Dean Monti has worked creatively in a variety of mediums including short stories, plays, novels, journalism, and screenwriting. His latest novel, The Monosexual, will be published July 2024. He is also the author of several one-act plays and has had his works premiered in Chicago, and was a finalist in a national playwriting competition. He taught creative writing and novel writing classes at Columbia College in Chicago and College of DuPage. He is currently working on new novels and recently adapted one of his works as a screenplay. Throughout it all, he has held a full-time job as an editor and journalist for more than 20 years. 

Among other things, Dean and Carter discuss balancing writing your story and market considerations, establishing conflict early on, and how publicity and online presence affects sales. At the end of their conversation, they make up a mysterious story using a line from Douglas Adams’ The Long Dark Tea-Time to the Soul.

Victoria Helen Stone, author of the runaway best seller Jane Doe, writes critically acclaimed novels of dark intrigue and emotional suspense. Aside from Follow Her Down, At The Quiet Edge, The Last One Home, Problem Child, and other chart-topping novels, she also published twenty-nine books as USA Today bestselling author Victoria Dahl and won the prestigious American Library Association Reading List award for best genre fiction.

Among other things, Victoria and Carter discuss how family secrets influence writing, balancing a character’s struggles with positive outcomes, and removing extensive description from your novel. At the end of their conversation, they make up a witty and suspenseful story using a line from Araminta Hall’s One of the Good Guys.

Aimie Runyan is a multi-published and bestselling author of historical and contemporary fiction. She has been nominated for a Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year Award, a Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice selection, and a four-time finalist for the Colorado Book Awards. She is an adjunct instructor for the Drexel University MFA in Creative Writing program.

Among other things, Aimie and Carter discuss using empathy to create compelling characters, what exactly defines genre, and maintaining a fanbase and readership. At the end of their conversation, they make up a mysterious story using a line from Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend.

Kimberly Giarratano is an author of mysteries for teens and adults. Her debut novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards, won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA at Killer Nashville. In May 2024 she released the second novel in her Billie Levine series, Devil in Profile, which follows the novel Death of a Dancing Queen. A former librarian, she is currently an instructor at SUNY Orange County Community College and the chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime. 

Among other things, Kimberly and Carter discuss the challenges of being an extrovert in the writing field, inspiration drawn from Nazi art theft, and trying to figure out how to balance a realistic plot with an exciting and unpredictable story. At the end of their conversation, they make up a captivating story using a line from Audrey Lee’s The Mechanics of Memory.

Matt Scott is the author of the Surviving the Lion’s Den thriller trilogy which debuted in 2021. Matt earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Hampden-Sydney College. During his subsequent studies, Matt became fascinated by the CIA and read dozens of books related to Middle East politics, spy craft, the CIA’s war against terrorism, and double agents. Matt’s latest action-packed political thriller is The Ayatollah Takedown. His two previous novels in the series include Surviving the Lion’s Den and The Iranian Deception.

Among other things, Matt and Carter discuss the psychology of starting a writing journey later in life, committing to a consistent writing routine, and exploring the topic of Iran in literature. At the end of their conversation, they make up an eerie story using a line from William Kent Krueger’s Fox Creek.

Louise Doughty is the author of ten novels, most recently A Bird in Winter. Her previous books include Platform Seven, filmed for ITVX; Black Water, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year; the bestseller Apple Tree Yard, adapted for BBC One; and Whatever You Love, nominated for the Costa Novel Award and the Women’s Prize for fiction. She has been nominated for many other prizes and has helped with creating and writing the hit BBC drama Crossfire. Her work has been translated into thirty languages.

Among other things, Louise and Carter discuss the complexities of writing about sex, writing violence realistically and focusing on the consequences of violence, and how being a writer involves so much more than just writing a book. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful and descriptive story using a line from S.F. Kosa’s The Night We Burned.

