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  • How Critically Acclaimed Debut Novelist & Food Journo Catherine Kurtz Writes

    How Critically Acclaimed Debut Novelist & Food Journo Catherine Kurtz Writes
    Jun 12 2026
    Critically acclaimed debut novelist and food writer, Catherine Kurtz, spoke with us about art school, painting life, judging the International Chocolate Awards, and her delicious first book FEAST. Catherine Kurtz is a multidisciplinarian known for her parallel careers in the visual arts, literature, and culinary criticism – including as a judge and educator in the field of chocolate tasting. She is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and a Grand Jury Member of the International Chocolate Awards. Her debut is, Feast, “for fans of Chocolat (show-co-lot, haha, i need this 😂) and Like Water for Chocolate,” and described as a historical novel set at the turn of the 20th century as one young woman navigates the wonders and perils of her remarkable gift: an astonishing sense of taste and smell. Alex Hay, author of The Housekeepers called it, “A beautiful book, vivid and delicious and alive—a story of escape and belonging and one woman's extraordinary gifts, unfolding its mysteries with care, brimming with feeling and stunning prose.” Catherine Kurtz is also a painter represented by The Redfern Gallery in London. Her journalism has been published in a variety of publications including The Spectator’s Scoff, Harvest, ckbk and Celebrated Living. [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 Catherine Kurtz, Milena, and I discussed: How her debut ​​combines her backgrounds as a painter, food writer, and professional chocolate taster Writing a book for The Great British Bake Off on Chocolate Working with rock star turned chef Graham Garrett on his book Sex, Drugs, and Sausage Rolls Why she took an art school approach to writing The editorial approach to her food-centric writing and debut cover design Her writing philosophy And a lot more! Show Notes: linktr.ee/catherinekurtzart Feast by Catherine Kurtz (Amazon) Catherine Kurtz 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
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    43 Min.
  • How Bestselling Author Meg Shaffer Writes

    How Bestselling Author Meg Shaffer Writes
    Jun 11 2026
    Bestselling author Meg Shaffer spoke with us about paying homage to fairy tales, defending libraries against censorship, and her latest cinematic, genre-bending bestseller, THE BOOK WITCH. Meg Shaffer is the bestselling author of The Lost Story and The Wishing Game, which was a Book of the Month finalist for Book of the Year as well as a Reader’s Digest and Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and has been translated into 23 languages. Shaffer holds an MFA in TV and Screenwriting from Stephens College. Her latest is the instant bestseller The Book Witch, described as a novel that’s part mystery, part love letter to libraries and booksellers, and a direct, timely meditation on book-banning. Booklist called it a “whimsical tale of lost love, family secrets, and how books can change a reader's life” and Kirkus calls it “catnip for anyone who ever wished they could walk around in their favorite book.” [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 Meg Shaffer, Milena, and I discussed: How she wrote a couple dozen romance novels under her real name The rules set forth in her latest book about entering the worlds of beloved childrens’ series Why the author’s writing is best when she’s having fun Channeling the iconic sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury Why "all books are kids' books if the kid can read" How she aims to make readers appreciate the books they read as children And a lot more! Show Notes: megshaffer.com The Book Witch: A Novel By Meg Shaffer (Amazon) Meg Shaffer Amazon Author Page Meg Shaffer on Instagram Meg Shaffer 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
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    39 Min.
  • How Acclaimed Debut Author Darby Bozeman Writes

