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!

Join hosts J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle, along with JP Rindfleisch IX and Kevin Tumlinson, as they welcome law enforcement consultant Patrick O’Donnell (episode 47) to the guest host chair. Then stick around as Christine chats with best-selling novelist C. J. Tudor about finding the right agent, writing what you love no matter what, and her upcoming end-of-the-world thriller, The Drift.

C. J. Tudor is the author of The Burning Girls, The Other People, The Hiding Place, and The Chalk Man, which won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, the Barry Award, and the Strand Critics Award for Best Debut Novel. Her fifth novel, The Drift, an “audacious, utterly gripping [story] of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world,” drops tomorrow, January 31st, from Ballentine Books.

Links:

J.D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

JP Rindfleisch IX – https://www.jprindfleischix.com/

Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/

Patrick O’Donnell – https://www.copsandwriters.com/

C. J. Tudor – https://twitter.com/cjtudor

TODAY’S SPONSOR: Laterpress – http://laterpress.com/

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/

J. Thorn’s Rubrics for Writers – https://theauthorlife.com/free-tools/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – https://twitter.com/gmbrlyn

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Join hosts J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle as they welcome back JP Rindfleisch IX and invite first-time guest host Kevin Tumlinson to the show. Then stick around as Christine chats with author and book coach Mary Adkins.

Mary Adkins is the author of When You Read This, Privilege, and Palm Beach, which was voted one of 2021’s Best Books by The New York Post. A native of the American South and a graduate of Duke University and Yale Law School, her writing has appeared in the New York Times and the Atlantic. She is also the founder of The Book Incubator, a 12-month, hands-on writing program for authors and memoirists, and the host of the podcast The First Draft Club.

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

JP Rindfleisch IX – https://www.jprindfleischix.com/

Kevin Tumlinson – https://www.kevintumlinson.com/

Mary Adkins – https://maryadkinswriter.com/

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/

J. Thorn’s Rubrics for Writers – https://theauthorlife.com/free-tools/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – https://twitter.com/gmbrlyn

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Join hosts J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle as they welcome guest host JP Rindfleisch IX to the studio. Then stick around as Christine chats with award-winning author and screenwriter Ewan Morrison.

Described as the “most fluent and intelligent Scottish writer of his generation” by Booker Prize judge Stuart Kelly, Ewan Morrison is the author of Tales From The MallClose Your Eyes, and Nina X, which won the 2019 Saltire Society Scottish Fiction Book of the Year award. His eighth and latest novel, How To Survive Everything, a darkly comic thriller about a teenage girl abducted by her doomsday survivalist father, is available now in paperback.

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

JP Rindfleisch IX – https://www.jprindfleischix.com/

Ewan Morrison – https://www.ewanmorrison.com/

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/

J. Thorn’s Rubrics for Writers – https://theauthorlife.com/free-tools/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – https://twitter.com/gmbrlyn

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

D. Eric Maikranz knows a thing or two about getting your book on the big screen. By using solid strategies like crowdsourcing his marketing and pricing as low as Amazon would let him, his 2009 novel, The Reincarnationist Papers, both accrued him a large readerbase and struck him a movie deal with Netflix. Eric has backpacked and worked all around the world as a foreign correspondent, translator, and more. He’s since published two nonfiction guides, Insider’s Rome and Insider’s Venice. To check out The Reincarnationist Papers, follow the link below.

From Amazon.com:

D. Eric Maikranz is the author of The Reincarnationist Papers, the electrifying debut novel that introduces readers to the Cognomina, a secret society of people who reincarnate with total recall of their collected past lives. The Reincarnationist Papers is the basis for the Paramount Pictures movie INFINITE (May 2021), starring Mark Wahlberg and Dylan O’Brien. For a sneak peek at his new novels and exclusive insider content, join the email list at: ericmaikranz.com. D. Eric Maikranz very much enjoys engaging with readers and frequently speaks remotely at book clubs that read his work. Guidelines for engaging Mr. Maikranz to speak remotely at your book club are available at ericmaikranz.com

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How Eric got kicked out of Laos
  • His perspective on marketing
  • How his day job helped his writing
  • How a hostel in Nepal got him a movie deal

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

D. Eric Maikranz – https://ericmaikranz.com/

The Reincarnationist Papershttps://mybook.to/ReincarnPaper

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

The Author Life: A Limited Edition Podcast Series Featuring Jeff Elkins – https://theauthorlife.transistor.fm/

J. Thorn’s Rubrics for Writers – https://theauthorlife.com/free-tools/

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/ and Ghostwriting University – https://www.ghostwritinguniversity.com/ 

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Author and teacher Tim Waggoner knows the secrets to refining your writing skill through educating others. During his time as a creative writing professor at Sinclair College, he’s gained a fuller understanding of writing techniques, character-writing psychology, and the editing process. Tim has published more than 50 novels over two decades and is a winner of the Bram Stoker Award and finalist for many others. His latest novel, A Hunter Called Night, is available for preorder on May 9.

