Heather Gudenkauf is the Edgar Award nominated, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of ten novels, including The Overnight Guest and her most recent thriller Everyone is Watching. Her debut novel, The Weight of Silence, was an instant NYT bestseller and remained on the list for 22 weeks. Gudenkauf’s critically acclaimed novels have been published in over 25 countries and have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Her books have been featured on many Best Of roundups including ...

Author of Chocolat, the best-selling novel that became the acclaimed movie starring Juliette Binoche, Dame Judi Dench, and Johnny Depp, Joanne Harris weighs in on her latest novel, Vianne and what it's taken to maintain her successful writing career. Joanne Harris is the internationally renowned and award-winning author of more than twenty novels, plus novellas, cookbooks, scripts, short stories, libretti, lyrics, articles, and a self-help book for writers. Her books are published in fi...

Olivia Dade sheds light on the jobs predating her writing career and why maintaining voice is important to an author's success. Dade grew up an undeniable nerd, prone to ignoring the world around her as she read any book she could find. Her favorites, though, were always, always romances. As an adult, she earned an M.A. in American history and worked in a variety of jobs that required the donning of actual pants: Colonial Williamsburg interpreter, high school teacher, academic tutor, an...

Elizabeth Bass Parnam queried over two-hundred times before landing an agent and finding her novel in a four-way bidding war. Not giving up landed her where she'd always wanted to be: living the life of a professional novelist. This episode, Elizabeth shares her journey and discusses her newest novel, Bees in June. Elizabeth is a native Nashvillian, who had the extraordinarily good fortune of having as an English teacher in middle school author Lee Smith. Lee told Elizabeth to always ke...

Writing can be a struggle between joy and pain, but Jennifer Probst seems to have figured out how to pivot during the less enjoyable times. Jennifer is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifty books in contemporary romance fiction. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over 2 million copies, and was dubbed a "romance phenom" by Kirkus Reviews. Her passions include reading, horse racing, Scrabble, Italian wine and food...

Poppy and Kris have an honest conversation about writing with neurodivergence and other health issues, and Poppy gives the background of her latest novel, Battle of the Bookshops. Poppy Alexander is the author of The Littlest Library, Storybook Ending, and 25 Days ’Til Christmas. She wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off wi...

Hannah McKinnon enjoyed success writing for young people. Then, pulled back when asked to write edgier novels, recalibrating and finding success in the adult market. Hannah is the author of several acclaimed novels, including The Lake Season, Mystic Summer, The Summer House, Sailing Lessons, The View from Here, Message in the Sand, The Darlings, The Summer Club, and her latest, The Sandy Page Bookshop. She graduated from Connecticut College and the University of South Australia. She liv...

Courtney Psak graduated with a degree in Communications and Journalism with a master’s degree in Publishing. She currently lives in Palm Beach, Florida with her husband and two sons. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, the National Writers Association, International Thriller Writers and a board member for the Mystery Writers of America. Her newest novel is The Tutor. Special thanks to Net Galley for an early copy. Learn more at courtneypsak.com Intro ...

Jane Hamilton shares what she's been doing since publishing her last novel almost ten years ago and reveals what got in her way while writing The Phoebe Variations. Jane Hamilton is the author of seven critically acclaimed and bestselling novels, including The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, both of which were Oprah's Book Club selections. Her nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Allure, Elle, and various anthologies. She's married to an apple farmer ...

Shirley Russak Wachtel is the author of the short story collection Three For A Dollar, the book of poetry, In The Mellow Light, and several books for children. Her short stories and poems have appeared in various literary journals. A daughter of Holocaust survivors, Wachtel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a doctor of letters degree from Drew University and Professor Emerita of English at Middlesex College in New Jersey. The mother of three grown sons and grandmother...

What does it take to become a successful multi-genre author? J.T. Ellison reveals how she's navigated the changing publishing market while maintaining an authentic writing voice and promotional image. JT is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 35+ novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, ...

Amran Gowani is a former Wall Street analyst, a prolific content creator and over the last four years he's written and produced 200 humorous personal essays and satirical short-form pieces. When Amran’s not hanging out with imaginary people in imaginary places, he enjoys biking around the great city of Chicago, bouldering with his extraordinary wife Felicia, and reading comic books with his two wildly imaginative and deeply ungrateful children. By leveraging his lifelong love of film, literat...

Ally Carter's novels are infused with excitement and Mr. and Mrs. Smith level romantic intrigue. Crafting them is not as easy as some might assume. Ally peels back the curtain and shares unvarnished accountings of the heartache that comes with creating electric jaunts for her characters. Ally is the bestselling author of novels that have epitomized action-adventure YA romance for more than a decade. From the spy-centric humor of I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You to ...

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN is USA Today bestselling author of 16 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors for her groundbreaking journalism and true crime stories. National book critics call her “a superb and gifted storyteller.” Her current novel isOne Wrong Word, a twisty story of gas...

Joelle Babula writes about things your mother warned you not to talk about at the dinner table, like infidelity, emotional chaos and cheese-induced bliss. A former award-winning journalist and columnist turned nurse practitioner, Joelle now lives on Baltimore’s inner harbor with her adoring husband and two absurd cats. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, she spends her days caring for patients and her nights stirring up fictional drama, often with a glass of wine in hand...

David Wroblewski is the author, most recently, of the novel Familiaris, his follow up to the internationally bestselling The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle, an Oprah Book Club pick, Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, winner of the Colorado Book Award, Indie Choice Best Author Discovery award, and Midwest Bookseller Association's Choice award, in addition to being selected as one of the best books of the year by numerous magazines and newspapers. David received an M.F.A. in Creati...

Juliette Fay returns to the Writing Table; this time to discuss writing historical fiction and the work she's done to create The Harvey Girls. Fay is the bestselling author of eight novels. THE TUMBLING TURNER SISTERS was a USA Today bestseller and Costco Pennie’s Book Club Pick. THE SHORTEST WAY HOME was chosen as one of Library Journal’s Top 5 Best Books of 2012: Women’s Fiction; DEEP DOWN TRUE was short-listed for the 2011Women’s Fiction award by the American Library Association; and...

Bestselling author Karin Slaughter shares how she got her start, explores her writing process, and gives listeners a look at what's coming next. Karin Slaughter 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 star...

Laura Wood peels back the emotions behind her writing and provides a preview of her novel, Let's Make A Scene. Wood is a bestselling and acclaimed author of children’s and young adult novels. She is also the author of the adult novels Under Your Spell and Let’s Make a Scene. With a PhD in 19th-century literature, Laura lives in Warwickshire, England, with her husband, and their dog, Bea. Visit LauraClareWood.com and follow her on Instagram @LauraCWood and on X @LauraClareWood. Spe...

Anna Barrington has worked in galleries, museums, and auction houses in the art world for seven years. She received an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and a BA from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Originally from Atlanta, she grew up on Cape Cod and currently lives in the UK. THE SPECTACLE is her first novel. Learn more at annabarrington.com Special thanks to Net Galley for providing advance copies. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro Recordin...