William Finnegan: Bulleit bourbon & club soda

Pulitzer Prize winning author Bill Finnegan talks about a day-in-the-life of a writer on staff at The New Yorker and how a piece gets started with editor David Remnick. Bill also discusses his memoir Barbarian Days and names his picks for top male and top female surfers of all time, as well as names some of his favorite surf breaks around the world. 

Jess Walter: The Robert Burns cocktail (1 ounce Dewar's scotch, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1/2 ounce Benedictine, served up and with a lemon twist)

It's possible I poured this one a little heavy, but it's my favorite drink so far. Jess talks about the surprise success of his novel Beautiful Ruins, how his agent had nearly negotiated a bonus if it made the bestseller list, though everyone believed making the list was a long shot (it stayed on the bestseller list for a year and a half!). Learn the alternate titles considered for Beautiful Ruins, his writing process, how he evaluates news ideas for novels and short stories, as well as his early work in journalism including working with Christopher Darden to write a book about the OJ Simpson case.

Nelson DeMille: Dewar's on the rocks

Nelson talks about John Travolta on the set of General's Daughter, the importance of getting characters right even if not PC, the value of a mentor, how he has managed the loss of his wife Sandy with the help of friends and family.

Lee Child: “good champagne”

Lee talks about meeting King Charles III, what it was like to work with Tom Cruise, who he always pictured in the role of Jack Reacher, and which celebrity would make a good love-match for Reacher (hint: you know her well).

Jennifer Egan: Gold Rush (2 ounces bourbon, 3/4 ounce lemon, 3/4 ounce honey, lemon twist)

Jennifer talks about getting rejected from every writers' workshop she tried because her writing showed "no promise", her Pulitzer prize winning novel Goon Squad, her term as president of PEN America and the organization's mission to promote freedom of expression on college campuses, and her worst-ever author event.

Beginning with our guest’s favorite cocktail, Dedicated offers an insider’s look at the lives and work of your favorite authors. New York Times bestselling author Doug Brunt hosts conversations with the world’s greatest writers as they discuss their writing lifestyle, creative process, latest work, and behind-the-scenes revelations. If you want to hear from the brilliant minds creating our best stories, be sure to tune in.