The Author's Mind

Adele Royce, author of the Neon Diaries and a Kirkus Star recipient for Summer's Blood , reveals how she transitioned from romantic comedies to writing thrillers that grip readers from page one. Hosted by Shilo Creed (42 novels, 1.4M copies sold). In this episode: • The prologue trick Adele uses to hook readers before chapter one • Why your thriller's opening 250 words determine whether someone bu...

What if the difference between a bestseller and a book that stays buried isn't talent — it's flow state? LISTEN TO EVERY MINUTE OF THIS POD! Steven Puri spent his career at the crossroads of Hollywood and technology. Visual effects for Braveheart, Independence Day, True Lies, and Seven. Senior executive at multiple motion picture studios. $20M in venture capital raised. And now — tools used by cre...

Most authors write their characters. J. Vaelorin becomes them — and it costs him. In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed sits down with dark fantasy author Justin Anderson (J. Valorian), creator of the Valorianverse, to explore what it really means to write grief, trauma, and mental health into fiction — not as a message, but as the invisible architecture underneath every word. Justin r...

Want to write a novel readers can't put down? In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed talks with romantic fantasy author P.K. Stuart about the fiction craft tools that make stories feel alive: believable villains, realistic dialogue, suspense, fight scenes, character development, and the mindset it takes to actually finish a book. P.K. shares how she approaches writing as a pantser, why...

How do you write historical fiction that feels real without drowning your reader in research? In this episode of The Author’s Mind , Shilo Creed sits down with Canadian novelist, literature scholar, and criminologist Cinda Gault to talk about writing historical fiction, creating believable characters, and transforming years of research into a story readers actually want to finish. Cinda shares how...

Most writers think readers quit because the plot is boring. They're wrong. According to Stanford-trained, Amazon #1 bestselling novelist Rick Glaze — readers quit because the stakes weren't high enough to begin with. In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed sits down with Rick Glaze — author of Eight Pieces of Eight , Amazon bestseller, and one of the most unconventional storytellers work...

What do Hollywood screenwriters know about story structure that most novelists never learn? In this episode, two professional authors pull back the curtain on the rules that actually make fiction work — from writing villains that terrify readers to the editing secrets behind the world's greatest novels. Richard Sparks (40+ years as a professional scriptwriter, the man who wrote the sketch that lau...

Most authors never think about dyslexic readers — and they're leaving a massive audience on the table. Dyslexia expert and professor Russell Von Brocklin breaks down exactly how the dyslexic brain processes fiction, and what you can do right now to write stories that reach every reader. In this episode, you'll learn: How the dyslexic brain actually processes text (and why your current structure ma...

A reader bought ALL SIX of Danielle Orsino's audiobooks — then told her she'd sell more if she were a man. Here's what that reveals about the brutal reality of being a female fantasy author today. Danielle Orsino (author of The Legacies of Light and Dark series, Hall of Fame martial artist, and former nurse) joins The Author's Mind to talk craft, combat, and the industry bias no one wants to admit...

Book marketing for authors doesn't have to be a guessing game — and AuthorsXP might be the most underrated tool in your author marketing arsenal. In this video, Shilo Creed (42 novels, 1.4M copies sold) gives you an honest, experience-based breakdown of how it actually works. In this video: ✅ How AuthorsXP helps you build a targeted reader email list ✅ Getting genuine book reviews without chasin...

What if the biggest obstacle between you and a finished novel isn’t your plot, your characters, or your writing skills—but your own mindset? In this episode of The Author’s Mind, I’m talking with award-winning suspense author S.R. Fabrico about the real inner game of writing fiction. Stacey went from secretly printing her first 80,000-word manuscript on a copy machine as a Christmas gift for her h...

She published her first book at 12 years old — by accident. Now she's 22 books in, working on book #39, and writing 1,000 words every single day. Shanti Hershenson is a teenage YA author whose prolific output challenges every excuse writers make about time, age, and readiness. In this conversation, she breaks down exactly how she does it — the daily writing habit, the discipline behind self-publis...