    How Acclaimed Debut Author Darby Bozeman Writes
    Jun 5 2026
    Acclaimed debut author Darby Bozeman spoke with us about her journey from middle school English teacher to published author, and her debut thriller, SUMMER’S NEVER OVER. Darby Bozeman, originally from Portland, Oregon, relocated to the American South for graduate school, earning a master's degree in teaching from the University of Georgia. Before pivoting to full-time writing, she spent five years as a middle school English teacher. Her dual-timeline debut thriller, Summer’s Never Over (Berkley Trade Original; on sale June 9, 2026), is described as We Were Liars meets God of the Woods, and is set at a summer camp where a counselor died in a suspicious fire five years prior. The book was recently chosen as a June selection for the Book of the Month Club. Publishers Weekly called it an “Impressive debut…an addictive thriller ideal for summer reading.” Bestselling author Ashley Winstead wrote, "Darby Bozeman has the perfect beach read in this sinister summer camp thriller, where the paradisical woods of Dread's Cove hide not only hot bodies and cold waters, but dark secrets.” [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 Darby Bozeman, Milena, and I discussed: How she gleaned inspiration from her teaching The science of narrative writing, including tension building and sentence-level craft Why her book was pitched as “Carly Fortune writing a murder mystery” How she secured an agent and got a two-book deal Why she prefers the coffee shop to her own coffee And a lot more! Show Notes: darbybozeman.com Summer’s Never Over : A Novel By Darby Bozeman (Amazon) Darby Bozeman 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
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    44 Min.
  • How NY Times Bestselling Author John Kenney Writes

    How NY Times Bestselling Author John Kenney Writes
    May 29 2026
    New York Times bestselling and award-winning author John Kenney spoke with us about life as an ad-man, writing humor for The New Yorker, and the paperback release of his latest novel I SEE YOU’VE CALLED IN DEAD. John Kenney is the bestselling author of three novels and four books of poetry, including Love Poems (For Married People), a New York Times bestseller. His first novel, Truth In Advertising, won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He is a longtime contributor to The New Yorker magazine’s Shouts & Murmurs column. His most recent novel, I See You’ve Called In Dead (available in paperback June 2nd), is described as “The Office meets Six Feet Under meets About a Boy” and was an instant bestseller. The book follows Bud Stanley, an obituary writer who accidentally publishes his own obituary and begins attending strangers' funerals to find meaning of life. In a starred review Booklist said of the book, “I See You’ve Called in Dead is a witty and heartwarming reminder of the bottomless despair, limitless absurdity, and undeniable joy of the human experience.” John Kenney has worked as a copywriter for more than 25 years at Ogilvy, McGarry Bowen, and Publicis. He has created campaigns for American Express, Citi, Chevron, Heineken, and Cadillac, to name a few. [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 John Kenney, Milena, and I discussed: His past life as a high profile copywriter 10 years of rejections from the New Yorker Why he still has impostor syndrome The personal inspiration behind his latest novel Writing self-deprecating poetry Why he’s writing a memoir about rewriting his mother's obituary And a lot more! Show Notes: byjohnkenney.com I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney (Amazon) John Kenney Amazon Author Page John Kenney on Instagram John Kenney for The New Yorker 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
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    53 Min.
  • How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ruta Sepetys Writes: Part Two

    How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ruta Sepetys Writes: Part Two
    May 22 2026
    #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ruta Sepetys, returns to speak with us about her 12 years of research, ragtime music, and the “fortune and facade” of 1920s Detroit in her adult historical fiction debut, A FORTUNE OF SAND. Ruta Sepetys is the award-winning and internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Her acclaimed “crossover” YA literature includes the Carnegie Medal-winning Salt to the Sea. Her latest, A Fortune of Sand (available May 26th), is described as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby and Amor Towles’ Rules Of Civility meets Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. The novel follows a wealthy, eccentric family in Detroit’s booming automobile industry and includes a plot twist around stolen jewels. A Booklist starred review called the book, “A richly detailed portrait of the glittering city and [Detroit’s] dark underbelly. . . . This will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety and Jennifer Egan’s Manhattan Beach.” Ruta’s books have won or been shortlisted for more than 50 book prizes, and are currently in development for film and television. [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 Ruta Sepetys, Milena, and I discussed: Why she still gets nervous before every book release Finding a writing structure to mimic the volatile energy of The Roaring ‘20s Why she filed FOIA requests and worked with former FBI agents to interpret her research How she co-authored a YA historical mystery with Steve Sheinkin Why she prefers the term "investigation" over "research" Her creative fuel And a lot more! Show Notes: rutasepetys.com A Fortune of Sand: A Novel by Ruta Sepetys (Amazon) Ruta Sepetys Amazon Author Page Ruta Sepetys on Facebook Ruta Sepetys on Instagram Ruta Sepetys on Twitter 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
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    49 Min.
  • How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ruta Sepetys Writes: Part One - Redux

