Your backstage pass to the world’s most prolific authors

JD Barker
Christine Daigle
Kevin Tumlinson
Jena Brown

What does it take to succeed as a writer? Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Kevin Tumlinson and Jena Brown as they pull back the curtain and gain rare insight from the household names found on bookshelves worldwide.

Want to ask your favorite author a question? Click here!

Captivating Readers with James Rollins

James Rollins has been captivating readers for decades. By running ideas past his critique group, traveling to story locations and speaking to locals, and sticking to a ninety-day research plan, he attains enough knowledge to create settings and storylines that feel authentic. Rollins is well-known for his bestselling Sigma Force series, a thrilling collection of tales following the strange and somewhat otherworldly encounters of an elite covert operations force. His brand-new fantasy series, Moon Fall, will be released next year.

From Amazon.com:

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages, with more than 20 million copies sold. The New York Times says, “Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together,” and NPR calls his work “Adventurous and enormously engrossing.” Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets–and does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning suspense. A practicing veterinarian, Rollins has pursued scuba, spelunking, and other adventures around the world, and currently lives and writes in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How Rollins structures his research
  • Rollins’ story building tools
  • The importance of critique groups
  • How to employ sympathy builders
  • The magic formula to capture a reader

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

James Rollins – https://jamesrollins.com/

James Rollins’ Tips For Writers: https://jamesrollins.com/about/tips-for-writers/

Sandstorm by James Rollins – https://books2read.com/SandstormJamesRollins

The Last Odyssey by James Rollins – https://amzn.to/2QQjTe6 

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Writing for an Audience with Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver knows how to write for an audience. By listening to comments, critiques, and making smart compromises, Deaver crafts the story he wants while appealing to his readers. As an international bestseller, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Novel of the Year, and Edgar Award, and author of over thirty-five novels, he is a respected member of the writing community. He is well-known for his Colter Shaw and Lincoln Rhyme novels, two chilling mystery series. Jeffery’s next novel, The Goodbye Man, will be available this May.

From Amazon.com:

The author of thirty-four novels, Deaver has been nominated for seven Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America, an Anthony award, a Gumshoe Award, and is a three-time recipient of the Ellery Queen Reader’s Award for Best Short Story of the Year. In 2001, he won the W.H. Smith Thumping Good Read Award for his Lincoln Rhyme novel The Empty Chair. In 2004, he was awarded the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain’s Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for Garden Of Beasts and the Short Story Dagger for “The Weekender.” Translated into 35 languages, his novels have appeared on a number of bestseller lists around the world, including the New York Times, the London Times and the Los Angeles Times. The Bone Collector was a feature release from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington as Lincoln Rhyme. A Maiden’s Grave was made into an HBO film retitled Dead Silence, starring James Garner and Marlee Matlin.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to utilize the “Mint Toothpaste” test
  • How to reuse old characters
  • Why to outline a book
  • How to keep a reader engaged
  • How to grow in today’s writing climate

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Jeffery Deaver – https://www.jefferydeaver.com/

The Goodbye Man by Jeffery Deaver – https://www.jefferydeaver.com/novel/the-goodbye-man/

The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver – https://books2read.com/thenevergame 

Three Story Method by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Fostering Positive Change with Kathy Reichs

Kathy Reichs is a master of fostering positive change in her life. Whether she’s balancing forensics cases with teaching at university or completely reinventing a series, Reichs never misses an opportunity to better her writing through growth-oriented experiences. She is well known for her bestselling Temperance Brennan novels, a series following the chilling experiences of a forensic anthropologist. Her novels were adapted into the popular crime drama, Bones, which aired on FOX for twelve seasons. Kathy’s newest book, A Conspiracy of Bones, is to be published this week.

