
Writers, Ink: Your backstage pass to the world's most prolific authors
What does it take to succeed as a writer? Join host J.D. Barker and a panel of industry experts as they pull back the curtain and offer rare insights from the household names found on bookshelves worldwide.
Latest episodes

Feb 11, 2025 • 1h 10min
From acclaimed documentary filmmaker to first-time novelist with Tod Lending
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about the 'copyrightability' of AI works, NetGalley, and Kindle Vella. Then, stick around for a chat with Tod Lending!Tod Lending -Academy Award™-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Mr. Lending has spent nearly four decades creating documentaries that illuminate the human capacity for resilience amid adversity. Now a debut novelist, he brings his deep storytelling instincts to the written page, exploring moral dilemmas and the lingering shadows of persecution in his upcoming work.

Feb 4, 2025 • 1h 11min
Twisting the norm in horror with award-winning writer/director turned author, Lucy Rose.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Bookshop, Amazon and Bloomsbury, Dan Brown's next Robert Langdon novel, and Simon & Schuster. Then, stick around for a chat with Lucy Rose!
Lucy Rose - Cumbrian dwelling in the North East. Writer of folktales and fables.
Lucy Rose is an author and award-winning filmmaker with an interest in gothic, girlhood, horror, and literary fiction. Her short fiction and nonfiction have been published in Dread Central, Mslexia, The Observer, The Nerd Daily and more. Lucy’s forthcoming debut novel, THE LAMB is forthcoming from W&N Books (UK) and Harper (US).
Her award-winning short film, SHE LIVES ALONE, attended BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying festivals before being acquired by WatchALTER. Lucy’s latest short film, TASTE, is visiting festivals over 2023/24 and has attended BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying film festivals.
Lucy lives on the North East coast with her beautiful black cat, Figgy.

Jan 28, 2025 • 1h 10min
Crafting a thriller around real-world events with #1 NYT Bestseller, Joseph Finder.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about TikTok uncertainty, Apple's AI, and Instagram Reels. Then, stick around for a chat with Joseph Finder!
Joseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of 17 suspense novels, most recently the forthcoming The Oligarch’s Daughter. His most recently published novel House On Fire is the fourth featuring “private spy” Nick Heller. His books have won numerous awards, including the Strand Critics Award for Best Novel for Buried Secrets (2011), the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Novel for Killer Instinct (2006) and the Barry Award for Best Thriller for Company Man (2005). The Boston Globe has called him a “master of the modern thriller.” Two of his novels have been made into major motion pictures, including High Crimes, adapted into the hit 2002 movie starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman; and Paranoia, the 2013 film starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Liam Hemsworth. A founding member of the International Thriller Writers, as well as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. Joe is a graduate of Yale and the Harvard Russian Research Center. He lives in Boston.

11 snips
Jan 21, 2025 • 1h 9min
A twisty journey through Silicon Valley with Jakob Kerr.
Jakob Kerr, author of 'Dead Money' and an early Airbnb employee, shares his journey from tech to storytelling. He humorously discusses the quirks of AI in book creation and the unexpected rise of a self-help book due to an NFL player's endorsement. Jakob reflects on the challenges of writing amidst family life and explores the influence of Silicon Valley on narrative style. He also emphasizes the transformative power of collaboration, the importance of addressing self-doubt, and the potential stories waiting to be told from everyday experiences.

Jan 14, 2025 • 1h 18min
Crafting Historical Fiction with #1 NYT Bestseller, P.C. Cast.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about an alternative to Google Docs, Jenna Bush, Fable App, and Michael Jacobs. Then, stick around for a chat with PC Cast!
PC Cast was born in the Midwest, and, after her tour in the USAF, she taught high school for 15 years before retiring to write full time. PC is a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Booksellers' Best, and many, many more. Ms. Cast is an experienced teacher and talented speaker who lives in Oregon near her fabulous daughter, her adorable pack of dogs, her crazy Maine Coon, and a bunch of horses.

Jan 7, 2025 • 59min
The Memoir Engineering System with Wendy Dale.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Netflix, Jimmy Carter, and James Patterson. Then, stick around for a chat with Wendy Dale!
Wendy Dale: In spite of the title of her first book, Wendy Dale has not been very good at avoiding prisons, especially the ones located in Costa Rica. A world traveler known for heading to some of the strangest places on the planet, she has also competed for jogging space in Colombia with guerrillas intent on overthrowing the government, learned to dance salsa in Cuba with the aid of a 60-year-old woman intent on starting each morning with a healthy dose of rum, and dodged bombs in Lebanon. (The good news, as she would learn later, was that they were small bombs. "Very small bombs" her optimistic guide in Beirut would helpfully point out.)
She studied film in Cochabamba, Bolivia, the city she currently calls home, where she writes and directs comedic shorts in Spanish. Long ago she lived in Los Angeles, where she wrote a humorous TV special that was nominated for an Emmy ("The New Adventures of Mother Goose.")
She is currently at work on a new memoir.

Dec 31, 2024 • 1h 9min
The Business of Being a Writer with Hot Sheet Author Jane Friedman.
In this engaging discussion, Jane Friedman, a seasoned publishing expert with over 25 years in the industry and co-founder of The Hot Sheet, shares invaluable insights on the shifting landscape of writing and publishing. She highlights the rise of self-publishing and its potential for authors. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on storytelling and the growing importance of digital platforms for marketing. With a focus on patience and perseverance, Friedman provides guidance for both aspiring and established writers navigating today's challenges in the literary world.

Dec 24, 2024 • 1h 5min
Ghostwriting with international bestseller, Tom Bromley
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about The Black List, the National Film Registry, and MJ Rose. Then, stick around for a chat with Tom Bromley!
Tom Bromley: Who am I? In short, I have worked in publishing for almost 25 years as an author, editor, creative writing instructor and ghostwriter.
For a longer bio, click here: https://www.tombromley.co.uk/

Dec 17, 2024 • 1h
The Importance of Building a Brand with Marissa Eigenbrood.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about AAP, OpenAI's Sora, and Google Docs. Then, stick around for a chat with Marissa Eigenbrood!
Marissa Eigenbrood is Vice President of Smith Publicity, the most prolific book marketing agency in the publishing industry, with thousands of books promoted since 1997. From first-time, self-published authors to New York Times bestsellers, Smith Publicity promotes every genre, and has secured media coverage for authors and books with every top media outlet in the U.S. And Canada. The firm has offices in Cherry Hill, NJ, and Toronto. Contact Smith Publicity at info@smithpublicity.com.

Dec 10, 2024 • 1h 1min
How the right PR firm can take your career to the next level with Melanie Herschorn of VIP Book Marketing.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about booming bookstores, Taylor Swift's book, and Stephen King's radio stations. Then, stick around for a chat with Melanie Herschorn!
Melanie Herschorn - Get ready to step into your spotlight as an authority. As a publisher and book marketing strategist for attorneys, wealth advisors and business owners, worldwide, I'm on a mission to empower authors to share your message with the world.
With my comprehensive background of over 20 years as a celebrity publicist, award-winning journalist in radio, print, and TV, as well as a clothing designer and entrepreneur, I am uniquely positioned to support authors to step into thought leadership and make a big impact with their book.
I earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California, where I graduated first in my class. I grew up in Canada, have lived on both US coasts, and now reside in Arizona with my husband, daughter and son, our Cavalier King Charles Marty McDog and our Siberian cat Phoebe.
My new book, Make a Big Impact with Your Book, is available now.
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