Bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author, Anne Enright, spoke to me about eagles and moles, the interior engineering of a novel, her love of Irish poetry, and her latest THE WREN, THE WREN.

Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize and the Irish Fiction Award for her novel The Gathering. She has also been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Book Awards, and was the first Laureate for Irish Fiction (2015-2018).

Her latest novel The Wren, the Wren, was named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by TIME, The Millions, Literary Hub, and others, and is described as the story of “... three generations of … women who must contend with inheritances―of poetic wonder and of abandonment by a man who is lauded in public and carelessly selfish at home.”

The New York Times called it, "... a powerful, thoughtful book by one of the great living writers on the subject of family," and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan said of the book, “The Wren, the Wren is an electrifying romp through language itself―its dizzying possibilities and satisfactions―led by one the most gifted writers working in English today."

Anne Enright has also published two books of short stories, her essays on literary themes have appeared in the London Review of Books and The New York Review of Books, and she writes for the books pages of The Irish Times and The Guardian.

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In this file Anne Enright and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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Bestselling author and award-winning screenwriter, Dwain Worrell, spoke to me about making the move from the writers' room to the cafe, the art and science of suspense, and his debut novel ANDRONE.

Dwain Worrell is an award-winning Marvel and Disney+ TV producer, filmmaker, and novelist whose writing credits include Marvel’s Iron Fist, CBS’s Fire Country, Amazon Studios’ The Wall, and the Disney+ series National Treasure, among others. Dwain also worked as a translator of Mandarin Chinese in Beijing for nearly a decade.

His bestselling debut novel, Androne, is described as a “... near future … highly cinematic and propulsive story [centered] around a terrifying event called the Ninety-Nine, where all major military installations on Earth [are] eviscerated, heralding humanity's start of a war with an unknown enemy.”

Niels Arden Oplev, Director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo called the book “A crazy-cool ride into the unknown …. [Androne] reads like a high-end videogame on steroids with a destiny of Shakespearean magnitude.”       

Publishers Weekly wrote, “... taut intrigue … reels readers into a thrilling yet thoughtful narrative about the futility of war and the cost of doing the right thing…”

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In this file Dwain Worrell and I discussed: 

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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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In this file Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I discussed: 

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#1 New York Times bestselling author, James Rollins, spoke to me about his alter ego, veterinarian Dr. Jim, how to write two staccato-paced novels a year, and his latest Sigma Force installment, TIDES OF FIRE.

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the Sigma Force series, six standalone adventure thrillers, a novelization of the Indiana Jones franchise, and many others totaling over 44 novels (even he can’t remember the exact number).

His latest in his most popular series is Tides of Fire: A Sigma Force Novel, [set on] “...an international research station in the Coral Sea [that] comes under siege during a geological disaster that triggers massive quakes, deadly tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. To stop the world from burning, it’s up to Sigma Force to uncover a secret buried at the heart of our planet…”

Publishers Weekly said of the book, "The X-Files meets Seal Team Six in Rollins’s imaginative, pulse-pounding 17th Sigma Force thriller . . . . Rollins’s gleeful everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach works well here, nimbly balancing popcorn action with mind-blowing scientific speculation. The author has rarely been better at making the implausible feel plausible."

James Rollins’s novels have sold over 20 million copies and are published in more than 40 languages worldwide.

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In this file James Rollins and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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Internationally bestselling author, Lucy Clarke, spoke to me about how her love of travel morphed into a destination thriller, building your readership organically, and the chewy female dynamics in her latest novel THE HIKE.

Lucy Clarke is a Sunday Times bestseller and the author of eight destination thrillers including Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike. 

Told in alternating perspectives her latest thriller “explores the wild side of female friendship and the transportive power of the wilderness.”

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pearse said of the book, “THE HIKE transports you to the Norwegian wilderness where a group of female friends are pushed to their absolute limits and beyond.”

Lucy’s novels have sold over a million copies and are published in over 25 territories worldwide. An adaptation of her book The Castaways was filmed on location in Fiji and Greece, and the five-part series is airing on Paramount+.

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In this file Lucy Clarke and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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Bonus Episode: ADHD Coach, researcher, and Doctoral Candidate, Skye Waterson, spoke to me about writing a dissertation with neurodiversity, conquering burnout, and her unconventional approach to writing routines for writers with time blindness and more.

