Carter Wilson’s Making it Up podcast stars Jeffrey James Higgins, author of the Nathan Burke thriller series

“Writing is so personal. And when you’re writing a character, things come out that I know most writers, including myself, are unaware of when they’re writing it… They’re writing about things you’re trying to work out. It’s so deeply personal if you’re writing honestly.” — Jeffrey James Higgins

Jeffrey is a retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays. He has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor.

He’s appeared on CNN Declassified, National Geographic’s Narco Wars, and ABC News. Jeffrey is a #1 Amazon bestselling author who’s won the Claymore Award, PenCraft’s Best Fiction Book of the Year, and a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal. Among other things, Jeffrey and Carter discuss their style of interviewing in their podcasts, overly descriptive writing, and balancing reader expectations with experimenting with genres. At the end of their conversation, they make up a funny story using a line from Cormac McCarthy’s The Passenger.

Connect with Carter at carterwilson.com

Connect with Jeffrey at jeffreyjameshiggins.com

Elaine's Writers Club

THIS WEEK AT ELAINE’S

ESPIONAGE + POLITICS is the topic for our brunch interview on Sunday, Sept. 6: Wolf Bahren is the pen name used by the writer Kristi Bahrenburg Janzen for her fiction. The Secessionist’s Wife is her third thriller.

A lover of spy stories since childhood, she published her first novel, Agents of Suzharia, in 2016, and then Source of Deceit in 2020. She teaches in the University Writing Program at GW, and began her writing career as a financial news journalist for AP-Dow Jones in New York, Germany, and Washington, DC.

ELAINE’S WELCOMES ART IN EVERY SPACE

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins’ Project brings us this beautiful painting by artist Alfa Tate O’Neill. Read all about it!

ELAINE’S LITERARY SALON IS IN THE NEWS

This week in The Zebra: J.D. Barker Shares Writing Secrets For A Bestseller at Elaine’s Literary Salon, by reporter Lisa-Helene Lawson

Many thanks to reporter Shirley Ruhe for her insightful article about Jeff Higgins’ celebrated career that took him from awarded DEA agent to besellling thriller novelist and restauranteur. She also shined a light on InkandescentKids.com, the project to teach kids to think critically like a reporter — founded by Elaine’s PR director, Hope Katz Gibbs. Check it out in the August 5 issue of the Alexandria Gazette Packet