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

Lisa Gardner, a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist, shares her journey from food service to bestselling author, citing her fascination with police procedures as her driving force. She discusses the challenges and joys of writing series, focusing on her character Frankie Elkin and the emotional depth of her stories. The conversation also touches on the impact of recent literary changes, including book bans and the digital shift in reviews. Lastly, Lisa highlights the invigorating role travel plays in her creative process.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Bookshop.org, Read Dating, and Stephen King. Then, stick around for a chat with Karin Slaughter!Karin Slaughter is one of the world's most popular and acclaimed storytellers. She is the author of more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels, including the Edgar–nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls, The Good Daughter, and Pieces of Her. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her is a #1 Netflix original series starring Toni Collette, and WILL TRENT, based on her Will Trent series, is on ABC (and streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally). False Witness and The Good Daughter are in development for television. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

In this episode, horror author Ania Ahlborn shares her journey from self-publishing to becoming a bestselling writer known for her chilling narratives and psychological depth. She discusses how personal experiences with grief shape her storytelling, revealing how emotions can enhance or complicate her work. Ahlborn also reflects on the challenges of balancing writing with family life, offering insights into the unique struggles female authors face. Expect candid anecdotes and a deep dive into the art of crafting horror that resonates with readers.

JT Ellison, a New York Times bestselling author with over 30 psychological thrillers, shares her insights on the modern writing landscape. She discusses the pressures of social media and how it shapes an author's journey. The conversation touches on the balance between promotion and creativity, along with the nuances of writing series versus standalone novels. Ellison reflects on the emotional aspects of storytelling, exploring how personal experiences influence her craft, and the therapeutic nature of writing darker themes.

In this engaging discussion, Christina Dotson, the author of the thrilling 'Love You to Death,' shares her journey from social work to storytelling. She reveals the fun and chaos behind wedding-crashing best friends whose antics spiral into danger. The talk also explores the complexities of writing female characters, emphasizing the balance of flaws and backstories. Listeners are treated to humorous anecdotes about loyalty and toxic friendships, while gaining insights into narrative craft and embracing their unique writing journeys.

Tess Sharpe, a New York Times Bestselling author known for her young adult novels, chats about her latest work, 'No Body, No Crime.' She dives into the intricacies of non-linear storytelling, revealing the challenges of weaving multiple timelines. Tess shares her journey from a homeschooled writer to a successful author, highlighting the significance of personal identity in publishing. The conversation also touches on adapting narratives for television and the impact of flashbacks in character development, adding depth to her thrilling tales.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about influencers, AI, and BookBub. Then, stick around for a chat with Andrew Gulli!Andrew Gulli's The Strand Magazine: The Strand Mystery Magazine is a quarterly which offers the best of both worlds—publishing previously unpublished works by literary masters such as John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway,  Rod Serling,  Louisa May Alcott, Shirley Jackson, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler , Tennessee Williams, and H.G.Wells . The Strand Magazine also features new works by today’s bestselling authors including Alexander McCall Smith, R.L. Stine, Michael Connelly, Faye Kellerman, Craig Johnson, Ruth Ware, Joseph Finder, and Jeffery Deaver, as well as engaging interviews. Our reviews section looks at the latest mystery/thriller offerings, Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and anthologies, in addition to audiobooks and DVDs. The Strand Mystery Magazine has been featured several times in The New York Times, NPR, PBS, USA Today, and the Associated Press.Our current issue features Ian Fleming, Graham Greene, C.J. Box, Denise Mina and John Floyd. We also have an interview with Amor Towles.

Join hosts Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about TikTok, Booktrovert, Meta, and training AI on copyright books. Then, stick around for a chat with Ewan Morrison!Ewan Morrison: Described as the ‘most fluent and intelligent Scottish writer of his generation’ by Booker Prize judge Stuart Kelly, Ewan Morrison is an award winning novelist and screenwriter and an essayist. Morrison’s writing has been praised by renowned authors Lionel Shriver, Ian Rankin, Fay Weldon, Douglas Coupland, James Frey, Irvine Welsh, James Robertson, Luke Rhinehart and Hanif Kureishi among others. Ewan's eighth book, the 'darkly comic thriller', HOW TO SURVIVE EVERYTHING was published by Contraband in the UK in 2021, and in the US with Harper Perennial in 2022. It tells the story of a teenage girl who is abducted by her survivalist father, who believes that a world ending pandemic has begun.​In November 2022, the book was optioned for a TV series and developed by Made Up Stories (Nine Perfect Strangers, Pieces of Her), Fifth Season & Kindling Pictures.

Peter Brown, a NYT bestselling author and illustrator known for 'The Wild Robot,' shares his journey from drawing whimsical characters to writing engaging children's books. He discusses the unique blend of text and illustrations that captivates young readers. The conversation dives into the challenges of adapting literature into film, focusing on his own experiences and the important themes in children's literature. Brown also emphasizes the candid and unfiltered responses from kids, revealing how they perceive stories differently than adults.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about poisonous books, The Late Show, Oprah, and James Frey. Then, stick around for a chat with Laura Lippman!Laura Lippman was a reporter for twenty years, including twelve years at The (Baltimore) Sun. She began writing novels while working fulltime and published seven books about “accidental PI” Tess Monaghan before leaving daily journalism in 2025. Her work has been awarded the Edgar ®, the Anthony, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Nero Wolfe, Gumshoe and Barry awards. She also has been nominated for other prizes in the crime fiction field, including the Hammett and the Macavity. She was the first-ever recipient of the Mayor’s Prize for Literary Excellence and the first genre writer recognized as Author of the Year by the Maryland Library Association.Ms. Lippman grew up in Baltimore and attended city schools through ninth grade. After graduating from Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Md., Ms. Lippman attended Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Her other newspaper jobs included the Waco Tribune-Herald and the San Antonio Light.Ms. Lippman returned to Baltimore in 1989 and has lived there since. She is the daughter of Theo Lippman Jr., a Sun editorial writer who retired in 1995 but continues to freelance for several newspapers, and Madeline Mabry Lippman, a former Baltimore City school librarian. Her sister, Susan, is a local bookseller.