Writers, Ink: Your backstage pass to the world's most prolific authors

Returning guest Meg Gardiner shares her tips for adapting a screenplay into a novel. In her latest novel co-written with the legendary Michael Mann, Heat 2, she uses intense imagery and character building to expand the world of the classic movie onto the page while maintaining the immersion of a film. Meg is a #1 NYT bestseller and the author of sixteen novels, including the award-winning Evan Delaney series and Jo Beckett series. To purchase Heat 2, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Meg Gardiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of sixteen thrillers. Her latest is Heat 2, co-written with Michael Mann. The AP says: "'Heat 2' is just dynamite." It debuted at #1 on the NYT best seller list. Her previous novel, The Dark Corners of the Night, featuring FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix, was bought by Amazon Studios for development as a television series. The first novel in the series, UNSUB, won the 2018 Barry Award for Best Thriller. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Meg builds playlists for her novels How she got started on Heat 2 Why she chose to novelize a film How to write anti-chronologically How to outline and edit with a co-writer Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Meg Gardiner - http://meggardiner.com/ Heat 2 - https://books2read.com/Heat2Meg Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bestseller Kimberly McCreight writes for her readers above all else. By avoiding genre stereotypes and unsolvable twists, and instead aiming for the emotional satisfaction of her fanbase, she maintains a loyal and dedicated following that keeps coming back for more. McCreight is a bestselling author of three novels, with her most popular being Reconstructing Amelia, and has been nominated for various awards. To purchase her latest novel, Friends Like These, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Kimberly McCreight is the New York Times bestselling author of RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA, WHERE THEY FOUND HER, A GOOD MARRIAGE and THE OUTLIERS, a young adult trilogy. She's been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Alex awards and her books have been translated into more than twenty languages. She attended Vassar College and graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She lives in Brooklyn, New Yor In this episode, you’ll discover: How to get past the first page How Kim’s college experience inspired her writing Why genre labels are obsolete Why the best work prompts bigger questions Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Kimberly McCreight - https://kimberlymccreight.com/ Friends Like These - https://books2read.com/FriendsKim Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bestseller Riley Sager’s new book, The House Across the Lake, puts an inventive spin on a classic. Dubbed “Rear Window on a lake” by Sager himself, he uses personal experience and complex character building to create a gripping mystery thriller. Riley is an NYT bestselling author known for his hit book Final Girls, and makes his third appearance on the podcast today. To purchase The House Across the Lake, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, most recently Home Before Dark and Survive the Night. His first novel, Final Girls, has been published in 30 countries and won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel. His latest book, The House Across the Lake, will be published in 2022 by Dutton Books. A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Riley needed a messed up protagonist Why artistic characters can keep the plot interesting How to effectively take inspiration from others How to write with minimal setting changes Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Riley Sager - https://www.rileysagerbooks.com/ The House Across the Lake - https://books2read.com/AcrossLake Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Catherine Coulter knows how to build a successful series. From creating strong foundational characters to keeping track of things as simple as physical description throughout books, she’s able to continue adding to longform series while keeping the stories and characters cohesive. Catherine is a #1 NYT bestselling author of 88 books. To purchase her latest novel, Reckoning, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Catherine Coulter is the New York Times bestselling author of 87 books. Her numerous historical romances established her as an icon in the genre and a must-read for readers world wide. Coulter's readership has also grown exponentially with her hugely popular "unputdownable" FBI thriller series, starring the husband and wife team FBI agents Savich and Sherlock. Her FBI thrillers have expanded to include a new international thriller series -- A Brit in the FBI -- co-written with popular thriller writer JT Ellison. This six-book series has also captured a dedicated readership with high-stakes, fast-paced international cases involving new characters Nicholas and Mike. Coulter has also added a new novella series, starring Grayson Sherbrooke (from the Sherbrooke historical romance series), titled The Grayson Sherbrooke Otherworldly Adventures. Currently there are four novellas -- the 5th installment will be released later this summer. (The Grayson books are available only in ebook.) Upcoming new release! The 25th book in her FBI thriller series, VORTEX, will be released on August 10th, 2021. Coulter lives in northern California with her thriller cat Eli and her thriller husband. She enjoys hearing from readers and posts on her Facebook page daily. Please visit her at her website www.catherinecoulter.com for more information. In this episode, you’ll discover: Catherine’s fascination with history How to deal with setting changes Why you can’t be tied to your outline What Catherine’s drafting process looks like Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Catherine Coulter - https://www.catherinecoulter.com/ Reckoning - https://books2read.com/ReckoningCoulter Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Ellis knows how to write successful suspense into his novels. With twists and turns frequenting his pages, he puts forth special effort to make sure his plots are both complex and head-scratching while remaining decipherable to his average reader. David is a NYT bestseller of ten standalone crime novels and has co-authored eight novels with James Patterson. To purchase his latest novel, Look Closer, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: David Ellis is a judge and an Edgar-award-winning author of nine novels of crime fiction, as well as five books co-authored with James Patterson. In December, 2014, Dave was sworn in as the youngest-serving Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court for the First District. Dave currently lives outside Chicago with his wife and three children. