and the novel The Reeducation of Cherry Truong. She has received fellowships and residencies from the NEA, MacDowell Colony, the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center, Djerassi and Hedgebrook. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time, USA Today and CNN.com among other publications.  Aimee teaches as an associate professor in writing and literature at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco and resides in Berkeley, California with her family. Learn more at aimeephan.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Lindy Ryan discusses writing horror as a novelist and anthologist. She is an award-winning author, anthologist, and short-film director whose books and anthologies have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal. Several of her projects have been adapted for screen. Ryan is the current author-in-residence at Rue Morgue. Declared a “champion for women's voices in horror” by Shelf Awareness, Ryan was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree in 2020, and in 2022, was named one of horror's most masterful anthology curators. Born and raised in Southeast Texas, Ryan currently resides on the East Coast. She is a professor at Rutgers University.Her latest novel is Another Fine Mess. Learn more at LindyRyanWrites.com Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Kaira Rouda talks about writing thrillers and how she came to host the Killer Author Club with her author friends. Kaira is an award–winning, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her novels of domestic suspense include The Widow, Somebody's Home, The Next Wife, The Favorite Daughter, Best Day Ever, All the Difference and more. Beneath the Surface has been optioned for a feature film. To date, Kaira's work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Three of her novels have been named Amazon Editor's Picks for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. The Next Wife was named a Suspense Magazine's Best Book of 2021 Award, and a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense Novel and a 2022 Silver Falchion first runner-up for Best Book of the Year. She lives in Southern California with her family and is working on her next novel. Learn more at Kairarouda.com Special thanks to Net Galley for an advance review copy.  Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

RayAnne Thayne's novels showcase complicated family dynamics and always deliver swoony love stories, but how does she keep up the magic after eighty books? Tune in, and find out. New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Publishers Weekly bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne has written more than 70 books since selling her first book in 1995. She has received a career achievement award from Romantic Times for series romantic adventure, as well as a Pioneer of Romance award. She finds inspiration from the beautiful mountains of northern Utah, where she lives with her family.Learn more at rayannethayne.com Special thanks to NetGalley for early preview copies. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Sue Hincenbergs discusses querying 198 agents and the successful query letter that she shares with other writers. Sue is a former television producer who has worked on multiple award-winning programs. She lives in Toronto with her (very much alive) husband, her scruffy, middle-aged rescue dog, Kramer, and the rooms full of the stuff her three sons left behind when they moved out. The porch light is always on in case one comes by for a visit. The Retirement Plan is her first novel. Learn more at Suehincenbergs.comSpecial thanks to Net Galley for an advance copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Matt Goldman has written for television shows like Seinfeld but found his calling writing crime novels. He is a New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award winning television writer.  He has been nominated for the Shamus Award and Nero Award. Matt's television writing credits include Seinfeld, Ellen, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Matt lives in Minneapolis with his wife, two dogs, and two cats. Learn more at: MattGoldman.com Special thanks to NetGalley for an advance review copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Jacqueline Friedland unpacks her process and discusses why she chooses societally relevant challenges for her characters. Jacqueline graduated Magna Cum Laude from both the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School. She practiced as a commercial litigator for New York law firms before determining that office life did not suit her. Jacqueline began teaching Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan and working on her first book in her limited spare time. Finally deciding to embrace her passion and pursue writing full time, Jacqueline returned to school and earned her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. When not writing, Jacqueline is an avid reader of all things fiction. She loves to exercise, watch movies with her family, listen to music, make lists, and dream about exotic vacations. She lives in Westchester, New York with her husband, four children and two very bossy canines. Her latest novel is Counting Backwards. Learn more at jacquelinefriedland.com Special thanks to NetGalley for advance copies. