The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jodi Picoult, spoke with me about writing for Wonder Woman, adapting books for musical theater, and the question of Shakespeare's true authorship in her upcoming novel BY ANY OTHER NAME.

Jodi Picoult is the bestselling author of 30 novels, including landmark titles such as Mad Honey – her most recent 1 million-copy bestseller – Wish You Were Here, A Spark of Light, and Small Great Things. 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and have been translated into 34 languages.

Her forthcoming novel is BY ANY OTHER NAME (on sale 8/20; Ballantine), described as a novel about two women, centuries apart – one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays – who are both forced to hide behind another name.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah said of the book, “You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel.” Elle called it, “[An] inspiring work of feminist literature inspired by real historical accounts.”

Jodi was also co-librettist for the stage musical adaptation of her young adult novel Between the Lines (which premiered Off-Broadway in Summer 2022), the co-librettist of the musical BREATHE, the co-librettist of the musical adaptation of The Book Thief, and she is currently at work on an adaptation of Austenland.

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In this file Jodi Picoult and I discussed:

What's changed and what hasn't for women (in theater) over 400+ years?

The best time to break an arm for an author

How she works in cycles for her books

Why her kids made her write for Wonder Woman

The conundrum of a famous playwright who didn’t own a single book

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

⁠⁠jodipicoult.com⁠⁠

⁠⁠By Any Other Name: A Novel⁠⁠ By Jodi Picoult (Amazon)

⁠⁠Jodi Picoult Amazon Author Page⁠⁠

⁠⁠WAS SHAKESPEARE A WOMAN?⁠⁠ – Elizabeth Winkler for The Atlantic

⁠⁠Jodi Picoult on Facebook⁠⁠

⁠⁠Jodi Picoult on Twitter⁠⁠

⁠⁠Jodi Picoult on Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠Jodi Picoult on TikTok⁠

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

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Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
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Critically acclaimed debut novelist Jessica Goldstein spoke with us about her career path from teen mag intern to freelance culture writer, time travel, and her nostalgic debut, RETRO.

Jessica M. Goldstein is a journalist, humorist, and longtime contributor to Vulture, where she has recapped ‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Hacks,’ ‘Wednesday,’ and ‘The White Lotus.’ Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Marie Claire, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and more.

Her highly anticipated debut, Retro, is described as “Party Down meets one of those great George Saunders short stories about how weird and dystopian work is. A little White Lotus, a little Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

In a starred review, Kirkus declared the book “a nuanced, biting cautionary tale about how not staying present can erase our very selves.”

Jessica also publishes a weekly Substack newsletter, The Retro Report, where she shares vintage mood-based recommendations for what to read, watch, listen to, meditate on, and obsess over.

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In this file Jessica Goldstein, Milena, and I discussed:

The origins of her debut novel and how she snagged an agent

Getting long-listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize

Her intense nostalgia for the "Before" times

Why you need to opt out of the imagined timeline of becoming an author

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web

jessicamgoldstein.com

retrotheagency.com

Retro: A Novel By Jessica Goldstein (Amazon)

The Retro Report on Substack

Jessica Goldstein on Twitter

Jessica Goldstein on Facebook

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard spoke with us about her journey from USC screenwriting to publishing, her writing process, and her upcoming adult fantasy debut, TEMPEST.

Victoria Aveyard is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the RED QUEEN series and the REALM BREAKER trilogy. Her books have sold over eight million copies and been published in more than 40 languages.

Her highly anticipated adult fantasy debut, Tempest, is the first book in The Lyrian Sea duology. Set against the fall of the Golden Age of Piracy, the book follows a former noblewoman facing execution for treason unless she helps the Empire hunt down its greatest enemy.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros said of the book, “Victoria Aveyard's first foray into adult fantasy is a triumphant, epic adventure on the high seas. What an exciting, captivating read to spend your weekend with!”

[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 Victoria Aveyard, Milena, and I discussed:

Her deliberate pivot in both creative growth and reader demand

How she sold her debut novel within two weeks of going on submission

The distinct differences between YA and Adult fiction

What her screenwriting background taught her about fast-paced storytelling

Why fanfiction provides writers an early anonymous feedback loop

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web

victoriaaveyard.com

PLOT TWIST podcast

Tempest : A Novel By Victoria Aveyard (Amazon)

Victoria Aveyard Amazon Author Page

Victoria Aveyard on TikTok

Victoria Aveyard on Instagram

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed debut author Kevin C. Morris spoke with us about exploring the Alaskan coastline in search of a mysterious island, his query and publishing journey, and the resultant novel UNTAMED COAST.

Kevin C. Morris is an engineer, and journalist (with 20 years of long-form writing under his belt), as well as a recreational pilot, boat captain, and entrepreneur based in Portland, Oregon.

His genre-bending debut novel, Untamed Coast, spans three timelines: 1938, the 1980s and 2017, all set along the rugged Alaskan coast, and described as “an atmospheric novel perfect for fans of McConaghy’s Wild Dark Shore, Moore’s God of the Woods, Lawhon’s Frozen River, and Heller’s The Guide.

New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn said of the book, “Untamed Coast is a bold, intricately plotted debut unfolding against the beauty and danger of the Alaskan wilderness. . . . The timelines coil, the intrigue mounts, but it’s Kevin C. Morris’s vivid evocation of Alaska’s savage beauty that truly shines…”

Kevin spends his summers navigating the Inside Passage to Southeast Alaska—a rugged landscape that fuels both his adventures and his fiction.

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[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 Kevin C. Morris, Milena, and I discussed:

The story behind the Radioville mystery that inspired the book

How the novel was won at auction after multiple rewrites

Why his agent found his original query “kind of awful” and how he recovered

Where Morse code became a part of the plot and the structure of the novel

The wildness and beauty of the Alaskan coast as a character

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web

kevincmorris.com

Untamed Coast: A Novel by Kevin C. Morris (Amazon)

Kevin C. Morris on YouTube

Kevin C. Morris on Facebook

Kevin C. Morris on Instagram

Milena Gonzalez | Writer| Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pinborough spoke with us about her approach to plotting twists, the stark difference between writing novels and screenplays, and her latest THEY SAY A GIRL DIED HERE.

Sarah Pinborough is the New York Times and Sunday Times #1 bestselling author of international hit Behind Her Eyes, published in over 25 territories worldwide.

Her latest novel, They Say a Girl Died Here, is describe as “a thrilling, genre-bending mystery about two murdered girls, a town with dark secrets, and a race to break a deadly cycle.”

Publishers Weekly called the book, “An addictive tale of Midwestern macabre. . . Pinborough's fierce yet flawed characters are easy to root for, and she doles out the story's shocking secrets at a tantalizing pace. Thriller fans who like it dark will devour this.”

Sarah Pinborough was the 2009 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story and also the 2010 and 2014 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novella, and she has four times been short-listed for Best Novel. She is also a screenwriter who has written for the BBC with multiple adaptations in the works.

[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 Sarah Pinborough, Milena, and I discussed:

Her former life running a strip club

The chance encounter at FantasyCon that led to a three-book deal

How she changes gears while shifting mediums

Why horror is her favorite genre

Hot takes on recent horror films

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web

sarahpinborough.com

They Say a Girl Died Here: A Novel by Sarah Pinborough (Amazon)

Sarah Pinborough Amazon Author Page

Sarah Pinborough on Twitter

Sarah Pinborough on Facebook

Sarah Pinborough on Instagram

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices