“Bones, Books, and Beyond: A Remarkable Journey from Forensics to Fiction" with Kathy Reichs

This week on the Here's What We Know Podcast, our special guest is the renowned Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist turned bestselling author of Temperance Brennan novels. With a career that's as remarkable as her literary acclaim creations, Kathy shares insights from her life journey. She went from being a curious child fascinated by science to becoming one of only 100 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.Whether handling crime scenes or weaving humor into dark narratives, Kathy offers listeners an intimate portrait of a life rich with stories. So, stay tuned for a captivating conversation that traverses death investigations, literature's imaginative realms, and everything that ties them together through the eyes of a master storyteller.In this Episode:The early signs of drive and curiosity in young Kathy.The rigorous path to becoming a board-certified forensic anthropologist.Transitioning from academic writing to crafting thrilling novels based on real-life experiences.Insights into Temperance Brennan’s character evolution—from books to the hit TV show "Bones."Behind-the-scenes look at scriptwriting for "Bones" and how it differs from novel writing.The importance of setting in storytelling and why Kathy never writes about places she hasn't visited.How personal preferences sometimes make their way into characters' quirks.Hear about Kathy's latest novel, “The Bone Hacker."Kathy also touches upon family influences, with two out of three children following in her footsteps in writing.This episode is sponsored by:Reed Animal Hospital (Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)Bio:Kathy Reichs’s first novel Déjà Dead catapulted her to fame when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her other Temperance Brennan books include Death du Jour, Deadly Decisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning, Cross Bones, Break No Bones, Bones to Ashes, Devil Bones, 206 Bones, Spider Bones, Flash and Bones, Bones Are Forever, Bones of the Lost, Bones Never Lie, Speaking in Bones and the Temperance Brennan short story collection, The Bone Collection. In addition, Kathy co-authored the Virals young adult series with her son, Brendan Reichs. The best-selling titles are Virals, Seizure, Code, Exposure, Terminal, and the novella collection Trace Evidence. The series follows the adventures of Temperance Brennan’s great-niece, Tory Brennan.  Dr. Reichs’ latest novel, Two Nights, was released July 11 and features Sunday Night, a tough-talking, scarred heroine.  Dr. Reichs was also a producer of the hit Fox TV series, Bones, which is based on her work and her novels.Dr. Reichs is one of only 100 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.  Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte, NC, and Montreal, Québec.Website: https://kathyreichs.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathyreichsbooks/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kathyreichs/X: https://twitter.com/KathyReichsPinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/kathyreichs/www.GaryScottThomas.com