Inside the Writer's Studio

Charlie talks with Matt Haig all the way from England about his bestselling novel The Midnight Library and his more recent non-fiction The Comfort Book. They discuss connections between the two books, the importance of hope, the ways in which depression and mental illness bubble up in Matt's work, the general fabulousness of libraries, and much more.

Charlie talks with journalist, essayist, and columnist Steven Petrow about his book Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old and about what it means to be a Civilist and a Perennial. They discuss humor, aging, voice in personal essays, structure, a writer's relationship with readers, and the stuff they both plan on not doping as they get older (which is happening fast!).

Charlie talks with Paul Rudnick, screenwriter for Sister Act and In and Out, about his new novel Playing the Palace, a gay romance with a happy ending. They discuss the progress made on queer issues since In and Out, the cult of celebrity, writing humor, and the sheer fun of writing some of the scenes in this delightful novel.

Charlie talks with bestselling novelist Christine Mangan about her new novel Palace of the Drowned. They discuss setting a novel in Venice, using detail to create character and setting, the author/editor relationship, what authors think of reviews and much more.

Shelley and Charlie discuss her debut novel The Vines, much of which is set on North Brother Island—a spot that also features in Charlie's Escaping Dreamland. They explore the overlaps between their respective novels; discuss themes of ethics, isolation, and identity; explore the history of North Brother and the appeal of island literature; and generally have a good time comparing novels.

Charlie talks with best-selling mystery writer Elizabeth George about her book on writing, Mastering the Process. They discuss their mutual affection for writing books set in Britain and take a close look at the development of setting and character in writing a novel.

Charlie talks with former National Geographic investigative reporter Bryan Christy about his debut novel, the international thriller In the Company of Killers. They discuss Bryan's long journey to novel writing, how investigative journalism can make a difference in the world, the criminal underworld, the classic image of American toxic masculinity, and more.

Charlie and Lisa discuss her historical novel Eternal, set in Rome during the rise and fall of Italian fascism. Lisa shares background about the history of the Italian Holocaust and talks about story telling, setting, historical research, family dynamics, and the torn loyalties that can be brought about in an authoritarian state.  We basically have a lot of fun talking about this terrific novel.

Charlie and Jill discuss here new novel Everything After touching on a wide range of topics from marriage to intimacy, pregnancy and miscarriage to the decisions we have made in our past and how we see those choices when we look back on them. Jill's thoughtful exploration of love, music, and the paths of our lives leads to a great conversation.

Charlie talks with NYT bestselling author Carol Edgarian about her latest novel, Vera, set before, during, and after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake—an event that also shows up in Charlie's novel Escaping Dreamland. They discuss not just earthquakes but racism, powerful women, the way disasters shape us and challenge us, how we learn from our characters, Enrico Caruso, and what Carol calls "the...

Charlie talks with historical novelist and longtime friend Erika Robuck about her new novel The Invisible Woman, which follows the exploits of Virginia Hall, an Allied operative who, despite having lost a leg, worked behind enemy lines during World War II. They discuss research, bravery, and the fine line between fiction and non-fiction along with many other topics.

John talks with thriller writer and fellow Davidson College graduate John Hart about his new novel The Unwilling. They discuss the craft of the crime thriller, building characters, recreating a recent historical time period, what makes a memorable villain, family dynamics and more.

Back from the holidays, Charlie talks with historical novelist and NYT bestseller Melanie Benjamin about her new book The Children's Blizzard. They discuss historical research, cultural portrayal, connecting historical characters to contemporary issues, and just how cold it can get on the Great Plains.

Charlie talks with international best selling author Alexander McCall Smith about Africa, Scotland, The Number 1 Ladies Detective Angency, the latest book in that series How to Raise an Elephant, and the perennial popular heroine Precious Ramotswe and her philosophy of life.

Charlie chats with audiobook reader Mike Lenz about how Mike made the move from running a pharmacy and being a mayor to having a career as a voice over artist. Mike recorded Charlie's novel Escaping Dreamland, and they discuss the process of recording an audiobook, the relationship between author and reader, and all the elements of writing—from punctuation to pacing—that a good audiobook narrator...

Debut novelist Bryan Washington stops by (via Zoom) to chat with Charlie about Bryan's new novel Memorial. They discuss racism, cultural diversity, the city of Houston, queer literature, and more.

Charlie talks with internationally bestselling author Dean Koontz about his new thriller, Elsewhere. They discuss science, parallel universes, imagination, the discipline of the writer. character development, and more.

Charlie talks with debut author Rudy Ruiz about his novel The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez. They discuss the bi-cultural nature of the US/Mexico border, magical realism, the Spanish language, Fulgencio as tragic hero, and much more.

Anne Bogel (a.k.a. The Modern Mrs. Darcy) guest hosts to interview Charlie about his new novel Escaping Dreamland. They discuss the power of stories, the truth behind The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, researching historical New York City and much more. And, for the first time, Charlie himself is subjected to the "ten questions"!

Charlie talks with film and television actor Henry Winkler about his enormously successful books for children, including the Hank Zipzer series. Winkler, though his books and personal appearances, is an advocate for children with dyslexia and learning differences and he and Charlie discuss the challenges of living with dyslexia, the importance of education and parent support, and Charlie's alma ma...

Charlie talks with the Crazy Rich Asians author about his new book, Sex and Vanity. They discuss the influences of islands like Capri, Manhattan, and Long Island; the world of the super-rich; the relationship between wealth, art, and beauty; the novels of E. M. Forster as a precursor to Kwan's work, and the joy of Italian food.

Charlie talks with Steven Wright about his book The Coyotes of Carthage, a novel of American political scheming. They discuss not just politics and voting rights and collateral damage wrought by the criminal justice system but also race and writing. How does a novel written more than a year ago take on new relevance in the current political climate, the pandemic, and the wake of the BLM movement?...

Charlie talks with Steven Rowley, author of The Editor, a novel in which a young man sells his first novel and discovers that his editor of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. They discuss writing historical figures as characters, researching an intensely private person, autobiographical fiction, the challenges of recent historical fiction, and of course much about the former first lady herself.

Charlie talks with Ben Taylor, author of the deeply personal and meditative Here We Are: My Friendship with Philip Roth. Taylor talks of his relationship with one of the great American novelist of the past half century and the conversation covers the nature of memoirs and novels, the place of humor in Roth's life and works, the heyday of the celebrity author, the manipulation of "reality" to creat...

Charlie talks with Sue about her new book The Book of Longings in which the main character, Ana, is married to Jesus. They discuss religion, Galilean art and architecture, writing technology of the first century, and the place of women in the time of Christ—and how that position echoes across the centuries to today.