New York Times bestselling author, Ann Napolitano, spoke with me about overcoming rejection early on, how grief transformed her writing process, and getting that fateful call from Oprah about Hello Beautiful.
Ann Napolitano is the New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful which was selected as Oprah’s 100th Book Club pick; Dear Edward, an instant New York Times bestseller, a Read with Jenna selection, and an Apple TV+ series; A Good Hard Look, and Within Arm’s Reach.
Hello Beautiful has been called a “powerfully affecting” (People) family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole? The Washington Post said of the book, “Another tender tearjerker . . . Napolitano chronicles life’s highs and lows with aching precision.”
It was named Chicago Public Library’s Ten Best Books of the Year and a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, Time, Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, New York Post, She Reads, and Bookreporter.
Ann was the associate editor of the literary magazine One Story for seven years, and she received an MFA from New York University.
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In this file Ann Napolitano and I discussed:
Her long and rocky road to success
How an illness early in life helped her realize she was a writer
Why her first published book felt like a proving ground
The nine-month approach to planning your next novel
How to write the truest sentence possible
Why you need to string together as many Xs as you can
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
AnnNapolitano.com
Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club): A NOVEL By Ann Napolitano (Amazon)
Ann Napolitano Amazon Author Page
Ann Napolitano on Twitter
Ann Napolitano on Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How NY Times Bestselling Author Ann Napolitano Writes

“Learn how acclaimed writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block.”
Each week, host Kelton Reid chats with guests like Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, on life after becoming a laureate; #1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry on her past life as a YA mid-lister; Celebrated author, Walter Mosley, on his conflicted feelings after winning a National Book Award; NY Times bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline, on what she learned from literary lion Philip Roth; #1 NY Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane on what he borrowed from Clint Eastwood; and bestselling author, Matt Haig, on the process behind his novel, The Midnight Library, and serial guest hosts: neuroscientist Michael Grybko, journalist Adam Skolnick, and short story writer Robert Bruce.

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#1 New York Times bestselling author and TV producer, Tom Straw, spoke to me about breaking into television, the Gordian knot of ghostwriting, and his new “culinary, espionage, travel thriller” THE ACCIDENTAL JOE.
Tom Straw is an Emmy and Writers Guild of America–nominated writer-producer, New York Times bestselling author, and former Mystery Writers of America board member.
Writing as Richard Castle, Tom originated the hit Nikki Heat series, writing its first seven novels, all New York Times bestsellers, including Heat Rises, which reached number one.
The first book in his latest series is The Accidental Joe: The Top-Secret Life of a Celebrity Chef (Regalo Press/May 14, 2024), described as the story of “...a maverick celebrity chef [who] reluctantly agrees to let the CIA use his hugely popular international food, culture, and travel TV series as cover for a dangerous espionage mission.”
Bestselling author Walter Mosley said of the book, “Tom Straw's Sebastian Pike is a wonderful addition to the annals of amateur sleuths of the crime/spy genre.” Culinary personality Alton Brown said of the author, “Tom Straw has set the bar for culinary, espionage, travel thrillers. Actually, I think he invented the bar. And it’s a bar I’d meet him at any time.”
Tom  Straw’s television career has included WGA and Emmy nominations for writing and executive producer stints for shows including Night Court, CBS’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and Nurse Jackie with Edie Falco.
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In this file Tom Straw and I discussed:
His early life as an AM radio personality and professional weatherman
How he got a shot to write on his first TV show
Working with Craig Ferguson and his robot skeleton sidekick 
The short version of hitting #1 as a ghostwriter for a fictitious mystery author 
How he invented the snarky, bad-boy, maverick chef for his latest novel
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
tomstraw.com
Tom Straw on IMDb
The Accidental Joe: The Top-Secret Life of a Celebrity Chef By Tom Straw (Amazon)
Tom Straw on Facebook
Tom Straw on Twitter
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Tom Straw Writes

