Making It Up with Kaira Rouda, author of We Were Never Friends Artwork

Carter Wilson's Making It Up

In this conversation series, USA Today bestselling novelist Carter Wilson talks to writers of all backgrounds in order to find out why they do what they do. He and his guests discuss childhood influences, roots of creativity, luck and loss, tools of the craft, and the highs and lows of publishing. At the end of their conversation, they pick a random sentence from a random book and use it to create an impromptu short story. Visit Carter at www.carterwilson.com.

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Carter Wilson's Making It Up

Making It Up with Kaira Rouda, author of We Were Never Friends

August 14, 2025 • Carter Wilson • Season 1 • Episode 193

"The only way your journey in publishing ends is if you stop trying." – Kaira Rouda

Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY, Amazon #1 and international bestselling author. She has worked in marketing, real estate, and other career fields, including being the society columnist for the Columbus Dispatch for ten years. Kaira’s work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Three of her novels have been named Amazon Editor’s Picks, and her novels have won several awards, including Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award.

Among other things, Kaira and Carter discuss setting your novels in the suburbs, writing accurate portrayals of teenagers, and learning how to be proud of yourself and celebrating your victories. At the end of their conversation, they make up a twisted story using a line from Martin Edwards’ The House on Graveyard Lane.