The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

New York Times bestselling authors and twin sisters Krista and Becca Ritchie spoke with us about their collaborative writing process, career journey from self-publishing to trad bestsellers, and the latest in their “Ritchie-verse,” DANGEROUSLY OURS.

​​Krista and Becca Ritchie are New York Times bestselling authors and identical twins—one a science nerd, the other a comic book geek—whose lifelong passion for writing has made them iconic voices in the contemporary romance world. They have written over 25 novels, including a TikTok sensation, the “Addicted” series.

Their latest novel, Dangerously Ours (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; May 12, 2026), is the thrilling conclusion to the “Webs We Weave” series about a dynamic group of young con artists that tackles gritty topics such as addiction, class, and power.

New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young called the series, “Fresh, deliciously angsty, and sizzling with slow-burn tension that kept me glued to the pages.”

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In this file Krista & Becca Ritchie, Milena, and I discussed:

Their early love of sharing stories

How their Addicted series went viral on BookTok 10 years after initial publication, leading to a traditional publishing deal

Why they create interconnected universes with Easter eggs across series

How they originally envisioned themselves as TV showrunners

The emotional significance of concluding this nostalgic series with a signing in Mystic, Connecticut

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

kbritchie.com

Dangerously Ours (Webs We Weave) (May 12, 2026) By Krista & Becca Ritchie

Krista & Becca Ritchie Amazon Author Page

Krista & Becca Ritchie on TikTok

Krista & Becca Ritchie on Facebook

Krista & Becca Ritchie on Instagram⁠⁠

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter

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New York Times bestselling author and renowned historical fiction novelist, Kate Quinn, spoke with us about the importance of libraries, reading for mental health, and a love letter to both in her latest novel, THE ASTRAL LIBRARY.

Kate Quinn describes herself as a "librarian fine delinquent turned bestseller" and is celebrated for her meticulously researched historical fiction, often highlighting resilient women in WWI, WWII, and ancient Rome. Key works include The Alice Network, The Huntress, and The Diamond Eye.

Her latest, already another NY Times bestseller, is a pivot to magical realism with The Astral Library, a fantasy novel about a secret book sanctuary. NPR called it, “Engrossing, suspenseful, and authentic.”

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Penner wrote, “Only Kate Quinn could give us a book this inventive, this fun, and this completely addictive. If you’ve ever wished to tumble straight into your favorite novel, here’s your chance.”

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Kate Quinn, Milena and I discussed:

Her early training as an opera singer

A desire to enter the world of Narnia

Taking a genre departure into magical realism and fantasy while maintaining her signature character-driven storytelling

Why world-building is so important in her work 

How libraries represent a living, breathing space for people and their complicated problems

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

katequinnauthor.com 

Astral Library: A Novel By Kate Quinn (Amazon)

Kate Quinn Amazon Author Page

Kate Quinn on Facebook

Kate Quinn on Instagram⁠⁠

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
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Award-winning Australian author Charlotte Wood discussed her journey from local journalist to Booker Prize finalist, her creative process, and the 10th anniversary of her dystopian novel THE NATURAL WAY OF THINGS.

Charlotte Wood is the author of seven novels and three non-fiction books. Her last novel Stone Yard Devotional was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize, listed as a New York Times Notable Book of 2025, Los Angeles Times 15 Best Books of 2025, and one of The Washington Post's best five novels of the year. 

Now, for its 10th anniversary, comes a reprint of The Natural Way of Things, a book described as a prescient feminist fable and international classic, “The Handmaid’s Tale for our age” by The Economist, and by #1 New York Times bestselling author Paula Hawkins as “beautiful and savage.” It won the prestigious Stella Prize, the Australian Prime Minister’s Literary Award in Fiction, and was longlisted for many others.

Charlotte’s features and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Saturday Paper, among others.

