Five Compelling Questions with Shawn

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.

Shawn chats with bestselling author Lisa Barr about her latest book, The Goddess of Warsaw, inspiration, character development, revenge, redemption, historical fiction, and Lisa's personal connection to the Holocaust.

Shawn chats with debut author Lori Brand about her book Bodies to Die For, body image, societal pressures on women, Lori's personal fitness journey, writing motivation, getting published, empowerment, self-acceptance, the need for solidarity among women, and the importance of strength over appearance.

Shawn chats with Lorie Lewis Ham, a multifaceted writer involved in journalism, fiction, and podcasting, about Lorie's journey as a writer, the inception of her online magazine Kings River Life, balancing responsibilities, the importance of community in the mystery writing genre, and the novels in the Tower District series.

Shawn chats with stand-up comedian and author Suzanne Park, a Korean American writer, about her latest book, One Last Word, the unique premise of the book, which revolves around an app that allows users to send their final messages to loved ones upon their deaths, comedic influences, joy and empowerment, the importance of character development, the challenges of being a female writer in the ventur...

Shawn chats with debut author Evan S. Porter about his novel Dad Camp, his journey from blogging to writing fiction, the themes of fatherhood, masculinity, and the emotional challenges faced by parents, especially fathers, his daughters and how they inspired his writing, his hopes for readers to find humor and depth in his work, and the importance of storytelling in processing emotions.

Shawn chats with Liza Palmer, a two-time Emmy-nominated author, about her latest book, Family Reservations, family dynamics, the restaurant industry, the challenges of writing through personal adversity, cancer, the importance of food as a love language, and the complexities of female relationships in a male-dominated industry.

Shawn welcomes back author Ramona Ausubel to discuss the paperback release of The Last Animal, its themes, the reception it has received, the creative process of writing, the challenges of adapting literature for the screen, and the surprising feedback from readers.

Shawn chats with Hugh Lessig about his debut novel, Fadeaway Joe, the inspiration behind the book, dementia, hope, personal experiences, journalism to novel writing, and the importance of character development.

Shawn chats with Author Sheryl Ickes about her journey into writing cozy mysteries, particularly her Slice of Life Mystery Series, cake decorating, truck driving, the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and the importance of marketing for authors.