The Storytellers: Straight Talk from the World's Most Acclaimed Suspense & Thriller Authors

by Mark Rubinstein

Have you ever read a suspense novel so good you had to stop and think to yourself, "How did the author come up with this idea? Their characters? Is some of this story real?" For over five years, Mark Rubinstein, physician, psychiatrist, and mystery and thriller writer, had the chance to ask the most well-known authors in the field just these kinds of questions in interviews for the Huffington Post.

Collected here are interviews with forty-seven accomplished authors, including Michael Connelly, Ken Follett, Meg Gardiner, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, and Don Winslow. These are their personal stories in their own words, much of the material never before published. How do these writers' life experiences color their art? Find out their thoughts, their inspirations, their candid opinions. Learn more about your favorite authors, how they work and who they truly are.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

364 pages, Paperback

First published July 20, 2021

About the author

Mark Rubinstein graduated from NYU with a degree in business. He then served in the army as a field medic tending to paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division. After discharge, he re-entered NYU as a premed student.

As a medical student at the State University of New York, he developed an interest in psychiatry, discovering in that specialty the same thing he realized in reading fiction: every patient has a compelling story to tell. He became a board-certified psychiatrist.

In addition to his private practice he became a forensic psychiatrist because of the drama and conflict in the courtroom. He also taught psychiatric residents, interns, psychologists, and social workers at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and became a clinical assistant professor at Cornell University’s medical school.

He is a contributor to Psychology Today and The Huffington Post.

Before turning to fiction, Rubinstein coauthored five medical self-help books: The First Encounter: The Beginnings in Psychotherapy (Jason Aronson); The Complete Book of Cosmetic Facial Surgery (Simon and Schuster); New Choices: the Latest Options in Treating Breast Cancer (Dodd Mead); Heartplan: A Complete Program for Total Fitness of Heart & Mind (McGraw-Hill), and The Growing Years: A Guide to Your Child’s Emotional Development from Birth to Adolescence (Atheneum).

Rubinstein's high-octane thriller Mad Dog House was a finalist for the 2012 ForeWord Book Of The Year Award for suspense/thrillers. His 2nd thriller, Love Gone Mad, was published in September 2013 and his novella, The Foot Soldier (November 2013) won the Silver award in the 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition, in the Popular Fiction category. His novel Mad Dog Justice (September 2014), tagged as a "pulse-pounding tale of post-modern paranoia," is a finalist for the 2014 ForeWord Book of the Year Award. His novella, Return to Sandara, won the Gold Medal for suspense/thrillers in the 2015 IPPY Awards. The Lovers' Tango, is a medical and legal thriller about which Michael Connelly said, "The tension on these pages never lets you go. Rubinstein is a born storyteller." The Lovers' Tango has won the Gold Award in Popular Fiction for this year's 2016 IPPA Benjamin Franklin Award.

Bedlam's Door: True Tales of Madness and Hope, was published in September 2016. Beyond Bedlam's Door: True Tales from the Couch and Courtroom was published on May 15, 2017.

Rubinstein's book MAD DOG VENGEANCE, the 3rd in the Mad Dog Series, was published on October 15, 2017.

Rubinstein has since written Assassin's Lullaby and A Lethal Question.

Reviews

[Ayz · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun read/listen for anyone that writes or wants to learn more about writing. naturally i went to the chapters with my favourite writers first, then devoured the rest. i dug that every writer had some unique process or tip that you could apply to your own writing. this really should be a continuing series every few years.

[Emily McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gotta be honest, take my review with a grain of salt because I mostly listened to this audiobook to help me fall asleep at night

[Bloomingdale Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kristina says: This collection of interviews is not only useful to me as a reader of thrillers, but it's also useful as a tool for enhancing my reader's advisory skills. As a librarian I am always trying to recommend new titles to patrons who are used to their tried-and-true favorite authors, but maybe the reverse is just as helpful to new readers looking for something classic and genre defining.

And for aspiring writers, this collection is also really great for getting a glimpse into the writing style and lifestyle of a super successful genre writer, from the beginning of their careers up to the present day. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an inside peek into the business side of publishing and what it's like for a famous author to become their own brand.

