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Writers on Writing

Arts, Creativity, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

Aug 09: A Creative Guide to Stir Inspiration in Any Creator

August 9, 2023

Ruta Sepetys Seeker of Lost Stories

Podcast: You the Story with author Ruta Sepetys

Do you know the number one question that writers, musicians, artists, and designers are asked?

Where does your inspiration come from?

In her powerful how-to book, You The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory, Ruta Sepetys shares tools and resources that any artist can adapt to reach a higher level of creativity.

Ruta knows from extensive research – and her own experience writing five award-winning historical novels – that the secret to strong creative writing can be found in your own life experiences … no matter how boring you think your life may be.

We discuss ways to tap into your emotions and leverage humor. Why finding rhythm is key. Why biographical references matter. Why so many artists struggle to find their voice, and why discovering vision may be even more important. And how to draw on your own roots, memories, and creativity to spark inspiration.

About Ruta Sepetys

An internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over 60 countries and 40 languages, Ruta Sepetys is also the winner of the Carnegie Medal. Her books have won or been shortlisted for over 40 awards, are included on over 30 state reading lists, and are currently in development for film and television. You The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory is her first nonfiction book.

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Fiction, Humor, Relationships, Writers on Writing

Jul 12: Nancy Crochiere Debuts Graceland

July 12, 2023

Secrets, Love, Mayhem, & Laughter

Graceland with author Nancy Crochiere

Long-time humor columnist, Nancy Crochiere joins us with her debut comic novel, GRACELAND.

What can go wrong when three women race on a roadtrip from Boston to Memphis, while they encounter everything from jealous soap actors to free range ferrets and a trio of Elvis impersonators? And how will everyone’s deepest secrets begin to unravel? Tune in!

About Nancy Crochiere

For more than a decade before Nancy Crochiere chronicled the ups and down of family life – including her obsession w George Clooney – in her humorous newspaper column, The Mother Load. Her essays have appeared in the Boston Globe, Writer’s Digest, and other platforms. And in her free time she acts as an extra in feature films and TV Shows. Today we introduce her first fiction book, Graceland.

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Fiction, Suspense, Writers on Writing

Jul 05: Author’s Love of Wildlife Inspired Alex Carter Suspense Series

July 5, 2023

Alex Henderson joins us with A Ghost of Caribou

Alice Henderson’s strong, female protagonist is a wildlife biologist with a twist — she can’t seem to keep out of murder and mayhem. In A Ghost of Caribou Alex Carter arrives in the Selkirk mountains of NE Washington, and what begins as a search for an elusive caribou, leads along a trail of mystery and suspense.

In addition to sharing snippets from her book and writing adventures, Alice shares insight into the plight of caribou and how climate change impacts them. We also discuss why reframing the way we look at climate change, may help us create a better future for our children.

About Alice Henderson

A Ghost of Caribou is the 3rd in the Alex Carter series. In addition to being a prolific writer, Alice Henderson is a sanctuary monitor for the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, where she checks remote cameras, documents mapping, and delivers wildlife surveys to determine what species are present and that there’s no evidence of poaching. Alice has surveyed grizzlies, wolves, wolverines, jaguars, endangered bats, and more. Alice Henderson has written media tie-in novels, including official novels for the TV shows Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While working at LucasArts, she wrote content for Star Wars video games.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

Jun 21: Welcome To Beach Town with Susan Wiggs

June 28, 2023

What Happens When You Dream One Thing & Something Different Comes Your Way?

Welcome to Beach Town with author Susan Wiggs

A longtime listener favorite returns to today with her latest summer release – Welcome to Beach Town. Bestselling author Susan Wiggs is known for exploring everyday dramas of ordinary people, facing extraordinary circumstances.

In Welcome to Beach Town, Susan dives deeply into timely, complex themes including the dark side of privilege and class, drug and alcohol abuse, grief, trauma, and women’s empowerment.

We discuss how the story behind real-life headlines inspired the concept for Welcome to Beach Town. How Susan developed her characters and the idyllic California beach town for the story’s key setting. Susan also shares some of the research she delved into. And what she attributes to the sustainability of a 30+ year career as a published author.

About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs is the author of more than 50 novels, including the beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series and the recent New York Times bestsellers The Lost and Found Bookshop, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, and Family Tree. Her award-winning books have been translated into more than two dozen languages. She and her husband live on an island in Washington State’s Puget Sound area. More about Susan Wiggs.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

Jun 21: The Little Italian Hotel with Phaedra Patrick

June 21, 2023

A Story of Love, Loss, Healing, & Second Chances

The Little Italian Hotel with author Phaedra Patrick

It’s that time of year when we start gathering books for lazy summer evenings, and The Little Italian Hotel is perfect for that. Phaedra Patrick describes her books as curiously charming fiction and you can tell by the title of her sixth novel, that most of the story takes place in Italy.

