Five Compelling Questions with Shawn

Shawn and Leah chat about common and uncommon knowledge, being broke in NYC, believing in yourself, finding free things to do, being inspired in bookstores, taking five or ten years to write a novel, and not loving chocolate.

Shawn and Heather chat about Christmas shops on the beach, when Christmas decorations go up and come down, talking about murder at the dinner table, finding things in your house to kill with, Law & Order TV, and writing multiple series.

Shawn and Lynn chat about Canada, ski resorts and skiing, writing millennial mysteries, 1950s housewives, reimagining goals after life's twists and turns, gorgeous actors and actresses, and the enduring appeal of cozy mysteries.

Shawn and Jenny chat about her debut novel, awkward beginnings, being human, finding the right agent, being midwestern, feeling like an outsider, trailer parks, and making new friends in the best way possible.

Shawn and Julie chat about historical mysteries, representing historical time periods accurately, writing short and long fiction, dogs and cats living together, and very hot peppers.

Shawn and Erica chat about playing violin at the Met, musicians turned authors, Charlotte Bronte, finding a publishing home for your series, and kindness.

Shawn and Marilyn chat about writing for adults and younger readers, Level Elevate, controlled chaos, eavesdropping in coffee shops, and coffee entrepreneurs/enthusiasts.

Shawn and Leah chat about her debut adult mystery novel, finding a location for a mystery series on a family trip, summers of our youth, finding time in the day, having young children, and their love of libraries.

Shawn and Des chat about his career in law enforcement and how it informs his fiction writing, writing multiple series, parents, comments on websites, and being told real experiences you've had wouldn't ever happen.

Shawn and Skye chat about historical mysteries, astrology, Skye founding Level Best Books, having characters speak to you while driving home, when heroin was legal, and writing both fiction and nonfiction works.

Shawn and Jeff chat about his storied career, writing close to fifty books, writing short stories for Amazon, how there are no writing prodigies, Quentin Tarantino and Dashiel Hammet, not playing well with others, an editing hack to improve your own writing, and great advice for students of writing from a master of the genre.

Shawn and Sophie chat about writing with small children around, multiple weddings of family members, divorce during childhoods, first draft messes, no more multiple timelines, how to keep writing, when it feels like you shouldn't, and discovering things about yourself during a pandemic.

Shawn and Mally chat about saying yes to things, putting yourself out there, a new definition of true authors, where we've been before, Charlaine Harris, and the Miss America Pageant.

Shawn and Rachel chat about game shows vs. bank job work, Judy Blume, An American Warewolf in London, feeling protective of your world, having a good writing day, and going with a positive flow.

Shawn and Kamilia chat about loyalty, extreme loyalty, writing fiction, having different experiences with different friends, and loving the writing life.

Shawn and Deanna chat about being of a certain age, no crying during the editing process, writing whenever you can, keeping characters alive in your mind, and loving the writing life.

Shawn and Bobby chat about his debut novel, Bobby's podcast "Who? Weekly," moving to different parts of the country, having parents as teachers, trauma informing humor, blogging vs. writing fiction, and small towns.

Shawn chats with K.J. Dell'Antonia about her new book IN HER BOOTS, fear of becoming our mothers, how we are perceived in the world, listening to inner voices, easy first drafts, and what it's like to be one of Reese's Book Club Picks. 

Shawn chats with Ashley Poston about her book being named a Good Morning America book club pick, Fan Fiction and how it has influenced Ashley's life and career, finding your identity in someone else's writing, killing off loved ones in your stories, and being wise in your early years. 

Shawn chats with returning guest Linda Norlander about the newest book in her series, wanting to be a cowgirl, the importance of having an editor in your life, messy middles, New Yorkers, and snow-driving skills. 

Shawn chats with British author Louise Hare about writing, mentoring and working with other writers, Black people in historical fiction, addressing racism in different forums, solving problems while drunk, and how boring office jobs can inspire creativity. 

Shawn and Lucy chat about living near the sea, what makes a great thriller thrilling, turning books into movies, what movie sets are really like, and how it took Lucy only seventeen days to write the first draft of her newest novel. 

Shawn chats with Nancy Cole Silverman, author of The Navigator's Daughter, the first book in the new Kat Larson historical mystery series about history inspiring current day and writing, being a military wife, the power of words, working in radio, and their mutual love of wine. 

Shawn chats with Susan Van Kirk, author of the Art Center Mystery series, about her new series, art in everyday life, going from academic writing to fiction, being from the Midwest, banned books, and a special interaction with Kurt Vonnegut. 

Shawn and Don chat about writing in the Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan Universe, juggling multiple jobs, writing more than one series, writing a new book every five months, creative sulking, comparing writing to giving birth, and the value of networking with other writers.