Writers at Work

"Vulnicura" by Bjork

One guiding principle at “Writers at Work” is that good writing is worth savoring wherever one may find it. My guests have included novelists, journalists, playwrights and screenwriters. And I’ve extending invitations to poets and lyricists. All to discuss the joys, heartaches, challenges and satisfaction of the creative writing process. This episode is dedicated to what I consider a model of effective autobiographical storytelling, “Vulnicura,” an album by Björk. 

Dennis Mahoney

Joining me on this episode of Writers at Work is Dennis Mahoney, an author and artist with a particular interest in and flair for horror and the occult. His latest novel, OUR WINTER MONSTER, is available now. Dennis’ reputation has been growing since his debut novel, FELLOW MORTALS, was published in 2013.
His third novel, 2020's GHOST LOVE, received rave reviews. Publishers Weekly called it a grave yet hilarious meditation on insanity, depression, companionship, and leaving everything behind. Which tells us how Dennis finds horror within his characters. Without giving too much away, I'll say that his new one put a knot in the pit of my stomach within the first few pages, not because of the monster, but because of the crisis faced by the main characters. Let me tell you a bit about OUR WINTER MONSTER to expedite my conversation with Dennis.
Holly and Brian are unhappy in their relationship. They've decided to take a brief vacation to a ski village to rekindle, if possible, their passion. What appears to be a blizzard threatens their trip even before they reach their destination. And here comes a monster on a Godzilla-like rampage through the village. Sheriff Kendra Book has to save Holly, Brian, and the village, which is encumbered by problems of its own. It's all there, right in the wrong hands.
The setup might have been cliched, but Dennis is a storyteller of the first degree, regardless of genre. Even if you're not a horror fan, and I confess, I'm not, OUR WINTER MONSTER will reward you for exploring his tale. Dennis is also the founder of the Equinox Society, a multimedia project I'm eager to learn more about.

John Wirth

Joining me on this episode of Writers at Work is writer, producer and showrunner John Wirth. John's current project is DARK WINDS, the series on AMC that draws its inspiration from the novels of Tony Hillerman. Its third season kicks off on March 9 and has already been renewed for a fourth season.
John's been involved in well written and well-crafted TV for quite a while. He broke into the business in the 1980s as a writer for the detective series REMINGTON STEELE, then wrote for and was an executive producer for NASH BRIDGES. Other writing and producing credits include contributions to THE GHOST WHISPERER, PICKET FENCES, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, and V.
John was on the staff of HELL ON WHEELS, the AMC series pegged to the building of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s and was named its showrunner for the final three seasons. As for DARK WINDS, John became showrunner in its second season. He continues to write for the series, co contributing two scripts in season two and two more this season.
I've watched the new season and found it fascinating. I'm eager to talk to John about his career in general, but also about DARK WINDS.

Lisa Unger

My guest on this episode of Writers at Work is Lisa Unger, the bestselling author whose latest novel is CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10. The tale involves a high concept. Her protagonist, the physically fit Adele Crane, participates in a reality competition program called Extreme Hide and Seek that's held on a remote island. The show's founder and star, the deliciously named Maverick Dylan, is aging and increasingly unhinged. The last time around, one contestant was lost and never found. So what will happen now? I won't tell.
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 is Lisa's 23rd book. She's moved back and forth between series and standalones. Her most recent series was HOUSE OF CROWS, a four-part serial released in 2021. Prior to the new one, her most recent novel was THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B, now available in paperback, in which an apartment in a sinister New York building is the setting for a psychological thriller that recalls Rosemary's Baby and The Shining, set 1700 miles to the east.

Thomas Perry

My guest on this episode of Writers at Work is author Thomas Perry, whose latest thriller is PRO BONO. Thomas had a long, exemplary career as a mystery and thriller writer. His debut, THE BUTCHER'S BOY, in 1983 won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel from the Mystery Writers of America.
It was the first in a series in which three subsequent novels appeared three separate decades apart. His VANISHING ACT, featuring his recurring character Jane Whitefield, was named by Parade magazine as one of the 101 Best Mysteries of All Time. Tom was a PhD in literature, wrote and or produced for such TV shows as Star Trek, The Next Generation and Simon and Simon.
He's enjoying well deserved attention these days, thanks to the FX series The Old Man, based on his 2017 novel of the same name. We of a certain vintage applaud Tom for creating a hearty protagonist who is AARP eligible but hardly in need of assistance.
Since then, he's published eight more novels, including additions to the Butcher's Boy and Jane Whitefield series. Last year's HERO introduced readers to Justin Poole, a private security agent for Hollywood celebrities and the 1%. Booklist, Kirkus and Deadly Pleasures magazine called HERO the best thriller of the year. How lucky we would all be if we maintain such high standards across more than four decades and through 31 novels.

