Meet the Thriller Author (Author Interviews)

J.A. Jance returns to Meet the Thriller Author to discuss The Taken Ones, her 27th J.P. Beaumont mystery. When a young woman vanishes after flying from Anchorage to Seattle for her dream internship, Beaumont joins the search from a thousand miles away. Jance tells Alan Petersen how a train ride gave her the opening lines of her first Beaumont novel, why she still writes without an outline, and how a character named Twinkle Winkleman refused to stay on the sidelines. She also shares how she keep

Award-winning author Bobby Nash returns to Meet the Thriller Author more than ten years after appearing as one of the podcast’s first guests. We discuss his survival thriller, Nowhere to Run, which sends Deputy U.S. Marshal William Teague into the mountains after a prisoner-transfer plane crashes, combining a dangerous rescue with a fugitive hunt. Bobby shares how a supporting character became the lead in his own series, why he expanded the story from a novella into a novel, and how his “signpo

New York Times bestselling author Laurie R. King joins me to discuss her latest mystery, Those Who Are Gone, featuring San Francisco homicide inspector Raquel Laing. Laurie talks about writing cold cases, using DNA and family ancestry in a mystery, and connecting Raquel’s world with her earlier Kate Martinelli series. We also explore the creation of Mary Russell, her experiences writing in the Sherlock Holmes universe, and her recognition by the Baker Street Irregulars. Laurie also shares her

Crime thriller author Jeff Kerr joins me to talk about Deadly Relic, the sixth book in his Adam Cash mystery series, featuring a sheriff's deputy investigating crimes in the rugged Texas Hill Country. We discuss the fascinating inspiration behind Deadly Relic, which begins with the theft of a historic rifle connected to the Battle of the Alamo. Jeff also talks about his journey from writing nonfiction Texas history to crime fiction, creating the fictional town of Pinyon, his writing and researc

Acclaimed screenwriter and television producer Kevin Wade joins me to discuss One Good Eye, the second novel in his Jeep Mullane crime series. Kevin shares how 14 years as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner of Blue Bloods inspired his move into crime fiction, the transition from screenwriting to novels, his writing process and routine, and why he chose Long Island as the setting for the series. We also talk about his Hollywood career, including writing the classic Working Girl, and Kev

In Episode 241 of Meet the Thriller Author, I talk with crime and suspense author Tom Towslee about his journey from newspaper reporter and political communications director to novelist. We discuss his latest thriller, Finding Lexi Divine, creating morally complex characters, the influence of journalism on his writing, his approach to plotting, and practical advice for aspiring authors. Tom also shares insights into marketing books and his interest in adapting his novels for the screen.