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Dane Huckelbridge discusses the settings in his novels and his research--from Africa for No Beast So Fierce to the plains of Oklahoma for his latest, Queen of All Mayhem--the tale of the most dangerous woman of the American west, Belle Starr. Dane was born and raised in the American Middle West. He holds a degree from Princeton University, and his fiction and essays have appeared in a variety of journals, including Tin House, Literary Hub, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, and The New Republic. His debut novel CASTLE OF WATER was published by St. Martin's Press in 2017, and his book NO BEAST SO FIERCE was published by HarperCollins in 2019. He currently lives in Paris, France, although he goes back to New York whenever he can. Learn more at Danehuckelbridge.comSpecial thanks to NetGalley for advancing early copies of novels to the Writing Table. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Lauren Willig discusses co-writing and writing cross-genre plus gives us the scoop on her latest novel. Lauren is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty-five works of historical fiction, including Band of Sisters, The Summer Country, The English Wife, the RITA Award-winning Pink Carnation series, and five novels co-written with Beatriz Williams and Karen White. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages, picked for Book of the Month Club, awarded the RITA, Booksellers Best, and Golden Leaf awards, and chosen for the American Library Association's annual list of the best genre fiction. An alumna of Yale University, she has a graduate degree in history from Harvard and a JD from Harvard Law School. She lives in New York City with her husband, two young children, and vast quantities of coffee. Her latest novel is The Girl from Greenwich Street. Learn more at https://laurenwillig.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

How does an author balance a writing career that spans television and literature? Melissa de la Cruz discusses how she makes it all work. Melissa de la Cruz is the #1 New York Times, #1 Publishers Weekly, and #1 IndieBound bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for readers of all ages. Many of her more than seventy books have also topped USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists and have been published in over twenty countries. She lives in West Hollywood with her husband and daughter. Learn more at: www.melissa-delacruz.com. Special thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of When Stars Align. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

What makes a fascinating female protagonist? Wall Street Journal bestselling author Victoria Helen Stone shares how she creates her characters, where she goes for inspiration, and what she learned about conspiracy theories in this episode. Victoria is the author of the runaway hit Jane Doe, writes critically acclaimed novels of dark intrigue and emotional suspense. Her work includes Follow Her Down, At the Quiet Edge, The Last One Home, Problem Child, Half Past, The Hook, and the chart-toppers False Step and Evelyn, After.Victoria writes in her home office high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, far from her origins in the flattest plains of Minnesota, Texas, and Oklahoma. She enjoys gorgeous summer trail hikes in the mountains almost as much as she enjoys staying inside by the fire during winter. Victoria is passionate about dessert, true crime, and her terror of mosquitoes, which have targeted her in a diabolical conspiracy to hunt her down no matter the season. Her latest novel is BALD FACED LIAR.Learn more at VictoriaHelenStone.com. Special thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of Bald Faced Liar. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Paulette Kennedy explores the world of gothic suspense, peeling back the curtain on her writing journey and process. She is the bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain, The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, and Parting the Veil, which received the prestigious HNS Review Editor's Choice Award. She has had a lifelong obsession with the gothic. As a young girl, she spent her summers among the gravestones in her neighborhood cemetery, imagining all sorts of romantic stories for the people buried there. After her mother introduced her to the Brontës as a teenager, her affinity for fog-covered landscapes and haunted heroines only grew, inspiring her to become a writer. Originally from the Missouri Ozarks, she now lives with her family and a menagerie of rescue pets in sunny Southern California, where sometimes, on the very best days, the mountains are wreathed in fog. Paulette's latest novel is The Artist of Blackberry Grange.Learn more at paulettekennedy.comSpecial thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of Paulette's novel. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

