“Is it a good idea that I write in both horror and spy thrillers? No. I think it’s a crap idea. But Hollywood really loves the spy stories.” —Alma Katsu

Alma Katsu is a NYT bestselling author whose books have been nominated for and won multiple awards including the Stoker, Goodreads Readers Choice, and International Thriller Writers, among others, and appeared on numerous Best Books lists. She has over 30 years’ experience as an intelligence professional at CIA and NSA, and has written two spy novels. The Hunger was named one of NPR’s 100 favorite horror stories and was on numerous Best Books of the Year lists. Her first book, The Taker, was named one of the top ten debut novels of 2011 by Booklist.

Among other things, Alma and Carter discuss the pre-publication review process within the CIA, writing in two different genres, and having your book optioned for film/TV. At the end of their conversation, they make up a fast-paced story using a line from Carlene O’Connor’s You Have Gone Too Far.

“You’re trying to beat on these doors in the publishing world… and suddenly this door you didn’t even know was there opens up and says, ‘Hey, come in.’”
—Andrew Bourelle

Andrew Bourelle is the critically-acclaimed author of Shot Clock, 48 Hours to Kill, and Heavy Metal, as well as a coauthor with James Patterson of the Rory Yates series. Publishers Weekly described him as “a writer to watch”. He teaches creative writing at the University of New Mexico.

Among other things, Andrew and Carter discuss referencing cinema and tv when teaching writing, why you should always be working on your next project, and working with James Patterson. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from C.J. Box’s Battle Mountain.

“The whole concept of working together started when we were in a writer's room—a Hollywood production company writer's room—and we learned how to create cliffhangers.” – Christina Baker Kline

Christina Baker Kline is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including Orphan Train, The Exiles, Please Don’t Lie (with Anne Burt), and the forthcoming The Foursome (May 2026). Published in more than 40 countries, her novels have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among others.

Anne Burt is the coauthor of the thriller Please Don't Lie. Anne’s debut novel, The Dig, was an American Booksellers' Association Indie Next pick and the Strand Bookstore's mystery selection of the month. Her essays and fiction have appeared in numerous publications including Salon and NPR, and she is a past winner of Meridian’s Editors’ Prize in Fiction.

Among other things, Christina, Anne, and Carter discuss how their friendship and writing relationship formed, trying to write with a unified voice in a co-authored novel, and balancing thriller “tropes” with realistic plots. At the end of their conversation, they make up a descriptive story using a line from Wendy Walker’s Blade.