Award-winning, New York Times bestselling psychological thriller writer, Chevy Stevens, spoke to me about her life as a recluse, dreaming in prose, scaring the King, and her latest, Dark Roads.

Chevy's debut novel Still Missing went on to become a New York Times bestseller and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel in 2010.

Her popular books, including Those Girls – which Stephen King called “Incredibly scary and suspenseful,” – have been published in more than thirty countries and optioned for film.

Her seventh novel, the standalone thriller, Dark Roads, has been described as an "instant classic" by #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box. Author Gillian Flynn has called Chevy's work both "Gripping ... [and] unforgettable."

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In this file Chevy Stevens and I discussed:

Show Notes:

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#1 New York Times bestselling author, Bonnie Garmus, spoke to me about the evolution of her craft, how her protagonist changed her life, getting blurbed by Stephen King, and the never-ending book tour for her lauded debut LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY.

Bonnie Garmus is a copywriter, creative director, and author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel, Lessons in Chemistry, named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, and Newsweek.

The book introduced the main character, “Elizabeth Zott, a headstrong, gifted chemist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.”

BuzzFeed wrote of the book, “A kicky debut, this book tackles feminism, resilience, and rationalism in a fun and refreshing way.” And Stephen King called it, “witty, sometimes hilarious…the Catch-22 of early feminism.”

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In this file Bonnie Garmus and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Josie Silver spoke to me about the laptop that changed her life, overcoming adversity early on, and her latest ghost-hunting rom-com CRAZY SPOOKY LOVE.

Josie Silver is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, One Night on the Island, and A Winter in New York, and her books have been published in over 25 languages.

Her latest novel, CRAZY SPOOKY LOVE (September 2, 2025), features a plucky medium, her fame-chasing ex, and an infuriatingly handsome skeptic reporter in a ghost-hunting series full of romance and humor.

Although Josie Silver burst onto the scene with her smash-hit debut romance, One Day in December in 2018, she had published books before—just under a different name, and never in the U.S. She tells me that story here.

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please⁠ click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Josie Silver and I discussed:

How she wrote on maternity leave, won a contest, and got an agent

Why she couldn’t imagine doing anything else amidst multiple rejections

The need for authors to reinvent themselves often

How her latest protagonist strolled into her imagination fully formed

Rewriting a previously published work for a new set of editors

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

⁠josiesilver.com⁠

⁠Crazy Spooky Love: A Melody Bittersweet Novel (Melody Bittersweet, 1)⁠ – September 2, 2025 – by Josie Silver (Amazon)

⁠Josie Silver Amazon Author Page⁠

⁠Josie Silver on Twitter/X⁠

⁠Josie Silver on Instagram⁠

⁠Kelton Reid Instagram

⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter⁠

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#bookstagram influencer, reviewer, and writer Milena Gonzalez (aka Diary of a Book Babe) spoke to me about culling inspiration from the podcast, hyping up her favorite authors, and her latest five-star finds.

This is the first volume of a new format of the show where I’ll be inviting some like-minded friends to talk shop.

Milena Gonzalez graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a double major in Literary Journalism and English. She spent eight years as owner, designer, and screen printer of a small business, Lady & Little. 

Milena is a Southern California mom to three kids. She is currently working on her third novel, a psychological suburban thriller. Learn more about her at diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram.

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Milena Gonzalez and I discussed:

Why we both love #1 NY Times bestselling author Bonnie Garmus so much

Quick reviews of the latest releases from NY Times bestselling author Stacy Willingham and debut novelist Penny Zang

How Milena discovers new and established authors to review

The definition of “dark academia”

Where we put all of our TBR stacks

Advice on how to keep going

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

Forget Me Not: A Novel by Stacy Willingham (Amazon)

Doll Parts: A Novel by Penny Zang (Amazon)

Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose (Amazon)

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Bonnie Garmus Writes

How Acclaimed Debut Novelist Priscilla Morris Writes

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Carley Fortune Writes - Redux

How NY Times Bestselling Thriller Writer Riley Sager Writes

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Emily Henry Writes: Part One

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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#1 Sunday Times bestselling author Stuart MacBride spoke to me about playing god, why there are no shortcuts for writers, and his latest Logan McRae novel THIS HOUSE OF BURNING BONES.

Stuart MacBride is the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author of the Logan McRae and Ash Henderson novels. He’s also published standalones, novellas, short stories, and a “... slightly twisted children’s picture book.”

His latest novel, THIS HOUSE OF BURNING BONES, is the 13th in the popular Logan McRae series. “A gritty police procedural that perfectly blends dry humor and psychological elements, this brand-new installment in the Logan McRae series celebrates 20 years since the beloved detective's first appearance in Cold Granite (2005).”