We discuss why Phaedra — like many people — buried her dream of becoming an author for so many years. She shares thoughts on character development, research, writing, and the route that led to Phaedra’s success as an accomplished full-time author.

About Phaedra Patrick

Phaedra Patrick is the bestselling author of six novels, including Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone, which was made into a Hallmark movie. An award winning short story writer, Phaedra previously studied art, and marketing, and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer, and communications manager. Her latest release, The Little Italian Hotel, is published by Park Row Books.

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Arts, Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Writers on Writing

Jun 14: Still Procrastinating on Your Creative Projects? Letting Life Get in the Way? Matthew Dicks Has Solutions

June 14, 2023

Someday is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life

Podcast SOMEDAY IS TODAY with Matthew Dicks

Matthew Dicks is a bestselling novelist, nationally recognized storyteller, playwright, communications consultant, award-winning elementary schoolteacher, humor and advice columnist … and the list goes on.

So how does he get it all done? How does he work, raise a family, and avoid life getting in the way while he writes, creates, gathers stories, and performs on stage?

Matthew shares how to eliminate the usual excuses of not having time, being too exhausted, having too many demands. What he means by finding and using black holes, and how to go from “I’ll do it tomorrow” to getting it done today!

About Matthew Dicks

Matthew Dicks is a multiple-winner of the Moth GrandSLAM Story Competitions. We last talked with Matthew Dicks about using the power of storytelling to change your life in Storyworthy – podcast. Today we discuss his latest book, Someday is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life. 

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Creativity, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

Jun 07: You the Story with #1 NYT Bestselling Author Ruta Sepetys

June 7, 2023

A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory

You the Story with author Ruta Sepetys

Ruta Sepetys is more than just an author. She’s a seeker of lost stories.

After five award-winning works of historical fiction, and countless hours of meticulous research, Ruta Sepetys affirms that the secret to strong writing is embedded within your own life experience.

And that’s what we discuss today: How to tap into emotions, use humor, find rhythm. Discover your voice, your vision. Where to find inspiration. How to draw on your own roots, memories, creativity. And much more.

About Ruta Sepetys

Ruta Sepetys is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over 60 countries and 40 languages. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, her books have won or been shortlisted for over 40 book prizes, are included on over 30 state reading lists, and are currently in development for film and television. You The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory is her first nonfiction book.

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Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Apr 19: Elle Marr with The Family Bones

April 19, 2023

#1 Amazon Charts Bestselling Novelist + A Family of Psychopaths with Dark Family Secrets = A Suspenseful New Thriller

The Family Bones with author Elle Marr

Elle Marr‘s fourth thriller takes us on a wild ride with a mysterious murder and a chilling climax. Protagonist, Olivia, has spent most of her life questioning if her family legacy of psychopathy, spanning many generations, “is nature or nurture?”

Today Elle Marr shares how she developed her key characters for The Family Bones – a psychology student and a true crime podcaster. What she learned during her research about psychopaths. How she creates credible dialogue, and why and how Elle uses multimedia to tell her story. Elle also shares her point of view on “nature or nurture.”

About Elle Marr

Elle Marr is the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of Strangers We Know, Lies We Bury, and The Missing Sister. She graduated from UC San Diego, before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. The author now lives and writes in Oregon with her family. 

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Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Apr 05: Seattle Author Robert Dugoni with Her Deadly Game

April 5, 2023
Her Deadly Game with Author Robert Dugoni

Keera Duggan, Seattle defense attorney is prepared to play. But is she a pawn in a master’s deadly match?

We welcome Robert Dugoni back to the show with his latest twisting novel of suspense and a new protagonist. Keera Duggan has built a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, when she makes a life-changing move, and is immediately thrown into the middle of … well, you’ll have to join us to find out!

We discuss why and how Robert developed a host of new characters for Her Deadly Game. How he approached research for this courtroom drama to ensure realism. How and when he writes dialogue to keep the story moving, his favorite scenes to write, and why he keeps sex scenes to a minimum. Robert also shares his elixir for managing stress and keeping life balanced in these crazy times.

About Robert Dugoni

Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 8 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest.

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Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Mar 29: NYT Bestselling Author Steve Berry with The Last Kingdom

March 29, 2023
The Last Kingdom with author Steve Berry

Cotton Malone Returns in a Thrill Race around Bavaria

After a brief hiatus Cotton Malone returns, along with his creator, author Steve Berry. As always, Berry found a little-known story in history, and spun his new thriller around that — in this case, the hunt for The Last Kingdom.

We discuss the real life person behind the historical search for The Last Kingdom, King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Berry shares his love of Bavaria and why he waited so long to write an adventure set there, some of the history of Bavaria, and how he separated fact from fiction in his storytelling. We also learn what’s coming next from this prolific author, and we won’t have to wait long!

About Steve Berry

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of 22 novels, which include: The Last Kingdom, The Omega Factor, and The Kaiser’s Web. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.

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