About David Bell: David is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, and LAYOVER. His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, recently his thirteenth novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award. In this episode, Mike and David discuss: Why David blames his parents for becoming a bestselling author. Reading as the best teacher of the craft of writing. How David’s career influenced his latest book, The Finalists. The impact of childhood stories on other stories in our lives. Key Takeaways: Not all authors are dead! Many are attempting to make a living doing it now, and you can too. Succeeding young in writing is rare. Many publish their first books, and become accomplished writers, in their 30s or 40s or even later. While writing itself is a solitary process, the book and the publishing of that book is a team effort to get that book out in the world. It is going to take time - you don’t play an instrument perfectly when you first pick it up, and you also won’t write the perfect novel the first time you pick up a pen. "Enjoy the day-to-day process of writing the book. Enjoy the day-to-day process of a book coming out. Yes, you're responsible for a lot of what happens and you can't just abdicate responsibility to publishing for promoting the book, but try to enjoy the ride." – David Bell Buy The Finalists Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yQWA9r Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593198698 Connect with David Bell: Website: https://davidbellnovels.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidbellnovels/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidBellNovels Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidBellNovels Connect with Mike Carlon: Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.