Writer’s Digest Author Spotlight / 46 posts found
Patrick Strickland: On the Importance of Empathy in Writing Nonfiction
Patrick Strickland is a journalist and author from Texas who has reported from some 15 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. His reportage has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The Nation, The New Republic, Politico, The Guardian, Vice, In These Times, and elsewhere. He is the author of Alerta! Alerta! Follow him on Twitter. Patrick Strickland In this post, Patrick discusses how the pandemic altered the way he did research for his new nonfiction book, The Marauders: Standing Up to Vigilantes in the American Borderlands, the jobs he took in the midst of the […]
Christopher Ruocchio: On the Natural Growth in Writing a Series
Christopher Ruocchio could read almost before he could speak, and so when he realized he would never be an astronaut, he decided to be a novelist. He began writing when he was eight years old, and sold his first novel at twenty-two. He is also the Assistant Editor at Baen Books and a graduate of North Carolina State University. He is the author of the Sun Eater series, beginning with Empire of Silence. Find him on Facebook and Instagram. Christopher Ruocchio Photo by Paul Ruocchio In this post, Christopher discusses the process of writing his new science fiction novel, Kingdoms […]
Michael P. Branch: On the Importance of Surprising Yourself
Michael P. Branch is a professor of literature and environment at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he teaches creative nonfiction, American literature, environmental studies, and film studies. An award-winning writer and humorist, Michael is the author of How to Cuss in Western and lives with his wife and two daughters in the western Great Basin Desert, on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Range. Find him on Facebook and Instagram. Michael P. Branch Photo by Kyle Weerheim In this post, Michael discusses the hybrid genres that are at play in his new nonfiction book, On the Trail of […]
Amanda Elliot: On Food and Romance in Fiction
Amanda Elliot is the author of several young adult and middle grade books as Amanda Panitch. Sadie On A Plate is her first adult novel. She lives in New York City, where she owns way too many cookbooks for her tiny kitchen. Learn more online at amandapanitch.com, and find her on Twitter and Instagram. Amanda Elliot Photo by Cassie Gonzales, 2021 In this post, Amanda discusses how a reality show competition and a desire for more culinary diversity led her to writing her new romantic comedy, Sadie On A Plate, and more! Name: Amanda ElliotLiterary agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers HouseBook […]
Diana Abu-Jaber: On Unearthing Family History
Raised between Syracuse, N.Y. and Amman, Jordan, Diana Abu-Jaber often writes about cultural identity. Her latest work, Fencing With The King, a novel of Middle Eastern intrigue and adventure, will be published in March 2022 from W.W. Norton. Her most recent novel, Silverworld, a fantasy with an Arab-American girl at its heart, was published last spring from Crown Books / Random House. Her award-winning novels include Silverworld; Birds of Paradise; Origin; Crescent; and Arabian Jazz. Her memoir, Life Without A Recipe, was described by Ruth Reichl as “bold and luscious.” The Language of Baklava, her first memoir has been translated […]
Simone St. James: On Finishing the Book First
Simone St. James is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Sun Down Motel, The Broken Girls, Lost Among the Living, and The Haunting of Maddy Clare. She wrote her first ghost story, about a haunted library, when she was in high school, and spent 20 years behind the scenes in the television business before leaving to write full time. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Simone St. James Photo by Perrywinkle Photography, 2018 In this post, Simone discusses the nonstop learning that happened in writing her new suspense novel, The Book of Cold Cases, why […]
Caitlin Barasch: On Curating Our Own Personal Stories
Caitlin Barasch earned her BA from Colorado College and her MFA from New York University. Her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications, including Catapult, Day One, The Forge, and Hobart. A former bookseller, Caitlin currently teaches creative writing at the Writers Circle. She was born and raised in New York and now lives in Brooklyn. A Novel Obsession is her debut novel. Find her on Twitter and Instagram. Caitlin Barasch In this post, Caitlin discusses the collaborative effort of publishing her literary novel, A Novel Obsession, her advice for others writers, and more! Name: Caitlin BaraschLiterary agent: Callie […]
Nisha Sharma: On Authentic Writing
Nisha Sharma is the award-winning author of YA rom-com My So-Called Bollywood Life, and contemporary romance drama The Singh Family Trilogy. She grew up immersed in Bollywood movies, 80s pop-culture, and romance novels, so it comes as no surprise that her work features all three. Her writing has been praised by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, Hypable, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her Alaskan-born husband, her cat Lizzie Bennett, and her dog Nancey Drew. You can find her online at nisha-sharma.com or on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. Nisha Sharma Photo by Jon Macapodi In this […]
Paula Merlán: On Inspiration in Nature
Paula Merlán (Vigo, 1979) is a Spanish award-winning author. She graduated in Law and Education. Currently, she combines writing with teaching, her two passions. She has published more than twenty children’s books, many of them translated into several languages such as Galician, Basque, Catalan, English, Italian, French and Korean. Her most important books are The Bizzies (Cuento de luz, 2019) and A Surprise for Mrs. Tortoise (Nubeocho, 2017), winner at the 2018 International Latino Book Awards. Find her at her blog and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Paula Merlán In this post, Paula discusses how a walk along the water […]
India Holton: On Unexpected Magic in the Drafting Process
India Holton lives in New Zealand, where she’s enjoyed the typical Kiwi lifestyle of wandering around forests, living barefoot on islands, and messing about in boats. Now she lives in a cottage near the sea, writing books about uppity women and charming rogues, and drinking too much tea. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. India Holton Photo credit: India Holton In this post, India discusses the surprises she experienced in writing her new fantasy romance novel, The League of Gentlewomen Witches, what she hopes readers take away from the experience, and more! Name: India HoltonLiterary agent: Taylor Haggerty of […]