From Amazon.com:

Kathy Reichs’s first novel Déjà Dead catapulted her to fame when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her other Temperance Brennan novels include Death du Jour, Deadly Décisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning, Cross Bones, Break No Bones, Bones to Ashes, Devil Bones, 206 Bones, Spider Bones, Flash and Bones, Bones Are Forever, Bones of the Lost, Bones Never Lie, Speaking in Bones and the Temperance Brennan short story collection, The Bone Collection. In addition, Kathy co-authors the Virals young adult series with her son, Brendan Reichs. The best-selling titles are: Virals, Seizure, Code, Exposure, and Terminal along with two Virals e-novellas, Shift and Swipe. These books follow the adventures of Temperance Brennan’s great niece, Tory Brennan. Dr. Reichs is also a producer of the hit Fox TV series, Bones, which is based on her work and her novels.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • The importance of growth-oriented change
  • How to find unique ways to reintroduce characters
  • How to craft stories from career experiences
  • Why to write for yourself
  • How to write with kids or a job

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Kathy Reichs – https://kathyreichs.com/

A Conspiracy of Bones by Kathy Reichs – https://books2read.com/ConspiracyOfBones

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs – https://www.amazon.com/Deja-Dead-Novel-Temperance-Brennan/dp/1501122118

Three Story Method by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Crafting Cinematic Scenes with Blake Crouch

Blake Crouch excels at crafting cinematic scenes. Through the manipulation of memory and reality along with the infusion of self-experience, Crouch creates scenes that feel both surreal and believable. He is well known for his bestselling Wayward Pines Trilogy, which became a top-rated TV series. He has published more than a dozen other novels and has had work in various publications, including Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Blake is currently adapting his bestselling thriller, Dark Matter, for the big screen while Shonda Rimes and Matt Reeves are bringing Recursion to Netflix.

From Amazon.com:

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include the New York Times bestseller Dark Matter, and the internationally bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX. Crouch also created the TNT show Good Behavior, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. His latest book is Recursion, a sci-fi thriller about memory, and will be published in June 2019. He lives in Colorado.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to utilize nostalgia in your story
  • How to integrate self-experience into a scene
  • How to rethink a saturated genre
  • Why to save cut scenes
  • How to balanced planned and improvised writing

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Blake Crouch – http://blakecrouch.com/

Recursion by Blake Crouch – https://books2read.com/RecursionNovel

Pines (Book 1 of Wayward Pines) by Blake Crouch – https://books2read.com/Pines

Three Story Method by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

“Muggable” quote by Harley Christensen – https://www.mischievousmalamute.com/

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.

Tapping Into Your Reader’s Emotions with Chuck Palahniuk

Chuck Palahniuk is a master at tapping into his readers’ emotions. Whether through sympathetic attachment, comedic relief, or intense realism, Palahniuk manipulates emotion to create breathtaking novels that engage his readers throughout the entire story. He is most well-known for his debut novel, Fight Club, a dark satire following the thrilling story of an office worker with insomnia as he falls into insanity. After Fight Club’s success, Chuck continued creating captivating and award-winning stories, including Choke, Lullaby, and Guts. His most recent work of nonfiction, Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life after Which Everything Was Different, is available now.

From Amazon.com:

Chuck Palahniuk’s novels are the bestselling Fight Club, which was made into a film by director David Fincher, Diary, Lullaby, Survivor, Haunted, and Invisible Monsters. Portions of Choke have appeared in Playboy, and Palahniuk’s nonfiction work has been published by Gear, Black Book, The Stranger, and the Los Angeles Times. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Whether you’re traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today’s publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business – editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins.

Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouse, J. Thorn, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to capture your reader’s emotions
  • How to make your characters liked or respected
  • How to employ cognitive reframing in your writing
  • How to transition well between scenes
  • Why to join a writing workshop

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Chuck Palahniuk – https://chuckpalahniuk.net/

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk – https://books2read.com/FightClub

Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life after Which Everything Was Different by Chuck Palahniuk – https://books2read.com/ConsiderThis

Three Story Method by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://books2read.com/threestorymethod

Three Story Method Workbook by J. Thorn and Zack Bohannon – https://amzn.to/37SAR1a

Music by Nicorus – https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep 

Voice Over by Rick Ganley – http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio – http://www.millpondstudio.com

Contact – https://writersinkpodcast.com/dev/contact/ 

*Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links.