From book clubs to navigating characters who are hard to pin down, Marie Bostwick shares her best practices about drafting a novel and discusses what inspired her latest novel, The Bookclub for Troublesome Women. Marie is a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller of heartwarming fiction for women. Published in 2005 by Kensington Books, Fields of Gold, her first novel, was a finalist for the prestigious Oklahoma Book Award. River's Edge won the Golden Quill Award, was a finalist for a National Readers' Choice Award, and an alternate selection of the Literary Guild. Her novellas appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and her novels, The Second Sister and Between Heaven and Texas, were both USA Today bestsellers. A film adaptation of her book The Second Sister, “Christmas Everlasting,” debuted on the Hallmark Channel as a Hallmark Hall of Fame feature in November 2018, starring Patti LaBelle. Drawing on her lifelong love of quilting and themes of special relevance to modern women, Marie's Cobbled Court Quilt series has gained a dedicated following among quilters as well as those who've never threaded a needle In 2014, Marie was recognized for Career Achievement in Mainstream Novels award by RT BOOK Reviews Magazine. Marie lives in Washington state with her husband, Brad. When not writing, she enjoys quilting, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. Marie travels extensively, speaking at libraries, bookstores, quilt guilds, and at quilt shows. Learn more at mariebostwick.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Catriona Silvey discusses her journey to publishing and what she's learned along the way. Catriona is the author of the international bestseller Meet Me in Another Life. She was born in Glasgow and grew up in Scotland and England. After collecting an unreasonable number of degrees from the universities of Cambridge, Chicago, and Edinburgh, she settled in Edinburgh where she lives with her husband and children. Her latest work is the time-travel romantic comedy Love and Other Paradoxes. Learn more at CatrionaSilvey.comSpecial thanks to NetGalley for an advance review copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Emily Carpenter peels back the curtain on querying and how she arrived at her distinct style of southern gothic suspense. A former actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant, Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she now lives in Georgia with her family. Learn more at: EmilyCarpenterAuthor.com.Special thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Kat Mackenzie is an American who just happened to find herself living abroad for ten years and accidentally traveling to over forty countries in an attempt to taste all the food. She holds degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford but has discovered that they serve her best collecting dust on the shelf while she pens comedy-forward stories about women who travel. Work in Progress is her first novel. Learn more at KatMackenzie.com.Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Raising sheep, chickens, and more while home schooling a house full of children, Melissa Ferguson shares what's in store for readers with her next novel, The Perfect Rom-Com. Melissa is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, How to Plot a Payback, and On the Way to Christmas. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies that have been featured in such places as The Hollywood Reporter, Travel + Leisure, Woman's World, and BuzzFeed. Join along her journey with over 800,000 other followers at @ourfriendlyfarmhouse. Instagram: @ourfriendlyfarmhouse TikTok: @ourfriendlyfarmhouse Learn more at MelissaFerguson.com Many thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this novel.Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Poppy Kuroki was born in Scotland and grew up in England. She's been living in Japan in the Kanagawa prefecture since 2016 where she works as a writer and freelance editor, and lives with her son. She conducted extensive historical research while writing her debut, interviewing historians, tour guides, and even a descendent of Saigō Takamori. Gate to Kagoshima includes maps, family trees, character lists, timelines, and a glossary of terms for readers to immerse themselves fully in the period. The samurai setting is steeped in atmosphere and offers a fresh hook for readers looking for immersive stories featuring star-crossed lovers.For more information follow Poppy on Instagram at @kurokibooksSpecial thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Years after completing an MFA at Iowa and retiring from a storied careers in television and academics, Bob Johnson returned to writing to become an award-winning short story writer and graduate of the lowa Writers' Workshop. His work has been published by The Common, Philadelphia Stories, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, The Barcelona Review, and elsewhere. His story "The Continental Divide" was named Short Story of the Year in The Hudson Review. He lives in South Bend, Indiana.For more information visit www.bobjohnsonwriter.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Jenn Bouchard reveals her takeaways on developing characters, how she rebounded after disappointment, and what's behind her latest novel, Considering Us. Jenn has been teaching high school social studies for twenty-five years. She is an avid cook, volunteer for good causes, and devoted Red Sox fan. A graduate of Bates College and Tufts University, she lives in the Boston suburbs with her husband and two children. Enjoy FIRST COURSE in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. For more information, visit jennbouchard.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

