Writer's Bone

Michelle McNamara, founder and editor of TrueCrimeDiary.com, was an early guest on our show. Her passion for writing and true crime reporting was undeniable, and she was incredibly gracious to two aspiring writers who had just ventured into podcasting. Her answers to our questions were thoughtful, insightful, and inspiring. Sadly, McNamara passed away on April 28 at the age of 46. We thought of no better way to honor her memory and service to the craft of writing and reporting than to remaster our original interview and share it with our listeners. She was a terrific guest, and she will be missed.

Rachel Harper, author of This Side of Providence, talks to Daniel Ford about her literary influences, how she's connecting the next generation to classic literature, how her observation skills fuel her prose, and why she set her novel in Providence, R.I.

Daniel Ford and Sean Tuohy talk about their love for pulpy novels and how they influence their work.

We all have those people in our lives. They have “wonderful ideas” that they think should end up as your next novel or screenplay. Daniel Ford and Sean Tuohy discuss what writers should do with these ideas.

The pair also spent Patriot’s Day going off on tangents featuring what they’re reading, good distractions while writing, query letters, superhero musicals, and constructive criticism.

Screenwriter Alan Trustman, whose credits include “The Thomas Crown Affair” and “Bullitt,” talks to Sean Tuohy and Daniel Ford about his early career as a lawyer, writing for Hollywood legend Steve McQueen, his recently published autobiography, Jai Alai, and missing the screenwriting business.

The Nerd Blogger returns with a spoiler-y review of “Batman v Superman.”

Daniel Ford and Dave Pezza discuss how they sometimes write better in their heads than on the page. The pair also talks about writing dialogue, their short story plans, and what's on their reading lists.

Lois Lowry, author of such children’s classics as The Giver and Number the Stars, talks to Sean Tuohy about how she became a storyteller, her readers’ ongoing fascination with The Giver, and how she goes about crafting a story.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” screenwriter Nicole Perlman talks to Sean Tuohy about how her family supported her early writing efforts, how she strives to stay original while writing for a franchise, and why screenwriters need to be open to constructive criticism.

The Nerd Blogger shares 10 classic comic book films.