The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

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How Award-Winning Debut Novelist LaToya Watkins Writes Aug 26, 2022

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#PodcastersForJustice

Pushcart Prize-winning short story writer and debut novelist, LaToya Watkins, spoke to me about landing the cover of Publishers Weekly's Writers to Watch Fall 2022, the legacy of William Faulkner, and her debut "Perish."

LaToya Watkins holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Dallas and her writing has appeared in A Public Space, The Sun, McSweeney's, Kenyon Review, The Pushcart Prize Anthology, and elsewhere.

Her debut is Perish, a novel "... about a Black Texan family, exploring the effects of inherited trauma and intergenerational violence as the family comes together to say goodbye to their matriarch on her deathbed."

It has been named A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Good Morning America, Essence, Esquire, The Millions, among others, and named Amazon’s best debuts in August 2022.

The New York Times Book Review called Watkins’s Perish, "... an impressive feat of storytelling ... a difficult read and a tender story of silences and secrets."

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In this file LaToya Watkins and I discussed:

How she went from first-generation college grad to being compared to Alice Walker and Toni Morrison
Carving out the time to write as a mother of three
How writing short stories prepared her to write the novel
Why it takes her two hours to find her flow state
Writing about intergenerational trauma and the cost of slavery
And a lot more!

Show Notes:

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How Literary Critic & Publishing Insider Bethanne Patrick (AKA TheBookMaven) Writes: Part One Aug 19, 2022

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Longtime literary critic and publishing insider, Bethanne Patrick, spoke to me about how she became a famed reviewer, where she puts all the books, and her new investigative podcast "Missing Pages."

Bethanne Patrick is a writer, author, and critic whose monthly column on hot books appears in The Washington Post. An influencer in the book world, Bethanne (@TheBookMaven) has over 200K Twitter followers and originated the popular #FridayReads tag.

She is also host to the all-new podcast Missing Pages, which investigates the good (rarely), the bad (frequently), and the messy (always) of the publishing industry.

Described as an investigative podcast, "Missing Pages uncovers the power struggles, mistaken identities, and unfathomably bad behavior within the secretive world of book publishing. Each episode brings in authors, experts, publishing insiders, and a circus of NYC media elites to tell the real story; unfit for print."

Bethanne's book reviews and author profiles have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Poets & Writers magazine, NPR Books, Lit Hub and many others. She is the author of two books for National Geographic, an editor of an anthology for Regan Arts, and is currently writing a memoir for Counterpoint Press.

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In this file Bethanne Patrick and I discussed:

How she became a self-styled book "maven"
The logistical issues of receiving 20 books a week
What it's like cracking the Cosa Nostra of publishing
Why disruption in the publishing industry can't come fast enough
How to start your career by writing reviews
And a lot more!

Show Notes:

bethannepatrick.com

Missing Pages on Apple Podcasts

Inside the Push to Diversify the Book Business - NY Times

DOJ v. PRH: Agents, Publishers Move Center Stage by Bethanne Patrick for PW

Bethanne Patrick for The Washington Post

Bethanne Patrick on Instagram

Bethanne Patrick on Facebook

Bethanne Patrick on Twitter

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Mark Greaney Writes: Part Two Aug 12, 2022

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#1 New York Times bestselling author, Mark Greaney, returned to talk about hanging out on the red carpet with Netflix "The Gray Man" stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, turning a failed screenplay into a hit audio play, and his latest, "Armored."

"Even if you finish a whole book and it doesn't get published, I promise you you're a much better author at the end of that process than you were at the beginning..." – Mark Greaney

Mark's debut international thriller, The Gray Man, was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and highly sought-after Hollywood property. He's released twelve in that series to date including the #1 New York Times bestseller One Minute Out.

Netflix has now turned the first book in The Gray Man series into a blockbuster movie starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, available now.

His latest is Armored, a novel inspired by the author's popular Audible Original drama. Publishers Weekly wrote that the protagonist, Joshua Duffy, "... proves to be more than just a hardened military tactician. Readers will hope he’ll be back for an encore." A feature film adaptation of Armored is now in development with Sony.

Mark is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author or co-author of seven Tom Clancy novels – he co-wrote Clancy’s final three Jack Ryan thrillers prior to his passing.

Stay tuned until the show's end for a preview of the Audiobook, audio excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from Armored by Mark Greaney, read by Adam Gold.

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In this file Mark Greaney and I discussed:

His 15-year, overnight success
How he continues to hit regular deadlines and write two books a year
What it was like to see his Gray Man on the big screen
Why it's less important to be 100% accurate than to be entertaining
And a lot more!