Emmy-winning TV journalist and CNN Chief Climate Correspondent, Bill Weir, spoke to me about finding his beat, seeking “hope in a changing world,” and his debut, Life as We Know It (Can Be).
Bill Weir is a veteran anchor, writer, producer, and host who joined CNN in 2013 after a decade of award-winning journalism at ABC News. After writing and hosting four seasons of the primetime CNN Original Series “The Wonder List with Bill Weir,” he was named the first Chief Climate Correspondent in network news in 2019.
His debut book is Life as We Know It (Can Be): Stories of People, Climate, and Hope in a Changing World, described as a “... positive and unabashed approach to exploring the science, politics, and human behavior that must be addressed to solve our most pressing problems.”
New York Times bestselling author and CNN anchor Jake Tapper said of the book, “Bill Weir provides insightful, alarming, but ultimately hopeful coverage of the climate crisis. His new book is a gorgeous love letter to his son but also to Earth and humanity,” and New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer called it, “... a clear-eyed, heartfelt argument against despair.”
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In this file Bill Weir and I discussed:
How he incorporates the math and physics of storytelling into his journalism
The “crappy elf” method of writing and penning letters to his kids in the future
Why connection is more important than ever in the “golden age of distraction”
The difference between writing for the screen and the page
When he decided to focus on the dreamers and the doers
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
Bill Weir CNN Chief Climate Correspondent
Life as We Know It (Can Be): Stories of People, Climate, and Hope in a Changing World by Bill Weir (Amazon)
Bill Weir on Facebook
Bill Weir on Instagram
Bill Weir on Twitter
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir Writes

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Tomi Adeyemi, spoke to me about the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, her evolution as a writer, and the final book in her Orisha trilogy, Children of Anguish and Anarchy.
Tomi Adeyemi is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Hugo and Nebula award-winning novelist and screenwriter who was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Forbes’s 30 Under 30 in Media, and whose website was named one of the 101 Best Websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.
Her Children of Blood and Bone series continues to be a publishing phenomenon, acquired in a heated bidding war with the first two books becoming instant #1 NY Times bestsellers – spending over 150 weeks on the list – and over 1.5 million copies in print to date including recent paperback re-releases.
The Nigerian/American writer graduated from Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature and studied West African mythology, religion, and culture in Salvador, Brazil
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In this file Tomi Adeyemi and I discussed:
Her newly found balance and definition of success as a writer 
Facing rejection early on in her career
How she persevered through meticulous planning
Why her acknowledgments are so lengthy in her long-awaited capstone to her trilogy
What’s next for the superstar
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
tomiadeyemi.com
thewritersroadmap.net
Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Legacy of Orisha, 3) – June 25, 2024 by Tomi Adeyemi (Amazon)
Tomi Adeyemi Amazon Author Page
Tomi Adeyemi on Instagram
Tomi Adeyemi on Twitter
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Tomi Adeyemi Writes

Stanford Professor, communications expert, and author, Matt Abrahams, spoke with me about tips and tricks to hone your communication skills as a writer, and his award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart.
Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in communication with decades of expertise as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting.
He also hosts Stanford Graduate School of Business' Think Fast, Talk Smart – the 2023 Webby Award-winning “Best Business Podcast." The podcast has topped 42 million downloads and has been the #1 Career podcast in over 95 countries.
Matt is the author of two books including Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot, based in part on his hit podcast.
Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestseller, said of the author, "Matt Abrahams has a gift for making complex concepts easy to understand and simple to enact. If you’ve ever struggled to summon the right words at the right time, this book is an essential read.”
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In this file Matt Abrahams and I discussed:
The TED talk that led to a podcast that led to a book 
Why writers need to find their focus through structure
His advice on pitching your book to agents in person
How it’s normal to be nervous; managing anxiety
Why most writers suffer the curses of knowledge and passion
How to nail that first book tour
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
mattabrahams.com
Think Fast Talk Smart: Podcast
Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot By Matt Abrahams (Amazon)
Think Fast Talk Smart on Instagram
Think Fast Talk Smart on Twitter
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Stanford Prof. & Comms Expert Matt Abrahams Writes

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY.
Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada,  and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg.
His debut middle-grade novel, BRIDGE TO BAT CITY (on sale 4/9/24; ages 8 & up), is described as “... a mostly true tall tale about a recently orphaned girl and her mission to help a family of displaced bats find a new home under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas.”
His books have been published in over fifty countries and have spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times bestsellers list.
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In Part Two of this file Ernest Cline and I discussed:
The crazy story behind Stephen King’s Misery
What it was like waiting for a call from Stephen Spielberg
How the author got to see his fiction turned into reality
Making the transition from adult sci-fi to middle grade novels
His shout outs to ET, Roald Dahl, Charles Portis
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ernest Cline Writes: Part One
Bridge to Bat City by Ernest Cline (Amazon)
Ernest Cline Amazon Author Page
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How NY Times Bestselling Author Ann Napolitano Writes

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