Dean Monti has worked creatively in a variety of mediums including short stories, plays, novels, journalism, and screenwriting. His latest novel, The Monosexual, will be published July 2024. He is also the author of several one-act plays and has had his works premiered in Chicago, and was a finalist in a national playwriting competition. He taught creative writing and novel writing classes at Columbia College in Chicago and College of DuPage. He is currently working on new novels and recently adapted one of his works as a screenplay. Throughout it all, he has held a full-time job as an editor and journalist for more than 20 years.

Among other things, Dean and Carter discuss balancing writing your story and market considerations, establishing conflict early on, and how publicity and online presence affects sales. At the end of their conversation, they make up a mysterious story using a line from Douglas Adams’ The Long Dark Tea-Time to the Soul.

Victoria Helen Stone, author of the runaway best seller Jane Doe, writes critically acclaimed novels of dark intrigue and emotional suspense. Aside from Follow Her Down, At The Quiet Edge, The Last One Home, Problem Child, and other chart-topping novels, she also published twenty-nine books as USA Today bestselling author Victoria Dahl and won the prestigious American Library Association Reading List award for best genre fiction.

Among other things, Victoria and Carter discuss how family secrets influence writing, balancing a character’s struggles with positive outcomes, and removing extensive description from your novel. At the end of their conversation, they make up a witty and suspenseful story using a line from Araminta Hall’s One of the Good Guys.

Aimie Runyan is a multi-published and bestselling author of historical and contemporary fiction. She has been nominated for a Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year Award, a Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice selection, and a four-time finalist for the Colorado Book Awards. She is an adjunct instructor for the Drexel University MFA in Creative Writing program.

Among other things, Aimie and Carter discuss using empathy to create compelling characters, what exactly defines genre, and maintaining a fanbase and readership. At the end of their conversation, they make up a mysterious story using a line from Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend.

Kimberly Giarratano is an author of mysteries for teens and adults. Her debut novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards, won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA at Killer Nashville. In May 2024 she released the second novel in her Billie Levine series, Devil in Profile, which follows the novel Death of a Dancing Queen. A former librarian, she is currently an instructor at SUNY Orange County Community College and the chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime.

Among other things, Kimberly and Carter discuss the challenges of being an extrovert in the writing field, inspiration drawn from Nazi art theft, and trying to figure out how to balance a realistic plot with an exciting and unpredictable story. At the end of their conversation, they make up a captivating story using a line from Audrey Lee’s The Mechanics of Memory.

Matt Scott is the author of the Surviving the Lion’s Den thriller trilogy which debuted in 2021. Matt earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Hampden-Sydney College. During his subsequent studies, Matt became fascinated by the CIA and read dozens of books related to Middle East politics, spy craft, the CIA’s war against terrorism, and double agents. Matt’s latest action-packed political thriller is The Ayatollah Takedown. His two previous novels in the series include Surviving the Lion’s Den and The Iranian Deception.

Among other things, Matt and Carter discuss the psychology of starting a writing journey later in life, committing to a consistent writing routine, and exploring the topic of Iran in literature. At the end of their conversation, they make up an eerie story using a line from William Kent Krueger’s Fox Creek.

Louise Doughty is the author of ten novels, most recently A Bird in Winter. Her previous books include Platform Seven, filmed for ITVX; Black Water, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year; the bestseller Apple Tree Yard, adapted for BBC One; and Whatever You Love, nominated for the Costa Novel Award and the Women’s Prize for fiction. She has been nominated for many other prizes and has helped with creating and writing the hit BBC drama Crossfire. Her work has been translated into thirty languages.

Among other things, Louise and Carter discuss the complexities of writing about sex, writing violence realistically and focusing on the consequences of violence, and how being a writer involves so much more than just writing a book. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful and descriptive story using a line from S.F. Kosa’s The Night We Burned.

This week's Making It Up is extra-special as it features Tim Booth, lead singer and lyricist of James, a British band who has been performing for over 40 years and has sold more than 25 million albums globally (James is also Carter’s absolute favorite band, making Tim one of his personal heroes). You may have seen quotes from James songs as epigraphs in many of Carter’s novels, which is how he got to know Tim. After a decade in the making, Tim's brilliant debut novel, When I Died For the First Time, just released in the U.K. and is set for a U.S. launch in July 2024.

Among other things, Tim and Carter discuss seeking out art and culture as a kid, how improvisation and editing are large parts of Tim’s lyricism, and how having an established audience affects confidence in writing. At the end of their conversation, they make up an incredibly descriptive story using a line from David Mitchell’s Slade House.

Christopher Reich is the New York Times bestselling author of The Take, Numbered Account, Rules of Deception, Rules of Vengeance, Rules of Betrayal, and many other thrillers. His novel The Patriots Club won the International Thriller Writers award for Best Novel in 2006. He is also the author of the Simon Riske series, an international spy thriller series, and his newest novel Matterhorn was just released in April 2024.

Among other things, Christopher and Carter discuss writing in first person present, quitting a day job to pursue a career in writing, and the pressure of writing accurate historical fiction. At the end of their conversation, they make up a chilling story using a line from John Grisham’s A Painted House.