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The Writing Table is a podcast for writers and book lovers. Whether you're a seasoned writer or curious about the writing life, pull up a chair. Hear from authors from every stage-from New York Times list-makers to debuts. You'll get a behind-the-scenes view of your favorite books-from writing the ugly first drafts to the final editorial processes. Check out interviews with Phillipa Gregory, Jennifer Weiner, Lemony Snicket, Laurie Frankel, and so many others. Come on in-there's always room a ...
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Erin Quinn-Kong is a longtime magazine editor. Currently managing editor of Texas Highways, she has also been an editor at Austin Monthly, Us Weekly, and Allure. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and lives in Austin, TX, with her husband and their two children. Her debut novel is Hate Follow. Learn more at erinqui…
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Aurélie Thiele is a French American writer and engineering professor living in Dallas, TX. She has studied writing at the UCLA Extension School and Bennington Writing Seminars, and holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT. Her love of opera started when she was a high school student and her parents would take her to the o…
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Maria Vetrano tried to save the whales when she was nine years old. It didn’t quite work. But that didn’t quell her desire to ease some of the world’s ills in some small way, even if only through fiction. She is the mother of one young adult daughter and currently lives with her wife and animal family in Massachusetts. When she’s not writing, Maria…
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What does it take to be a juror of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction? Former columnist for the New York Times Review, Danielle Trussoni, discusses her experiences on both sides of the page-as writer and reviewer. She gives us a peek into a typical writing day and shares information about The San Miguel Writers Conference. Danielle Trussoni is a New Yor…
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Crystal King on her new novel and the one change she made that improved her writing exponentially. Crystal King is the author of IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS, THE CHEF'S SECRET, and FEAST OF SORROW, which was long-listed for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and was a Must Read for the MassBook Awards. She is an author, culinary enthusiast, a…
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Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. He shares his process, the research required for Whalefall, and a preview of his latest novel, Pay the Piper. Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 f…
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What does it take to publish seventy-five books? RaeAnne Thayne breaks it down. From her days as a journalist to navigating writing around raising a family and caring for a child with special needs, RaeAnne shares her process and responds to one listener's question about locking down the right point-of-view. New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street J…
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Rose Carlyle is a lawyer and an adventurer with first class honours degrees in law and creative writing. Rose has crewed on scientific yachting expeditions to subantarctic islands and has sailed her own yacht from Thailand to South Africa. She currently lives in New Zealand with her three children. Her debut novel, The Girl in the Mirror, was an in…
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Appellate judge and Edgar-award-winning author of ten novels of crime fiction, David Ellis dishes on writing independently and coauthoring eight bestselling books with James Patterson. He discusses what he's learned about pacing and plotting from Patterson. David's novels have been translated into more than ten languages worldwide. In December 2014…
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Gill Paul has written thirteen historical novels, many of them re-evaluating extraordinary 20th-century women whom she thinks have been marginalized or misjudged by historians. Her books have reached the top of the US, Canadian, and UK charts, and have been translated into twenty-three languages. Gill was born and raised in Scotland, apart from an …
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Hadley Leggett writes layered book club fiction exploring truth in shades of gray. Before becoming a novelist, her winding career path included degrees in medicine, biochemistry, Spanish, and science journalism, as well as a ten-year stint as a stay-at-home mom. She began writing fiction — her secret lifelong dream — when her youngest child started…
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Sara Goodman Confino dishes about her path to publishing, her mad love for everything Springsteen, researching her latest novel, and the story behind the cover of Behind Every Good Man. Confino teaches high school English and journalism in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and miniature schnauzer, Sandy. When …
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Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced trust and estate law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. She is the author of When We Were Young, The Chateau, and her latest, The Main Character. For more information visit jaclyngoldis.c…
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Moon Unit Zappa was born in 1967 to legendary musician Frank Vincent Zappa and his second wife, Gail Zappa. At the age of fourteen, Moon Zappa appeared in Frank Zappa’s career defining music video, “Valley Girl,” which later helped jump-start Moon’s own career. Since then, Moon has worked as an actress, writer, comedian, artist, businesswoman, and …
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Melissa Payne is the bestselling author of four novels, including A Light in the Forest and The Night of Many Endings. After an early career raising money for nonprofit organizations, Melissa began dreaming about becoming a published author and wrote her first novel. Her stories feature small mountain towns with characters searching for redemption,…
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A native of Long Island, New York, Guggenheim is an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer of television shows (ARROW, DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, TROLLHUNTERS, CARNIVAL ROW), movies (GREEN LANTERN, PERCY JACKSON - SEA OF MONSTERS), comic books (X-MEN GOLD, BLADE), video games (CALL OF DUTY 3, SINGULARITY), and novels (OVERWATCH).In addition, his wor…
