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

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning author and filmmaker, Priyanka Kumar, spoke to me about the language of cinema, her Zen leanings, returning to the solace of nature, and her latest, "Conversations with Birds." Priyanka Kumar is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and an alumna of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She is also the award-winning writer, director, and producer of the feature documentary The Song of the Little Road, starring Martin Scorsese and Ravi Shankar. Her latest is Conversations with Birds, a Publishers Weekly “Top Ten Nonfiction Book for Fall 2022,” a Bookshop.org “Read Outside the Big Five” selection, and Apple, November Best Books of the Month, and been described in a Kirkus, starred review as, “An eloquent depiction of how birding engenders a deep love of our ecosystems and a more profound understanding of ourselves." Priyanka's debut novel, Take Wing and Fly Here, was published in 2013 to critical acclaim, and her essays and criticism hav

#PodcastersForJustice "Writing, at its best, is a lonely life." – Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway scholar and author, Professor Mark Cirino, spoke to me about the ethos of the late literary lion, how Hemingway outlived his myth, and his mission to uncover Hem's truest sentence. Dr. Cirino hosts the popular Hemingway Society-sponsored podcast, One True Podcast. He is also the author of eight books about American literature as a writer or editor. His most recent is One True Sentence: Writers & Readers on Hemingway’s Art (2022), with Michael Von Cannon. Described as "A selection of the greatest sentences by the master, Ernest Hemingway..." selected and examined by contemporary authors. Publishers Weekly called it “A revelatory compendium ... a rewarding tapestry ... readers are likely to come away with a deepened understanding of—and even awe at—Hemingway’s vast talent.” Mark Cirino serves as an editor for Kent State University Press’s Reading Hemingway series, and served as a consultant on the film adaptation

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning and #1 NY Times bestselling author, Robert Crais, spoke to me about breathing life into the ur detective novel, the legacy of Raymond Chandler, his love of LA, and his latest, "Racing the Light." Robert Crais is the author of 23 novels, 19 of which feature private investigator Elvis Cole and his laconic ex-cop partner, Joe Pike. The first in the series, The Monkey’s Raincoat, won the Anthony and Macavity Awards and was nominated for the Edgar Award. The latest is Racing the Light, described as "... a pulse-pounding read and Elvis Cole's most dangerous case yet." Bestselling author David Baldacci called it "... another grand slam for the master storyteller Robert Crais. If there’s a better dynamic duo than Elvis Cole and Joe Pike in all of crime fiction, I’m not aware of it.” On Reader's Digest's list of "30 new books we can't wait to read in 2022," Kirkus Reviews said that, "... [Crais] keeps the traditional detective novel alive and well." In a previous life Robert Crais w

#PodcastersForJustice Note: Hey, just a quick note that the podcast is on hiatus this week but we’re bringing back a fan favorite. Here is my interview with the amazing Tana French from late 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Catch you soon and thanks for your support! The New York Times bestselling crime novelist, Tana French, took a break to talk with me about her early training as an actress, her definition of creativity, and how to write through the tough times. "I didn't know if I could write a book. I'd written short stories and really galactically bad teenager poetry, but I'd never tried to write a book before." — Tana French The author has written eight mystery novels and is considered a master of suspense and the modern psychological thriller. Her work has been compared to writers including James Ellroy and Donna Tartt, and has been called "incandescent" by Stephen King, and "absolutely mesmerizing" by Gillian Flynn. Her novels have sold over three million copies and won numerous awards, including

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning, queer, Jamaican-American writer, videographer, activist, and debut memoirist, Prince Shakur, spoke to me about James Baldwin's legacy, writing towards his father's murder, and his latest, "When They Tell You To Be Good." Prince Shakur is a freelance journalist, videomaker, and New York Times recognized organizer whose debut memoir, When They Tell You To Be Good, is about his "political coming of age in Obama and Trump’s America." It is a Powell's Holiday Pick for 2022 and a TIME, Poets & Writers, Publishers Weekly, them, The Week, Debutiful, and Book Riot Best “Book of Fall.” Described as an exploration of "... his radicalization and self-realization through examinations of place, childhood, queer identity, and a history of uprisings," the memoir won the Hurston/Wright Crossover Award and has earned him residencies with Sangam House, La Maison Baldwin, The Studios of Key West, and The Atlantic Center for the Arts.  As a freelance journalist Shakur has penned numerous op-ed

Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, Deanna Raybourn, spoke to me about how she still feels like a debut author, why she doesn't read reviews, and her new contemporary thriller "Killers of a Certain Age." Deanna Raybourn is the author of 19 books including the award-winning, New York Times bestselling Lady Julia Grey series, as well as the USA Today bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, and several stand-alone works. Her latest is Killers of a Certain Age, described as "a witty contemporary spy thriller perfect for fans of Killing Eve and Ocean’s Eight."  An instant New York Times bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of Month 2022, Buzzfeed said of the book, “This Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of." Deanna Raybourn graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Stay tuned until the end of the show for a preview of the Audiobook, excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio f

Journalist, hit entertainment podcaster, and debut novelist, Bobby Finger, spoke to me about writing for Jezebel, turning a screenplay into a novel, and his debut, "The Old Place." Bobby Finger is a writer and co-host of the popular celebrity and entertainment podcast, Who? Weekly, "The podcast that tells you everything you need to know about celebrities you don’t." His debut novel is The Old Place, described as "A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town." It has been named Washington Post‘s 10 Noteworthy Books for September, People‘s Best New Books, Town & Country’s 45 Must-Read Books of Fall, New York’s 25 Notable New Releases, Kirkus Review‘s 150 Most Anticipated Fall Books, LitHub‘s Most Anticipated Books of 2022, among many others. New York Times bestselling author Emma Straub said of the book, “I loved being inside this skillful novel—at the planning parties for church fundraisers, l

Bestselling, award-winning author A.M. Homes, spoke to me about getting sued by J.D. Salinger, the irony of winning the Women's Prize for Fiction, and her latest "The Unfolding." A.M. Homes is a TV producer, art critic, and the author of 13 books, including the bestselling memoir The Mistress’s Daughter. Her last novel, May We Be Forgiven, was the winner of the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her latest novel is The Unfolding, described as a "... darkly comedic alternative history that takes us into the heart of a fractured family living in a divided country." New York Times bestselling author Salman Rushdie called the book, “A terrific black comedy, written almost entirely in pitch-perfect dialogue, that feels terrifyingly close to the unfunny truth.” A.M. Homes was a Co-Executive Producer and Writer on David E. Kelly and Stephen King’s, Mr. Mercedes, and a writer/producer of the Showtime series The L Word. Her work has been translated into 22 languages and appears frequently in Art Forum, Harpers, Granta, M

#PodcastersForJustice Bestselling, award-winning author Candice Carty-Williams, spoke to me about the tragicomic nature of being, winning "Book of the Year" at the British Book Awards, and her latest "People Person." Candice Carty-Williams is a TV producer, culture writer, and author of the international bestseller Queenie, a book that was named a best book of the year by NPR, TIME, PARADE, The Guardian, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, and many others. She also became the first black woman to win the "Book of the Year" award at the British Book Awards for Queenie in 2020. Her latest novel is People Person, a book described as an "... insightful novel about the power of family — even when they seem like strangers." The Guardian called it, “A big-hearted story of a young woman coming to terms with her complicated London family from the author of the game-changing Queenie.” Candice created and launched the Guardian 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize in 2016, the first initiative of its kind in book publishing fo

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning journalist and debut memoirist, Casey Parks, spoke to me about her lifelong reverence for journalism, the emotional cost of writing a memoir, and her debut "Diary of a Misfit." Casey Parks is a reporter for The Washington Post who covers gender and family issues. She spent a decade at The Oregonian writing about race and LGBTQ+ issues and was a finalist for the Livingston Award. A former Spencer Fellow at Columbia University, Parks was awarded the 2021 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award for her debut memoir, Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery.  Described as "... a sweeping journalistic saga about sexuality and gender, family trauma and the redemptive force of love...," Publishers Weekly – in a starred review – called the book, “A tantalizing blend of personal history and reportage .... A brilliantly rendered and complex portrait of Southern life alongside a tender exploration of queer belonging [and] a marvel to witness.” Casey's articles have appeared in The Ne

#PodcastersForJustice 2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah, spoke to me about life after becoming a laureate, the difference between authors and writers, and his latest novel "Afterlives."  The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 was awarded to Abdulrazak Gurnah "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents" The Tanzanian-born British novelist and Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Kent, has written short stories, essays, and ten novels including Paradise (shortlisted for the Booker Prize), By the Sea (longlisted for the Booker Prize and a finalist for the LA Times Book Award), and Desertion. His latest novel, Afterlives, has been described as "... a sweeping, multi-generational saga of displacement, loss, and love, set against the brutal colonization of east Africa" The New York Times Book Review called the author, "... a master of the art form who understands hu

#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." Stay calm and write on ... Discover Th

#PodcastersForJustice 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

#PodcastersForJustice #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

#PodcastersForJustice 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 postgrad

#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

#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, Shond

#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. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra:

#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. Stay calm and write on ... I

#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 Ha