[Red Herring Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came at the PERFECT time for me. I'm always looking for inspiration to keep writing and The Storytellers did just that. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me a copy.

Have you ever read a suspense novel so good you had to stop and think to yourself, “How did the author come up with this idea? Their characters? Is some of this story real?” For over five years, Mark Rubinstein, physician, psychiatrist, and mystery and thriller writer, had the chance to ask the most well-known authors in the field just these kinds of questions in interviews for the Huffington Post.

Collected here are interviews with forty-seven accomplished authors, including Michael Connelly, Ken Follett, C. J. Box, Lee Child, Meg Gardiner, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, and Don Winslow. These are their personal stories in their own words, much of the material never before published. How do these writers’ life experiences color their art? Find out their thoughts, their inspirations, their candid opinions. Learn more about your favorite authors, how they work and who they truly are.

First off, I've read several of the featured authors works so I found the book incredibly interesting. Each chapter features an interview between Mark Rubinstein and interviews he's had, mostly between 2016-2018, with the authors.

He asks the questions you would expect and then delves into the real grit of each author. What's their writing process like? How many books do they write a year and exactly HOW do they make that happen? Mark also personalized the questions with the author's past and how certain events shaped their plots and determination to be published.

I learned a lot about each author such as Laura Lippman's tumultuous final year at The Baltimore Sun and Stuart Woods generally writes multiple books in ONE year.

Allow me to add that my beloved Sue Grafton is one of the authors featured in THE STORYTELLERS. Sue, author of the Kinsey Millhone series, also known as the alphabet series, died in 2017. Sue is one of my absolute favorite mystery authors and a big inspiration for my own writing.

I enjoyed how each mystery/thriller writer waxed on about how they believe we are all capable of doing bad things, but that we've got a moral compass to guide us. And as Dennis Lehane said, "The vast majority of what we call morality is simply fear of being caught." He is sadly correct!

I received this copy as an e-book. I found the question and answer format a bit on the slow-reading side. However, I think if I had the novel in an actual book, I'd have read it faster.

I rate THE STORYTELLERS four out of five stars.

[Jim Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful Interludes with Famous Authors

This is a look behind the curtain. Where do stories come from? Nobody knows or they're not telling. The secret is getting it all down on paper or inside your computer. And that's just long hard work. But as these writers explain: none of us are alone.

Cheers and Happy Writing!
Adam James

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. I loved hearing from and about some of my favourite authors as well as being introduced to new ones and also some that I had read previously but forgotten about. I loved hearing about how a lot of them started out and about their writing process.

[Teresa Grabs · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like reading interviews, this is the book for you. I don't read the authors who were interviewed, and I probably will not read a few based on the sexist answers and assumptions presented but no writer is for every reader. A few interviews had a non-traditional take on writing, but there was little in the collection that held my interest, improved my craft, or expanded my knowledge. In short, it's a nice collection of relatively old interviews with authors. It's not a book I would readily recommend to those interested in writing or storytelling in general.

[Deb Mervold · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors chosen to interview were great. I enjoyed the format and the info from authors I enjoy.

[Katy Jean Vance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good at being exactly what it says it is: a collection of interviews with some of the most famous mystery and thrillers writers in the (western)world.

If you are interested in learning more about the lives and writing habits of famous mystery thriller writers, you will enjoy this collection. My copy is heavily highlighted! There were so many gems from writers I admire, and I know I’ll go back to review what they’ve said.

An interesting insight into culture and the patriarchy was that when Rubinstein asked each author which five people, dead or alive, they’d like to invite to a dinner party, nearly all the male writers mentioned only men; most of the women mentioned both men and women (none of the people mentioned exist outside of the gender binary to the best of my knowledge) and just a few of the women mentioned only women.