What did Jennifer Weiner learn from Toni Morrison? Where did her research for her latest novel take her? Find out in this week's episode of the Writing Table. Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of nineteen books, including That Summer, Big Summer, Mrs. Everything, In Her Shoes, Good in Bed, and a memoir in essays, Hungry Heart. She has appeared on many national television programs, including the Today show and Good Morning America, and her work has been published in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, among other newspapers and magazines. Jennifer lives with her family in Philadelphia. Her latest novel is The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. Learn more at: JenniferWeiner.com. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Cynthia Cina Pelayo is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet. Heavily influenced by dark fairytales, folklore, urban legends and true crime and a master of blending gothic, horror, and suspense, Pelayo's latest is a dark retelling of Sleeping Beauty and explores what this classic tale reveals about death and the particular role of women in the fairytale. As a Chicago native, the city's dark history often plays a major role in her work and in her latest she explores haunted Archer Avenue and the Resurrection Mary legend, one of America's most famous vanishing hitchhikers. Her latest novel is Vanishing Daughters. Learn more at Cinapelayo.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Kimberly Brock is the bestselling author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare, which was shortlisted for the prestigious Townsend Prize for Fiction, and The River Witch, recipient of the Georgia Author of the Year Award. She is the founder of Tinderbox Writers Workshop and has served as a guest lecturer for many regional and national writing workshops including at the Pat Conroy Literary Center. A native of North Georgia, she now lives near Atlanta. Her latest novel is The Fabled Earth. Learn more at kimberlybrockbooks.com Special thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Jacqueline Faber is an author and freelance writer. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Emory University, where she was the recipient of a Woodruff Scholarship, and taught in the Expository Writing Program at New York University, where she received an award for excellence in teaching. She studied philosophy in Bologna, Italy, and received a dissertation grant from Freie University in Berlin, Germany. Jacqueline writes across genres, including thrillers, rom-coms, and essays. Her work explores questions about memory, loss, language, and desire. Steeped in philosophical, psychological, and literary themes, her writing is grounded in studies of character. As a freelancer, she writes for various companies, including a fair-trade marketplace for global artisans, where she helps bring their unique stories to life. She lives with her family in Los Angeles. Learn more at jacquelinefaber.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Lindsay Jill Roth is an award-winning television and live-events producer who has created and developed a wide variety of programming globally, including original content for NBC, BET, ESPN, Food Network, Billboard, The Masters, The Grammys, The TONYs, and the US Open. She is the former producer of Emmy-nominated Larry King Now and the creator and executive producer of Haylie Duff's Real Girl's Kitchen. She is also the author of the novel What Pretty Girls Are Made Of. Lindsay lives in New York and London with her husband and two young sons. Her latest book is Romances and Practicalities. Learn more at Lindsayjillroth.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Amber Chen is a Singaporean-Chinese author of SFF and contemporary fiction. She spends much of her free time living within Chinese fantasy novels and dramas, and also drinks one too many cups of bubble tea. One of her webnovels, The Cutting Edge, has been adapted for television. Today, we'll chat about her latest novel, Of Jade and Dragons, a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee. Learn more at ambercwrites.comSpecial thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Shanora Williams is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty romance and diverse suspense novels. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and three boys and is a sister to eleven. When she isn't writing, she's spending time with her family, binge reading, or running marathons on TV streaming services. Her latest novel is Beautiful Broken Love. Learn more at shanorawilliams.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

#1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Barbara Nickless promised her mother she'd be a novelist when she grew up. What could be safer than sitting at a desk all day? But a sense of adventure led her astray for a few decades. Now an award-winning author and creative writing instructor, she spends her free time snowshoeing, caving and hiking the Colorado Rockies. Her latest novel is The Drowning Game. Learn more at barbaranickless.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Zeeva Bukai was born in Israel and raised in New York City. Her stories have appeared in OfTheBook Press, Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern, December Magazine, The Jewish Quarterly and elsewhere. She completed a fellowship at the New York Center for Fiction, and residencies at Hedgebrook Writer's Colony, and Byrdcliff AIR program. Zeeva received The Master's Review fiction prize, the Curt Johnson Prose Award, and the Lilith Fiction Award. Her work has been anthologized in Frankly Feminist: Short Stories by Jewish Women from Lilith Magazine, and Out of Many: Multiplicity and Divisions in America Today. She holds an MFA from Brooklyn College and is the Assistant Director of Academic Support at SUNY Empire State University. