Patricia Cornwell on the Upcoming Kay Scarpetta TV Series, Grief, and the Truth in Fairytales
James Patterson talks with bestselling author Patricia Cornwell about grief, storytelling, and the upcoming Kay Scarpetta TV series inspired by her groundbreaking forensic novels. Cornwell reflects on how loss, solitude, and faith have shaped her writing, and why she believes every mystery is really a fairytale in disguise.
They discuss her new book Sharp Force, the decades-long evolution of Scarpetta, and how real science, compassion, and curiosity keep her searching for truth on and beyond the page. The Scarpetta universe will soon come to life as an Amazon Original Series starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis, but Cornwell’s focus remains on the stories that connect us through loss, resilience, and imagination.
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33:20
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33:20
David Baldacci on “Absolute Power” and Making Things Up for a Living
David Baldacci joins James Patterson on the latest episode of Hungry Dogs for a conversation about writing, failure, and the long road to success. David opens up about growing up in Richmond, Virginia during segregation and how weekly library trips changed his life. He also recalls the years of rejection before his breakout novel Absolute Power and the moment everything shifted overnight
David also shares how law school taught him to think like a storyteller, how he still approaches his craft with gratitude, and why he tells writers to “remember you get paid to make things up.”
00:00 Intro
01:56 David Baldacci's Upbringing and Early Influences
02:57 The Journey to Becoming a Writer
06:11 The Impact of 'Absolute Power'
08:27 The Business of Writing
12:09 Calamity Souls and Other Works
14:04 Competitiveness and Haters
15:10 The Art of Outlining vs. Writing in the Trenches
16:52 Who's David Ford?
19:24 Family and Fame: Balancing Act
22:46 Hollywood Adventures and Misadventures
25:59 The AI Dilemma and Future of Creativity
27:54 Positive Thinking and Life Lessons
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34:06
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34:06
Stacey Abrams on Democracy, Writing “Coded Justice,” and How Reading Shaped Her Life
Stacey Abrams joins James Patterson for a conversation about writing, identity, and finding her voice. She talks about growing up as the first generation in her family born with voting rights, how that shaped her sense of agency, and why a democracy only works when people can truly be heard.
Stacey also dives into her work as an author, from her early novels to her latest thriller, Coded Justice, featuring Avery Keene. She and James discuss ambition, storytelling, reading, and how real systems and community experiences influence her fiction.
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44:37
Harlan Coben on ‘Gone Before Goodbye’, Writing Thrillers for Hollywood, and Creative Roots
Harlan Coben joins Hungry Dogs with James Patterson to talk about the book he co-authored with Reese Witherspoon, Gone Before Goodbye, and the joy and success he’s found through collaboration. They look back at how Coben’s creativity developed—from his writing courses at UMass Amherst, to the early book deals that once felt massive, to the international acclaim he enjoys today. Though the two differ in how they bring their stories to the page, the New York Times bestselling authors find common ground in the struggles it sometimes takes to get the words down. Coben also discusses his collaborations with Netflix and the adaptations of his work abroad.
00:00 Intro
01:24 Back in the Day...
03:26 Early Career Struggles
04:51 Collaboration with Reese Witherspoon
08:37 Hollywood and Netflix Projects
11:36 Success in France and 'Tell No One'
16:27 Discussing the Bad Guy
16:51 Basketball Memories
17:50 High School Days with Chris Christie
19:13 College Years and Notable Classmates
21:50 Tragedy as a Teacher
23:39 Balancing Ordinary Life with Creative Work
27:29 Writing Process and Outlining
28:47 Golf and Life Analogies
30:50 Upcoming Projects and Family Connections
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36:46
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36:46
Kathy Bates on Matlock, Misery, and What’s Beneath the Page
Kathy Bates joins Hungry Dogs with James Patterson for a discussion about artistic roots, the long path a creative career requires, and Bates’ experiences and thoughts while filming ‘Matlock’ on CBS. Kathy talks about her first opportunities at SMU in Texas and then in New York, off-Broadway, and how they helped catapult her stage and screen career. They share some of the ways they’ve kept their artistic spark lit, and to Kathy that sometimes means “negotiating with yourself”. She also discusses her takeaways from working with director Rob Reiner on the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery, and how her love of reading and words informs her work as an actor.
Follow James Patterson:
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https://jamespatterson.substack.com/
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/james-patterson/
https://www.instagram.com/realjamespatterson/
00:00 Intro
01:08 Matlock and Career Choices
08:04 Finding Humanity in Characters
12:29 Reflections on Aging and Career Longevity
13:49 Collaborations and Future Projects
20:18 Kathy’s Theater Beginnings
22:48 The Value of Storytelling
24:22 Challenges and Triumphs in Acting
25:40 Lessons from Misery
29:32 American Horror Story and Historical Research
32:23 Directing Experiences and Overcoming Cancer
38:53 The Importance of Reading and Education
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James Patterson—the world’s bestselling author—created Hungry Dogs to explore the minds of extraordinary people, from authors and musicians to actors and politicians. The podcast features in-depth video interviews with leading voices from across a wide variety of industries, including books, music, film, television, politics and sports.
The title is inspired by Patterson’s maternal grandmother. As Patterson says, “Nan used to always say, 'hungry dogs run faster.' And I’ve been running fast ever since.”
Tune in each Wednesday for interviews with notable guests like Dolly Parton, BJ Novak, Kathy Bates, Stacy Abrams, David Baldacci, and many more.
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