Welcome to Author Provocateur with Josie Brown

James Rollins - CRUCIBLE

James Rollins has written enough bestselling novels to fill a tall bookcase. In most of them, a historical event, or artifact, is the catalyst for a modern-day catastrophe. Sometimes Rollins will find the perfect plot concept from reading an article. Sometimes it’s sparked from his travels. For his latest novel, CRUCIBLE, it came from a place that even surprised him. (You'll have to hear the interview to find out where.)

In CRUCIBLE, the Spanish Inquisition is the catalyst for a religious cult's modern-day witch hunt in the not-too-distant-future. Fair warning: should the events depicted in this novel come to pass and scientists soon develop an artificial intelligence capable of warp-speed learning capacity, fact will be much scarier than fiction.

Click here to read the feature article accompanying this podcast interview in TheBigThrill.org

David Baldacci - LONG ROAD TO MERCY

According to internationally bestselling author David Baldacci, when you’ve written as many books as he has—ten series, or a total of thirty books, and counting; and another twelve stand-alone novels—there is one way to keep his writing razor-sharp: “Start from Square One: create a new character, a new series—a new world.”

With his latest novel, LONG ROAD TO MERCY, Baldacci has done just that. His new protagonist, female FBI agent Atlee Pine, must cover a desolate Far West outpost on her own. And although its size is intimidating—it includes Grand Canyon National Park—Atlee is strongly motivated to succeed. She sees it as a way to avenge the tragic death of her twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted by a serial killer when the girls were only six years old.

David and I talked about his process in creating new, complex characters and weaving real-time geopolitical incidents into a heart-pounding plot.

Click here to read the accompanying feature interview with David in TheBigThrill.org

Lee Child - PAST TENSE

The iconic loner anti-hero, Jack Reacher, has made thriller writer Lee Child an internationally renowned author.

Child’s debut novel, Killing Floor—the first of 23 Reach books—won both the Anthony and the Barry awards for Best First Mystery.

The 9th novel, THE ENEMY, won both the Barry and the Nero awards for Best Novel and became a film starring Tom Cruise.

I interviewed Lee about the latest book in the series, PAST TENSE, in which a turn in the road takes Jack to his long-deceased father’s hometown, where the ghosts of his past aren’t necessarily dead and buried.

Click here to read the accompanying feature article with Lee at TheBigThrill.org

Kristan Higgins - GOOD LUCK WITH THAT

New York Times best-selling author Kristan Higgins’ eighteenth novel, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, follows three women—best pals Emerson, Marley, and Georgia—whose lifetime battles with obesity were the bonds that brought them together. The death of one provides the catalyst for self discovery, change, and acceptance for the other two.

Hank Phillippi Ryan - TRUST ME

If you’re a novelist, the best way to make lemonade from a lemon of a non-fiction book deal gone awry is to repurpose it into a thriller that garners numerous enthusiastic reviews and a slot several best-sellers’ lists.

With her latest stand-alone novel, TRUST ME, Five-time Agatha award-winner Hank Phillippi Ryan has done exactly that. I talked to her about this latest thriller as well as how she varies her process when writing a stand-alone novel as opposed to her Jane Ryland series.

Click here to read the accompanying feature article with Hank in TheBigThrill.org

Author Provocateur Interviews: Violet Howe

Violet's experience in the wedding planning industry was her inspiration for a heroine who creates  Happily Ever Afters for brides and the grooms who love them. She also writes romantic suspense—with a paranormal twist. But Violet’s passion: research. Violet explains how research adds color to her novels. Interviewed by Josie Brown.

Author Provocateur Interviews: TM Cromer

This Romantic Suspense and Sweet Contemporary Romance author truly has a split personality—and it shows in the depth and breadth of her work. I talked to her about the joy of writing in multiple genres, and coming from a large family. And with me, she also discusses her latest paranormal series, THE THORN WITCHES.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Tina DeSalvo

Tina DeSalvo writes about and believes in Happily Ever Afters. She writes them beautifully, too—perhaps because of her keen observations of others, honed from her many years as a journalist. We have a wonderful discussion of her past, her journey as a cancer survivor, and her latest novel and series.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Tara Taylor Quinn

Tara Taylor Quinn has penned 75 novels—and counting! She is a go-to read for any Harlequin SuperRomance reader. In her WHERE SECRETS ARE SAFE series, the plots revolve around  members or supporters of the Lemonade Stand Women’s Shelter. Their second chances are true happily ever after—for not only the heroine and the heroine, but for those women who could use a helping hand.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Susan Carlisle

Best-selling author Susan Carlisle finds the inspiration for her plots in the funniest places—and it shows. Having traveled to 49 of 50 states, she has a lot of wonderful material.We talk about plots, travel, and our home state of Georgia.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Shirley Hailstock

Shirley Hailstock is a best-selling, award-winning novelist with over 30 books to her name. In fact, her novel, Legacy, is listed as one of the 100 Greatest Romance Novels of the 20th Century. Her series include the 6-novel Capitol Chronicles Romantic Suspense series and the four-book Blythe CoveContemporary Romance series. I talked to Shirley about how she wrote a book on a dare—and forged a best seller's career.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Sandy Parks

Today my guest is novelist Sandy Parks is renowned for her adventure thrillers which often with an aviation theme. In Sandy’s HAWKER INCORPORATION series, her heroine, military test pilot Amelia “Jet” Walkzinski, specialize in the difficult, elusive, and highly profitable repossession of high-end aircraft.

