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Kelton Reid

“Learn how acclaimed writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block.”
Each week, host Kelton Reid chats with guests like Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, on life after becoming a laureate; #1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry on her past life as a YA mid-lister; Celebrated author, Walter Mosley, on his conflicted feelings after winning a National Book Award; NY Times bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline, on what she learned from literary lion Philip Roth; #1 NY Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane on what he borrowed from Clint Eastwood; and bestselling author, Matt Haig, on the process behind his novel, The Midnight Library, and serial guest hosts: neuroscientist Michael Grybko, journalist Adam Skolnick, and short story writer Robert Bruce.

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

National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride, spoke with me about finding her authentic voice, getting yelled at by kids, near-death experiences and the story behind her latest novel-in-verse THE LEAVING ROOM.

Amber McBride is an award-winning author, poet, and former assistant professor of poetry, writing, and protest literature. Her debut young adult novel, Me (Moth) was a finalist for the National Book Award, 2021 and won the 2022 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, among many other accolades.

Her latest YA novel-in-verse is The Leaving Room, also a 2025 National Book Awards Finalist.

“Told from the perspective of a girl hovering between life and death, The Leaving Room is a poignant story about connection, grief, love, and the power of memories.”

Amber McBride’s middle-grade debut, Gone Wolf, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She holds an MFA in poetry from Emerson College, and her poetry has been published in Ploughshares, The Rumpus, DecomP Magazine, Provincetown Arts, and more.

[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 Amber McBride and I discussed:

Overcoming hundreds of rejections early on

Finally quitting her assistant professorship to write full time

How the loss of her grandfather changed her writing

Why anything beyond publishing is icing on the cake

How she creates an entire world with a quarter of the words

Writing while the world sleeps

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

amber-mcbride.com 

76th National Book Awards - Young People's Literature - Finalists

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride (Amazon)

Amber McBride Amazon Author Page

Amber McBride on Threads

Amber McBride on TikTok

Amber McBride on Instagram

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

How National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride Writes

Acclaimed debut novelist Penny Zang spoke with us about making friendship bracelets for readers, why the world doesn’t stop when you lose a loved one, hanging out with Sylvia Plath, and her psychological thriller DOLL PARTS

I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez.

Penny Zang is an English professor at Greenville Technical College and the debut author of DOLL PARTS, described as “... a dark, poetic, dual-timeline psychological thriller that blends sad girl lit and feminist horror with a heavy dose of 90s grunge nostalgia.”

International bestselling author Samantha Downing said of the book, "Doll Parts is the most mesmerizing and original book I’ve read in a long time. It’s eerie and addictive, a story that pulls you in and won’t let go," and Library Journal wrote, “Zang’s compelling debut delves insightfully into topics such as friendship, grief, and Plath’s place in literature...”

Penny Zang holds an MFA in Creative Writing from West Virginia University and is the 2024 Elizabeth Boatwright Coker fiction fellow via the South Carolina Academy of Authors. Her work has appeared in New Ohio Review, Louisville Review, Superstition Review, Potomac Review, and South 85, among others.

[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 Penny Zang, Milena Gonzalez, and I discussed:

How she formed the #5AMWritersClub

Writing as a form of grief after losing a good friend

Reminding her parents that her fiction didn’t really happen

Wending pop culture iconography into her work

Why finding your writing community is so important

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

pennyzang.com 

Doll Parts: A Novel by Penny Zang (Amazon)

Penny Zang on Facebook

Penny Zang on Instagram

Penny Zang on Twitter

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

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

How Acclaimed Debut Novelist Penny Zang Writes

WGA-nominated writer, director and USC professor Ted Braun, and TV and film writer and exec. producer Melissa Rosenberg, joined me to talk about reimagining screenwriting education with the MFA in Screenwriting at Bennington College.

Ted Braun is the Program’s Director and the WGA-nominated writer and director of Darfur Now, Betting on Zero, and Viva Maestro. He is a Professor of Screenwriting and Joseph Campbell Endowed Chair of Cinematic Ethics at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and was named one of Variety’s Top Ten Teachers in Film and TV in 2018.

Melissa Rosenberg is a writer and executive producer known for Twilight, Jessica Jones, and a 1986 graduate of Bennington College, where she is now a Trustee. She helped create and showrun Jessica Jones and adapted the Twilight film series, while also serving as head writer for Dexter.

Bennington College will admit just 12 gifted, driven writers—students who are serious about building a body of work and launching a professional screenwriting career—to their inaugural class of The MFA in Screenwriting.

Braun notes, “We’re looking for students with imagination and hunger—those who want to develop a foundation for a decades-long screenwriting career.”

The MFA in Screenwriting at Bennington College prepares writers for a life as creative and professional leaders in the evolving landscape of film and television. This low-residency, two-year program combines the academic depth of a liberal arts education with the rigorous preparation needed for a career in screenwriting.

Learn more at bennington.edu/screenwriting Applications are due by December 1st, 2025.

