Shawn chats with debut crime fiction author Mark Leichliter about how professional eavesdropping has developed their writing skills, being free-spirited rule breakers, and which are easier to make fun of, cats or dogs.  

Debut novelist William Ade turns the tables on the podcast's host by asking Shawn the questions this week. Shawn and Bill discuss what role gender plays in writing compelling fiction, and things they've learned as writers through their careers. 

Linda and Shawn chat about advice for writers just starting out, Writer's High, the importance of reading when writing, and more things they'd tell their younger writing selves.

Shawn chats with Author and Professor Christopher Chambers about writing in multiple genres, superpowers we'd like to have, what we should tell our younger selves, and navigating landmines. Real ones. 

Shawn chats with Lori about finding inspiration through real-life events, the value of patience, Mom Guilt, raising identical twins, and writing as therapy. 

Shawn chats with Author and Musician Jonathan Brown about writing, music, things we don't want our moms to read or see, arson in real life, and how to make friends at mystery conventions. 

Shawn chats with Lida about meeting characters, writers and the movie business, the ups and downs of teleportation, and pigs as murder suspects. 

Shawn chats with Marco about his debut novel BLACKOUT, thinking in two different languages, their mutual love of music, setting great scenery, and what would be on Marco's life's playlist.  Songs: "Love Has Fallen on Me" by Chaka Khan; "Simplify" by Omar; "New York Bars" by Brenda Russell Find the BLACKOUT playlist on Spotify: https://soundcloud.com/marco-carocari/sets/blackout-playlist

Shawn chats with Kerry K. Cox about writing what you know, different kinds of markets to sell your work (men's magazines!), advocating for animals, and creating informative fiction while staying entertaining. 

Shawn chats with former television producer and current travel crime writer about early inspirations in writing, which is crazier, TV or publishing (spoiler alert, it's hard to tell!), the world's worst teacher, and which actors should be cast in fictional roles.