Show Notes:

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Mark Greaney Writes: Part One

MarkGreaneybooks.com

THE GRAY MAN | Official Trailer | Netflix

Armored by Mark Greaney (Amazon Affiliate)

Mark Greaney Amazon author page

Mark Greaney on Instagram

Mark Greaney on Facebook

Mark Greaney on Twitter

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How NY Times Bestselling Author Sarah Pearse Writes Aug 05, 2022

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New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, Sarah Pearse, spoke to me about Agatha Christie's legacy, how to write plausible police procedurals, and the place that inspired her latest, "The Retreat."

Sarah Pearse is the author of The Sanatorium, a stunning crime fiction debut, instant New York Times and international bestseller, as well as a Reese’s Book Club selection and critical success.

Her second novel, The Retreat, is Book Two in her bestselling Detective Elin Warner series, and another locked-room style thriller People magazine called, "The Shining but with a full house.”

New York Times bestselling author Ashley Audrain said of the book, “Sarah Pearse has expertly crafted another eerie, atmospheric thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read. A wonderfully chilling story of grief, revenge, and family secrets. An absorbing escape!”

Sarah Pearse studied English literature and creative writing at the University of Warwick before completing a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism and has worked in marketing and publicity for a variety of household brands.

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In this file Sarah Pearse and I discussed:

The best writing advice she's ever received
How this #writermom wrote a bestseller on maternity leave
Using folklore, famously haunted, and sacred places in your writing
What mind maps and natural descriptions can do for your setting
The best way to conquer your nerves and win the day
Her thoughts on rejection
And a lot more!

Show Notes:

sarahpearse.co.uk

The Retreat: A Novel by Sarah Pearse (Amazon Affiliate)

The Sanatorium: A Novel by Sarah Pearse (Amazon Affiliate)

Sarah Pearse on Facebook

Sarah Pearse on Instagram

Sarah Pearse on Twitter

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How National Book Award Winner & Bestselling Author Jason Mott Writes [Redux] Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

#PodcastersForJustice

Addendum:

Hey just a quick addendum on this week's redux, I am out of town this week and enjoying the sweatiest summer of all time with my kids, but I wanted to revisit a fantastic episode with now National Book Award Winner, Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction Winner, Pushcart Prize nominee, NAACP Image Award nominee, and Carnegie Medals For Excellence Longlist nominee Jason Mott. Congrats! Enjoy, I’ll catch you next week with some fresh writerly wisdom.

New York Times bestselling author, Jason Mott, took a timeout to talk with me about the high-wire act of building Hell of a Book, talking about race in America, and NOT working with Brad Pitt.

Jason is the author of The Returned, a New York Times bestseller that was turned into a TV series that ran for two seasons.

His fourth novel is titled Hell of a Book, and is described as a "... funny and honest [work of fiction] that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole."

The book has been named to dozens of "Must Read" lists for 2021 including Entertainment Weekly, The NY Post, GMA, USA Today, Fortune's 21 Most Anticipated Books Coming out in the Second Half of 2021 and more. Charles Yu, author of National Book Award winner Interior Chinatown called the book, "Playful, searching, raw and necessary..."

Jason has BFA in fiction and an MFA in Poetry, both from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His poetry and fiction have appeared in various literary journals.

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In this file Jason Mott and I discussed:

What it's like to write a book in your head for a decade
Why he dared to dream to become a writer
How to build a technically complex novel, draft by draft
His study and love of film noir
And why writers need to be nicer to themselves

Show Notes:

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Emily Henry Writes: Part One Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

#PodcastersForJustice

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry, spoke to me about her past life as a YA mid-lister, the Romance Renaissance, writing your way out of darkness, and her latest "Book Lovers."

Emily Henry is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read, and has sold over a million copies of her novels.

Her latest, Book Lovers, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, multiple Most Anticipated Read of 2022, and has been described as "... a love story between a by-the-book literary agent and a prickly book editor who fall in love in a small town straight out of a romance movie."

New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid called it “... a rom-com lover's dream of a book," and Emma Straub wrote, “I would follow Emily Henry anywhere. A small town, a literary enterprise, a bookstore to rescue, and ..." other sexy things.

Emily's books have been featured in Buzzfeed, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, The Skimm, Shondaland, and more.

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In this file Emily Henry and I discussed:

What it's like to live in a "lightning strike"
Watching your friends succeed wildly
Making Romance more accessible to the masses
The secrets behind Hallmark Christmas movies
How to wake, Wordle, and write 2000 words a day
And a lot more!

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Show Notes:

emilyhenrybooks.com

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Amazon Affiliate)

Emily Henry Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate)

Emily Henry on Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How NY Times Bestselling Author Ashley Poston Writes Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

#PodcastersForJustice

New York Times bestselling author, Ashley Poston, spoke to me about her pivot away from YA, the importance of fan fiction, and her paranormal romance debut "The Dead Romantics."

Ashley Poston’s bestselling YA novels have been featured by Teen Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, and more.

Her highly-anticipated pivot to romance is The Dead Romantics, a story about a millennial ghostwriter who believes romance is dead, a humorous and heartfelt novel with a fresh, slightly supernatural hook.