"Every hero needs a villain to vanquish." — Steven Spielberg Crime thriller author Terry Weaver reveals how to write a villain readers can't look away from — and why damaged characters are the real secret to unforgettable fiction. Terry Weaver is the author of three tightly-paced Texas crime thrillers ( A Dark Day in Texas , Whitewashed Tomb , A Long Night Cry ) and the filmmaker behind The Beast...

Want to know what actually gets a novel published? Not a better query letter. Not more connections. Not a bigger social media following. Just skill. In this episode, Kern Carter — an indie author who signed deals with Penguin and Scholastic and sold 15,000 books in the past year without being social media famous — breaks down the craft decisions that changed his career. He built a loyal readership...

Should you trust AI to narrate your book — or hire a human? Audiobook narrator Liza Jacobs (30+ titles, 10 accents) gives authors the unfiltered truth about audiobook production, costs, casting, and why the human voice still wins. In this episode of The Author's Mind, Liza breaks down everything authors need to know before turning their book into an audiobook — from how much it actually costs, to...

How to get a book published — and what most writers get wrong before they even start. In this episode, W. Terry Whalin — a veteran editor, literary agent, and author of over 60 books — reveals the insider secrets of the book publishing process that most aspiring authors never learn. From writing a book proposal that actually sells to building the author platform publishers want to see, Terry share...

What happens when a retired Air Force veteran gets a cancer diagnosis, prays for more time, and then feels called to write a 10-book fantasy series? In this episode of The Author’s Mind, Terrence L. Rotering shares how a cancer scare, “Godwinks,” and military discipline led him to create a sweeping, clean fantasy saga—and how he wrote 8 of those books in a single year. If you’re an aspiring author...

Can an 18-year cop teach you how to write a better mystery novel? In this episode of The Author’s Mind, Rodney Carpentier breaks down exactly how he turns real police experience into small-town crime fiction set in the Catskills. You’ll learn how he structures his Overlook trilogy, why “cops are natural storytellers,” and how the save the cat method helped him finally finish his books instead of f...

Do you really know your characters, or are you just moving them around the page? Real character depth doesn't come from a bio sheet—it comes from treating your characters like real people and finding their breaking point. In this episode of The Author's Mind , I sit down with Dr. Rod Berger to discuss how to "interview" your characters to find their hidden truths. We explore the critical technique...

Want to write page-turning thrillers that feel too real —the kind readers binge like Dan Brown or Robert Ludlum ? In this episode of The Author’s Mind , Shilo Creed interviews Guy Morris — the award-winning author behind the SNOW Chronicles . Find more about Guy Morris here: https://www.guymorrisbooks.com/ Find Shilo's books here: https://storyoriginapp.com/universalb ... Looking for her other pen...

In this episode of The Author’s Mind , bestselling author Shilo Creed interviews award-winning novelist Laura Hunter , author of Beloved Mother —winner of the Indie Book Awards Best Fictional Book of the Year and a novel with over 800 Amazon reviews . Laura shares one of the most unique writing processes you’ll ever hear: she does the majority of her writing in her head before she ever touches the...

Want practical writing advice for fiction authors —especially if you’re writing a mystery novel or thriller and want readers to say “I couldn’t put it down” ? In this episode of The Author’s Mind , K.A. Oliver shares hard-won craft lessons from her career in radio, TV, film, and screenwriting —and what she had to unlearn to gain full creative freedom as a novelist. We dive into: Writing strong fem...

What makes readers fall in love with a story—and stay with it long after the final page? In this episode of The Author’s Mind , Teri M Brown shares a deeply honest look at character-driven fiction , the creative writing process, and why trusting your way of writing matters more than following every rule. Known for emotionally rich historical novels with tight timelines, high stakes, and unforgetta...

In this episode of The Author’s Mind , Amy Vansant and Shilo Creed break down how to build a thriving fiction career with 40+ books , long-running cozy mystery series , and a business model powered by Kindle Unlimited . We dive deep into how Amy created and sustained the 26-book Pineapple Port cozy mystery series , how she connects multiple series into a shared author universe, and why writing in...

How do you build a fantasy world that actually works —one readers believe in, even when you don’t explain everything? In this episode of The Author’s Mind , I sit down with Peter Last , author of the Shadow for Hire series, to explore worldbuilding, character design, and story craft through a uniquely analytical lens. With a background in engineering and over two decades of writing experience, Pet...