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. Her debut novel is The Anatomy of Exile. Learn more at zeevabukai.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Rosa Kwon Easton was born in Seoul, Korea, and grew up with her extended family in Los Angeles. Easton holds a bachelor's degree in government from Smith College, a master's in international and public affairs from Columbia University, and a JD from Boston College Law School. She is a lawyer and an elected trustee of the Palos Verdes Library District. She has two adult children and lives with her husband and Maltipoo in sunny Southern California. Her debut novel is White Mulberry. Learn more at RosaKwonEaston.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Amelia Diane Coombs is the author of four young adult novels, most recently All Alone With You, a JLG Gold Standard Selection. She's a Northern California transplant living in Seattle, Washington, with her spouse and their Siberian cat. Her first adult novel, Drop Dead Sisters, was recently published under Mindy Kaling's imprint. Learn more at Ameliadianecoombs.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Murdle game books, available at your local indie bookstore and everywhere else, are created by G.T. Karber. G. T. grew up in a small town in Arkansas, the son of a judge and a civil rights attorney. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a degree in mathematics and English literature. Then, he moved to Los Angeles, where he received a Master's in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. As the General Secretary of the Hollywood Mystery Society, a theater ensemble and cinematic social club, he has overseen the staging of more than 30 immersive whodunits in the LA area (a recent one of which was Murdle-related). Learn more at gtkarber.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Darby Kane is a former divorce lawyer with a dual writing personality. Her debut thriller, Pretty Little Wife, was a Book of the Month pick, #1 international bestseller, and has been optioned by Amazon for a television series, starring Gabrielle Union. She's written romantic suspense as HelenKay Dimon and currently writes stories centered on family hijinks with a mix of suspense and romance. The first, Moorewood Family Rules, has been optioned for television. Her latest novel is What the Wife Knew. Learn more at darbykane.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Rosie Schaap is the author of Drinking with Men: A Memoir and Becoming a Sommelier. She was a columnist for The New York Times Magazine, and has also contributed to the paper's book review, dining, opinion, sports, and travel sections; This American Life; Food & Wine; Marie Claire; Saveur; Travel + Leisure; and many essay anthologies. She was previously employed as a community organizer and a manager of homeless shelters. A native New Yorker, she lives in Glenarm, Northern Ireland. Learn more at: rosieschaap.net Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Pip Drysdale is an Australian author, musician and actor. She grew up in Africa, Canada, and Australia, became an adult in New York and London, and lives on a steady diet of coffee, dreams, and literature. All four of her books – The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know, The Paris Affair and The Next Girl – have been bestsellers in Australia. She lives in Sydney. Her latest book is The Close-Up.Learn more at pipdrysdale.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Matthew FitzSimmons is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling Gibson Vaughn series, whiFitz includes Origami Man, Debris Line, Cold Harbor, Poisonfeather, and The Short Drop, and the Constance series. Born in Illinois and raised in London, he makes hishome in Washington, DC. Today we're going to talk about his latest thriller: The Slate. Learn more at matthewfitzsimmons.com.Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

As owner and President at BookEnds, Jessica Faust is honored to spend every day with some of the most talented authors and agents in the business. From BookEnds' inception in 1999, Jessica works tirelessly to advocate for those she works with from clients to the team at BookEnds. In addition to growing BookEnds in new and innovative directions, Jessica represents many bestselling and award-winning authors. Her focus is on bringing more underrepresented and marginalized voices into publishing and her areas of expertise include mystery, suspense, upmarket, literary, speculative, and women's fiction. In nonfiction, she's seeking books and authors who will make her a better person and a better leader. Jessica began her career as an acquisitions editor at Berkley Publishing, Macmillan, and Wiley. In addition to nearly 15 years of blogging, Jessica has a regular role on the BookEnds YouTube channel, Instagram account, and Tiktok; has taught at New York University's Continuing Education Program; written a publishing column; and has been honored by a number of different publishing organizations. Jessica hosts workshops and speaking engagements throughout the world and is a member of AALA.While her heart will always be in Minnesota, Jessica now lives in New Jersey with her family. Outside of BookEnds, Jessica's passions include kettlebell lifting, walking Olive, skiing, paddle boarding, cooking, baking, reading other people's books, and generally laughing with friends and family.  Learn more at bookendsliterary.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

