Andrew DeYoung is the author of The Temps, a speculative novel about the end of the world. He works as an editor at a children's book publishing company, and he lives with his wife and two children in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota. The Day He Never Came Home is his first domestic thriller. Stay Away From Him is coming out in July 2025.

Among other things, Andrew and Carter discuss initial fears of not being a good writer, balancing writing when you have children, and embracing variety in your writing style. At the end of their conversation, they make up a random story using a line from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.

Sydney Leigh spent several years running a seasonal business, working in the summer so she could spend cold months in cool places. Now she writes modern cozy mysteries and thinks about murder. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and served on the board of Crime Writers of Canada from 2018-2021.

Among other things, Sydney and Carter discuss how receiving feedback motivated Sydney to continue her writing journey, struggling to find an agent after having “failed” books, and the genre of cozies versus thrillers. At the end of their conversation, they make up a fascinating story using a line from Matt Goldman’s The Murder Show.

Meredith Lyons collected two degrees from Louisiana State University before running away to Chicago to be an actor. In between plays, she got her black belt and made martial arts and yoga her full-time day job. She fought in the Chicago Golden Gloves, ran the Chicago Marathon, and competed for team USA in the Savate World Championships in Paris. She's a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. A Dagger of Lightning is her second novel. Her debut, Ghost Tamer, a paranormal suspense, was published in 2023.

Among other things, Carter and Meredith discuss Meredith’s experience at her first writing conference, trusting your instincts when writing, and an author’s role in the marketing of their book. At the end of their conversation, they make up a gruesome story using a line from Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World.