Dr. David Nash and I had thought Covid had killed our book idea. But in August of 2020, we simultaneously realized the opposite was true. Covid perfectly framed what we wanted to say. And so began one of the most satisfying collaborations of my career, as co-author with a brilliant mind whose skills and knowledge …
Among the great (and some hilariously awful) editors I have worked with over the decades, Rebecca Saletan was among the best. From her I learned how I should work with writers. An audacious move got my first book accepted and assigned to Becky at the most prestigious and storied independent publisher still around at the …
Christine Cunningham explained to me the choice she made between being a vegetarian and a hunter. For her, the two choices were not far apart: they were both about integrity. The integrity of Christine’s writing, and that of her partner Steve Meyer, lights the pages of their book, The Land We Share: A love affair …
Dave Rose had his wry smile even as he told me why we needed to finish up his book faster than we had planned. He was going to Texas for a heart operation, and he didn’t expect to survive. We were sitting across a desk in an office, the setting of many other meetings when …
Here are some of the rules I’ve learned from doing thousands of interviews. Real people are more interesting than famous ones. Preparation can ruin your interview. Lists of questions are worst of all. You’ve got to care about the person and be honestly curious. Interviews are among the most intimate conversations you’ll ever have. How …
During our second conversation, over coffee, it came out that what Dan wanted most at 36 was to grow up. He had been addicted to marijuana for so long he had missed out on maturing as a man. I thought we were going to talk about his public speaking club. I hadn’t thought that topic …
Eyes widen at parties when I tell people I am a ghostwriter, as if I’ve admitted I do something sneaky and slightly nefarious that’s barely legal. What could be more interesting? This happened the other night. I answered a lot of questions. People think this is rare and exotic. You are reading ghost writers all …
I was ready to go home at the end of my work day when I got a call about a possible mutiny at sea. November 1990. We were in the middle of perhaps the last great American newspaper war, between my morning Anchorage Daily News and the evening Anchorage Times. Well-funded owners were throwing everything …
Charles is collaborating with Senator Murkowski on a project that is not yet complete (March 2024). They have worked closely together for several years.
“I … acknowledge the invaluable contribution of researcher and writer Charles Wohlforth, with whom I collaborated on this book and for whose assistance I am deeply grateful.”
