Join hosts Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, Kevin Tumlinson, and JP Rindfleisch as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Associated Press, book banning, and AI. Then, stick around for a chat with Lisa Gardner!

Lisa Gardner, a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist, began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. She’s also had four books become TV movies (At the Midnight Hour; The Perfect Husband; The Survivors Club; Hide) and has made personal appearances on TruTV and CNN.

Lisa’s books have received awards from across the globe. Her novel, The Neighbor, won Best Hardcover Novel from the International Thriller Writers, while also receiving the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle in France. She was also recognized with the Daphne du Maurier Award in 2000 for The Other Daughter. Finally, Lisa received the Silver Bullet Award from the International Thriller Writers in 2017 for her work on behalf of at-risk children and the Humane Society.

For a bit of fun, Lisa invites her readers to enter the annual “Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy” Sweepstakes at LisaGardner.com. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected to meet a grand end in Lisa’s latest novel. Past winners have nominated spouses, best friends and even themselves.

Lisa lives in New Hampshire where she spends her time with an assortment of canine companions. When not writing, she loves to hike, garden, snowshoe and play cribbage.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Bookshop.org, Read Dating, and Stephen King. Then, stick around for a chat with Karin Slaughter!

Karin Slaughter is one of the world's most popular and acclaimed storytellers. She is the author of more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels, including the Edgar–nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls, The Good Daughter, and Pieces of Her. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her is a #1 Netflix original series starring Toni Collette, and WILL TRENT, based on her Will Trent series, is on ABC (and streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally). False Witness and The Good Daughter are in development for television. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about BookTok, Publishers Marketplace, and Briet. Then, stick around for a chat with Ania Ahlborn!

Ania Ahlborn is a Polish-American author known for her work in the horror and thriller genres. Born in Ciechanów, Poland, she moved to the United States when she was young.

Ahlborn began her writing career by self-publishing her first novel, Seed, before gaining recognition for her distinctive voice in horror. Her novels often explore dark and psychological themes, captivating readers with her ability to create chilling atmospheres and complex characters.

One of her notable works, "Brother," garnered attention for its intense narrative and psychological depth. Her storytelling style often blends elements of psychological horror, suspense, and a keen understanding of the dark intricacies of human nature.

She has earned praise for her contributions to both the horror and psychological thriller genres, and her novels have resonated with readers who appreciate atmospheric, character-driven, no-holds-barred fiction.

Originally hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, she has lived in Portland, Oregon and Greenville, South Carolina. She currently resides outside of Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband, son, and standard schnauzers.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Reese Witherspoon, the AI Protection Act, and audiobook walking clubs. Then, stick around for a chat with J.T. Ellison!

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 psychological thrillers and domestic noir novels, and the Emmy® award-winning co-host of A Word on Words on Nashville PBS.

She also writes contemporary fantasy as Joss Walker, including the award-winning Jayne Thorne series. With millions of books sold across 30 countries, her work has earned critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and multiple TV options. J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens—one of whom is a ghost—where she’s crafting her next suspenseful tale.

Want to learn more? Visit J.T.'s FAQ page, and check out her favorite interviews. Need a book cover? How about a head shot? Visit the media kit.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about a scam, a $100,000 prize, and Anthropic. Then, stick around for a chat with Christina Dotson!

Christina Dotson: Thriller author of LOVE YOU TO DEATH (7/22/2025) from Bantam/@randomhouse, lover of carbs & plot twists, and a super Social Worker❤️ - https://www.threads.com/@christinadotsonwrites?xmt=AQF0XaAiFcQ39Vr0u9-KG8lCjhoyU8i8sy8J4f03KOJtiDU

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about TikTok, must-read magazines, and AI translation. Then, stick around for a chat with Tess Sharpe!

Tess Sharpe: Born in a mountain cabin to a punk-rocker mother, Tess Sharpe grew up in rural northern California. She lives deep in the backwoods with a pack of dogs and a growing colony of formerly feral cats. She is the author of Barbed Wire Heart, the critically acclaimed YA novel Far From You and the upcoming Jurassic World prequel, The Evolution of Claire.

She is also the co-editor of Toil & Trouble, a feminist anthology about witches. Her short fiction has been featured in All Out, an anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about influencers, AI, and BookBub. Then, stick around for a chat with Andrew Gulli!

Andrew Gulli's The Strand Magazine:

The Strand Mystery Magazine is a quarterly which offers the best of both worlds—publishing previously unpublished works by literary masters such as John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Rod Serling, Louisa May Alcott, Shirley Jackson, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler , Tennessee Williams, and H.G.Wells . The Strand Magazine also features new works by today’s bestselling authors including Alexander McCall Smith, R.L. Stine, Michael Connelly, Faye Kellerman, Craig Johnson, Ruth Ware, Joseph Finder, and Jeffery Deaver, as well as engaging interviews. Our reviews section looks at the latest mystery/thriller offerings, Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and anthologies, in addition to audiobooks and DVDs. The Strand Mystery Magazine has been featured several times in The New York Times, NPR, PBS, USA Today, and the Associated Press.

Our current issue features Ian Fleming, Graham Greene, C.J. Box, Denise Mina and John Floyd. We also have an interview with Amor Towles.

Join hosts Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about TikTok, Booktrovert, Meta, and training AI on copyright books. Then, stick around for a chat with Ewan Morrison!

Ewan Morrison: Described as the ‘most fluent and intelligent Scottish writer of his generation’ by Booker Prize judge Stuart Kelly, Ewan Morrison is an award winning novelist and screenwriter and an essayist. Morrison’s writing has been praised by renowned authors Lionel Shriver, Ian Rankin, Fay Weldon, Douglas Coupland, James Frey, Irvine Welsh, James Robertson, Luke Rhinehart and Hanif Kureishi among others.

Ewan's eighth book, the 'darkly comic thriller', HOW TO SURVIVE EVERYTHING was published by Contraband in the UK in 2021, and in the US with Harper Perennial in 2022. It tells the story of a teenage girl who is abducted by her survivalist father, who believes that a world ending pandemic has begun.

​In November 2022, the book was optioned for a TV series and developed by Made Up Stories (Nine Perfect Strangers, Pieces of Her), Fifth Season & Kindling Pictures.