[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 Ted Braun, Melissa Rosenberg and I discussed:

How life as a screenwriter starts with material that is unique and alive to you

A one-of-a-kind screenwriting MFA, a low-residency program that yields six major pieces of work for TV and film, and why it is “perfectly suited to our times”

Bennington’s legacy of influential writers

Why we need strong, original cinematic voices now more than ever

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

bennington.edu/screenwriting

Ted Braun on IMDb

Melissa Rosenberg on IMDb

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

How to Become a Professional Screenwriter with Ted Braun and Melissa Rosenberg

Award-winning, acclaimed debut novelist Jinwoo Park spoke to me about breaking out of a creative rut, writing as “self-therapy,” cracking the #BookTok code, and his literary espionage thriller OXFORD SOJU CLUB

Jinwoo Park is a Korean Canadian writer based in Montreal. He completed a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Oxford, and currently works as a marketer in the tech industry.

His first novel, Oxford Soju Club, is a literary espionage thriller exploring themes of identity and the Korean diaspora. Park's manuscript for Oxford Soju Club won the Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers' Award in 2021.

A Booklist starred review wrote of the book, “In stylistically rich prose, the author carefully portrays complex characters, distilling the intricate workings of the Korean psyche with riveting tension. Under the cover of a compelling espionage drama…”

Jinwoo is also a literary translator and received the LTI Korea Translation Award for Aspiring Translators in 2023. 

[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 Jinwoo Park and I discussed:

How his notes from "self-therapy" became a breakout book

Posting to TikTok every day to build a following

Sharing a name with a character from K-Pop Demon Hunters

In rewriting his debut novel five times to distill it to its essence

What authenticity means to him

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

jinwoo-park.com 

Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park (Amazon)

Jinwoo Park on Instagram

Jinwoo Park on TikTok

Jinwoo Park on Twitter

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

How Acclaimed Debut Novelist Jinwoo Park Writes

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jeneva Rose, spoke with us about betting on herself, spurning the crown of “Queen of Twists,” her viral social media fame and latest post-apocalyptic romance, DATING AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD

I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez.

Jeneva Rose is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the multi-million copy bestseller, The Perfect Marriage. Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages and optioned for film and TV.

Her latest novel is DATING AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD (October 1, 2025), a post-apocalyptic, zombie, enemies-to-lovers romance. Dating After The End of the World was named an Amazon First Reads pick and a #1 New Release in Romantic Comedy.

Jeneva Rose has a background in social media, digital, and email marketing. She became a full-time author in March 2021, and has amassed over one million followers across all social media platforms, including TikTok where she’s known as “Mother Goose.”

[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 Jeneva Rose, Milena Gonzalez, and I discussed:

How she overcame the odds, and 500 rejections, to sign two major publishing deals

Writing with a new baby on board

Turning hate mail into a laughable social media saga

Her inspiration for the latest

The unwavering support of her husband

Hanging out with Colleen Hoover

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

jenevarose.com 

Dating After the End of the World– October 1, 2025 by Jeneva Rose (Amazon)

Jeneva Rose Amazon Author Page

Jeneva Rose on Facebook

Jeneva Rose on Instagram

Jeneva Rose on TikTok

Jeneva Rose on Twitter

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

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

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Jeneva Rose Writes

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Lev Grossman, spoke to me about his tenure at Time magazine, how The Magicians poked holes in Narnia and Potter, and reimagining a legend with THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur.

Lev Grossman is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician’s Land—which has been published in 30 countries and adapted as a TV show that ran for five seasons on SYFY.

His latest novel is THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur, named a Best Summer Read by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time, Vulture, Esquire, Boston Globe, Elle, Town & Country, Seattle Times, New York Post, Lit Hub, and many others.

George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones said of the book, “If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.”

Lev has written two critically acclaimed novels for children, and the screenplay for the movie The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, a finalist for the Critic’s Choice awards (based on his short story).

He also worked as a staff writer at Time magazine, and has written essays and articles for Vanity Fair, the Believer, the Village Voice, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Salon, Slate, Wired, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, NPR, and many others. 

[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 Lev Grossman and I discussed: 

How he talked his way into writing for Time magazine

The evolution of his career from journalist to novelist

Breaking through with middle-grade fantasy and The Magicians

How he “got into the weeds” with his latest Arthurian tome

World-building for streaming vs. collaborating on the graphic novel

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

⁠levgrossman.com⁠

⁠The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur⁠ by Lev Grossman (Amazon)

⁠Lev Grossman Amazon Author Page⁠

⁠Lev Grossman on Facebook⁠

⁠Lev Grossman on Instagram⁠

⁠Lev Grossman on Twitter⁠

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

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Lev Grossman Writes: Redux

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of romantic suspense, Jayne Ann Krentz, returns to speak with me about how she’s published over 120 novels, her advocacy of the merits of romantic fiction, and her latest mystery, THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE.

Dubbed “The Queen of romantic suspense” and a trailblazer of paranormal romance, Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of over 50 New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively.

Her latest novel is THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE (available for preorder from Berkley; on sale January 6, 2026), described as “... a romantic mystery filled with intergenerational family rivalries, paranormal suspense, tension-filled romance, and a pulse-pounding conspiracy.”