Skye Waterson is the Founder of Unconventional Organization, a worldwide, research-based ADHD support service that has helped academics, playwrights, and authors with ADHD “...build strength-focused writing routines so they can meet their goals while managing struggles with executive functioning”

An academic with over seven years of experience working in adult education, she has studied in various fields, including Psychology, Sociology, and Public Health, and is now a Doctoral Candidate in Population Health.

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In this file Skye Waterson and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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Acclaimed TV and movie writer, Adam Lorenzo, spoke to me about owning a college bar … while still in college, his work ethic and what keeps him hustling pages, and his latest college survival guide ALL I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM MY COLLEGE BAR.

Adam Lorenzo is a writer/producer who works in both live-action and animation who started as a joke writer, selling material to Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update''; Jimmy Kimmel; and David Letterman, which resulted in his first staff-writing job, on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (co-created and executive produced by Letterman).

Other notable TV credits include the Emmy-winning Everybody Loves Raymond, Are We There Yet? (starring Terry Crews and Ice Cube), and Everybody Hates Chris, based on the life of Chris Rock.

Before successfully pursuing his dream of being a writer, he owned a college bar... while still a student at Syracuse University.

The author’s debut in publishing, naturally, is All I Need To Know I Learned From My College Bar, a whimsical look at what Adam calls the "valuable life lessons learned working and laughing with people from all over the world in that cathedral of knowledge known as a college bar."x

The self-described “college survival guide” is based on his life and has illustrations by Antonio Giovanni Pinna of The New Yorker.

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In this file Adam Lorenzo and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner, James McBride, spoke to me about eschewing literary fame, his friendship with Spike Lee, and his latest novel THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE.

James McBride is a musician, screenwriter, and award-winning author of New York Times bestselling Oprah’s Book Club selection Deacon King Kong, the National Book Award–winner The Good Lord Bird (now a Showtime limited series starring Ethan Hawke), and the American classic The Color of Water.

His debut novel, Miracle at St. Anna, was turned into a 2008 film by Oscar-winning writer and director Spike Lee, with a script written by McBride. 

The author’s latest novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, was an Instant New York Times Bestseller and Named a Must Read for the Summer by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Time, Town & Country, and others.

Described as “... a novel about small-town secrets and the people who keep them,” it begins in 1972 when workers in Pottstown, PA, find a skeleton at the bottom of a well. The New York Times Book Review called the book, “A murder mystery locked inside a Great American Novel.”

James McBride received a National Humanities Medal from President Obama, “... for humanizing the complexities of discussing race in America.” He is a distinguished writer in residence at New York University.

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In this file James McBride and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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Critically acclaimed memoirist, Melissa Bond, spoke to me about her dark night of the soul, crowd-funding her lauded memoir, and the paperback release of BLOOD ORANGE NIGHT: A Memoir of Insomnia, Motherhood, and Benzos.

Melissa Bond is a narrative journalist, editor, award-winning poet, and speaker/performer whose breakout debut memoir, Blood Orange Night, is a Barnes & Noble non-fiction book of the month, and was selected by both The New York Times as one of the Best Audiobooks of 2022.

Publishers Weekly (in a Starred Review) said of the book, “In this raw and captivating debut, journalist Bond chronicles her volatile descent into a benzodiazepine addiction …. Bond’s narrative casts a burning light onto the hazards of overprescribing and the threat it poses to vulnerable people. This cautionary tale stuns.”

Melissa Bond blogged and became a regular contributor for Mad in America in the years of her dependence on benzodiazepines. She is a respected speaker and writer on the perils of over-prescribing benzodiazepines and has been featured on podcasts including The New York Times Book Review, and others.

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In this file Melissa Bond and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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New York Times bestselling author, Tracey Lange, spoke to me about finding literary success later in life, her past life working with inner-city gang kids, and exploring messy family dynamics in her latest THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN.

Tracey Lange is the author of debut novel, We Are the Brennans, an instant New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Choice Finalist, praised by The New York Times, Good Morning America, PEOPLE and more.

Her latest novel, The Connellys of County Down (Celadon, August 1), is described as “... a story about fierce family loyalty, good intentions gone awry, and the consequences of improbable love.” Kirkus called it “A compassionate look at family dynamics and a reminder that it’s never too late to heal.”

Country Living named it a "28 Best Fall Books for 2023" and wrote, "This is a novel about resilience and what it means to be a family, especially when times are really hard."

Tracey Lange has a degree in psychology, has worked in mental health, and owned and operated a behavioral healthcare company with her husband for fifteen years.

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In this file Tracey Lange and I discussed: 

Show Notes:

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