Inside the Writer's Studio

Charlie visits with Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven and the recently published The Glass Hotel about looking back on a book about a global flu pandemic, how novels get started, the art of coincidence, international shipping, Ponzi schemes, and much more.

Charlie talks with NYT bestselling nonfiction author Tom Clavin about his new book Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell. They discuss the enduring mythos (and reality) of the American western frontier as well as how to create nonfiction characters, the influence of Hollywood, and even a little bit about another pillar of American mythology—baseball.

Charlie and Chris discuss The Red Lotus, a thriller that has taken on unexpected relevance because it deals with a potential pandemic in New York City. They discuss Chris's research (from emergency rooms to Vietnam), how to choose a great title, what sort of books make good films, the role of the publicist in the life of a writer, and much more.

Charlie talks with science writer Neil Shubin about the history of genetic science as revealed in Neil's new book Some Assembly Required. From Darwin to DNA with lots of fascinating stories in between Neil helps us not understand not only where we came from as a species but the stories of the men and women who discovered, and continue to discover, the secrets of our evolutionary journey.

Charlie talks with the author of The Devil and the White City and Dead Wake about his brilliant new non-fiction book The Splendid and the Vile, which details the first year of Winston Churchill's prime ministry. They discuss not just Churchill, leadership, and the blitz but the similarities between fiction and non-fiction, how Erik picks a topic, how he found new materials on such a frequently res...

Charlie talks with novelist and screenwriter Timothy Reinhardt, author of the novel Jesus's Brother James, about writing for the page and for the screen. They discuss putting yourself in a character's shoes, writing humor, the influence of Tim's growing up near a monastery, and Tim's unique way of drafting a novel.

Charlie talks with New York Times bestselling author Jason Mott author of The Returned, which was adapted as the television series Resurrection. They discuss Jason's latest book The Crossing and topics range from the appeal of dystopian literature to drawing inspiration from classical mythology to writing about twins.

Charlie talks with debut novelist Amy K. Green about her murder thriller The Prized Girl. They discuss pacing, dysfunctional families, secrets, multiple points of view and more as they talk about this novel of two half-sisters—one murdered before the first page and one determined to find the killer of the sister she never really knew.

Charlie talks with his old friend Michael Huie about Michael's debut spy thriller Spitfire. They discuss the French Resistance, the genre of the espionage novel, and the creative life that actor, playwright, journalist, teacher, and father Huie has pursued. Michael will appear at the Bookmarks Moveable Feast in Winston-Salem on February 8 & 9, 2020.

Charlie talks with the creator of Dexter, the basis for the hit TV series, about his newest novel, Just Watch Me, which launches a new series and a new hero, master thief Riley Wolfe. They discuss anti-heroes, planning a heist, how current events can shape readers' view of a novel, and much more. 

For a special 50th episode, Charlie talks with internationally bestselling author Robin Cook, who created the genre of the medical thriller with his 1977 novel Coma. Thirty-six novels later, Robin has written Genesis, a novel that uses the thriller format to explore the use of DNA in crime fighting. The discussion covers medicine, character development, plotting, why the thriller is a great medium...

Charlie chats with Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Whisper Network—a work place thriller set against the background of #MeToo—about making the transition from YA to adult novels, the hidden (and no so hidden) secrets of women in the corporate world, and the challenges of balancing a age turning thriller with a true life behind the curtain look at workplace politics.

Anne Bogel, aka The Modern Mrs. Darcy, chose Charlie's novel The Bookman's Tale for her October Book Club read. Anne came to Winston-Salem to interview Charlie live at Bookmarks in front of an audience of about 150 and her interview makes up this special episode of the podcast. 

Charlie talks with recent Bookmarks Festival presenter and Hugo Award winning science fiction author Becky Chambers about (you guessed it) both science and fiction. They look at how sci-fi can explore the human condition and how humans might explore the universe, all through a discussion of Becky's lovely novella To Be Taught if Fortunate. Trust us, you don't have to like science fiction to love B...

At the Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors in Winston-Salem, Charlie talks with Orange Prize winner Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger's Wife, about her acclaimed new novel, Inland. Charlie and Téa talk about the immigrant experience (both in real life and in fiction), the Arizona Territory, magical realism, and Téa's beautiful style of writing. 

Charlie talks with Dave Cullen, author of Columbine, about his latest book, Parkland: Birth of a Movement. They discuss the student activism based in Parkland, Florida that grew up following a school shooting there in 2018. They also touch on the place of a journalist, theatre as therapy, and Dave's book in progress about two gay men in the US Army.

Casey joins Charlie to discuss her new book, Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee. Casey talks about this fascinating excursion first into a bizarre and forgotten multiple murder case in Alabama and second into the story of how Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird, almost made this case her own version of In Cold Blood. Southern history, racial justice, writer's bl...

Charlie talks with the New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress about her sweeping new family saga of a novel, The Guest Book. In discussing this tale of a wealthy American family across several generations, they encounter topics such as how the past speaks to us and through us, how one generation can be complicit in the actions of another, how racism and anti-semitism have shaped the...

Charlie talks with novelist and bookseller Lisa Howorth about independent bookstores (including Lisa's famous Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi) and her new novel The Summerlings. They discuss childhood in the 1950s, the tradition of the child protagonist in Southern literature, the Cold War, and more as they talk about this funny, moving, thought-provoking, and downright fun novel of childhood.

Charlie is in England and Julie is in Israel as they discuss her recent novel in stories, The Book of Jeremiah. They talk about writing linked short stories, the immigrant experience in the United States and Israel, contemporary Judaism, and why a central character who is sometimes cantankerous can be so delightful to read about.

Charlie talks with international best selling novelist Louise Penny about her beloved hero Armand Gamache, the residents of Three Pines, the sound of writing, what it's like to write a series, and much more. The conversation also delves into Penny's forthcoming fifteenth book, A Better Man and of course mentions food, weather, and Canada!

In front of a live audience at Bookmarks, Charlie talks with bestselling author Gwendolyn Womack about her new novel The Time Collector. Listen in as they discuss psychometry, antiques, New Orleans, and the power of memory.

In the creepy confines of the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England, Charlie talks with best selling crime novelist Cara Hunter about her latest novel featuring Detective Inspector Adam Fawley, No Way Out. Charlie & Cara discuss Oxford, detective fiction, the secrets of writing a good mystery, and more.

Charlie talks old Hollywood, new Hollywood, movies, gossip, and scandal with Shawn Levy, film critic and historian and author of the fascinating new book The Castle on Sunset, a history of the Chateau Marmont, one of LA's most famous and infamous buildings,.

Charlie talks ethics, morality, justice, and artificial intelligence with Ian McEwan, author of Atonement, Amsterdam, and his latest novel Machines Like Me—a throughly enjoyable and thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human in which Alan Turing, the Beatles, and a robot named Adam all take a part.