Episodes

In this interview, I chat with Ross Montgomery about Murder at World's End, weaving Halley's Comet into his story, the late Edwardian period, conspiracy theories and how they have always existed, how hard it was to write a locked room mystery, creating a strong sense of place and time, and much more. Ross's recommended read is Strange Houses by Uketsu. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip o...

In this interview, I chat with Amy Jo Burns about Wait for Me, her inspiration for this book and for Elle Harlow, the world of 1960s and 1970s country music and its strong women, drafting lyrics for the novel, her writing process and writing group, selecting the mandolin as Elle's instrument of choice, her beautiful cover, and much more. Amy Jo's recommended reads are: Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai Looking for some great winter reads? Check out m...

In this interview, I chat with Amy Jo Burns about Wait for Me, her inspiration for this book and for Elle Harlow, the world of 1960s and 1970s country music and its strong women, drafting lyrics for the novel, her writing process and writing group, selecting the mandolin as Elle's instrument of choice, her beautiful cover, and much more. Amy Jo's recommended reads are: Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai Looking for some great winter reads? Check out m...

In this interview, I chat with Rachel Hochhauser about Lady Tremaine, writing an untelling versus a retelling of a classic fairy tale, tackling such a well-known character, wanting her book to read like historical fiction, how she decided to write this book, her beautiful cover, and much more. Rachel's recommended reads are: Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard Scavengers by Kathleen Boland One Bad Mother by Ej Dickson Looking for some great ...

In this interview, I chat with Rachel Hochhauser about Lady Tremaine, writing an untelling versus a retelling of a classic fairy tale, tackling such a well-known character, wanting her book to read like historical fiction, how she decided to write this book, her beautiful cover , and much more. Rachel's recommended reads are: Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard Scavengers by Kathleen Boland One Bad Mother by Ej Dickson Looking for some great...

In this interview, I chat with Devon Mihesuah about Blood Relay, her desire to depict strong native women, avoiding a trauma story, dispelling myths about native women, her stellar cover, Indian horse relay racing, and much more. Devon's recommended reads are: Mountain Man by Keith C. Blackmore Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith Books by Nelson DeMille Cry Havoc by Jack Carr Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley Cash Blackbear series by Marcie R. Rendon Looking for some great win...

In this interview, I chat with Devon Mihesuah about Blood Relay, her desire to depict strong native women, avoiding a trauma story, dispelling myths about native women, her stellar cover, Indian horse relay racing, and much more. Devon's recommended reads are: Mountain Man by Keith C. Blackmore Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith Books by Nelson DeMille Cry Havoc by Jack Carr Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley Cash Blackbear series by Marcie R. Rendon Looking for some great win...

Kelly joins me for February's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth So, I Met This Guy by Alexandra Potter Now: Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Bramer The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff Next: Liberty Street by Heather Marshall Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim Didn't Work/DNFs: Love by the Book by Jessica George Book Mail highlights: Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurts by Ben Reeves 138 Main by ...

Kelly joins me for February's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth So, I Met This Guy by Alexandra Potter Now: Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Bramer The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff Next: Liberty Street by Heather Marshall Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim Didn't Work/DNFs: Love by the Book by Jessica George Book Mail highlights: Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurts by Ben Reeves 138 Main by ...

In this interview, I chat with Saara El-Arifi about Cleopatra, researching Cleopatra and the time period, how daunting it was to write about Cleopatra and wanting to give her her dignity and her voice back, the stunning cover and her requests for it, deciding what to include and what to leave out, and much more. Saara's recommended read is The Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Saara El-Arifi about Cleopatra, researching Cleopatra and the time period, how daunting it was to write about Cleopatra and wanting to give her her dignity and her voice back, the stunning cover and her requests for it, deciding what to include and what to leave out, and much more. Saara's recommended read is The Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Elizabeth Heider about ⁠Children of the Savage City, her main character's interesting job, the inspiration for Nikki, setting her books in Naples, her stunning covers, why she focused on systemic corruption, her view on friendships, and much more. Elizabeth's recommended reads are: A Woman of No Importance by ⁠⁠Sonia Purcell The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Elizabeth Heider about ⁠ Children of the Savage City, her main character's interesting job, the inspiration for Nikki, setting her books in Naples, her stunning covers, why she focused on systemic corruption, her view on friendships, and much more. Elizabeth's recommended reads are: A Woman of No Importance by ⁠⁠Sonia Purcell The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Taylor Adams about ⁠⁠Her Last Breath, choosing a cave for the setting, creating a claustrophobic setting, his research for the novel including the police procedural aspects of the story, drafting twists and turns, his title and cover, and much more. Taylor's recommended reads are: King Sorrow by ⁠⁠Joe Hill A Simple Plan by Scott Smith Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a ti...