We also discuss Sandy’s new science fiction action thriller, TO DIE AGAIN, involving a special FBI unit where most of the agents and support personnel have “unique” talents they use to make sure people of their race do not interfere negatively with the human world.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Sabrina York

Award-winning New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sabrina York, is known for her steamy romances. She writes about a fantasy you may have, be it hot SEALs, steamy cowboys, kilted warriors and naughty dukes. And her heroes find their match in her slightly snarky heroines.

Sabrina’s latest historical novel, WHAT A HIGHLANDER’S GOT TO DO, has an English viscount posing as a stable boy and stealing the heart a wild Scottish lass. Her most recent novel is THE VIRIDIAN CONVICT,  is the third novel in her BLUE DOMINION SCI FI action-adventure series. Sabrina and I talked about her process in writing in these two very different genres, and the emotional and humorous threads that run through all of her books.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Rose Lerner

Rose Lerner writes Regency Romances and Historical romances based in the Revolutionary War period. The steely determination of her heroes and heroines to make their way in the world is what sets her 4-novel Lively St. Lemeston series apart from other regencies. But her latest novel, which is part of an American historical anthology, Hamilton's Battalion: A Trio of Romances, is delighting readers on both sides of the pond.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Nancy Herkness

For this author, how to marry a billionaire is easy. Offer him something priceless: a heart of gold. She also discusses how growing up in West Virginia gave her the inspiration for her Horse Whispererseries.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Nan Dixon

The love of travel and family is what inspired Nan Dixon's heartfelt contemporary romance series, Fitzgerald House, whose heroines are loosely based on her sisters. Nan and I talk about how travel inspires her plots.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Mary Leo

If you love Magical Romances, Cowboy Romances, and Cozy Mysteries, then Mary Leo is the read for you! I talked to Mary—a Chicago gal—how she ended up in cowboy country, and what sang to her about it. We'll also talk about her heroine who comes from a long line of Cupids—and the fun of writing about everyone's wing girl.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Marilyn Baron

The idea for Marilyn's (thus far) four-novel Crystal Psychic series came to her when she sat on a long-distance flight. As for Marilyn's contemporary romantic suspense novels, readers are enthralled by their historical angles and faraway locales. In fact, you'll hear how saffron gave Marilyn the plot for her next book.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Maggie Marr

Maggie Marr writes smart, sexy romances. I talked to her about her contemporary romance glam lit novels, and how she made the transition from Hollywood talent agent to author in LaLa Land.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Kelly Moran

Kelly's contemporary romances are sweet and yet spicy. Case in point: her Redwood Ridge series, in which a small town's matchmakers have been successful in arranging cute meets. I talked to Kelly about several of her series, including one revolving about (gulp!) ghosts! Find out why if Kelly's towns were real, we'd all want to live there.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Julie Moffett

The top-secret missions of Julie's NSA tech-op, Lexi Carmichael, has her traveling the world. She leaves the geek guys on her mission team in awe. Who says that men don't make passes at geek girls with the smarts to outwit the bad guys?

Julie tells me how her latest novel, No Regrets, leaves Lexi with quite a few to fight off.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Jocie McKade

Twins, separated at birth are a great hook for funny mystery series. No one knows that better than Jocie (note: she spells it with a "c" — not an "s"), whose Mayson Dickson novels are laugh-out-loud hilarious.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Jennifer Ashley

Jennifer is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes historical, contemporary, and paranormal romances (as Jennifer Ashley); Victorian and other mysteries (as Ashley Gardner); and paranormal mysteries and urban fantasies (as Allison James). Besides being a prolific author, she also builds and collects miniature dollhouses! How cool is that?

Author Provocateur Interviews: Janna MacGregor

If there's one thing that Janna MacGregor knows, it's history. And, as a lawyer, her capacity for research has allowed her to uncover the stories of real people who serve as the heroes and heroines of her Regency novels.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Elisabeth Barrett

Missing the East Coast's dramatic change of seasons was what inspired this California transplant's first novel. Her latest series is a great spin on the "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" story. Still set in the Pacific Northwest, it moves the story just down the road from Seattle—to Oregon. Elisabeth writes the sort of books that she'd want to read. She tells me why.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Elicia Hyder

One of the biggest breakout novelists of the past five years is Elicia Hyder, whose Soul Summoner paranormal suspense series has caught fire with readers all over the world. In fact, the fifth book in the series, The Sacrifice, will already be on sale when Elicia and I meet up against at the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Weekend 2018 in Milwaukee, in Late April. Today, not only will Elicia and I discuss  Soul Summoner, but also her new series, The Music City Rollers.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Elaine Meece

Elaine Meece writes both romantic suspense and romantic comedies. In her FLIGHT FOR LIFE series, danger lurks in the air as well as on the ground. However, in Elaine’s Possum Creek Series (Love Shack) romance and comedy rule.  And in LOVE SHACK, Elaine’s latest romcom, opposites attract tale in a way that is sure to have readers laughing out loud.

Author Provocateur Interviews: E. Elizabeth Watson

While getting her masters in archaeology, E. Elizabeth Watson fell in love with the history and lore of Northern England. We discussed how it inspired her Scottish Medieval romances.

Author Provocateur Interviews: Denise Swanson

Cozy and romantic mysteries are a specialty of New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson. But besides her Devereaux's Dime Store and Scumble River and Chef-to-Go mysteries, she has a sweet side, which you'll see when she discusses her Delicious contemporary romances with me. 

Author Provocateur Interviews: Cathy Clamp

USA Today author Cathy Clamp writes urban fantasy and paranormal romances. Her shapeshifter urban fantasy romance series is called TALES OF THE SAZI. She also has a vampire trilogy, THE THRALL; and, as Cat Adams, she the urban fantasy series THE BLOOD SINGER. Today, Cathy and I will talk about her process for delving into fantastic universes, and her process for worldbuilding.