Five Compelling Questions with Shawn

Shawn chats with short story author Chris Bagley about her journey as a writer, her latest collection, The Madness of Ida May, the nuances of writing short stories, self-doubt, validation, influences, and the appeal of short stories in today's fast-paced world.

Shawn chats with Henry Hunsicker about his most recent novel, The Life and Death of Rose Doucette, his influences and writing style, Texas, writing after multiple other jobs, and elaborate bookshelves.

Shawn chats with Charles Philipp Martin about his latest book, 'Rented Grave,' his journey as a writer, the influence of Hong Kong on Martin's writing, character development, focusing on craft, the joy of storytelling, and his unique approach to crime fiction.

Shawn chats with KL Murphy about her journey from high school journalism to writing fiction, her experiences in creating strong female protagonists, her unique writing process that emphasizes discovery over outlining, valuable advice for aspiring writers, and the importance of community in the writing world.

Shawn chats with MP Woodward about the Handler CIA espionage series and the latest installment in the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series, Shadow State, his background as a Naval Intelligence Officer, the influence of Tom Clancy on his writing, and the key elements that make a compelling political thriller.

Shawn chats with Claire M Johnson about her journey from being a secretary to becoming a published author, exploring the cultural landscape of California, particularly San Francisco, in the 1930s, her writing process, the influence of historical context and cinema on her work, and the challenges of navigating the publishing world.

Shawn chats with Nancy Cole Silverman, accomplished author and former radio journalist, about her latest book, Murder on the Med, featuring her protagonist, Kat Lawson, in a Mediterranean setting, the importance of storytelling, the unique aspects of writing for audio, the balance between writing and community involvement, the writing process, and her experiences as a military wife during the Viet...

Shawn chats with Micki Bare about her newest book, Omega Crag, the creative process behind her writing, the importance of themes such as family and the environment, the accolades her books have received, targeting an audience, the significance of writing for middle-grade readers, and advice for aspiring young writers.

Shawn chats with debut author Jenny Dandy about her journey into writing at the age of 65, discussing her debut novel 'The Brownstone on East 83rd', which features a con artist navigating the complexities of life in New York City, the significance of setting, character development, and the writing process.

Shawn chats with bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author David Ellis, an accomplished judge and author, about his latest book, The Best Lies, the complexities of character development, the writing process, the importance of reader connection, navigating cultural sensitivity in writing, David's journey from lawyer to author, the power of storytelling, and the joy of writing.

Shawn chats with Connie Berry about her latest novel, A Collection of Lies, the latest in the Kate Hamilton series, Connie's journey into writing, the intricacies of crafting plots and characters, and the challenges of maintaining a long-running series, her writing process, the importance of research, and her personal preferences in reading and writing.

Shawn chats with Bryan E Robinson, a multifaceted writer and psychologist, about his journey from a dysfunctional childhood to becoming a successful author of both fiction and non-fiction, the inspiration behind his latest novel, Way Dead Upon the Suwannee River, how his background in psychology informs his character development, insights on maintaining a work-life balance as a writer, the power o...

Shawn chats with return guest Brian Freeman about his latest novel, The Bourne Shadow, the evolution of the Bourne series, character development, the writing process, the intricacies of crafting plot twists, his approach to writing, the challenges of taking over a legacy character, and his daily writing routine.

Shawn chats with David Winner about his latest book, Master Lovers, and Winner's discovery of hidden love letters from his great aunt, which inspired the narrative of the book, research, the challenges of writing historical fiction, and the unexpected connections between love, deception, and historical figures.

Shawn chats with Portugal-based author Tess Amy, about her novel The Confidence Games, a contemporary heist novel featuring two strong female protagonists, the inspiration for the characters and the story, research into the psychology of con artists, a writing process focused on pacing, Tess's unexpected journey from a career in healthcare to becoming a full-time writer and her desire to encourage...

Shawn chats with John Torres, a professor of political science and a prolific writer, about John's journey from journalism to creative writing, the challenges of balancing teaching and writing, his experiences with short stories and novel writing, the writing process, the importance of community among writers, and how his political background informs his fiction.

Shawn chats with historical fiction author Jane Loeb Rubin about her novel Threadbare, which explores themes of women's rights issues past and present, women's health, general healthcare, immigration, personal growth, Jane's journey from healthcare to writing, the inspiration behind her stories, and the importance of research in historical fiction.

Shawn chats with Rob Hart about his latest book, Assassins Anonymous, which explores the life of a former assassin navigating a 12-step recovery program, Rob's writing process, character development, moral complexities, and the importance of humor in writing.

Shawn chats with Albert Waitt about his new novel, Flood Tide, his journey as a writer, the development of his character, LT Nichols, writing influences, music, challenges, and the significance of the setting in his mystery novels.

Shawn chats with author and crime fiction writer Jode Millman about The Empty Kayak, which is inspired by true crimes in the Hudson Valley, the importance of setting in her stories, her transition from law to writing, and the establishment of the Writers Law School to educate writers about their legal rights.

Shawn chats with Mary Carol Moore about her novel Last Bets, the inspiration behind it, her transition from food writing to fiction, character development, female friendships, lessons learned, and the importance of authenticity in writing.

Shawn chats with Jeffrey Wilson, a co-author of Act of Defiance in the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series, about Wilson's diverse background, the collaborative writing process with his partner Brian Andrews, the challenges and joys of writing within the established Clancy universe, military service, accountability, keeping a routine with a partner, the importance of family sacrifices, and the creative pr...

Shawn chats with award-winning author and journalist Brooke Lee Foster about her latest novel, All the Summers in Between, the significance of beach settings in her work, the complexities of female friendships, the historical context that shapes her characters, the challenges of dual timelines, revisions, and the odd coincidence of Shawn and Brooke living in the same dorm and the same floor (diffe...

Shawn chats with debut author Parul Kapoor about her novel Inside the Mirror, which explores the lives of twin sisters in 1950s Bombay, India, creativity, societal restrictions, her extensive writing process, the significance of art, and challenges faced in the lives of writers.

Shawn chats with Jesse Rosen about her journey as a writer, her new book, The Heirloom, the importance of sharing work, embracing rejection, inspirations for writing, superstition and marriage in her book, and offers valuable advice for aspiring writers.