The New York Times Bestseller and Good Morning America Book Club Pick has been called "‘While You Were Sleeping’ meets ‘Six Feet Under,'" by the NY Times, and bestselling author Emma Straub called it, "Smart, quick, and absolutely bubbling over with love for the genre of romance itself. Delicious.”

Ashley Poston has spent the last decade in the publishing industry as a social media coordinator, a marketing designer, and finally an author.

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In this file Ashley Poston and I discussed:

Her work behind the curtain in publishing
What it's like to be a GMA Book Club Pick
How to stay in love with writing
Why graveyards have curfews
The power of deadlines
And a lot more!

[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]

Show Notes:

ashposton.com

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (Amazon Affiliate)

Ashley Poston Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate)

How New York Times Bestselling Author & Mortician Caitlin Doughty Writes

Ashley Poston on Twitter

Ashley Poston on Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How NY Times Bestselling Author Eleanor Brown Writes Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

#PodcastersForJustice

New York Times bestselling author, Eleanor Brown, spoke to me about the difference between writers and authors, why adoptive families are just like any other family, and her latest novel "Any Other Family."

Eleanor Brown's critically acclaimed debut novel, The Weird Sisters, was a New York Times and #1 international bestseller with over half a million copies sold. The novel earned excellent reviews from The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, USA Today, and more.

Her latest is Any Other Family, a novel "...about four children, three adoptive mothers, and one complicated, unforgettable family." Kirkus Reviews described it as, "A prismatic story of family, adoption, and how the people we choose to keep close shape who we are.”

Eleanor is also an anthologist, editor, teacher, speaker, and adoptive mother herself. She teaches writing workshops and conferences nationwide, including for The Writers' Table and Lighthouse Writers workshops in Colorado.

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In this file Eleanor Brown and I discussed:

Her 15-year overnight success
Why she doesn't read her reviews
On becoming an adoptive mother and open adoption
Why novelists have to outline at some point
How to start with a destination in mind
And why you need to start calling yourself a "writer"
And a lot more!

Show Notes:

eleanor-brown.com

Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown (Amazon Affiliate)

Eleanor Brown Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate)

The Book Project - LighthouseWriters.org

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Dennis Lehane Writes Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

#PodcastersForJustice

New York Times bestselling author, and screenwriter-producer, Dennis Lehane, spoke to me about what he learned from Clint Eastwood, working on "Mr. Mercedes" with David E. Kelley, and his new Apple TV+ show "Black Bird."

Dennis Lehane is the bestselling author of 13 novels including four adapted into films of the same name: 2003's Academy Award-winning film Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood; 2007's Gone Baby Gone; 2010's Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese, and 2016’s Live by Night directed by Ben Affleck.

His latest is the limited Apple TV+ series, Black Bird, described as a "...fascinating, ripped-from-the headlines story [and] true-crime drama..." based on the 2010 memoir by James Keene and Hillel Levin, In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption.

"Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), cuts a deal with the FBI to enter maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend a suspected serial killer, Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser)."

Black Bird premieres globally with the first two episodes on Friday, July 8, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.

Lehane was a staff writer on the acclaimed HBO series "The Wire," worked as a writer-producer on HBO’s "Boardwalk Empire," the Netflix series, "Bloodline," and was a writer and producer on the television adaptation of Stephen King’s "Mr. Mercedes."

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In this file Dennis Lehane and I discussed:

Why he sucked at everything except writing and playing pool
How he landed a literary agent while parking cars
Dealing with impostor syndrome early on
How he prefers screenwriting to novel writing today
Why narcissists have no place on a TV set
And a lot more!

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Show Notes:

Black Bird | Apple TV+

Dennis Lehane on IMDb

Dennis Lehane Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate)

In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene and Hillel Levin (Amazon Affiliate)

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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How NY Times Bestselling Thriller Writer Riley Sager Writes Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

New York Times bestselling thriller writer Riley Sager, spoke to me about why he publishes under a pen name, how to write Hitchcockian suspense, and his latest "The House Across the Lake."

Riley Sager is the bestselling author of six novels, most recently Home Before Dark and Survive the Night. His award-winning first novel, Final Girls, was a national and international bestseller that has been published in 30 countries.

His latest novel, The House Across the Lake, has been named a most anticipated summer book by People, E! News, PureWow, CNN.com, CrimeReads, and many others.

It's been described by CrimeReads as "... a psychological thriller version of The Great Gatsby, featuring binoculars for more accurate across-the-lake spying, smaller gatherings for a shorter list of suspects, and a truly bat**** twist for more satisfying consumption."

The House Across the Lake was inspired by Riley's "... own pandemic escapes to a cabin in rural Vermont [and] oozes with slow-burn Hitchcockian suspense before building to a finale that will leave readers reeling. "

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