C.H. Hooks is the author of the novels Can't Shake the Dust (2024) and Alligator Zoo-Park Magic (2019). His work has appeared in print and online publications including: The Los Angeles Review, American Short Fiction, Four Way Review, The Tampa Review, The Bitter Southerner, and Burrow Press. He has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar and Contributor at Sewanee Writers' Conference, and attended DISQUIET: Dzanc Books International Literary Program. He teaches at Flagler College, and lives and sails in St. Augustine.Learn more at CHHOOKS.COMIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Today, we're speaking to Molly Harper and her audiobook narrator, Amanda Ronconi. Molly Harper is the USA Today Bestselling author of more than forty paranormal romance, contemporary romance, young adult and mystery titles, most of them through Simon & Schuster, Audible and Sourcebooks Casablanca. Her first book, Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs, came out in 2009. Her latest Audible Exclusive project, the Starfall Point series, launched recently with Witches Get Stuff Done. Most of her titles are available in print, ebook and audio at all major book retailers. Amanda Ronconi is an actress and narrator who divides her time between New York City and upstate New York. She has a BFA from NYU, where she studied at the Stella Adler ConservatoryLearn more at mollyharper.com and amandaronconi.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Kellye Garrett's first novel, Hollywood Homicide, was named one of BookBub's Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time. In addition to receiving starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, it won the Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Independent Publisher “IPPY” awards for best first novel. It was also nominated for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel and Barry award for Best Paperback Original. Kellye previously spent 8 years working in Hollywood, including a stint writing for the CBS drama Cold Case. People were always surprised to learn what she did for a living—probably because she seemed way too happy to be brainstorming ways to murder people. A former magazine editor, Kellye holds a B.S. in magazine writing from Florida A&M and an MFA in screenwriting from USC's famed film school. Having moved back to her native New Jersey, she spends her mornings commuting to Manhattan for her job at a leading media company—while still happily brainstorming ways to commit murder. Her latest novel is award-winning Like A Sister about a black woman in New York City looking into the mysterious overdose of her estranged reality star sister. In addition to being featured on the TODAY show, the suspense novel was a Book of the Month April 2022 selection, the Oxygen channel's July Book Club pick, an Edgar award finalist for Best Novel and Lefty award winner for Best Mystery. Learn more at kellyegarrett.com.Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Stanley Milford, Jr., graduated from the United States Indian Police Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico, and worked continuously as a sworn law enforcement officer for over twenty-three years. He served as the delegated Chief Navajo Ranger for over two years through March of 2019. While with the Navajo Rangers, Stan oversaw a section called the Special Projects Unit (SPU), whose responsibilities included the investigation of cases that did not fit within everyday parameters of law enforcement or criminal investigation, many of which involved reports of the paranormal or supernatural. After leaving the Navajo Rangers, Stan served as the senior investigator for the Navajo Nation's White Collar Crime Unit. His novel is: The Paranormal Ranger Learn more here. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Lisa Williamson Rosenberg is the author of Embers on the Wind. She is a former ballet dancer and psychotherapist specializing in depression, developmental trauma, and multiracial identity. Her essays have appeared in Literary Hub, Longreads, Narratively, Mamalode, and The Common. Her fiction has been published in the Piltdown Review and in Literary Mama, where LISA received a Pushcart nomination. A born-and-raised New Yorker and mother of two college students, Lisa now lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with her husband and dog. Her latest novel is Mirror Me. Learn more at LisaKRosenberg.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Anna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and emerging Australian author with a love for the heartfelt and hilarious. She grew up in country Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she lives joyously with her husband and daughters by the beach. Anna left an imminent career in medicine to follow her heart into her grandfather's nursing home where she became the social support coordinator, taking great delight in shaking up the usual program. When injury left her unable to continue working in aged care, she began to write about it, channeling her love for older people onto the page. Anna has enjoyed a lifelong passion for theatre, screenplay, travel, and creative writing.Her latest novel is The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife.Learn more at annajohnstonauthor.