Inside the Writer's Studio

Charlie talks to historical novelist Fiona Davis about her novel The Magnolia Palace, set largely at the Frick Museum in New York City in 1919 and 1966. They discuss (among other things) New York, researching historical details, the place of the model in society, and the amazing true story of Audrey Munson, the artists' model who served as the basis for one of the heroines in Fiona's novel.

Charlie starts off the new year talking with historical novelist Kerri Maher about her new novel The Paris Bookseller, a fascinating and moving account of Sylvia Beach and her famous store Shakespeare and Company. They discuss Beach's publication of Ulysses by James Joyce, the place of expatriates like Ernest Hemingway in 1920s Paris, the role of bookstores in society and much more.

Charlie talks to debut novelist Elizabeth Weiss about her novel Sisters Sweet which follows the lives of twin sisters as they navigate the world of vaudeville in the 1920s and 1930s. They discuss theatre history, writing about twins, changing technology, religion, family and more.

Charlie chats with Sophie Cousens, author of the romantic comedy Just Haven't Met You Yet, about living on the island of Jersey in the English Channel, the connection between place and story, the meaning of objects in our lives, the preservation of stories, humor in the inner lives of characters, positivity in the face of difficulties, and more.

Charlie talks with screenwriter and novelist Rex Pickett about his new novel The Archivist. They discuss the place of an archivist in the life of a writer, southern California, the thorny issues of archival ethics, adapting novels for the screen and screenplays into novels, the support networks writers depend on, writing strong women characters, and more.

Charlie talks with British novelist Sophie Kinsella about her new book The Party Crasher. They discuss family dynamics, writing humor, confining the action to a single place and time, the character arc of a house, how to humanize even unlikeable characters, the advantages of a first person narrative, and much more.

Fresh on the heels of Lauren's appearance at the Bookmarks Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, Charlie and Lauren discuss her new novel Matrix about the poet Marie de France. They discuss religion, economics, feminism, queer history, poetry, royalty, mysticism, and how all those elements combine to create an unforgettable novel.

Charlie talks with fellow North Carolina novelist about his new novel When Ghosts Come Home. The talk about issues of race and class, how to use backstory to create pacing, how tragedy magnifies the details of life, creating believable minor characters, emotion in writing, making a setting resonate with readers, and much more. Wylie and Charlie will also share the stage at the Bookmarks Festival on September 25.

Charlie talks with Marie and Victoria about their historical novel The Personal Librarian, the story of a trailblazing black woman who passed for white while building one of the most significant book collections in the world—now the Morgan Library and Museum. They discuss race in historical fiction, creating characters out of real people, the antiquarian book world, how two authors worked together to create one book, and much more about this fascinating historical novel.

Charlie chats with Canadian mystery writer Shari Lapena about her new novel Not a Nice Family. They discuss managing information in a mystery, family dynamics, the art of crafting chapter endings, and much more about the murder, dysfunction, and suspicion within the family at the center of this page-turner.