If youâre searching for a show that pulls back the curtain on the mystique of the writing life, look no further than The Writer Files. Hosts Kelton Reid and Milena Gonzalez study the habits, habitats, and brains of the biggest and brightest authors of our time.
Tune in each week to learn from bestselling and acclaimed writers on how to keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writerâs block. Please follow The Writer Files wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a rating or review to help other writers find us.
New York Times bestselling author Alma Katsu spoke with us about her 30-plus-year career in intelligence, her deep expertise in AI and social media disinformation, and her new techno-horror novel INCARNATE.
Alma Katsuâs books have won and been nominated for multiple prestigious awards, including the Stoker, Goodreads Readers Choice, and International Thriller Writers, and have appeared on numerous Best Books lists, including NPR, the Observer, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Goodreads, and Amazon.
Prior to becoming a full-time novelist, she spent 35 years working as a senior intelligence analyst for several U.S. agencies, including the CIA and NSA.
Her latest is Incarnate, described as a terrifying reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray for the internet age. Library Journal wrote of the book, âA deal with the devil is reworked for the online age, with a healthy dose of body horror joining AI. The combination makes the story uniquely terrifying.â
Author of Japanese Gothic, Kylie Lee Baker called it, âA deliciously addictive techno-horror that you canât look away from.âÂ
Almaâs debut novel, The Taker, was selected by Booklist as one of the top 10 debut novels of 2011. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Writing Program and Brandeis University, where she studied with novelist John Irving.
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In this file Alma Katsu, Milena, and I discussed:
Why intelligence work provided strong preparation for fiction
Her evolution as a writer and path to horror
How she chose Dorian Gray as a framework for her latest
Her concerns with recent developments in social media and generative AI
How she got a Stephen King blurb
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
almakatsubooks.com
Incarnate by Alma Katsu [Amazon]
Alma Katsu Amazon Author Pageâ
Alma Katsu on Facebook
Alma Katsu on Substack
Alma Katsu on Instagramâ â
Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer
diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram
Kelton Reid Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Bestselling Author Isabel Cañas Writes: Part Two
Bestselling author and historian Isabel Cañas returned to speak with us about the influence of Latin American history and family lore on her writing, the stakes of historical fiction, and her YA debut, THE HOUSE OF GARDENIAS.
Isabel Cañas is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of The Hacienda, Vampires of El Norte, and The Possession of Alba DĂaz.
Her fourth novel is The House of Gardenias, and her YA debut. âSet in revolutionary-era Mexico, the novel follows sixteen-year-old Minerva Treviño as she escapes an abusive home and begins a new life as a lady's maid to a wealthy widow.â
#1 NY Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer said of the book, "This is gothic storytelling with teeth: a lyrical and devastating tale of one maid caught in a spiderweb of loyalty, courage, revolution, and monsters both dead and alive."
Isabel holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and writes fiction inspired by her research and heritage.
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In Part Two of this file Isabel Cañas, Milena, and I discussed:
âThe existential dreadâ of the week before pub date
How she came of age as a writer during the YA fantasy boom
Why she pivoted to adult horror early in her career
The familial inspiration behind her latest novel
How she walked away from her very first YA offer
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
â â isabelcanas.comâ â
The House of Gardenias by Isabel Cañas [Amazon]
â Isabel Cañas Amazon Author Pageâ
â â Isabel Cañas on TikTokâ
â â Isabel Cañas on Instagramâ â
Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer
diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram
Kelton Reid Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How National Book Award-Winner and NYT Bestselling Author Elizabeth Acevedo Writes
Mexican-American writer and historian, Isabel Cañas, spoke to me about how to binge-write a novel, her fear of the dark, and swinging for the fences with her gothic debut "The Hacienda."
Isabel is a speculative fiction writer, and world traveler â currently working on her Ph.D. dissertation in medieval Islamic literature â who writes fiction inspired by her research and heritage.
Her debut novel is the highly-anticipated gothic, The Hacienda, "... a haunted house story with a Latinx refresh .... partly inspired by a home Isabel lived in when she was a child â one she still believes to this day is haunted."
Described by The Washington Post as, â[A] gothic tale of doomed love and vengeful spirits." NY Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi called the book, âA hypnotic, sinister tale that is equal parts terrifying and luxurious ... a nightmare lined with velvet.â
In this file Isabel Cañas and I discussed:
Writing fantasy fan fiction and her convoluted juveniliaÂ
Why horror demands vulnerability from the author
On haunted houses and ghosts of colonialism and diaspora
Zero-drafting
How to write 4000 words a day
And a lot more!
Stay calm and write on ...
Show Notes:
â isabelcanas.comâ
â The Hacienda by Isabel Cañasâ [Amazon]
Isabel Cañas Amazon Author Page
â Isabel Cañas on TikTok
â Isabel Cañas on Instagramâ
Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer
diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram
Kelton Reid Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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Bestselling crime novelist and former NFL running back Andre Hardy spoke with us about the slim odds of going from professional athlete to published novelist, writing through therapy, and his debut, TEAR THE CITY DOWN.
Andre Hardy is a critically acclaimed debut crime novelist, former NFL running back, and a member of the International Thriller Writers.
Described as a novel for fans of S.A. Cosby and Walter Mosley, TEAR THE CITY DOWN follows Coltrane Davis, a fixer for a crooked political kingmaker who wants out of the life and a chance to be present for his daughter.
New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins called it, âA kickass debut from a bold new voice in crime fictionâŠ. This novel is the stuff of lean, mean, California dreams."
Andreâs essays, interviews, and critical analysis have been published in L.A. Tribe Magazine, Lunch Ticket, and The Los Angeles Review of Books.
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[If youâre 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 Andre Hardy, Milena, and I discussed:
How he found writing after his NFL career
Channeling the spirit of John Coltrane
Why writers need to subdue the inner critic
What he learned chasing his debut novel
The thick skin needed to pursue greatness
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
andrehardy.com
Tear the City Down by Andre Hardy (Amazon)
Andre Hardy on Instagram
Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer
diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram
Kelton Reid Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Jeneva Rose returns to speak with us about motherhood and creativity, her transition from thrillers to horror, and her highly anticipated novella collection, SOMETIMES I SCARE MYSELF.
Thriller icon 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 bestseller and horror debut, Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror, is described as three novellas spanning the horror-comedy, haunted house, and slasher subgenres.
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 sheâs known as âMother Goose.â
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[If youâre 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, and I discussed:
How she channeled postpartum anxiety into her latest
The biggest difference between writing horror vs. thrillersÂ
Her favorite place to do secret book signings
When we can expect to see The Perfect Marriage adaptation
Her philosophy on persevering through rejection
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
jenevarose.comÂ
Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror 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 Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Jeneva Rose Writes: Part One - Redux
#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jeneva Rose, spoke with us about betting on herself, spurning the crown of âQueen of Twists,â 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 sheâs known as âMother Goose.â
[Discoverâ â â â â The Writer Files Extraâ â â â â : Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox atâ â â â â writerfiles.fmâ â â â â ]
[If youâre a fan of The Writer Files, pleaseâ â â â â click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviewsâ â â â â . 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:
â jenevarose.comâ Â
â Dating After the End of the Worldâ â October 1, 2025 by Jeneva Rose (Amazon)
â Jeneva Rose Amazon Author Pageâ
â Jeneva Rose on Facebookâ
â Jeneva Rose on Instagramâ
â Jeneva Rose on TikTokâ
â Jeneva Rose on Twitterâ
â Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewerâ
â diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagramâ
â Kelton Reid on Twitterâ
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Bestselling author Ellen OâClover spoke with us about her career as a copywriter, her writing process, making the transition from YA to adult romance, and her latest novel IF NOT YOU.
Ellen OâClover is the acclaimed author of The Heartbreak Hotelâa BOTM selection, instant indie bestseller, and one of NPRâs 2025 âBooks We Love.â She studied creative writing at Johns Hopkins University.
Her latest novel, If Not You, is described as an â...honest and heartfelt love story [with] the witty, down-to-earth, timeless vibes of the classic 90s and 2000s rom-coms.â Â
Rachel Lynn Solomon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Extracurricular, said of the author, âEllen O'Clover is one of my favorite writers â her books leave me in perpetual aweâŠ.The romance genre is radically lucky to have Ellen's voice in it.â
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[If youâre 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 Ellen OâClover, Milena, and I discussed:
Getting a blurb from our friend Jodi Picoult
Why she made the shift from pantser to plotter
How she crafts her emotionally driven fiction
What she mined from her copywriting career for the latest
Meeting your readers where they are
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
ellenoclover.com
If Not You By Ellen OâClover (Amazon)
Ellen OâClover Amazon Author Page
Ellen OâClover on Substack
Ellen OâClover on TikTok
Ellen OâClover 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
How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult Writes: Part Two
#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult returns to speak with us about her research process, writing habits, book bans, recurring characters, and her 30th novel, HOLLOW BONES.
Jodi Picoult is the award-winning and bestselling author of 30 novels, including most recently the #1 bestseller By Any Other Name. Her landmark novel 19 MINUTES was recently named the most banned book in the United States in a report by PEN America.
Her 30th novel is Hollow Bones, also a #1 bestseller, and a book that âexplores mothers and daughters, gender bias in healthcare, and catastrophe and consequence.â
In a starred review, Kirkus called the book, âAn intricate, twisty family drama spanning decades . . . Fans of My Sisterâs Keeper will . . . be glad to hear a character from that book is back. . . . The queen of social activist novels has done it again.â
With over 60 million books in print, Jodi's books have been translated into forty languages. Her co-adaptation of the musical Austenland is currently in development.
Â
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[If youâre 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 Jodi Picoult, Milena, and I discussed:
Why she took and failed a lie detector test researching her latest book
The never-ending book tour and surviving on one meal a day
How she defends free speech while maintaining 1.5M social media followers
Why thereâs no silver bullet after finishing a book and signing with an agent
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
jodipicoult.com
Hollow Bones: A Novel By Jodi Picoult (Amazon)
Jodi Picoult Amazon Author Page
Jodi Picoult on Facebook
Jodi Picoult on Twitter
Jodi Picoult on Instagram
Jodi Picoult on TikTok
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