Get ready for a plot twist—this week, we summon Jesse Q. Sutanto! The bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties and Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers shares how she traded marathon writing sessions for focused 15-minute sprints—and still gets just as much done. She unveils the surprisingly luxurious way she tackles the dreaded saggy middle of a book (hint: it involves a special WhatsApp butler) and commiserates with me about the mean little voices that live in our heads. (Don't worry, we’re both in therapy, and we talk about that too.)

Ever wondered what it takes to wrangle a team of spy cats? This week, we summon John Scalzi, the bestselling author of Starter Villain and Old Man’s War. We chat about chipping away at the boundaries of what’s possible in the genre, how his brain holds so much information that he doesn’t even need to outline, and how he decided which genre to write in by flipping a freakin’ coin.

DFTBA, buttercups, because this week, we summon John Green! The beloved author of The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down joins me to talk about the writing process—starting with the shocking amount of words in his first drafts that never see the light of day. We also dive into how storytelling helps him search for “good news,” why dread might just be another form of wonder, and his belief that death is “the weirdest thing we do as people.” 

Buckle your seatbelts, buckaroos! This week, we summon Chuck Tingle, the delightful author behind Bury Your Gays and Camp Damascus. We chat about the differences between crafting his signature short-form erotica and tackling full-length novels, his love of message-driven storytelling, and how wearing a pink sack on his head has given him both creative freedom and personal comfort—all while staying true to his punk approach to writing. 

Welcome to Season 3! Ever wonder what you’d use to summon Olivie Blake? This week, I chat with the bestselling author of The Atlas Six and Alone With You in the Ether. We commiserate over the maddening reality that writing somehow feels impossible every single time we start a new book, no matter how many we've written. She pulls back the curtain on how her stories take shape, and we dive into the chaos and creativity of juggling multiple projects at once.

It’s the end of Season 2, so here is a bonus episode! This week, I chat with Alex Edelman, the comedian and writer behind the Tony and Emmy-winning show Just for Us. Alex gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how he crafts long-form shows, shares the tricky balance of blending humor with grief, and talks about the challenges and joys of being the subject of his own work.

This week, I chat with the legendary R.L. Stine, the mastermind behind over 300 books, including the iconic Goosebumps series. Known for his spine-tingling plot twists, R.L. shares a surprising twist of his own—none of what’s happened in his extraordinary career was ever really his idea. From spooky tales to unexpected turns in his journey, we explore the quirky moments that shaped the author who continues to delight and thrill new generations of readers.

This week, I chat with Cassandra Clare, author of  the beloved Shadowhunter Chronicles series and Sword Catcher. Cassandra dives into the intricate world-building that defines her fantasy novels, shares her thoughts on crafting compelling character relationships, and talks about the surprising places she finds seeds of inspiration. 

This week, I chat with the bestselling Sabaa Tahir, author of All My Rage and her latest, Heir. Sabaa discusses the big, thought-provoking questions she explores through her stories, weaving powerful themes of identity and connection. She also shares how she discovers the best version of a story and delights us with a peek at her unexpected talent of mimicking animal sounds.

This week, I chat with Isaac Fitzgerald, the author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts and Pen & Ink, known for his compelling non-fiction and memoir writing. As we chat about the fascinating differences (and similarities) between writing fiction and non-fiction, Isaac shares his heartfelt insights on the art of personal storytelling, and even gives a step-by-step guide to creating the perfect mixtape—because storytelling isn't just for the page. :)