In the spotlight is Vanessa Riley, author of 20 novels including “Queen of Exiles,” “Murder in Drury Lane” and “Island Queen,” the latter of which has been optioned by members of the team that helped produce the hit streaming series “Bridgerton.” She is also a trained engineer whose research skills have helped advance

Kat Rosenfield is a culture writer and author of five novels, including the Edgar-nominated No One Will Miss Her. In 2018, she partnered with the late, great Stan Lee to co-author A Trick of Light, a new superhero story set in the digital age.    We discuss:    >> The impulse and rewards of writing  >> The World Accord

In the spotlight is Alena Dillon, author of “My Body Is a Big Fat Temple,” “The Happiest Girl in the World,” “Mercy House” and “Eyes Turned Skyward.” Her work has also appeared in publications including The Daily Beast, LitHub, River Teeth, Slice Magazine, The Rumpus, and Bustle.   We discuss:   >> Going from nonfictio

In the spotlight is William Kenower, author of “Fearless Writing,” “Write Within Yourself” and “Everyone Has What It Takes,” in addition to being the editor-in-chief of Author magazine.   We discuss:   >> Writing as a spiritual practice >> Ending self-doubt >> Writing within yourself >> Finding your writing channel >>

In the spotlight is Filip Dousek, an artificial intelligence and data analytics expert who applies these disciplines to the novel. Dousek is interested in the illusions that underlie everything we do, from politics to economics to media. This summer he is publishing his first novel, “Flock Without Birds,” which was a b

Gay Talese, one of the pioneers of the New Journalism (along with Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer, Joan Didion and Hunter S. Thompson, among others) joins the program to discuss his long and storied career. Now 90 years of age, he is hard at work on his latest book. We discuss:   >> Writing about everyday people >> Publishing