In this episode of Authors on the Air, we visit with August Norman, the creator of journalist Caitlin Bergman who is starring in her second thriller, “Sins of the Mother”. August traces his circuitous path from Indiana to Hollywood, his time as a member of a comedy troupe and a screenwriter and how a secondary character ended up becoming his star.

Kate Anslinger has written five books, Underwater Secrets, Saving Jason, and three thrillers starring her fascinating telepathic detective, Grace McKenna, The Gift, Buried Secrets and Never Tell. (Get em here!)

Kate is a gifted storyteller who writes addicting page-turners you won’t want to put down.

We talked about where an author’s ideas come from, dealing with distractions, the joys and challenges of a career in the indy space and the very first story Kate ever wrote. Hear the conversation and check out the other great podcasts available at the Authors on the Air

Danielle Girard is a force of nature. Few write more vivid word pictures that propel us into the darkest corners of our psyche.

In our conversation, we dig deep in to the intricacies of The Craft. Where do great ideas come from? How do we conjure up scenarios that grab an audience? What can we learn from the cops? We discuss the secrets of how to keep story energy flowing through a multiple-book series, the discipline of the revision process and the excitement that surrounds launch day.

Danielle talks candidly about the impact criticism has on her work and the challenges of keeping the creative processes flowing during a Pandemic. And we give you a taste of the opening stanza of her latest best seller, “White Out“.

You’ll feel like you’re part of an intimate conversation between two practitioners who know that every morning starts with a blank page and the ultimate objective is creating compelling tales that keep your readers coming back for more.

Learn more about Danielle Girard at her website and on her Facebook page. Grab her books at her Amazon Store.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch calls Owen Laukkanen, “One of the best young thriller writers working today.” He joins me to discuss “Lone Jack Trail“, the follow up his popular Winslow and Burke thriller, “Deception Cove“. Owen discusses the importance of the first chapter and how he does “Noir at the Bar” readings in front of drunk bar patrons to test out his opening hooks on short attention spans. He reveals his Young Adult genre pen name, “Owen Matthews”, and talks about how to write for the different expectations of the YA audience. Owen retraces the life steps that lead him to a career as an author and the John Steinbeck passage that fired his imagination to write. We delve into the key characters in “Lone Jack Trail”, the research Owen did to create them and the dimensions that make them both fascinating and addicting. Owen shares the emotional ups and downs of the creative process, a crisis of confidence in his career and what influenced him to keep writing. We explore the “Easter Eggs” Owen planted in Deception Cove, including giving his characters the names of his favorite authors. Owen talks about the “Twilight” star who wanted to turn an early Owen Laukkanen book into a starring vehicle. He shares the secrets of his social media strategy, how tenacity and stubbornness can keep you focused while you are developing your talent and how his dog, Lucy, became a secret weapon on tour.

OWENLAUKKANEN.COM

Dawn Alexander joins Terry to talk about what a Story Consultant does, how to find a good one, and the process of turning a good book into a great book. Dawn shares what gets great story tellers stuck and how to move past the obstacles. She reveals what makes a great thriller, shares her list of favorite authors and has some valuable advice for first timers who think they might like to write for a living.

Tori Eldridge is a woman of many inventions. A dancer and performer, a martial artist, a mother and soon to be "Tutu", Hawaiian for grandmother. She's also a gifted writer, author of the stunning debut thriler, "The Ninja Daughter" and "The Ninja's Blade".

We talk about The Craft. But this conversation with Tori, goes well beyond what we write. We talk about the seasons of life and the puzzle pieces that fit together to make it meaningful.

Tori is one of the most agile and creative promoters out there. We discuss how to juggle marketing with creation and the activities that keep us centered in the heart of the maelstrom.