Christopher Maag

Joining me today on Writers at Work is New York Times Enterprise reporter Christopher Maag. Recently, Chris wrote what I consider to be an extraordinary feature about a woman who, at age 17, survived a plane crash. I'll get back to that story in a minute.
Chris is a veteran reporter, having written for national and local magazines including USA Today, The Record, and the Seattle Times. Before joining the New York Times staff, he freelanced for the paper for a decade, covering the Midwest. When you click on the links on his website or in the Times archive, you'll find that Chris has delved into the human side of some of the biggest stories of our lifetime, including the September 11 attacks and the impact of COVID. When he covers breaking news, he occasionally will reveal a sly sense of humor. In a recent piece about a man who filmed himself while breaking into the mayor's residence in New York, Chris disclosed that Mayor Adams believes the house is haunted.
But some stories are absent humor, like his recent piece on the four-month-old who died from a cocaine overdose. As for the tale of the airline crash survivor, you can find his feature in the Times archives or via Google. The headline hints at what's to follow. The plane crash should have killed her. Sometimes she wishes it had, adding, survival has been its own ordeal.
Chris tells us that, traveling by herself, Astrid Lopez was on her way from Bogota, Colombia, to Disney World via New York, the trip a reward for her good grades. Hours after takeoff, Flight 52 crashed into a tree on Long Island. 73 passengers were killed. Chris included this bit of memorable color in his piece: Rescue workers found a toddler dangling from a tree, cold but uninjured. Astrid, now 52, has endured 70 surgeries.
Let me now pause to greet Chris, a writer whose work, to my eyes, has both the propulsion and flow of great storytelling, regardless of medium.

Henry Alford

My guest on this episode of Writers at Work is Henry Alford, whose latest book is I DREAM OF JONI: A PORTRAIT OF JONI MITCHELL IN 53 SNAPSHOTS. You may know Henry's work in the New Yorker, for whom he's written for a good long while, or his contributions to Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and Spy Magazine.
You can find a collection of his early essays, in MUNICIPAL BONDAGE, published in 1994. Often writing about the absurd, including absurdities he's cooked up, he's been called an investigative humorist, which just about says it. I say just about because I DREAM OF JONI emerges as a serious work of biography about Mitchell, who (Dylan fans, cover your ears) is the greatest artist to emerge from the 1960s folk scene.
Henry's 53 snapshots are sections, some a full chapter, others a few lines that, taken together, present Mitchell in a manner that I've not come across previously. I DREAM OF JONI is Henry's sixth book. He's written about dance, manners, the hard-won wisdom of the elderly, and how, at age 34, he tried to become a professional actor.
Delving into his back catalog is a trip worth taking. I've been an Alford fan for a while. I always perked up when I heard him on Fresh Air or Studio360. And it goes without saying that I'm a Joni Mitchell fan. So seeing her through his eyes was an absolute treat and a revelation.

Ken Ludwig

My guest on this episode of Writers at Work is playwright Ken Ludwig. His Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise is running now at New York's 59E59 Theaters. Playbill says Ken Ludwig may be the most-performed playwright of his generation. He's had six productions on Broadway and eight in London's West End. His 34 plays and musicals are staged throughout the US and around the world every night of the week.
It's quality as well as quantity with Ken. He's won Tony awards for his Lend Me a Tenor and Crazy for You, countless other awards unique to theater communities, and one for his bestselling book, How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare.
I want to talk with Ken about his approach to writing, but I'm still in the glow of Dear Jack, Dear Louise, which confirms his genius for distinctive storytelling. Jack and Louise are Ken's parents, and the play is their story, how they met by exchanging letters during World War II. Those letters reveal not only the characters, personalities and ambitions, but also a time in our country's history. What began as a long-distance meet-cute story becomes something else as the play unfolds. I'm eager to hear how Ken conceived it and wrote it.