This week’s Making It Up is extra-special as it features Tim Booth, lead singer and lyricist of James, a British band who has been performing for over 40 years and has sold more than 25 million albums globally (James is also Carter’s absolute favorite band, making Tim one of his personal heroes). You may have seen quotes from James songs as epigraphs in many of Carter’s novels, which is how he got to know Tim. After a decade in the making, Tim’s brilliant debut novel, When I Died For the First Time, just released in the U.K. and is set for a U.S. launch in July 2024.

Among other things, Tim and Carter discuss seeking out art and culture as a kid, how improvisation and editing are large parts of Tim’s lyricism, and how having an established audience affects confidence in writing. At the end of their conversation, they make up an incredibly descriptive story using a line from David Mitchell’s Slade House. 

Christopher Reich is the New York Times bestselling author of The Take, Numbered Account, Rules of Deception, Rules of Vengeance, Rules of Betrayal, and many other thrillers. His novel The Patriots Club won the International Thriller Writers award for Best Novel in 2006. He is also the author of the Simon Riske series, an international spy thriller series, and his newest novel Matterhorn was just released in April 2024. 

Among other things, Christopher and Carter discuss writing in first person present, quitting a day job to pursue a career in writing, and the pressure of writing accurate historical fiction. At the end of their conversation, they make up a chilling story using a line from John Grisham’s A Painted House.

Danny Cherry Jr., a Customer Service Representative with an MBA, and he writes political and personal essays; novels; narrative nonfiction; and short stories. He has written for Buzzfeed News, Politico, The Daily Beast, and more; and fiction for Apex Magazine, Fiyah Lit Mag, amongst others. His first novel, The Pike Boys, came out in January 2024 and is a 1920s organized crime drama set in New Orleans. His story “Brief Life Story of Lila” was added to the Locus Magazine recommended reading list for 2022, as well as the BEST AMERICAN SCI-FI & FANTASY 2023 notable stories list.

Among other things, Danny and Carter discuss how a business degree helps writers appreciate the craft of writing, how writers can take inspiration from television, and the process of self-publishing. At the end of their conversation, they make up a short story using a line from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.

Peter Blauner is the author of nine novels, including Slow Motion Riot winner of an Edgar Allan Poe award for best first novel from Mystery Writers of America, and The Intruder, a New York Times bestseller and a bestseller overseas. He began his career as a journalist for New York magazine in the 1980s and segued into writing fiction in the 1990s. He has been a staff writer for several television shows, including Law & Order: SVU and Blue Bloods. His new novel, Picture in the Sand, which spans sixty years and the distance from Hollywood to Cairo, was published in January, 2023 and is his first work of historical fiction.

Among other things, Peter and Carter discuss writing for television and how it differs from writing novels, the transition from journalism to fiction, and complications when writing historical fiction. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from John Grisham’s The Rainmaker.

Caroline Cleveland credits growing up in the rural South and its quieter way of life for her lifelong passion for books and storytelling. Her dedication to the written word led her to law school at the University of South Carolina, where she earned her degree in 1991. She is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a specialist in labor and employment law and is the founding partner of Cleveland & Conley, LLC. Her debut novel, When Cicadas Cry, about a high-profile murder case in a small South Carolina town rife with racial tension, will be published by Union Square Publishing on May 7, 2024.

Among other things, Caroline and Carter discuss the Murdaugh family, writing unreliable narrators, and how legal experience and connections can influence writing novels. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful and captivating story using a line from Hot Springs by Stephen Hunter.

Diego Báez is a writer and educator. He is the author of Yaguareté White, a finalist for the Georgia Poetry Prize and a semifinalist for the Berkshire Prize for Poetry. A fellow at CantoMundo, the Surge Institute, and the Poetry Foundation’s Incubator for Community-Engaged Poets, Báez has served on the boards of the National Book Critics Circle, the International David Foster Wallace Society, and Families Together Co-operative Nursery School. His poems, book reviews, and essays have appeared online and in print.

Among other things, Diego and Carter discuss how music can inspire poetry, knowing who to listen to and trust when getting feedback, and compiling a collection of poetry in a methodical way. At the end of their conversation, they make up an intriguing science-fiction story using a line from Stardust by Neil Gaiman. 