    How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ruta Sepetys Writes: Part One - Redux
    May 20 2026
    #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ruta Sepetys, spoke to me about what she learned in the music industry, the secrets to strong, vivid writing, and her non-fiction debut YOU: THE STORY: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory. Ruta Sepetys is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Her acclaimed “crossover” YA literature includes the Carnegie Medal-winning Salt to the Sea. Her latest is the creative guide to writing, You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory (available May 16, 2023), which “... provides aspiring writers with a roadmap to crafting compelling stories by encouraging them to look inward and excavate their own memories in order to discover authentic voices and compelling details.” In a starred review Booklist said of the book, “Part writing guide, part memoir, Sepetys’ fresh, fun handbook is all inspiration.” [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, Ruta Sepetys and I discussed: What she learned about storytelling working in the music industry Why she’s drawn to underrepresented stories and “history in hiding” How to discover the Four Hs of the "excitement of life" Her intensive research process for each book Why writers need to examine their own lives for authenticity And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠rutasepetys.com⁠ ⁠You: The Story: A Writer's Guide to Craft Through Memory⁠ by Ruta Sepetys (Amazon) ⁠Ruta Sepetys Amazon Author Page⁠ ⁠Ruta Sepetys on Facebook⁠ ⁠Ruta Sepetys on Instagram⁠ ⁠Ruta Sepetys on Twitter⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 Min.
  • How NY Times Bestselling Author Rosie Walsh Writes: Part Two

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Rosie Walsh Writes: Part Two
    May 15 2026
    New York Times bestselling author, Rosie Walsh, returns to speak with us about the power of the writing community, her "work wife" Ashley Audrain, and her latest novel THE ONE DAY YOU WERE MY HUSBAND. Rosie Walsh has lived and traveled all over the world, working as a documentary producer and writer. Her two previous novels, Ghosted and The Love of My Life, were New York Times bestsellers and have sold nearly two million copies worldwide. Her third novel is The One Day You Were My Husband (available May 19th) “asks readers what—and whom—they would give up to return to a first love and to the people they once were.” New York Times bestselling author Clare Leslie Hall called the book “...a heart-wrenching love story and a mystery that shocks and surprises until the very end. A wonderful novel.” [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 Rosie Walsh, Milena, and I discussed: The ongoing "bum fight" that is the writer's life How to create addictive plots that keep readers up at night Why sometimes you have to kill your darlings for that outstanding ending What it was like to do research in Thailand Why no one understands you like another writer And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠RosieWalsh.com⁠ The One Day You Were My Husband By Rosie Walsh (Amazon) Rosie Walsh Amazon Author Page ⁠Rosie Walsh on Facebook⁠ ⁠Rosie Walsh 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
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    45 Min.
  • How NY Times Bestselling Author Rosie Walsh Writes: Part One

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Rosie Walsh Writes: Part One
    May 13 2026
    New York Times bestselling author, Rosie Walsh, talked with me about finding her voice, transitioning from romcom to "emotional thriller," and her latest, The Love of My Life. Rosie Walsh has lived and traveled all over the world, working as a documentary producer and writer. Her American debut, Ghosted, was a New York Times bestseller and has sold more than one million copies worldwide. Her second novel is The Love of My Life, described as a "...stay-up-all-night page-turner. It’s a love story wrapped in a mystery that ... [taps] into our darkest fears about motherhood, family, and trust." Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push, said of the book, “Walsh’s hugely compelling THE LOVE OF MY LIFE instantly pulls you deep into the interior of a marriage. Part thriller, part mystery, part heart-wrenching love story, this is a treasure...” Stay calm and write on ... [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 Rosie Walsh and I discussed: Writing upmarket fiction under a pseudonym Why she starts all of her books with plot How to write a "book that breathes" What it's like to hang out at death cafes The "bum fight" that is the writer's life And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠RosieWalsh.com⁠ ⁠The Love of My Life: A Novel by Rosie Walsh⁠ (Amazon) ⁠Rosie Walsh on Facebook⁠ ⁠Rosie Walsh 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
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    33 Min.