Bestselling author and award-winning screenwriter, Dwain Worrell, spoke to me about making the move from the writers' room to the cafe, the art and science of suspense, and his debut novel ANDRONE. Dwain Worrell is an award-winning Marvel and Disney+ TV producer, filmmaker, and novelist whose writing credits include Marvel’s Iron Fist, CBS’s Fire Country, Amazon Studios’ The Wall, and the Disney+ series National Treasure, among others. Dwain also worked as a translator of Mandarin Chinese in Beijing for nearly a decade. His bestselling debut novel, Androne, is described as a “... near future … highly cinematic and propulsive story [centered] around a terrifying event called the Ninety-Nine, where all major military installations on Earth [are] eviscerated, heralding humanity's start of a war with an unknown enemy.” Niels Arden Oplev, Director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo called the book “A crazy-cool ride into the unknown …. [Androne] reads like a high-end videogame on steroids with a destiny of Shakespearean magnitude.”        Publishers Weekly wrote, “... taut intrigue … reels readers into a thrilling yet thoughtful narrative about the futility of war and the cost of doing the right thing…” [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Dwain Worrell and I discussed:  Making the move from screenwriter to novelist during a WGA strike How he discovered theater after having his basketball dreams dashed Why writing for TV is harder (and easier) than prose The inspiration that went into his latest sci-fi thriller Our mutual love of Hans Zimmer soundtracks Hanging out with Shakespeare at Chili’s And a lot more! Show Notes: Dwainworrell.com Dwain Worrell - IMDb Behind the Science of Writing Good Suspense - Writer's Digest Androne By Dwain Worrell (Amazon) Dwain Worrell on Instagram Dwain Worrell on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, spoke to me about how to write seven novels in 18 months, the psychology of fiction and fandom, and her latest YA mystery, THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games trilogy, Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series. Her latest is The Brothers Hawthorne, described as “Knives Out-esque” by Publishers Weekly, it is a story of [two brothers] “Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, [who] —with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.” Jen is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science including a Ph.D. from Yale University, and “...is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination.” [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I discussed:  Her study of autism and why neurodivergents rely so heavily on story How her bestselling trilogy went viral on TikTok Why she writes for reluctant readers How to write mysteries with intricate puzzles, twists, turns, and reveals Her theories on why readers love fiction And a lot more! Show Notes: Jenniferlynnbarnes.com The psychology of fiction with Jennifer Lynn Barnes | Re:Thinking with Adam Grant - TED Audio Collective The Brothers Hawthorne By Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Amazon) Jennifer Lynn Barnes Amazon Author Page Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, James Rollins, spoke to me about his alter ego, veterinarian Dr. Jim, how to write two staccato-paced novels a year, and his latest Sigma Force installment, TIDES OF FIRE. James Rollins is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the Sigma Force series, six standalone adventure thrillers, a novelization of the Indiana Jones franchise, and many others totaling over 44 novels (even he can’t remember the exact number). His latest in his most popular series is Tides of Fire: A Sigma Force Novel, [set on] “...an international research station in the Coral Sea [that] comes under siege during a geological disaster that triggers massive quakes, deadly tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. To stop the world from burning, it’s up to Sigma Force to uncover a secret buried at the heart of our planet…” Publishers Weekly said of the book, "The X-Files meets Seal Team Six in Rollins’s imaginative, pulse-pounding 17th Sigma Force thriller . . . . Rollins’s gleeful everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach works well here, nimbly balancing popcorn action with mind-blowing scientific speculation. The author has rarely been better at making the implausible feel plausible." James Rollins’s novels have sold over 20 million copies and are published in more than 40 languages worldwide. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file James Rollins and I discussed:  How 49 rejections early in his career didn’t sway his passion for writing Keeping all of the plots and characters organized in his many series The panic that comes with every undertaking Why he adds illustrations and appendices to his books The unique research process that goes into his prescient novels And a lot more! Show Notes: JamesRollins.com Tides of Fire: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins (Amazon) James Rollins Amazon Author Page James Rollins on Instagram James Rollins on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Internationally bestselling author, Lucy Clarke, spoke to me about how her love of travel morphed into a destination thriller, building your readership organically, and the chewy female dynamics in her latest novel THE HIKE. Lucy Clarke is a Sunday Times bestseller and the author of eight destination thrillers including Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike.  Told in alternating perspectives her latest thriller “explores the wild side of female friendship and the transportive power of the wilderness.” New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pearse said of the book, “THE HIKE transports you to the Norwegian wilderness where a group of female friends are pushed to their absolute limits and beyond.” Lucy’s novels have sold over a million copies and are published in over 25 territories worldwide. An adaptation of her book The Castaways was filmed on location in Fiji and Greece, and the five-part series is airing on Paramount+. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Lucy Clarke and I discussed:  Her past life in advertising and making the transition to fiction The explosion of the thriller genre and her place in it Why she likes to write characters at their crossroads Her remote Zen writing hideout Why maintaining author friendships is so important to longevity And a lot more! Show Notes: Lucy-clarke.com The Hike by Lucy Clarke (Amazon) Lucy Clarke Amazon Author Page Lucy Clarke on Facebook Lucy Clarke on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: ADHD Coach, researcher, and Doctoral Candidate, Skye Waterson, spoke to me about writing a dissertation with neurodiversity, conquering burnout, and her unconventional approach to writing routines for writers with time blindness and more. Skye Waterson is the Founder of Unconventional Organization, a worldwide, research-based ADHD support service that has helped academics, playwrights, and authors with ADHD “...build strength-focused writing routines so they can meet their goals while managing struggles with executive functioning” An academic with over seven years of experience working in adult education, she has studied in various fields, including Psychology, Sociology, and Public Health, and is now a Doctoral Candidate in Population Health. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Skye Waterson and I discussed:  How she got her ADHD diagnosis at age 30 Why procrastination and neurodiversity go hand-in-hand How neurotypical writers differ from those with real struggles When you need to seek out unconventional wisdom for help The strengths of writers with ADHD Leaning on self-care to promote productivity And a lot more! Show Notes: unconventionalorganisation.com 'The Writer's Brain' on Procrastination: Part One - The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience (podcast) Unconventional Organization on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices