133 episodes

Award-Winning Author and Editor Shawn Reilly Simmons gets to know her guests by asking Five Compelling Questions (plus a few bonus ones) about the writing life. Topics include finding inspiration, staying motivated, writing as a career, staying sane during the creative process, and balancing fictional and real life.

Five Compelling Questions with Shawn Shawn Reilly Simmons

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 4 Ratings

Award-Winning Author and Editor Shawn Reilly Simmons gets to know her guests by asking Five Compelling Questions (plus a few bonus ones) about the writing life. Topics include finding inspiration, staying motivated, writing as a career, staying sane during the creative process, and balancing fictional and real life.

    EP133: 5CQ for Clementine Taylor, Author of SOMETHING ABOUT HER

    EP133: 5CQ for Clementine Taylor, Author of SOMETHING ABOUT HER

    Shawn and Clementine chat about her debut novel, the feeling of excited dread, coming-of-age love stories, writing stories we want to read, why everyone is so raw, and their fascination with both poetry and apples.

    • 23 min
    EP132: 5CQ for Marlie Parker Wasserman, Author of INFERNO ON FIFTH

    EP132: 5CQ for Marlie Parker Wasserman, Author of INFERNO ON FIFTH

    Shawn and Marlie chat about fires, old New York, the richer and poorer classes living together in the city, how people react in emergencies, and how there can be several truths true at the same time.

    • 28 min
    EP131: 5CQ for Mary Keliikoa, Author of DEADLY TIDES

    EP131: 5CQ for Mary Keliikoa, Author of DEADLY TIDES

    Shawn and Mary chat about East and West Coast living, keeping a series fresh, building characters, cozy vs. detective fiction and related body counts, being busy women, and collaborating on a short story together.

    • 15 min
    EP130: 5CQ for Joeseph Souza, Author of THE ANCHORMAN'S WIFE

    EP130: 5CQ for Joeseph Souza, Author of THE ANCHORMAN'S WIFE

    Shawn and Joe chat about perseverance in writing, getting through the hard times, living with no regrets, Ted Baxter, making up stories about strangers on the street, putting words in the bank, meeting Julia Child and having a child in Hollywood, dealing with the writers' strike and oddball projects.

    • 25 min
    EP129: 5CQ for Alan Orloff, Author of SANCTUARY MOTEL

    EP129: 5CQ for Alan Orloff, Author of SANCTUARY MOTEL

    Shawn and Alan chat about his new novel SANCTUARY MOTEL, life in Florida, police ride-alongs, Fish Kitchen, off-brand motels, upcoming anthology projects, and their mutual love of Stephen King.

    • 35 min
    EP128: 5CQ for Rachel Heng, Author of THE GREAT RECLAMATION

    EP128: 5CQ for Rachel Heng, Author of THE GREAT RECLAMATION

    Shawn and Rachel chat about uncovering our origins, library borrowing limits, spending time with writers, MFA programs, and being a teacher of creative writing.

    • 20 min

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