From Amazon.com:

Tim Waggoner’s first novel came out in 2001, and he’s published close to fifty novels and seven collections of short stories since. He writes original fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. His novels include Like Death, considered a modern classic in the genre, and the popular Nekropolis series of urban fantasy novels. He’s written tie-in fiction for Supernatural, Alien, Grimm, the X-Files, Doctor Who, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Transformers, among others. His articles on writing have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Writer’s Journal, and Writer’s Workshop of Horror. He’s won the Bram Stoker Award and been a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award, the Scribe Award, and the Splatterpunk Award. In addition to writing, Tim is also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How Tim picked up teaching
  • How to communicate to writing students
  • How to take advantage of luck

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

Tim Waggoner – https://www.timwaggoner.com/index.htm

A Hunter Called Nighthttps://books2read.com/HunterNight

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

The Author Life: A Limited Edition Podcast Series Featuring Jeff Elkins – https://theauthorlife.transistor.fm/

J. Thorn’s Rubrics for Writers – https://theauthorlife.com/free-tools/

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/ and Ghostwriting University – https://www.ghostwritinguniversity.com/ 

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Award-winning novelist Jake Bible loves to drabble in his spare time. A short story of exactly 100 words, the exercise has helped him sharpen his editing skills, heighten his creativity, and expand his support network. Jake wrote his first novel, DEAD MECH, in 2008, and has since written over 65 books and been nominated for various awards, including the Bram Stoker Award. To order his latest novel, Out of the Stars, follow the link below.

From Amazon.com:

A Bram Stoker Award nominated-novelist, short story writer, independent screenwriter, podcaster, and inventor of the Drabble Novel, Jake is the author of over sixty-five published novels including the bestselling Z-Burbia zombie apocalypse series, the bestselling Salvage Merc One military scifi series, the bestselling Roak: Galactic Bounty Hunter space crime series, the fan favorite hit Team Grendel/Mega thriller series, and his original post-apocalyptic mech/zombie mash-up, the Apex Trilogy. His other novels include the YA zombie novel, Little Dead Man, the Bram Stoker Award nominated YA horror novel, Intentional Haunting, the middle grade scifi/horror series, ScareScapes, and the historical fiction/space opera mash-up series, Reign of Four, for Permuted Press, as well as Stone Cold Bastards and the Black Box Inc. series for Bell Bridge Books.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • The importance of writing mechanics
  • How to write a short story every week
  • How to find success on Substack as a fiction writer
  • The importance of a core fanbase

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

Jake Bible – https://jakebible.com/

Out of the Stars https://books2read.com/OutofStars

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/ and Ghostwriting University – https://www.ghostwritinguniversity.com/ 

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Dan Padavona knows the secrets to reimagining failure. Whether a book isn’t reaching the right audience or receiving negative criticism, he stresses the importance of remaining confident, persistent, and willing to pivot in the face of “the crickets” . Dan is the accomplished author of over twenty novels, including the Wolf Lake series and Thomas Shepherd series. He also co-wrote Shadow Witch with J. eight years ago. To preorder his upcoming novel, The Killer Inside, follow the link below.

From Amazon.com:

When you read one of my books I hope you feel like you are sitting around a campfire with me at midnight. If you happen upon me, you’ll probably find me reading Stephen King, Rachel Caine, Dean Koontz, or one of the many authors who have so enriched my life with their ability to tell a good tale. More than anything, I love a good story. Let me tell you one. Sign up for my VIP Readers Group at www.danpadavona.com and download a free screen background.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to find the overlap between self-fulfilling and marketable writing
  • When to walk away from your day job
  • Why writing can be so unmotivating
  • How individuality can hurt your prospects

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

Dan Padavona – https://www.danpadavona.com/

The Killer Inside https://books2read.com/u/mqXRne

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/ and Ghostwriting University – https://www.ghostwritinguniversity.com/ 

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Jennifer Givhan knows the power of cultural storytelling. In her latest novel, River Woman, River Demon, she draws heavily from her and her husband’s own Latina, Indigenous, and Black heritage to create a thrilling mystery infused with organic, emotional experiences. Jennifer is the award-winning author of novels like Trinity Sight and Jubilee and an accomplished poet. To purchase River Woman, River Demon, follow the link below.

