Carter Wilson's Making It Up

Bob Johnson is 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. 

Among other things, Bob and Carter discuss growing up with undiagnosed ADD, writing without thinking of the odds of getting published, and getting reviewed by the New York Times. At the end of their conversation, they make up a fast-paced story using a line from Sean Eads’ Seventeen Stitches. 

G.T. Karber is a mystery writer, computer programmer, and the creator of Murdle, the USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling murder-mystery puzzle book series. The first two paperback volumes of Murdle were published in 2023, with the third volume published in March 2024. In 2023, Murdle was the UK Christmas #1 bestseller, making Karber the third non-British author to achieve a Christmas number one, after Dan Brown and Michelle Obama. He earned his MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. 

Among other things, G.T. and Carter discuss what the goal of writing is and how to determine success in writing, the art of creating puzzles for the general public, and keeping commercial writing simple. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World.

Emily Carpenter is the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of suspense novels, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies, and Every Single Secret. After graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication, she moved to New York City. She’s worked as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant for the CBS shows, As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

Among other things, Emily and Carter discuss Emily’s move from the South to New York City, thinking of writing in terms of cinema, and religious representation in books and TV. At the end of their conversation, they make up a tense story using a line from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. 

Lori Brand is a lifting enthusiast, group fitness instructor, yoga teacher, and software quality engineer. She’s been a gymnast, dancer, Playboy model, and bodybuilder. Her time in the body wars trenches led to her realization that getting strong, rather than shrinking, is the way out. She’s published articles in STRONG Fitness Magazine, T-Nation, Inside Fitness Magazine, D’FYNE Fitness Magazine, and more. Bodies to Die For is her first novel.

Among other things, Lori and Carter discuss how controversial discussion about body image on social media sparked the idea for Lori’s novel, analyzing editorial letters, and killing off dogs in books. At the end of their conversation, they make up an eventful story using a line from Beverley McLachlin’s Proof. 

Lisa Williamson Rosenberg is an author and psychotherapist specializing in depression, complex trauma and racial identity. She is also a former ballet dancer, with essays published in Longreads, Mamalode, The Common, and more, and fiction in Literary Mama and The Piltdown Review, where she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She graduated from Princeton University, got her Masters from Hunter College School of Social Work, and her post-masters certification in family therapy from the Ackerman Institute. 

Among other things, Lisa and Carter discuss writing what you know, addressing racial themes in fiction, and unreliable narrators in Lisa’s second novel. At the end of their conversation, they make up a short story using a line from Jennifer Chase’s Count Their Graves. 

Douglas Brunt attended The Haverford School and graduated from Duke University. He was formerly a management consultant for the information tech company, Booz Allen & Hamilton, and served as a director with Idealab. Until 2011, Brunt was CEO and president of the Florida-based security software company Authentium, Inc. His first novel, Ghosts of Manhattan, was a New York Times bestseller. 

Among other things, Douglas and Carter discuss Douglas’s inspiration for his own podcast, the research that goes into writing a non-fiction book, and the reality of getting a movie/TV option for your novel. At the end of their conversation they make up an unpredictable story using a line from David Baldacci’s Simple Genius. 

James L’Etoile uses his 29 years behind bars as an influence in his novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, facility captain, and director of California’s state parole system. He is a nationally recognized expert witness on prison and jail operations. He is a two-time Silver Falchion Award nominee and shortlisted for the Bill Crider Award for short fiction. 

Among other things, James and Carter discuss writing being a form of therapy, how writing presentence reports evolved into writing crime fiction, and working with two different publishers. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from Kwei Quartey’s The Whitewashed Tombs. 

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen’s books have been translated into 40 languages, and more than 40 million copies have been sold around the world. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for VANISH) and the Rita Award (for THE SURGEON). Time Magazine named THE SURGEON one of the best mystery/thrillers ever written. Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her novels have hit bestseller lists ever since.

Among other things, Tess and Carter discuss how thrillers really aren’t about the violence, how to differentiate your characters when writing from multiple POVs, and retiring from being an author. At the end of their conversation, they make up a beautiful story using a line from Araminta Hall’s One of the Good Guys.

Andrew DeYoung is the author of The Temps, a speculative novel about the end of the world. He works as an editor at a children's book publishing company, and he lives with his wife and two children in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota. The Day He Never Came Home is his first domestic thriller. Stay Away From Him is coming out in July 2025. 

Among other things, Andrew and Carter discuss initial fears of not being a good writer, balancing writing when you have children, and embracing variety in your writing style. At the end of their conversation, they make up a random story using a line from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five. 

Sydney Leigh spent several years running a seasonal business, working in the summer so she could spend cold months in cool places. Now she writes modern cozy mysteries and thinks about murder. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and served on the board of Crime Writers of Canada from 2018-2021.

Among other things, Sydney and Carter discuss how receiving feedback motivated Sydney to continue her writing journey, struggling to find an agent after having “failed” books, and the genre of cozies versus thrillers. At the end of their conversation, they make up a fascinating story using a line from Matt Goldman’s The Murder Show.