That's enough lighting to signal aliens—but damn if it doesn’t look like a Vogue cover shoot. Saved that after pic like it's going on my vision board. ☺️
Your new setup looks great, Evelyn! Thanks for the behind the scenes glimpse at podcasting....I am so excited for your upcoming guests and with Allegra Goodman, it will make me prioritize finally reading SAM which I've been anticipating snagging off my shelf for some time. Do you know when Allegra will be interviewed? And really intrigued to read all the other authors, too.
I’m interviewing both Sarah Penner and Allegra Goodman this Tuesday 4/1 (although their episodes won’t post for a while.) Let me know if you have a question for either of them!
For Allegra Goodman, in the writing of SAM, I’d love to get her insight into how to shift a narrative voice from that of a seven-year-old Sam at the start to a teenage voice as the novel progresses, how to do this naturally, subtly, yet effectively. I am also curious as to her thought process for choosing a close third-person narrative rather than first-person, what did she feel the novel gained in that POV, and did she try a first person narrative at any point to see what worked better?
Hi Evelyn, I am so looking forward to reading Sarah Penner’s The Lost Apothecary, I love its theme and storyline and hopping over to her website, I read her path to representation and found this intriguing bit: “At some point while querying KEPT, I read a bit of advice: when framing the idea for a new book, start by writing a strong pitch. Or said another way: write your query letter before you write the book. With THE LOST APOTHECARY, this is precisely what I did. I developed a rock-solid hook and built the entire book around this hook.” I’d love to hear more about how Sarah put together a rock-solid hook for a book she had yet to write, and how in the next 16 months of drafting she kept writing toward that hook. Like her, my finished novel is making the rounds of agents (67 so far) without an offer of representation, despite a couple of full read requests, and while I truly believe in this novel (11 drafts, 3 years, one developmental edit), I am wondering what to do. Meanwhile, I’ve started my fourth novel and am excited about it but think that Sarah’s hook-before-you-draft approach could help me solidify this book in a way that will really hook an agent and eventually a readership. Thanks!
How wonderful that you've got my namesake Allegra Goodman coming on your podcast! I would love to be on it, too, if you would have me.
Meanwhile, suggestions for reading: I finished Chloe Dalton's RAISING HARE a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I'm not sure if it's available in the US yet (my sister in the UK sent it to me) - but watch out for it!
I also read Kate Christensen's THE GREAT MAN recently - terrific book! It won the PEN-Faullkner Award some time ago but I just got around to it.
If you haven't read Maggie O'Farrell, I ADORE her. Her prose is so gorgeous it stops me dead in my tracks. And of course, if you want a mystery to lose yourself in, no one better than Tana French.
What a fancy studio! The best book I’ve read this year is THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME (now on Netflix) by Donald Ray Pollock. It’s a gritty story about a young man that spans post-WW2 into the 60s in rural Ohio. There’s a colorful cast of unlikeable but compelling characters who are down on their luck.
Oh excellent! I'm reading Isola right now, so I'll look forward to that Allegra Goodman episode. And have an amaaaazing time in Japan -- every time I'm there I eat and eat and eat, and regret nothing.
Oh, let me count the treats! If you can go somewhere they cook okonomiyaki in front of you (this was Hiroshima for us) it's amazing to behold. If you want something quirky, look for 3D latte art (there are quite a few places, but Cafe Reissue in Tokyo is incredible) and if you want to go full fancy, book into a matsusaka beef place. Still thinking about that one years later!
Have a fabulous time in Japan, Evelyn! I just got back from Osaka/Kyoto/Nara. We were lucky to get an early glimpse of the plum blossoms - the scent was divine, too! Enjoy being amongst the cherry blossoms!