From Amazon.com:

Jennifer Givhan, a National Endowment for the Arts and PEN/Rosenthal Emerging Voices Fellow, is a Mexican-American writer and activist from the Southwestern desert and the author of four full-length poetry collections: Landscape with Headless Mama (2015 Pleiades Editors’ Prize), Protection Spell (2016 Miller Williams Poetry Prize Series chosen by Billy Collins), Girl with Death Mask (2017 Blue Light Books Prize chosen by Ross Gay), and Rosa’s Einstein (Camino del Sol Poetry Series, University of Arizona Press 2019). Her novels include Trinity Sight (2019) and Jubilee (forthcoming) from Blackstone Publishing. Her other honors include the Frost Place Latinx scholarship, a National Latinx Writers’ Conference scholarship, the Lascaux Review Poetry Prize, Phoebe Journal’s Greg Grummer Poetry Prize, the Pinch Poetry Prize, and the Joy Harjo Poetry Prize 2nd place. Her work has appeared in Best of the Net, Best New Poets, Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, The New Republic, Ploughshares, POETRY, The Rumpus, TriQuarterly, Boston Review, AGNI, Crazyhorse, Witness, Southern Humanities Review, Missouri Review, The Kenyon Review, and many others. She lives in New Mexico with her family near the Sleeping Sister Volcanoes.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why writing about magic is so important
  • How being a mother enriches your writing
  • How to use unreliable narration
  • Jennifer’s writing process

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

Jennifer Givhan – https://jennifergivhan.com/

River Woman, River Demonhttps://books2read.com/RiverWoman

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Bestseller Anthony Marra talks about his latest novel, Mercury Pictures Presents, with new co-host Christine Daigle. Thinking about “how storytelling redeems and uplifts, and how it breaks us,” Anthony and Christine explore tales of creativity and perseverance from both the novel and his writing journey. Anthony is the NYT bestselling author of books like The Tsar of Love of Techno and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. To purchase Mercury Pictures Presents, follow the link below.

From Amazon.com:

Anthony Marra is the New York Times bestselling author of The Tsar of Love and Techno and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, winner of the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, and longlisted for the National Book Award. His new novel, Mercury Pictures Presents, will be published in July 2022.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why Anthony’s latest novel was almost named Sunny Siberia
  • The importance of accountability to authors
  • Why you should check in with your writer friends
  • How history becomes fictionalized
  • Why he watched films for writing inspiration

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Christine Daigle – https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/

Anthony Marra – https://sites.prh.com/anthonymarra

Mercury Pictures Presentshttps://books2read.com/MercuryPictures

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Bestseller David Kadavy has dedicated his work to helping authors and creatives rethink productivity. In his bestselling book, Mind Management, Not Time Management, he explores the limits of creativity and the importance of structure, self-awareness, and self-control to writers. David is a bestseller author of mostly shorter nonfiction, but has also won praise for longer pieces like The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. To purchase Mind Management, follow the link below. 

From Amazon.com:

David Kadavy is a bestselling author whose books help people be productive when creativity matters. He was design advisor for behavioral scientist Dan Ariely’s productivity app, Timeful, where David’s “mind management” principles were applied to features now used by millions – in Google Calendar. He lives in Medellín, Colombia. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram at @kadavy.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • What is dirty electricity
  • The email that changed David’s life
  • How he transitioned from writing blogs to books
  • The psychology of writing
  • What makes stories memorable

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

David Kadavy – https://kadavy.net

Mind Management, Not Time Managementhttps://books2read.com/MindManagement

David’s Course – https://100wordwritinghabit.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/kadavy

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

International Bestseller Ruth Ware sets a very simple goal for herself: write a book a year. After battling with guilt for not producing more after becoming a full-time writer, she realized she is most productive and successful when not pushing herself and only expending as much of her imagination as she can. Ruth is the international bestseller of numerous thriller novels, including In A Dark, Dark Wood and One by One. To order her latest novel, The It Girl, follow the link below.

From Amazon.com:

Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key, One by One and The It Girl have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times, and she is published in more than 40 languages. She lives on the south coast of England, with her family. Visit www.ruthware.com to find out more, or find her on facebook or twitter as @RuthWareWriter

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why her latest character is a bookseller
  • What is “faffing around?”
  • Why getting distracted can be beneficial
  • Ways to alleviate writer’s block
  • How she decided to write full-time

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Ruth Ware – https://ruthware.com/

The It Girlhttps://books2read.com/TheItGirl

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

Returning guest Andrew Child makes an appearance to discuss his new Jack Reacher book, No Plan B. The third Reacher book he’s collaborated on with brother Lee Child, Andrew walks through the extent of his planning and editing process, the pros and cons of writing with a sibling, and his afterthoughts of the book’s outcome. Andrew is the critically-acclaimed author of ten standalone novels, including Die Twice and Even. To preorder No Plan B, releasing October 25th, follow the link below.

