Interviews
Jaclyn Goldis: From Personal History to Historical Fiction
Debut author Jaclyn Goldis explains how her novel When We Were Young was inspired by her real-life grandmothers and how many times she rewrote her first chapter.
Russ Thomas: The Beginning and Ending of Writing
Mystery and crime novelist Russ Thomas discusses why he believes character is the beginning and ending of writing and what inspired his latest book, Nighthawking.
Liz Heinecke: On Writing Creative Nonfiction
Nonfiction author Liz Heinecke explores her journey from writing books for children to a more general audience and the journey to write her latest book Radiant.
Ehsan Ahmad and Shakil Ahmad: Character-Based Stories
Science-fiction authors Ehsan and Shakil Ahmad explain how they came to write their debut novel Wild Sun: Unbound and how to become comfortable with rejection.
Zak Salih: On Embracing the Selfishness of Writing
Debut novelist Zak Salih considers how his viewpoint on writing vs. revision led him to embrace the messiness of the writing process and why he wrote Let's Get Back to the Party.
Paisley Rekdal: Writing About Appropriation and the Creative Process
In this post, Paisley Rekdal shares why she started writing on appropriation in literature, what unexpected things she learned about appropriation and the creative process, and more!
Amy Gentry: On Writing Thrillers and Following Your Gut
Thriller author Amy Gentry shares her experience writing her latest novel, Bad Habits, and why it's important to take full ownership of your work.
Sonya Lalli: On Writing Strong, Empowered Women
Author Sonya Lalli explains how she came to write the strong female characters in her latest novel, Serena Singh Flips the Script, and how her editor gave her inspiration for exploring multiple points-of-view.
Peter Vronsky: When History Is More Bizarre Than Fiction
Historical nonfiction author Peter Vronsky shares what surprises him about writing true crime books and how he negotiates titles with his publisher.
Erika Robuck: On Writing Historical Women
Bestselling author Erika Robuck explains what it takes to write historical fiction and how she feels a connection with the character in her latest novel, The Invisible Woman.
Genevieve Gornichec: On Reinventing Mythology
Debut author Genevieve Gornichec dives into how her novel The Witch's Heart reinvents Norse mythology and how NaNoWriMo helped her meet her publication goals.
Julia Kelly: Determining a Book's Personality
Bestselling author Julia Kelly explains how she developed the plot and pacing of her latest historical fiction novel The Last Garden of England and why writers should read outside their genre.
Cherilyn Parsons Talks Women Lit, a Program of the Bay Area Book Festival
In this post, Cherilyn Parsons describes Women Lit (a program of the Bay Area Book Festival), how it was founded at the height of the #MeToo movement, what type of events it offers, and more!
Using Communication Patterns to Connect Globally
Raúl Sánchez, Dan Bullock, and Rod Sánchez share how they wrote How to Communicate Effectively with Anyone, Anywhere, why collaboration took their understanding of communication to new levels, and more.
Kristin Hannah: Discovering an Unexpected Protagonist
New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah discusses the most surprising aspect of writing her newest historical fiction novel The Four Winds.
Sebastian Fitzek: On Developing a Psychological Thriller
Bestselling author Sebastian Fitzek discusses the inspiration behind his latest psychological thriller, The Package, and delivers expert advice for aspiring authors.
Dana Stabenow: More Cozy Than Hardboiled
Bestselling author Dana Stabenow discusses her latest mystery novel, Spoils of the Dead, and why it leans more toward the cozy side.
Susan Meissner: Writing About the Fragile Things and Lives We Build
In this post, Susan Meissner shares why she went through three drafts of The Nature of Fragile Things, how things have (and have not) changed during the pandemic for writers, what type of books writers should read, and more!
Devon Daniels: Finding Middle Ground in Love and Politics
In this post, Devon Daniels shares why politics inspired her debut romance novel, how long it took to go from idea to publication, what's her top tip for other writers, and more!
Syed M. Masood: Let Your Characters Surprise You
Author Syed M. Masood shares how his latest novel, The Bad Muslim Discount, was inspired by the country's political climate and what works (and doesn't) for his no-outline writing style.
Charles Vidich: The Timeliness of Nonfiction
Author and public health expert Charles Vidich shares how his latest book changed due to reviewer's notes and why he submitted his manuscript during the 2020 pandemic.
Gil Adamson: On Writing the Genre-Bender
Award-winning author Gil Adamson shares how her novel took a thirteen-year, genre-bending journey to publication.
Jasmin Kaur: On Weaving Multiple Mediums
Author, illustrator, and poet Jasmin Kaur explains how her newest project, a mixed-medium novel, went from idea to publication.
Todd Stottlemyre: On Mixing and Bending Genres
Author Todd Stottlemyre explains how he combined fiction and nonfiction in his latest book and what it meant as a writer to share his personal experiences.