Friends & Fiction

WRITERS' BLOCK Paige Crutcher joins Ron and Patti Callahan Henry to talk about her upcoming book, The Lost Witch. This deep dive into her writing process is a wonderful exploration of storytelling development of ideas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tune in for a festive show as we welcome two of the F&F community's most beloved authors — Debbie Macomber & Viola Shipman — for our season finale and our holiday special.We are always happy to spend time with our dear friend, the #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber who is one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide and who has spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The crew talks with Debbie all about her latest Christmas novel (her 25th!), THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, as well as DEBBIE MACOMBER’S HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS COLORING BOOK, her recent travels, and how she called off her retirement from writing.We are also joined by our good pal, USA Today and internationally bestselling author Wade Rouse, who is a real fan favorite among our F&F members. Wade chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, as a pen name to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his fiction. We speak with him about his latest novel, A WISH FOR WINTER, how his homes near Lake Michigan and in Palm Springs affect his writing life, his inspirations for his work, and what's on tap for next year.The crew also engages in a fun holiday-themed lightning round where they talk about favorite Christmas movies, songs, decorations, and traditions.Take a break from the hustle bustle, pour yourself a festive holiday cocktail, and join us for warm, bookish chat and lots of laughs on our last show of the season!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Listeners will be re-introduced to this interview Ron conducted earlier in the year with this year's winner of the Barnes and Noble Book of the Year, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Enjoy the discussion of how Bonnie became a best-selling debut author in her 60's and created this book that is showing up on Best of the Year lists world wide!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, we're thrilled and honored to welcome the incomparable Louise Penny! As a bonus treat we are joined by Rae Meadows on the After Show.Louise Penny is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels, and coauthor with Hillary Rodham Clinton of the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller, State of Terror. Louise joins us to discuss her latest novel, A WORLD OF CURIOSITIES, the 18th book in her Gamache series which devuted at #1 on the NYT bestsller list in its first week out. You won't want to miss this warm, enlightening and engaging conversation filled with empathy and wisdom where we talk all about Louise's background, writing process, inspiration, and about seeing THREE PINES come to life in the newly released Amazon Prime adaptation starring Alfred Molina as Inspector Gamache.On the After Show meet Rae Meadows who discusses her new novel — the IndieNext pick, GMA Buzz Pick, and critically acclaimed WINTERLAND — which shines a light on three generations of Russian women behind the Iron Curtain, including a young girl selected for the famed 1970’s-era USSR gymnastics program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Ron, along with Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Kay Andrews welcomes one of the world’s most respected and sought-after story consultants and writing teachers, John Truby, whose legendary The Anatomy of Story is indispensable to novelists and screenwriters alike. John joins us to discuss his brand-new book, The Anatomy of Genres, a guide to understanding the major genres of the story world—and to do a deep dive into Patti’s and Mary Kay’s latest works in each of their respective genres.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On tonight’s episode, we welcome New York Times bestselling author, Kevin Wilson—plus Sheila Roberts on the After Show!Kevin Wilson is the author of three novels including NOTHING TO SEE HERE, which was a New York Times bestseller and a Read with Jenna book club selection in 2019. Kevin joins us to discuss his latest novel, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC, which has been named an Amazon Best Book of November 2022 and a Most Anticipated Book of the season from the Associated Press, Vogue, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, and USA Today among many other outlets. We talk to Kevin about the incredible origin story of his latest novel, why he's drawn to misfits as characters and to coming of age stories, how art is a catalyst for his narratives, and how his life as a college professor shapes his work.On the After Show we are joined by the USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of fifty books, Sheila Roberts to discuss her new novel, THE ROAD TO CHRISTMAS about three generations of travelers who embark on a Christmas road trip in the snowy mountains of Washington State.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Ron Block and Patti Callahan Henry speak with Reyna Grande about her sweeping and powerful historical fiction novel, A Ballad of Love and Glory. This conversation delves into Reyna's beginnings as a writer and her path to becoming a a strong immigrant voice in literature.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join us on Thanksgiving Eve as we welcome some of our favorite indie bookseller pals for a very special holiday episode of Friends & Fiction! The Fab Four are joined by Tim from Nantucket Book Partners in Nantucket, MA; Peter from Booktowne in Manasquan, NJ; Susan from Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, DE; Cathy & Serena from Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, FL; Rebecca from Macintosh Books on Sanibel Island, FL; and Laura from Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL.We hear from each of them about their origin story as a bookseller, their holiday book recommendations, and trends they're seeing in their stores.All hosts and guests don their Friends & Fiction t-shirt for this Thanksgiving "Tee Party!" Join us by wearing yours—on sale now "Buy-One-Get-One-Free" in the F&F merch shop at Oxford Exchange!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Ron Block and Kristy Woodson Harvey talk with Tori Whitaker about her fascinating historical fiction novel that connects two women across decades. The 1920's and the present day come alive across generations with this story of strength, connection, and the power to find one's own path.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this show, we welcome back our dear friend, award-winning author Lisa Unger! Lisa is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty novels, including THE STRANGER INSIDE, LAST GIRL GHOSTED, and CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 — now in development at Netflix, starring Jessica Alba. A co-President of the International Thriller Writers Organization with books published in thirty-two languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, Lisa is regarded as a master of suspense. She joins us to discuss her brand-new release, SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX (just published 11/8/22 by Park Row Books), which has gotten starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus has been named to most-anticipated lists by USA Today, the American Booksellers Association, Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryReads and Target, among others. The crew delve into Lisa's writing process, the inspiration for her latest novel, what prompted her interest in writing about crime and dysfunctional families, and news on her Netflix adaptation that's in the works.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.