Illuminating Fiction contains nineteen interviews with fiction-writing luminaries including Edward P. Jones,  Julia Glass, Amy Bloom, Jill McCorkle, Margot Livesy, Ron Carlson and Steve  Almond.  The interviews contain questions about narrative, voice,  character, place, point of view, arc of the story/novel plot, and revision;  questions about the writing process; questions about the trajectory of the writer's career; questions about the role and importance of writing courses and mentoring; and also questions that Ellis has drawn from the text of the authors'  work.  Authors describe the challenges they have faced.  The reader is able to gain an intimate and specific understanding of the authors' works, and the authors' thought process as they created their novels and short stories.