Writer's Bone

Elliot Ackerman, author of Green on Blue and the recently published Dark at the Crossing, talks to Dave Pezza about toggling between journalism and fiction, painting an honest and realistic portrait of the Middle East, developing characters who feel real, and why it takes guts to write.

Dwayne Alexander Smith, Hollywood screenwriter and author of Forty Acres, talks to Daniel Ford about how “Star Wars” inspired him to become a filmmaker, why he decided to try his hand at writing fiction, how he developed the concept for his award-winning thriller, and why the magic is always in the details.

In this special Sunday episode, Joshua Mohr, author of All This Life and his recently published memoir Sirens, talks to Sean Tuohy about what fueled his desire to tell his own story, the taboo on talking about relapse, and why he hopes Sirens will help people who want to “do better.”  A friendly reminder that Writer’s Bone will be appearing with authors Joshua Mohr and Josh Cook at Porter Square Books on March 16 at 7 p.m. Come out and support badass authors, local bookstores, and humble podcasters! Visit our Facebook page for more details.

John Garofolo, author of Dickey Chapelle Under Fire: Photographs by the First American Female War Correspondent Killed in Action, talks to Daniel Ford about what inspired him to explore and share Dickey Chapelle’s story, his research process, how he narrowed down the photographs for the book, and what we can learn about war and humanity through Chapelle’s photography.

Alex George, author of the recently published Setting Free the Kites, talks to Daniel Ford about how being a voracious reader as a child led him to writing, how he developed his unforgettable characters in his new novel, and why stamina is essential for authors. 

Screenwriter and filmmaker Ed Gass-Donnelly—whose credits include “Beautiful City,” “Small Town Murder Songs,” and the recently released “Lavender”—talks to Sean Tuohy about his directing style, how “Lavender” evolved from the page to the screen, and the future of filmmaking and viewership.

Author and Writer’s Bone contributing editor David Joy talks to Daniel Ford about his accelerated writing process for his new novel The Weight of This World (out from Putnam today!), what he learned from the success of his debut Where All the Light Tends To Go, and why Appalachia is so misunderstood.

In the second installment of #NovelClass, Dave Pezza and Daniel Ford discuss Edie Meidav's Crawl Space.

Scott Frank, author of Shaker (which is now available in paperback) and screenwriter of "Logan," "Minority Report," and "Marley & Me," talks to Sean Tuohy about the joy of writing his novel and his varied screenwriting career.  

Jason Rekulak, author of The Impossible Fortress, talks to Gary Almeter about where the idea for the book originated, how he used 1980s nostalgia to illuminate his characters’ personalities, and his admirably disciplined writing process.

Tess Callahan, author of April & Oliver, talks to Daniel Ford about how her family inspired her to become a storyteller, the genesis behind her Tedx Talk, “The Love Affair Between Creativity and Constraint,” her publishing journey, and what authors can learn from painting.

Trailblazing comedian Paul Rodriguez talks to Sean Tuohy about his military service, how he got his start in comedy, being known as “The Mexican Guy,” his favorite Hispanics in today’s stand-up comedy scene, and the television show he’s developing with his son and Cheech Marin.

Emily Ruskovich, author of Idaho, talks to Internal Review's Adam Vitcavage about growing up in Idaho, the authors who influenced her work, and her future literary plans.

Michael Farris Smith, author of Rivers and the recently published Desperation Road, talks to Daniel Ford about his late entry into storytelling, his strict writing regimen, talking to his characters, and what inspired his new novel.

Screenwriter Larry Gross, whose credits include “48 Hrs.,” “Another 48 Hrs.,” “Streets of Fire,” “True Crime,” and “Prozac Nation,” talks to Sean Tuohy about growing up watching movies in New York City theaters, how he caught his break in Hollywood, his partnership with Walter Hill, his screenwriting process, and which of his filmmaking heroes he’d like to have dinner with.

Dan Zak, Washington Post reporter and author of Almighty: Courage, Resistance, and Existential Peril in the Nuclear Age, talks to Rob Masiello and Sean Tuohy about what he learned while researching the book, the global response to nuclear weapons and their implications, and why reading newspapers is better than solely binging news on social media.

Min Jin Lee, author of Free Food for Millionaires and the recently published Pachinko, talks to Daniel Ford about her path to storytelling, her intense research process, the global immigrant experience, and what inspired her new (and highly praised) novel.

Robert Ben Garant, best known for his work on “Reno 911!" and the "Night at the Museum" films, talks to Sean Tuohy about how performing led him to writing, how an outrageous script got him in the door writing for movies and television, how he developed his screenwriting process, and why he prefers writing to acting or directing.

Author Sebastian Barry, who has twice been nominated for the Man Booker Prize, talks to Daniel Ford about his career as a storyteller, how his son influenced his new novel Days Without End, tackling the American Civil War, and what aspiring authors, playwrights, and poets need to keep in mind when pursuing the mysterious craft of writing.

Shanthi Sekaran, author of the recently published Lucky Boy, talks to Daniel Ford about how her mother influenced her storytelling, her research process for Lucky Boy, how she developed the novel’s memorable main characters, and why writers need to step out of their comfort zones. Daniel also makes a statement about President Trump’s recent Executive Order regarding U.S. immigration policy.