From JackReacher.com:

Andrew Grant was born in Birmingham, England in May 1968. He went to school in St Albans, Hertfordshire and later attended the University of Sheffield where he studied English Literature and Drama. After graduation Andrew set up and ran a small independent theatre company which showcased a range of original material to local, regional and national audiences. Following a critically successful but financially challenging appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Andrew moved into the telecommunications industry as a ‘temporary’ solution to a short-term cash crisis. Fifteen years later, after carrying out a variety of roles – including a number which were covered by the UK Official Secrets Act – Andrew escaped from corporate life, and established himself as the author of the critically-acclaimed novels Even, Die Twice, More Harm Than Good, RUN, False Positive, False Friend, False Witness, Invisible, and Too Close To Home. Andrew is married to novelist Tasha Alexander, and lives on a wildlife preserve in Wyoming, USA.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How Andrew turns a “sense or feeling” into a story
  • His process for choosing a setting
  • What it’s like writing with your brother
  • How he wrote collaboratively during COVID-19

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Andrew Child – https://www.jackreacher.com/us/authors/

No Plan Bhttps://books2read.com/NoPlanB

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

In this special episode of Writers, Ink, Zach Bohannon hosts a panel of authors brave enough to take the Harlan Coben Challenge, resulting in the Audible Original, “Birds of Prey.” Listen in as Tess Gerritsen, Kathy Reichs, Heather Graham, and other bestsellers discuss the behind-the-scenes process of writing and collaborating on a unique and spontaneous anthology.

From Audible.com:

The world’s greatest thriller writers prove they’re up to a unique challenge in this action-packed, audio-original collection.

It all started with a simple, yet sneakily difficult challenge from global best-selling author Harlan Coben: Pick a bird of prey, then use it as the inspiration for a brand-new story.

The response from some of the best writers on the planet: Game on!

The result: Eleven stories that are twisty, scary, surprising and bursting with imagination. An egg worth more than its weight in gold. A mysterious operative known only as Owl. An eagle-watcher who sees more than she should. Even a story that somehow places the Maltese Falcon in a nursing home.

Birds of Prey: The Harlan Coben Challenge is a highly bingeable audiobook that’s a treat for thriller fans.

Introduced by Harlan Coben, Birds of Prey features these stories:  

  • “The Coffin Bearer” by Tess Gerritsen 
  • “Precious Cargo” by C.J. Box 
  • “Owl” by Kathy Reichs 
  • “Kudzu” by Ace Atkins 
  • “Predator or Prey?” by Heather Graham 
  • “Silent as a Shadow” by S.A. Cosby 
  • “Jail Birds” by Hank Phillippi Ryan 
  • “The Falcon” by Robert Dugoni 
  • “Watchers” by Allison Brennan 
  • “Red of Beak and Claw” by Gregg Hurwitz 
  • “Hawkshaw Hunting” by Kelley Armstrong

Birds of Prey: The Harlan Coben Challenge was created with International Thriller Writers (ITW). C.J. Box served as project editor. 

©2022 International Thriller Writers, Inc., and authors (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How the Birds of Prey project originated
  • How you can get your work published in an ITW anthology
  • How a defined writing prompt makes drafting easier
  • If writing for Audiobook adaptation affects the writing process
  • And much more!

Links:

J. D. Barker – http://jdbarker.com/

J. Thorn – https://theauthorlife.com/

Zach Bohannon – https://zachbohannon.com/

Birds of Preyhttps://www.audible.com/pd/Birds-of-Prey-The-Harlan-Coben-Challenge-Audiobook/B09WZHXGMQ 

Three Story Method: Writing Scenes – https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws 

Best of BookTook – https://bestofbooktok.com/ 

Story Rubric – http://storyrubric.com  

Nonfic Rubric – http://nonficrubric.com  

Scene Rubric – http://scenerubric.com 

Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus – https://www.atticus.io/

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

Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn – http://www.emberletter.com/ 

Website Design by Word & Pixel – http://wordandpixel.com/

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

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

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Returning guest Meg Gardiner shares her tips for adapting a screenplay into a novel. In her latest novel co-written with the legendary Michael Mann, Heat 2, she uses intense imagery and character building to expand the world of the classic movie onto the page while maintaining the immersion of a film. Meg is a #1 NYT bestseller and the author of sixteen novels, including the award-winning Evan Delaney series and Jo Beckett series. To purchase Heat 2, follow the link below.

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