The downfall of this book of course is that it is just what it is: a collection of interviews with famous writers. There’s no unifying narrative or thread running through the collection, outside of a few regularly appearing questions. Readers looking for
a narrative or guide book style approach to learning about creative writing would do better to look elsewhere. Further, the majority of those interviewed are very well established with sometimes decades of writing behind and them and dozens (sometimes into the hundreds!) or books published. Perhaps because of this bar and the traditionally white publishing industry, there isn’t a great deal of diversity in the collection either. Several of the female authors talk about their strugglers early on in a male oriented publishing industry, and Walter Mosley speaks powerfully about racial inequality and the importance of using your power as a writer to fight against it.

if you’re a passionate reader of thriller fiction and like hearing about the lives of your favorite authors, there’s a lot to enjoy in this collection.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Storytellers
Straight Talk from the World’s Most Acclaimed Suspense & Thriller Authors
by Mark Rubinstein
Pub Date 20 Jul 2021 |
Blackstone Publishing
Mystery & Thrillers | Nonfiction (Adult) | Reference


I am reviewing a copy The Storytellers: Straight Talk From the World’s Most Acclaimed Suspense &Thriller Authors through Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley:




If you have ever read a suspense novel so good you have to stop and think to yourself, “How did the author come up with this idea? Their characters? Is some of this story real?” For over five years, Mark Rubinstein, physician, psychiatrist, and mystery and thriller writer, had the chance to ask the most well-known authors in the field just these kinds of questions in interviews for the Huffington Post.





In The Storytellers are interviews with forty seven acclaimed authors from Michael Connelly Ken Follett, C. J. Box, Lee Child, Meg Gardiner, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, and Don Winslow. These interviews are the authors personal stories stories in their own words, much of the material never before published. It tells of how these authors lives color their art. We learn of their thoughts their inspirations, their candid opinions. Learn more about your favorite authors, how they work and who they truly are.




I give The Storytellers five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Christopher Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtitle: Straight Talk From the World’s Most Acclaimed Suspense and Thriller Authors

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a collection of forty-seven author interviews done by author Mark Rubinstein for the Huffington Post. It includes authors of practically every imaginable thriller sub-genre.


I have to admit that I was unaware of the massive popularity most of these authors have achieved. Most readers will have heard of writers such as Lee Child, Harlan Coben, and Sue Grafton, but there are many others in the book who have published dozens/hundreds of books and exceeded multimillions of copies sold.

While I did come away from the book with some solid writing advice, it was difficult for me not to be inspired by the stories of how many of these authors wrote for years before finally breaking through into the bestseller category. Some of them use outlines in the writing, other don’t, but nearly every one of them said that the key to become a successful writers is to write as often as possible.

I gave The Storytellers five stars on Goodreads. On top of the writing advice and inspiration I got from it, I also found at least a half-dozen writers to add to my ‘must read’ list.

[Kristina Giovanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of interviews is not only useful to me as a reader of thrillers, (I get to learn what's so great about all the old authors, the titans of their genre, that I've been avoiding!) but it's also useful as a tool for enhancing my reader's advisory skills. As a librarian I am always trying to recommend new titles to patrons who are used to their tried and true favorite authors, but maybe the reverse is just as helpful to new readers looking for something classic and genre defining.

And for aspiring writers, this collection is also really great for getting a glimpse into the writing style and lifestyle of a super successful genre writer. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an inside peek into the business side of publishing and what it's like for an author to become their own brand.

[Ivy Digest · Rating 3 out of 5]

It takes a master to craft a page-turner.

In a Q&A format, 47 suspense bestsellers share their personal journey to the writing life and how they come up with their hooks. There are identical questions for all authors, but it's mostly tidbits on the writer's style and strategy. The approach is introductory, not in-depth.

The treatment is uneven as some authors only get eight pages while some get 15. It would also have been helpful if the beautiful sketch of each author was placed on each author's chapter instead of a mad hodgepodge of uneven heads on the front page. I had to look for unfamiliar authors in the mix of sketches like a Where's Waldo. It doesn't serve the reader to give them a hard time.