The Washington Post wrote of the book, "Though part of a series, this novel stands successfully on its own, its characters fleshed out and in full possession of their idiosyncrasies."

Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series, said, "Stuart MacBride is an automatic must-read for me . . . always fast, hard, authentic – and different." 

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In this file Stuart MacBride and I discussed:

Why your first novel will definitely be crap

How finally getting his first agent went sideways

The decision to have his protagonist age in real time

Taking a five-year hiatus from the popular DI Logan McRae series

Why he writes his novels as screenplays first

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

stuartmacbride.com

This House of Burning Bones (Logan McRae, 13) by Stuart MacBride (Amazon)

Stuart MacBride Amazon Author Page

Stuart MacBride on Facebook

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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Acclaimed debut novelist and English Professor Priscilla Morris spoke to me about finding her voice, and the germ of an idea that became her labor of love, acclaimed debut novel BLACK BUTTERFLIES.

Priscilla Morris is a British author and lecturer whose debut novel, Black Butterflies, was shortlisted for a number of major awards.

Critics described Black Butterflies as “a story of strife and hope set during the conflict in the Balkans in the early '90s,” and it was shortlisted in 2023 for: the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the RSL Ondaatje Prize, among others, and chosen as an Indie Fiction Book of the Month.

Black Butterflies is a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize 2025 (winners to be announced in September).

Priscilla teaches creative writing in Ireland and studied Spanish, Italian and social anthropology at Cambridge University and creative writing at the University of East Anglia, where she earned her PhD.

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In this file Priscilla Morris and I discussed:

How her Grandfather’s funeral planted the seed that became her novel

Why art helps overcome the tragedies of war

Writing a love letter to the place she spent a part of her formative childhood

How to cultivate a balanced disposition toward your work over time

Why writing is a long game

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

priscillamorris.org

Black Butterflies: A Novel by Priscilla Morris (Amazon)

Priscilla Morris on Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, returned to chat about why bestsellers stick around for years, why fiction is perfectly geared for the human mind, and her latest YA thriller, THE GRANDEST GAME.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 25 acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games series (over 3 million copies sold), Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series.

Her latest is another #1 New York Times bestseller, The Grandest Game (Volume 1) “... a new series that brings readers deeper into the lush, romantic, and puzzle-filled world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series, set a year after we last saw Avery and the Hawthornes.”

Jen is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science including a Ph.D. from Yale University, and “...is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination.”

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I discussed: 

Show Notes: 

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#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, spoke to me about how to write seven novels in 18 months, the psychology of fiction and fandom, and her latest YA mystery, THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games trilogy, Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series.

Her latest is The Brothers Hawthorne, described as “Knives Out-esque” by Publishers Weekly, it is a story of [two brothers] “Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, [who] —with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.”

Jen is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science including a Ph.D. from Yale University, and “...is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination.”

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Josie Silver spoke to me about the laptop that changed her life, overcoming adversity early on, and her latest ghost-hunting rom-com CRAZY SPOOKY LOVE.

Josie Silver is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, One Night on the Island, and A Winter in New York, and her books have been published in over 25 languages.

Her latest novel, CRAZY SPOOKY LOVE (September 2, 2025), features a plucky medium, her fame-chasing ex, and an infuriatingly handsome skeptic reporter in a ghost-hunting series full of romance and humor.

Although Josie Silver burst onto the scene with her smash-hit debut romance, One Day in December in 2018, she had published books before—just under a different name, and never in the U.S. She tells me that story here.

[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm]

[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Josie Silver and I discussed:

How she wrote on maternity leave, won a contest, and got an agent

Why she couldn’t imagine doing anything else amidst multiple rejections

The need for authors to reinvent themselves often

How her latest protagonist strolled into her imagination fully formed

Rewriting a previously published work for a new set of editors

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

josiesilver.com

Crazy Spooky Love: A Melody Bittersweet Novel (Melody Bittersweet, 1) – September 2, 2025 – by Josie Silver (Amazon)

Josie Silver Amazon Author Page

Josie Silver on Twitter/X

Josie Silver on Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jim Butcher, spoke with me about how he outlined a hit 20-novel series (years before he had an agent), why all steampunks wear goggles, and the second book in his Cinder Spires series, THE OLYMPIAN AFFAIR.

Jim Butcher is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and the Cinder Spires novels.

The long-anticipated second novel in his Cinder Spires series is The Olympian Affair, described by the author as “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen meets Sherlock meets Hornblower,” in a series “... about noble families, magic-wielding warriors, and airship battles.”

Library Journal called it “... an exciting epic fantasy, set in the sky and filled with airships, magic, and the connections of blood and found family." And New York Times bestselling author David Weber said of the book, “It’s steampunk meets magic with a dose of sci-fi for seasoning.”

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file, Jim Butcher and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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