Jeff Hoffmann quit his job at the age of 47 to return to college for his MFA, and his first novel, Other People’s Children, emerged from that decision. His second novel, Like It Never Happened, was just released in March 2024. In addition to his two novels, Jeff’s writing has been published in The Sun, Booth, Harpur Palate, and Publishers Weekly. He was the winner of the Madison Review’s Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction and a finalist for the Missouri Review’s Jeffrey E. Smith Editor’s Prize.

Among other things, Jeff and Carter discuss shifting trends in the publishing industry, separating yourself from a business/academic mindset when writing, and the positive side of reading reviews. At the end of their conversation, they make up a chilling story using a line from The Fireballer by Mark Stevens.

Peg Tyre is director of strategy at the Edwin Gould Foundation in New York City. In addition to her two creative fiction novels that have recently been republished, Tyre has written about education for The New York Times, Politico, The Atlantic, and more. She has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award and is the author of two critically acclaimed books on education, one of which is a New York Times bestseller. She has a bachelor’s from Brown University and was a Spencer fellow at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Among other things, Peg and Carter discuss working in the journalism industry before and after the rise of the Internet, writing flawed characters, and looking back on and reflecting on the process of republishing old novels. At the end of their conversation they make up a fast-paced and thrilling story using a sentence from The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones.

Araminta Hall began her career in journalism as a staff writer on teen magazine Bliss, becoming Health and Beauty editor of New Woman. She wrote regular features for the Mirror’s Saturday supplement and ghost wrote supermodel Caprice’s column. She has a MA in creative writing and authorship from the University of Sussex, and teaches creative writing at New Writing South in Brighton. She’s the author of Our Kind of Cruelty, which was named a best book of 2018 by CrimeReads and Real Simple, along with five other novels including her newest novel One of the Good Guys.

Among other things, Araminta and Carter discuss having social media as an author, the unpredictability of the writing world, and why so many people struggle trying to get into, and stay in, the writing industry. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful and funny story using a sentence from Araminta’s own One of the Good Guys.

Joe Lansdale has written novels in many genres, including Western, horror, science fiction, and mystery, and has written for comics such as “Batman: The Animated Series.” As of 2020, he had written 50 novels and published more than 30 short-story collections. He has won ten Bram Stoker Awards, a British Fantasy Award, an Edgar Award, and more, and has been inducted into The Texas Literary Hall of Fame.

Kasey Lansdale is a country blues singer and songwriter, an actress, and an author. Lansdale was first published at the age of eight by Random House, and is the author of several short stories and novellas. Recently she has been collaborating with her father on a collection of short stories.

Among other things, Joe, Kasey, and Carter discuss writing together as a father and daughter, how to collaborate as an author, and future independent projects. At the end of their conversation, they make up a comedic and short story using a sentence from True Evil by Greg Iles.

L.R. Jones, or Lisa Renee Jones, is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her dark, edgy fiction includes the novels You Look Beautiful Tonight, The Poet, A Perfect Lie, and the Lilah Love series. Prior to publishing, Lisa owned a multistate staffing agency recognized by the Austin Business Journal and was #7 in Entrepreneur magazine’s list of growing women-owned businesses.

Among other things, Lisa and Carter discuss being parents to golden retrievers, the differences between writing romance and writing thrillers, and publishing and editing complications. At the end of their conversation, they make up a dark and suspenseful story using a sentence from You Always Come Back by Emily Smith.

Audrey Gale is the author of the new release, The Human Trial. After twenty-plus years in the banking industry, Audrey pursued her master’s in fiction writing at the University of Southern California. Her first novel, a legal thriller entitled The Sausage Maker’s Daughters, was published under the name A.G.S. Johnson. Her second, The Human Trial, is the first book in a medical-thriller trilogy inspired by Gale’s own experiences with the gap between traditional medicine and approaches based on the findings of the great physicists of the 20th Century. 

Among other things, Audrey and Carter discuss writing stories as a child, navigating imposter syndrome as a new author, and the necessity of doing research in different academic/career fields for a book, even when writing fiction. At the end of their conversation, they make up a hilarious and twisted story using a sentence from Darcy Coates’s From Below.