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why David builds characters before plot Why he isn’t afraid to keep pivoting How his work as a judge influences his writing Why he starts writing at 3am What it’s like writing with James Patterson Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Wonder Lodge - https://www.vrbo.com/2911457?unitId=3483497 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Tess Gerritsen - https://www.tessgerritsen.com/ Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me: A Novel - https://books2read.com/rizzoli13 Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tess Gerritsen has spent decades refining her craft. From handwritten first drafts to listening to her characters, she follows the Muse on her creative journey. Tess wasn’t sure she’d write another Rizzoli & Isles book until she became excited about the possibilities of another installment in the hugely successful series. Whether it's tending to her vegetable garden or her archive of handwritten manuscripts, Tess does so with care and creativity. Her characters are beloved worldwide, a testament to her enduring ability to master the craft of writing while being a keen observer of the world around her. From Amazon.com: Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D. While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson. In this episode, you’ll discover: How getting your first paycheck changes everything Why you need to avoid monomouth Why a handwritten first draft can open new possibilities When to plant lettuce Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Wonder Lodge - https://www.vrbo.com/2911457?unitId=3483497 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Tess Gerritsen - https://www.tessgerritsen.com/ Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me: A Novel - https://books2read.com/rizzoli13 Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author Vanessa Riley talks about her latest piece of women’s historical fiction, Sister Mother Warrior. Through determination in navigating the challenges of uncovering women’s history and a promise to write history from all perspectives, she created a gripping novel worthy of piquing the mind. Vanessa has had an accomplished career, graduating with several degrees and helping many businesses and startups before writing over twenty books. To order Sister Mother Warrior, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Vanessa Riley writes Regency Romances and Historical Fiction of dazzling multi-culture communities with powerful persons of color. Vanessa writes for historical romance readers who admire and acquire books that showcase women who find joy in sweeping kisses and strong sisterhoods. Even in the darkness, she promises to give you laughs and to show you how light always prevails and how love always, always wins. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to write from a full perspective What Vanessa’s research process looks like How her engineering background influences her writing The power of a single sentence Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Vanessa Riley - https://vanessariley.com/ Sister Mother Warrior - https://mybook.to/SisterMother Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Returning guest Blake Crouch explores the forefront of scientific discovery in his new novel, Upgrade. A gene-editing thriller, Blake pushed himself to go the extra mile for the book, interviewing field experts in biology and physics to keep his sci-fi enticing yet realistic. Blake is a bestselling author well known for works like Dark Matter, Recursion, and Wayward Pines. To preorder Upgrade, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include the New York Times bestseller Dark Matter, and the internationally bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX. Crouch also created the TNT show Good Behavior, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. His latest book is Recursion, a sci-fi thriller about memory, and will be published in June 2019. He lives in Colorado. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Blake’s only tackling big ideas His process for conducting “deep research” How he utilizes human evolution in storytelling His future plans for Dark Matter Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Blake Crouch - https://blakecrouch.com/ Upgrade - https://mybook.to/Upgrade Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Barbara Graham employed her unique spiritual writing process while crafting her debut novel, What Jonah Knew. Through mindful storytelling and a more “hands-off” approach, letting the story come to her and keeping what feels right instead of meticulously planning and outlining, she produces writing that is genuine, intriguing, and effortlessly maintains its flow. Before becoming a novelist, Barbara had a lengthy career as a playwright, poet, and journalist, writing for various recognized magazines, like Time, NatGeo, and Vogue. To preorder What Jonah Knew, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Barbara Graham is an award-winning essayist, playwright, and author who has written for Time; O, The Oprah Magazine; Glamour; More; National Geographic Traveler; and Vogue. She is the author/editor of the New York Times bestseller Eye of My Heart. What Jonah Knew, a psychological thriller, is her first novel. Barbara's plays have been produced Off-Broadway and at theatres around the country. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Barbara conceived What Jonah Knew The differences between plays and novels How Buddhist practices influence her writing Why she rejects writing constraints How to develop complex characters Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Barbara Graham - https://barbaragrahamauthor.com/ What Jonah Knew - https://mybook.to/WhatJonahKnew Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eva Lesko Natiello is no stranger to rejection. Despite being unable to secure an agent and having the manuscript of her first book, The Memory Box, rejected eighty-four times, she used her determination and knowledge of marketing to defy expectations and turn her story into a global bestseller. Eva is a NYT bestseller who began her career in the beauty industry before making it big as a writer, and is known for her gripping thriller novels. To order her latest book, Following You, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: EVA LESKO NATIELLO is the award-winning, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author of psychological thrillers, THE MEMORY BOX and FOLLOWING YOU. She is a graduate of UAlbany with a degree in psychology. Eva is a native of Yonkers, NY and currently lives in suburban New Jersey with her family. THE MEMORY BOX, a debut novel, is a global bestseller and has been a #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and Kobo and has been translated in multiple languages. Eva has attended over 200 book club discussions of her books. Invite her to yours! When Eva’s not writing suspense novels, she writes humor and satire and posts about writing and self-publishing on her website (evaleskonatiello.com) and for The Huffington Post. She loves the creative process: painting, gardening, singing or re-purposing (though many D.I.Y. projects have been fraught with disaster, it doesn't seem to stop her). She is a thought leader and speaker and is a self-publishing and book marketing coach. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Eva never thought she’d become a writer How she narrowed her audience and chose to independently publish The power of free sampling The importance of momentum Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Eva Lesko Natiello - https://evaleskonatiello.com/ Following You - https://mybook.to/FollowingYou Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.