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Tara Sim offers a glimpse into writing YA fantasy novels steeped in established mythologies and the "Write to Your Heart Trash" theory she sticks by. Tara is the author of The Dark Gods trilogy, the Scavenge the Stars duology, and the Timekeeper trilogy who can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she’s not chasi…
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Born and raised in North London, Caves is the internationally bestselling author of A Killer Came Knocking and I Know Where She Is, which The Sun described as 'sinister, unsettling and gripping'. SB now lives in South London with his wife and two sons. His latest novel is the high concept locked-room thriller, Honeycomb. Learn more at sbcaves.com I…
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Yasmin Angoe is the Anthony-nominated author of the critically acclaimed thriller Her Name Is Knight of the Nena Knight series. She is a first-generation Ghanaian American and, in 2020, received the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color from Sisters in Crime. Yasmin’s books were an Amazon Best Book of the Month for Mystery, Thril…
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A New York Times bestselling author, professor and Shakespeare scholar (with degrees from Harvard University, Oxford University and Yale University), Eloisa has published more than 30 historical romances, as well as a bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, and a contemporary novel, Lizzie and Dante. Her books are published in 28 languages and 30 countr…
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Michael Callahan shares a few of his lucky breaks: the magazine article that brought him to the threshold of writing his first novel, Searching for Grace Kelly, and the invitation to Anna Wintour's house where he met the editor of Vanity Fair. Michael is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and the author of the critically acclaimed novels SEARCHIN…
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Lori Brand is a lifting enthusiast, group fitness instructor, yoga teacher, and software quality engineer. In past lives, she’s been a gymnast, dancer, Playboy model, and bodybuilder. Her time in the body wars trenches led to her realization that getting strong, rather than shrinking, is the way out. In an effort to spread the word, she’s had artic…
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New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to…
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Namrata Patel is an Indian-American author who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family’s we’re born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, Spokane, London, and New York City. Namrata has been writing for most of her …
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Lauren Thoman writes speculative fiction for teens and adults. Her debut novel, I'll Stop the World, was selected for publication in 2023 by six-time Emmy nominee Mindy Kaling through her eponymous imprint, Mindy's Book Studio. Lauren's pop culture writing has also appeared in numerous online outlets including Parade and Vulture. Lauren lives outsi…
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JJ McAvoy has written numerous independently published novels that have been translated into six languages and are bestsellers in Turkey, Israel, and France. Her historical romance series featuring the Du Bells includes Aphrodite and the Duke, Verity and the Forbidden Suitor, and Hathor and the Prince. Learn more about JJ at: jjmcavoy.com Intro ree…
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Gina DeMillo Wagner is an award-winning journalist and author. Her writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Memoir Magazine, Modern Loss, Self, Outside, CRAFT Literary, and other publications. She is a winner of the CRAFT Creative Nonfiction Award, and her memoir was longlisted for the 2022 SFWP Literary prize. Gina has…
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Victoria Helen Stone, author of the runaway best seller Jane Doe, writes critically acclaimed novels of dark intrigue and emotional suspense. Aside from At The Quiet Edge, The Last One Home, Problem Child, Half Past, and the chart-topping False Step and Evelyn, After, she also published twenty-nine books as USA Today bestselling author Victoria Dah…
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Jenna Bush Hager has included Kirsten Miller's latest novel, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, in her list of 5 Books to Read this Summer. Kirsten stops by the Writing Table for a fun chat about small towns, book bans, and what has inspired her favorite characters. Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina.…
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Elle Marr is the author of thrillers THE MISSING SISTER (2020), LIES WE BURY (2021), STRANGERS WE KNOW (2022), THE FAMILY BONES (2023), and THE ALONE TIME (2024). She is (evidently) a fan of coffee. Her work has been featured in PopSugar, Woman’s World Magazine, CBS affiliate KOIN-TV, ABC affiliate KATU-TV, and Audible. THE MISSING SISTER was a #1 …
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In this episode, Jaclyn and Kris introduce their rescue pups, Bogey and Indy, discuss Jaclyn's journey into writing, and the story behind her debut, Dear Dotty. Jaclyn Westlake is an alumna of the Stanford Continuing Studies Novel Writing Program. A former recruiter turned career advice columnist, her work has appeared in Forbes, Business Insider, …
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Acclaimed author Suzanne Park returns with a charming and compelling novel about an aspiring tech entrepreneur who goes on a rollercoaster journey of self-discovery after her app, which sends messages to loved ones after you pass, accidentally sends her final words to all the important people in her life—including the venture capital mentor she’s c…
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Elka Ray is the Canadian author of Divorce is Murder and Killer Coin. Born in the UK and raised in Canada, Elka has two previous novels, Saigon Dark and Hanoi Jane; a short-story collection, What You Don't Know; and a series of children's picture books about Vietnam, where she currently lives with her family. Elka grew up in Victoria, B.C. Canada, …
