Inside the Writer's Studio

Charlie talks with Matt Haig all the way from England about his bestselling novel The Midnight Library and his more recent non-fiction The Comfort Book. They discuss connections between the two books, the importance of hope, the ways in which depression and mental illness bubble up in Matt's work, the general fabulousness of libraries, and much more.

Charlie talks with journalist, essayist, and columnist Steven Petrow about his book Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old and about what it means to be a Civilist and a Perennial. They discuss humor, aging, voice in personal essays, structure, a writer's relationship with readers, and the stuff they both plan on not doping as they get older (which is happening fast!).

Charlie talks with Paul Rudnick, screenwriter for Sister Act and In and Out, about his new novel Playing the Palace, a gay romance with a happy ending. They discuss the progress made on queer issues since In and Out, the cult of celebrity, writing humor, and the sheer fun of writing some of the scenes in this delightful novel.

Charlie talks with bestselling novelist Christine Mangan about her new novel Palace of the Drowned. They discuss setting a novel in Venice, using detail to create character and setting, the author/editor relationship, what authors think of reviews and much more.

Shelley and Charlie discuss her debut novel The Vines, much of which is set on North Brother Island—a spot that also features in Charlie's Escaping Dreamland. They explore the overlaps between their respective novels; discuss themes of ethics, isolation, and identity; explore the history of North Brother and the appeal of island literature; and generally have a good time comparing novels.

Charlie talks with best-selling mystery writer Elizabeth George about her book on writing, Mastering the Process. They discuss their mutual affection for writing books set in Britain and take a close look at the development of setting and character in writing a novel.

Charlie talks with former National Geographic investigative reporter Bryan Christy about his debut novel, the international thriller In the Company of Killers. They discuss Bryan's long journey to novel writing, how investigative journalism can make a difference in the world, the criminal underworld, the classic image of American toxic masculinity, and more.

Charlie and Lisa discuss her historical novel Eternal, set in Rome during the rise and fall of Italian fascism. Lisa shares background about the history of the Italian Holocaust and talks about story telling, setting, historical research, family dynamics, and the torn loyalties that can be brought about in an authoritarian state.  We basically have a lot of fun talking about this terrific novel.

Charlie and Jill discuss here new novel Everything After touching on a wide range of topics from marriage to intimacy, pregnancy and miscarriage to the decisions we have made in our past and how we see those choices when we look back on them. Jill's thoughtful exploration of love, music, and the paths of our lives leads to a great conversation.

Charlie talks with NYT bestselling author Carol Edgarian about her latest novel, Vera, set before, during, and after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake—an event that also shows up in Charlie's novel Escaping Dreamland. They discuss not just earthquakes but racism, powerful women, the way disasters shape us and challenge us, how we learn from our characters, Enrico Caruso, and what Carol calls "the wrong rightness of characters."