In this interview, I chat with Taylor Adams about ⁠⁠Her Last Breath, choosing a cave for the setting, creating a claustrophobic setting, his research for the novel including the police procedural aspects of the story, drafting twists and turns, his title and cover, and much more. Taylor's recommended reads are: King Sorrow by ⁠⁠Joe Hill A Simple Plan by Scott Smith Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a ti...

In this interview, I chat with Tory Henwood Hoen about ⁠Before I Forget, tackling Alzheimer's in fiction, making Arthur an oracle, deciding who would tell the story, writing in first person, how the audiobook narrator was selected, having her book selected as a December Book of the Month pick, her title and cover, and much more. Tory's recommended reads are: The Correspondent by ⁠Virginia Evans⁠ Heart the Lover by Lily King My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell Good Material by Dolly Al...

In this interview, I chat with Tory Henwood Hoen about ⁠Before I Forget, tackling Alzheimer's in fiction, making Arthur an oracle, decisding who would tell the story, writing in first person, how the audiobook narrator was selected, having her book selected as a December Book of the Month pick, her title and cover, and much more. Tory's recommended reads are: The Correspondent by ⁠Virginia Evans⁠ Heart the Lover by Lily King My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell Good Material by Dolly A...

In this interview, I chat with Libby Page about This Book Made Me Think of You, her inspiration for the book, selecting the books she wanted to include, creating the letters from Joe, the title and cover, stories about finding community, and much more. Libby's recommended reads are: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Lovelight Farms series by B.K. Borison The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠h...

In this interview, I chat with Libby Page about This Book Made Me Think of You, her inspiration for the book, selecting the books she wanted to include, creating the letters from Joe, the title and cover, stories about finding community, and much more. Libby's recommended reads are: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Lovelight Farms series by B.K. Borison The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠h...

Kelly joins me for January's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Upward Bound by Woody Brown That’s Not How it Happened by Craig Thomas Now: Love by the Book by Jessica George Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Next: Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke DNFs: The Survivor by Andrew Reid Book Mail highlights: The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Se...

Kelly joins me for January's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Upward Bound by Woody Brown That’s Not How it Happened by Craig Thomas Now: Love by the Book by Jessica George Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Next: Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke DNFs: The Survivor by Andrew Reid Book Mail highlights: The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Se...

In this interview, I chat with ReShonda Tate about With Love From Harlem⁠⁠⁠, why she decided to write about Hazel Scott, her research and why she stays away from the internet for it, Billie Holiday, her writing process, the title and cover, writing biographical fiction, the setting, and much more. ReShonda's recommended reads are: Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton King of Ashes by SA Cosby A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victor...

In this interview, I chat with ReShonda Tate about With Love From Harlem⁠⁠⁠, why she decided to write about Hazel Scott, her research and why she stays away from the internet for it, Billie Holiday, her writing process, the title and cover, writing biographical fiction, the setting, and much more. ReShonda's recommended reads are: Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton King of Ashes by SA Cosby A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victor...

In this interview, I chat with Gary J. Walters about White House Memories: 1970-2007⁠, his role as chief usher and what that role entails, planning for inauguration day and evening, his background, his impressions of the various administrations, behind-the-scenes glimpses into life at the White House, reliving his memories at the White House, and much more. Gary's recommended reads are: Books by Michel Connally Books by John Sandford A White House of Stone by William Seale Looking for some ...