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Jenny Colgan gives us a look behind the castle walls, sharing stories of her game show experiences, her adoration for Terminator movies, her work on Dr. Who, and how she finds inspiration to keep creating humorous, heartfelt novels like her latest, The Summer Skies. Jenny Colgan is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including…
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Kathleen M. Basi is the quintessential jack-of-all trades writer: musical composer and songwriter, feature writer, essayist, nonfiction author, and of course, storyteller. Basi spent her childhood drawing inspiration for stories from the fields and trees on her family's farm...when she wasn't climbing on tractors and jumping off hay bales. Now, as …
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Stacy Stokes is a lifelong lover of stories, a former improv comedy geek, and a marketing professional by trade. She graduated with a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Her debut novel, Remember Me Gone, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, an ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Reade…
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Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author of several novels. She has enjoyed a lifelong affair with books and history and brings that love to her stories. Katherine has also written one full-length nonfiction work. She holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and has lived across the country…
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Lynne Golodner writes emotional novels with compelling Jewish characters who are determined to fill their lives with passion, purpose and love. Her first novel, Woman of Valor, joins a body of work that includes two poetry collections and six nonfiction books, including Hide and Seek: Jewish Women and Hair Covering and The Flavors of Faith: Holy Br…
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Nick Petrie received his MFA in fiction from the University of Washington and won a Hopwood Award for short fiction while an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. His story “At the Laundromat” won the 2006 Short Story Contest in The Seattle Review, a national literary journal. His first novel, The Drifter, won the ITW Thriller and Barry Awar…
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A.H. Kim (Ann) was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. as a young child. Ann was educated at Harvard College and Berkeley Law School, where she was an editor of the California Law Review. Ann practiced corporate law for many years and served as chief of staff to the CEO and as head of investor relations at a Fortune 200 company. A…
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Heather Frese is the author of the novel The Baddest Girl on the Planet, winner of the Lee Smith Novel Prize. She has published numerous short stories, essays, and the occasional poem. Her work has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, the Los Angeles Review, Front Porch, the Barely South Review, Switchback, and elsewhere, earning notable mention …
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L. R. Jones is a pseudonym for New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, whose dark, edgy fiction includes the highly acclaimed novels The Poet, A Perfect Lie, and the Lilah Love series. Prior to publishing, Lisa owned a multistate staffing agency recognized by the Austin Business Journal. Lisa was listed as #7 in Entreprene…
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Parisa Akhbari (@authorparisa) is a mental health therapist and writer from Seattle, Washington. Her debut YA novel, Just Another Epic Love Poem, follows two queer best friends in Catholic school as they fall in love through the pages of a never-ending poem they’ve been writing back and forth for five years. When not writing or therapizing, Parisa …
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Jeff quit a perfectly good job at the age of 47 to return to college for his MFA, and his first novel, Other People’s Children (Simon and Schuster, 2021), emerged from that silly decision. His second Novel, Like It Never Happened, will be released by Crooked Lane Books on March 5, 2024. In addition to his two novels, Jeff’s writing has been publish…
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Andie Burke began college as an English major before jumping into a pediatric nursing career. Her writing is inspired by over a decade spent working in hospitals with patients of all ages. After the last couple years spent in the pandemic ER, she escaped to an outpatient pediatric sedation unit. Andie lives in a blue house in Maryland with an alarm…
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Rebecca Hanover is the New York Times bestselling author of THE SIMILARS duology. After graduating from Stanford University with a BA in English and drama, Rebecca joined the writing team of the CBS daytime drama GUIDING LIGHT, where she earned an Emmy Award. Still, she never lost her love of books—particularly YA. She now writes Young Adult as wel…
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Sheila Athens writes smart fiction set where the South meets the Sunshine state. Her stories are about women seeking to find the peace we all deserve—whether they’re battling an external foe or an internal one (or both). Readers are drawn to her work because they believe that everyday heroes can make a difference in our world. After growing up in t…
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Katherine Howe is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian and novelist. She is the author of several novels for adults and young adults, has edited two volumes of primary sources for Penguin Classics, and is the co-author with Anderson Cooper of the #1 New York Times bestselling books VANDERBILT and ASTOR. Her newest novel, a myste…
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Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of four (going on five) novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly, People Magazine, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald, and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her…
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Sarahlyn Bruck writes contemporary, book club fiction and is the award-winning author of three novels: Light of the Fire (coming January 2024), Daytime Drama (2021), and Designer You (2018). When she’s not writing, Sarahlyn moonlights as a full-time writing and literature professor at a local community college. She’s also a co-host of the pop cultu…
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