Still, suspense fans will find their favorites and discover new greats.
@IvyDigest

[Alex C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book from several points of view. From discovering new authors to learning about writing.
It was fun to find out about the lives of various authors and how they became thriller writers. My favorite question was the one of who they would invite to dinner. The answers were varied and intriguing.
Because of these interviews I was convinced to read novels by two authors I had been considering. I was drawn to them from their interviews.
Both Reed Farrell Coleman and Don Winslow were excellent “finds”.
If you have any curiosity about writing, writers, thriller novels, or perhaps, just want to know a little bit more about one of your favorite authors. I highly recommend this book.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more than I did. The premise pulled me in but I struggled to finish it. It just seemed drab and repetitive to me after a while.
I found the little congratatory paragraphs at the end of each interview to be a little silly and completely unnecessary. Send them a card and chocolate to thank them for their interview and be done with it. They already know they're awesome, successful writers.
I would've liked to see pictures throughout the book- of the writers, book covers, etc. Maybe even complete works lists?
There were a lot of spelling errors but mine is a proof copy through Goodreads so I'm sure that's all been corrected for final publication.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesumsauce!

I love this book for the behind-the-scenes look at how these authors think and conduct their craft. It became apparent quickly that there is no magic formula for writing. Each has their own path to the end, but all agree to be successful you have to WRITE. This book has also opened up new reading avenues for me which I may not have ever experienced and has resuscitated previous lack of interest in some of these writers into a desire to learn more. Thank you for this read.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book to skim through and just read the (brief) interviews of the authors you are familiar with. Most, if not all, of them are very prolific and have been writing for decades. These interviews all took place nearly 10 years ago. Even if you were intrigued enough to add some of them to your TBR list, it would be hard to know where to start, and I do not like to even begin a series that has more than a dozen books in it. It takes too long to catch up, and you get tired of the characters reading so many consecutively. Again, good reading for snippets from your favorite authors.

[Judy Sheluk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, however it only came out in March 2023 and the interviews date back to 2016, the most recent 2018. So it seems very dated, especially since the author didn't put an update at the end or beginning of each interview, something like, "Since this interview...."
I haven't read a lot of these authors. I did enjoy the interviews more with those authors I was familiar with, like John Sandford, Sue Grafton, and J.A. Jance.

[Adam James · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful Interludes with Famous Authors

Verified Purchase
This is a look behind the curtain. Where do stories come from? Nobody knows or they're not telling. The secret is getting it all down on paper or inside your computer. And that's just long hard work. But as these writers explain: none of us are alone.

Cheers and Happy Writing!
Adam James

[Dianne McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this collection of interviews from suspense/thriller authors, especially the one with David Morrell. Each one has interesting advice along with humorous stories about the writing life. I'm sure I'll read it again and again to glean everything I can from the masters.

Dianne McCartney, author of Fear the Night and others

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many times I have asked myself that question.....how did they come up with the story......that this book was a must read for me. These stories tell the story process for some of my favorite authors. I found it as engrossing as some of their books. Excellent read for anyone who might think they could write something that would be read by millions.

[Christine Hubner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Read

Was great to get an insight into some of my favourite authors, their lives & their story telling. I believe I may have now found a few more authors that I wish to read also.

[Jamie Rosen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not meant to be plowed through, as the questions are frequently repeated and there's only so much variation you can expect from the answers.

[TJ Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Motivational. I’ll read this many times again.

[Creston Mapes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insights on creativity and novel writing from some of the world's finest thriller-writers. Done in a Q&A format. Very good.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great engaging bites from excellent authors.

[Joelle Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author/editor of these interviews with 47 renowned thriller writers asks all the questions that you want the answers to. And across the 47 sets of answers there are a number of surprising commonalities. For example, you might expect a lot of writers to have a background in journalism, but quite a large number are also in medical professions or lawyers. Many of them start writing with no outline to refer to, they write in the morning and take the afternoon off, and they aim to surprise themselves as well as their readers. What inspired them to write in the first place? Many named The Count of Monte Cristo as the first time they discovered the wonderful world of reading. Many are friends with, and admire, other writers. In reading these interviews, I was able to identify a number of authors with whom I was not familiar previously, whose styles I believe I would enjoy. Keep paper and pencil handy to make some notes of your own.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these interesting interviews

I really enjoyed hearing about 44 suspense and thriller authors. Yes I wrote every author down so I could look for the books I would be interested in reading. Over half of the authors I had read but didn't know anything about the background of the writing experience. I liked the questions that were asked and the way the interviews were conducted. I highly recommend this book.