Jayne Ann Krentz was the editor of and a contributor to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, a non-fiction essay collection that won the prestigious Susan Koppelman Award for Feminist Studies. Krentz was also the inspiration for, and first recipient of, the Romantic Times Jane Austen Award, created to "honor those in the romance community who have significantly impacted [the] genre"

[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 Jayne Ann Krentz and I discussed:

Overcoming rejection early on

Why she would caution new authors against launching multiple brands under different names

The rise of Romantasy

Her inspiration for the “paranormal twist with a psychic vibe”

Writing plots that don’t require forensic science

The importance of storytelling for future generations

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

jayneannkrentz.com

The Shop on Hidden Lane – January 6, 2026 by Jayne Ann Krentz (Amazon)

Jayne Ann Krentz Amazon Author Page

Jayne Castle Amazon Author Page

Jayne Ann Krentz on Facebook

Jayne Ann Krentz on Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How NY Times Bestselling Author Jayne Ann Krentz Writes: Part Two

New York Times bestselling thriller writer Riley Sager, spoke to me about why he publishes under a pen name, how to write Hitchcockian suspense, and his latest "The House Across the Lake."

Riley Sager is the bestselling author of six novels, most recently Home Before Dark and Survive the Night. His award-winning first novel, Final Girls, was a national and international bestseller that has been published in 30 countries.

His latest novel, The House Across the Lake, has been named a most anticipated summer book by People, E! News, PureWow, CNN.com, CrimeReads, and many others. 

It's been described by CrimeReads as "... a psychological thriller version of The Great Gatsby, featuring binoculars for more accurate across-the-lake spying, smaller gatherings for a shorter list of suspects, and a truly bat**** twist for more satisfying consumption."

The House Across the Lake was inspired by Riley's "... own pandemic escapes to a cabin in rural Vermont [and] oozes with slow-burn Hitchcockian suspense before building to a finale that will leave readers reeling. "

[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]

Stay calm and write on ...

 In this file Riley Sager and I discussed:

 The albatross of bad sales early in your career

 Why his process changes from book to book

 How to turn common genre tropes on their head

 What happens to his social life as deadlines loom

 Taking inspiration from classic film

 And a lot more!

Show Notes:

⁠rileysagerbooks.com⁠

⁠The House Across the Lake: A Novel⁠ by Riley Sager (Amazon Affiliate)

⁠Riley Sager Amazon Author Page⁠ (Amazon Affiliate)

⁠Riley Sager on Facebook⁠

⁠Riley Sager on Instagram⁠

⁠Riley Sager on TikTok⁠

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

How NY Times Bestselling Thriller Writer Riley Sager Writes: Redux

New York Times bestselling and award-winning psychological thriller writer, Chevy Stevens, returns to speak with me about writing dark subjects, running out of scary humans, and her latest “home invasion on wheels,” THE HITCHHIKERS.

Chevy's debut novel Still Missing became a New York Times bestseller and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel in 2010.

Her popular books, including Those Girls — which Stephen King called “Incredibly scary and suspenseful” — have been published in over thirty countries and optioned for film and TV. 

New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter described her eighth novel, another standalone thriller titled THE HITCHHIKERS (available for pre-order and on-sale 10/7) as "A frightening and viscerally chilling road-trip-gone-wrong story."

[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 Part Two of this file Chevy Stevens and I discussed:

How not all Canadians are friendly

Starting books with something innocent that morphs into terror

Why writing is like dating

Her love of the nostalgia of ‘70s Hollywood

Why Poltergeist is the scariest movie of all time

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

chevystevens.com 

The Hitchhikers: A Novel Hardcover – October 7, 2025 by Chevy Stevens (Amazon)

Chevy Stevens Amazon Author Page

Chevy Stevens on Facebook

Chevy Stevens on Instagram

Chevy Stevens on Twitter

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

How NY Times Bestselling Author Chevy Stevens Writes: Part Two

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling psychological thriller writer, Chevy Stevens, spoke to me about her life as a recluse, dreaming in prose, scaring the King, and her latest, Dark Roads.

Chevy's debut novel Still Missing went on to become a New York Times bestseller and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel in 2010.

Her popular books, including Those Girls – which Stephen King called “Incredibly scary and suspenseful,” – have been published in more than thirty countries and optioned for film.

Her seventh novel, the standalone thriller, Dark Roads, has been described as an "instant classic" by #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box. Author Gillian Flynn has called Chevy's work both "Gripping ... [and] unforgettable."

Stay calm and write on ...

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As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey.

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 If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, 

 In this file Chevy Stevens and I discussed: 

 Why writers need to be protective of their (daydreaming) time

 The romanticization of the writing life

 Tossing novel drafts in the trash bin

 The real-life "Highway of Tears" and a legacy of broken promises

 How to write a proper prologue, your first 50 pages ...

 And a lot more

 Show Notes: 

 ⁠ChevyStevens.com⁠

 
⁠Dark Roads: A Novel⁠ by Chevy Stevens (Amazon)

 ⁠Chevy Stevens Amazon author page⁠

 ⁠Chevy Stevens on Facebook⁠

 ⁠Chevy Stevens on Instagram⁠

 ⁠Chevy Stevens on Twitter⁠

 ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride Writes

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