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Erin Quinn-Kong is a longtime magazine editor. Currently managing editor of Texas Highways, she has also been an editor at Austin Monthly, Us Weekly, and Allure. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and lives in Austin, TX, with her husband and their two children. Her debut novel is Hate Follow. Learn more at erinquinnkong.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Maria Vetrano tried to save the whales when she was nine years old. It didn't quite work. But that didn't quell her desire to ease some of the world's ills in some small way, even if only through fiction. She is the mother of one young adult daughter and currently lives with her wife and animal family in Massachusetts. When she's not writing, Maria is the principal of Vetrano Communications, the PR and marketing firm she founded in 2004 that specializes in tech clientele. Maria is also a lounge singer who's entertained audiences in Boston, Cambridge, and Provincetown. Along with her wife, she created Against the Tide, a fundraising event to fight breast cancer. She is a graduate of Colgate University with a BA in English literature. Her novel is QUEEN BESS: A Tudor Comes to Save America. Learn more at https://queen-bess.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Aurélie Thiele is a French American writer and engineering professor living in Dallas, TX. She has studied writing at the UCLA Extension School and Bennington Writing Seminars, and holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT. Her love of opera started when she was a high school student and her parents would take her to the opera at La Monnaie in Brussels. She can't sing but if she could, she would probably be a mezzo-soprano.Learn more at AurélieThiele.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

What does it take to be a juror of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction? Former columnist for the New York Times Review, Danielle Trussoni, discusses her experiences on both sides of the page-as writer and reviewer. She gives us a peek into a typical writing day and shares information about The San Miguel Writers Conference. Danielle Trussoni is a New York Times and Internationally bestselling author of seven books. She has been the chair jurist of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and a book columnist for The New York Times Book Review. Her novels have been translated into over thirty languages. She has lived in Japan, England, Bulgaria, France, The United States and Mexico. She currently lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with her family. Her latest novel, which David Baldacci said, “This novel has it all and more,” is The Puzzle Box.Learn more at Danielletrussoni.com https://sanmiguelwritersconference.orgIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Crystal King on her new novel and the one change she made that improved her writing exponentially. Crystal King is the author of IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS, THE CHEF'S SECRET, and FEAST OF SORROW, which was long-listed for the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize and was a Must Read for the MassBook Awards. She is an author, culinary enthusiast, and marketing expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy. She has taught classes in writing, creativity, and social media at several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University, as well as at GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US. A Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her MA in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res. She resides in Boston. Her latest novel is In the Garden of Monsters.Learn more at crystalking.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. He shares his process, the research required for Whalefall, and a preview of his latest novel, Pay the Piper.  Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, the New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more.With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. His also cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus's The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, and more. Kraus's work has been translated into over 20 languages. He lives with his wife in Chicago. Learn more at: danielkraus.com.Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

What does it take to publish seventy-five books? RaeAnne Thayne breaks it down. From her days as a journalist to navigating writing around raising a family and caring for a child with special needs, RaeAnne shares her process and responds to one listener's question about locking down the right point-of-view.  New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Publishers Weekly bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne has written more than 70 books since selling her first book in 1995. She has received a career achievement award from Romantic Times for series romantic adventure, as well as a Pioneer of Romance award. She finds inspiration from the beautiful mountains of northern Utah, where she lives with her family.Her books have been described as “poignant and sweet,” with “beautiful, honest storytelling (that) goes straight to the heart.”Learn more at: raeannethayne.comIntro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.