Episode 173 of Making It Up is out and it’s a different one! Today we feature the brilliant voice artists Allyson Ryan and Patrick Zeller, who are the voices behind the audio version of Carter’s latest release TELL ME WHAT YOU DID. This audiobook is the very first release of Sourcebooks’ new division Sourcebooks Audio. Both Allyson and Patrick are award-winning narrators who have voiced a range of popular books, so you might recognize their voices in the episode.

Among other things, they discuss how both Allyson and Patrick got into voice acting, how they prepare themselves for each work they narrate, and their processes for bringing books to life in a whole new way. At the end of the conversation, Carter asks them questions that they have to answer in voices of the characters from TELL ME WHAT YOU DID.

Charlotte Vassell’s debut novel The Other Half was longlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger in 2024. The In Crowd, the second in the DI Caius Beauchamp series was shortlisted for Best Novel in the 2025 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allen Poe Awards. Charlotte studied History at the University of Liverpool and completed a Master’s in Art History at SOAS before training as an actor at Drama Studio London.

Among other things, Charlotte and Carter discuss Charlotte’s background in acting, learning from your unpublished manuscripts, and having confidence in yourself to write a compelling story. At the end of their conversation, they make up an entertaining story using a line from Richard Adams’ Watership Down.

Kyle Prue is an award winning author, actor and comedian. He published his first novel The Sparks at just 18, which earned accolades from USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, and book festivals. Kyle later completed his trilogy with The Flames and The Ashes. Kyle received his BFA in Performance with a concentration in acting from the University of Michigan. He also has experience in many different aspects of creating films such as acting, writing, producing, and stunt-work.

Among other things, Carter and Kyle discuss what a potential Tik Tok ban would mean for large creators, the methodology and reasoning behind Kyle’s How to Piss Off Men content series and book, and maintaining a fan base across platforms and media. At the end of their conversation, they make up a hilarious story using a line from Matt Goldman’s The Murder Show.

Chad Boudreaux has a broad range of government, legal and corporate experience. Prior to serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Boudreaux also served in several high-ranking positions at the U.S. Justice Department, where he focused most of his time on matters relating to terrorism and homeland security. His career in the government led him to write his debut novel, Scavenger Hunt.

Among other things, Carter and Chad discuss how Chad uses his justice, government, and personal experiences as inspiration for his novels, writing main characters of a different gender, and the benefits of hiring PR teams. At the end of their conversation, they make up a gripping story using a line from Chad’s own novel Homecoming Queen.

Midge Raymond is the author of Floreana and My Last Continent, and the award-winning short-story collection Forgetting English. Her writing has appeared in TriQuarterly, American Literary Review, the Los Angeles Times, and others. She has taught writing at Boston University and at writing conferences around the world. She earned a certificate in private investigation from the University of Washington.

John Yunker is the author of the novel The Tourist Trail; editor of the Among Animals fiction series and a nonfiction anthology, Writing for Animals. His plays have been produced at venues like the Oregon Contemporary Theatre. His teleplay Sanctuary was performed at the 2017 Compassion Arts Festival and his short stories have been published in Phoebe, Flyway, Antennae, and other journals.

Among other things, Carter, Midge, and John discuss accepting each other’s ideas when cowriting, the trip to Tasmania that inspired Devils Island, and staying in the industry despite a lack of financial success. At the end of their conversation, they make up a comedic story using a line from Harlan Coben’s The Innocent.

Barbara Nickless is the #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Sydney Parnell crime novels. The series has been optioned for television and has won two Colorado Book Awards and twice won the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. Her standalone spy thriller was released in January 2025. Barbara’s essays and short stories have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Penguin Random House, and other markets. She also teaches creative writing to veterans at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

Among other things, Barbara and Carter discuss navigating PR as an author, Barbara’s research in Singapore for her espionage thriller, and transitioning from writing series to standalones. At the end of their conversation, they make up a mysterious story using a line from Cara Black’s Murder at la Villette.

Sandra Block graduated from Harvard and is a practicing neurologist. Her work has been published in the Washington Post. Little Black Lies is her debut and a finalist in the International Thriller Awards, and The Girl Without a Name and The Secret Room are the other books in the Zoe Goldman series. What Happened That Night is her stand-a-lone novel, and Girl Overboard is a Young Adult thriller. The Bachelorette Party is her newest novel.

Among other things, Sandra and Carter discuss defining success as an author, competing with the emergence of AI, and writing gore in their novels. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World.

Emily Jon Tobias is an award-winning writer whose work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and has been featured in literary journals such as Santa Clara Review, Flying South Literary Journal, Typehouse Literary Magazine, and more. Her debut collection MONARCH: STORIES won the American Book Fest International Book Award and an International Impact Book Award. Emily is a mentor in the PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program and holds a MFA in Writing from Pacific University Oregon.

Among other things, Emily and Carter discuss publishing a book without an agent, how rejection helps to build community, and how writing a book helped Emily through early sobriety. At the end of their conversation, they make up a mysterious story using a line from Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian.