“There are no shortcuts, right? It doesn't matter what you're writing—you just have to do it.”  — Mailan Doquang 

Mailan Doquang is an architectural historian turned thriller writer. Mailan received her Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She has published extensively on the art and architecture of medieval France, in addition to teaching at some of the top universities in North America. Her debut novel is BLOOD RUBIES.

Among other things, Mailan and Carter discuss Mailan’s transition from academia to writing fiction, learning to cut unnecessary words, and the imposter syndrome that emerges at writing conferences. At the end of their conversation, they make up a descriptive story using a line from Stephen King’s Desperation.