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In this file Charlotte Wood, Milena and I discussed:

When she committed herself to becoming a writer

Why she never starts out with a big idea

The real-life girls' school that inspired The Natural Way of Things

How to apply "The George Costanza Approach" to your process

The career-changing reception of Stone Yard Devotional

The double-edged sword of literary prizes

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

charlottewood.com.au  

The Natural Way of Things: A Novel by Charlotte Wood (Amazon)

Charlotte Wood Amazon Author Page

Charlotte Wood on Instagram⁠⁠

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram
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Bestselling and award-winning author Ramona Ausubel spoke with us about the value of low-residency MFA programs, and how to jumpstart your writing process with her latest book UNSTUCK: 101 Doorways Leading from the Blank Page to the Last Page.

Ramona Ausubel is the author of five books, most recently The Last Animal which was a national bestseller and received the National Book Foundation Science + Nature Prize and was a Barnes & Noble book of the month. 

She was the recipient of the PEN/USA Fiction Award, the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award and has been a finalist for both the California and Colorado Book Awards, the New York Public Library Young Lions Award, and has had multiple selections as a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. 

Her latest non-fiction, Unstuck: 101 Doorways Leading From the Blank Page to the Last Page is a companion for writers at all stages of the process, and described as a book “… about staying in love with your writing: feeling excited, mischievous, productive, and hopeful—the opposite of being stuck. “

A Most Anticipated Book of 2026 from LitHub, Kirkus Reviews described it as, “An upbeat guide to navigating the writing process . . . Warm-hearted and practical, Ausubel emerges as trustworthy companion for a writer who’s stuck anywhere on the challenging road of creativity. Generous, empathetic, and unfailingly encouraging.”

Ramona’s work has been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Paris Review daily, One Story, Tin House, The Oxford American, Ploughshares and others. She is a professor at Colorado State University and has taught in the Bennington Writing Seminars, Tin House Writing Workshop, Writing by Writers, the Community of Writers, Bread Loaf Environmental, Writing Workshop Paris and elsewhere.

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[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Ramona Ausubel, Milena and I discussed:

Why getting stuck is normal and productive rather than something to fear

How to fall back in love with your own work

Practical exercises to help writers navigate the creative process

The magic prompt that never fails

Why you need to let "not knowing" to be your companion

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

ramonaausubel.com 

UNSTUCK: 101 Doorways Leading from the Blank Page to the Last Page By Ramona Ausubel – April 14, 2026 (Amazon)

Ramona Ausubel Amazon Author Page

Ramona Ausubel on Instagram⁠⁠

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram

Kelton Reid Instagram

Kelton Reid on Twitter
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Bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author, Anne Enright, spoke to me about eagles and moles, the interior engineering of a novel, her love of Irish poetry, and her latest THE WREN, THE WREN.

Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize and the Irish Fiction Award for her novel The Gathering. She has also been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Book Awards, and was the first Laureate for Irish Fiction (2015-2018).

Her latest novel The Wren, the Wren, was named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by TIME, The Millions, Literary Hub, and others, and is described as the story of “... three generations of … women who must contend with inheritances―of poetic wonder and of abandonment by a man who is lauded in public and carelessly selfish at home.”

The New York Times called it, "... a powerful, thoughtful book by one of the great living writers on the subject of family," and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan said of the book, “The Wren, the Wren is an electrifying romp through language itself―its dizzying possibilities and satisfactions―led by one the most gifted writers working in English today."

Anne Enright has also published two books of short stories, her essays on literary themes have appeared in the London Review of Books and The New York Review of Books, and she writes for the books pages of The Irish Times and The Guardian.

[Discover ⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠writerfiles.fm⁠]

[If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]

In this file Anne Enright and I discussed: 

The moment of burnout that changed her career

How she used to be a night owl scribe

Why you shouldn’t over-panic, or over-plan

The fallacies of impostor syndrome and inspiration

How to create a fictional poet out of thin air

Taking a long look at James Joyce across the table

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

⁠Anne Enright - Wikipedia⁠


⁠The Wren, the Wren: A Novel⁠ by Anne Enright (Amazon)

⁠Anne Enright Amazon Author Page⁠


⁠Book Review: ‘The Wren, the Wren,’ by Anne Enright⁠ - The New York Times

Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer

⁠diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram⁠

⁠Kelton Reid Instagram⁠

⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter

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