That's enough lighting to signal aliens—but damn if it doesn’t look like a Vogue cover shoot. Saved that after pic like it's going on my vision board. ☺️
lol I will put on my tin hat to make sure the aliens can’t find me
Your new setup looks great, Evelyn! Thanks for the behind the scenes glimpse at podcasting....I am so excited for your upcoming guests and with Allegra Goodman, it will make me prioritize finally reading SAM which I've been anticipating snagging off my shelf for some time. Do you know when Allegra will be interviewed? And really intrigued to read all the other authors, too.
(you don't have to have read SAM to ask a question. It can be a more general Q!)
I’m interviewing both Sarah Penner and Allegra Goodman this Tuesday 4/1 (although their episodes won’t post for a while.) Let me know if you have a question for either of them!
For Allegra Goodman, in the writing of SAM, I’d love to get her insight into how to shift a narrative voice from that of a seven-year-old Sam at the start to a teenage voice as the novel progresses, how to do this naturally, subtly, yet effectively. I am also curious as to her thought process for choosing a close third-person narrative rather than first-person, what did she feel the novel gained in that POV, and did she try a first person narrative at any point to see what worked better?
Great questions, thank you for these (and the one for Sarah!)
Hi Evelyn, I am so looking forward to reading Sarah Penner’s The Lost Apothecary, I love its theme and storyline and hopping over to her website, I read her path to representation and found this intriguing bit: “At some point while querying KEPT, I read a bit of advice: when framing the idea for a new book, start by writing a strong pitch. Or said another way: write your query letter before you write the book. With THE LOST APOTHECARY, this is precisely what I did. I developed a rock-solid hook and built the entire book around this hook.” I’d love to hear more about how Sarah put together a rock-solid hook for a book she had yet to write, and how in the next 16 months of drafting she kept writing toward that hook. Like her, my finished novel is making the rounds of agents (67 so far) without an offer of representation, despite a couple of full read requests, and while I truly believe in this novel (11 drafts, 3 years, one developmental edit), I am wondering what to do. Meanwhile, I’ve started my fourth novel and am excited about it but think that Sarah’s hook-before-you-draft approach could help me solidify this book in a way that will really hook an agent and eventually a readership. Thanks!
How wonderful that you've got my namesake Allegra Goodman coming on your podcast! I would love to be on it, too, if you would have me.
Meanwhile, suggestions for reading: I finished Chloe Dalton's RAISING HARE a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I'm not sure if it's available in the US yet (my sister in the UK sent it to me) - but watch out for it!
I also read Kate Christensen's THE GREAT MAN recently - terrific book! It won the PEN-Faullkner Award some time ago but I just got around to it.
Lol at the shiny spot on your forehead pictures 😅 great new setup! Bye Shiny spot 👋
PS-I was going to ask you about the tools you use for Podcasting! Thanks for that...
If you haven't read Maggie O'Farrell, I ADORE her. Her prose is so gorgeous it stops me dead in my tracks. And of course, if you want a mystery to lose yourself in, no one better than Tana French.
What a fancy studio! The best book I’ve read this year is THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME (now on Netflix) by Donald Ray Pollock. It’s a gritty story about a young man that spans post-WW2 into the 60s in rural Ohio. There’s a colorful cast of unlikeable but compelling characters who are down on their luck.
Oh excellent! I'm reading Isola right now, so I'll look forward to that Allegra Goodman episode. And have an amaaaazing time in Japan -- every time I'm there I eat and eat and eat, and regret nothing.
What should I eat this time?? I was there 2 years ago and did ramen, taiyaki, onigiri, train station bento boxes...
Oh, let me count the treats! If you can go somewhere they cook okonomiyaki in front of you (this was Hiroshima for us) it's amazing to behold. If you want something quirky, look for 3D latte art (there are quite a few places, but Cafe Reissue in Tokyo is incredible) and if you want to go full fancy, book into a matsusaka beef place. Still thinking about that one years later!
OMG making a LIST
I didn’t know what 3D latte art was! Also looking up matsusaka beef… Thank you, my friend! I miss you and hope you’re doing well!
I owe you (and my whole address book) an email. I'm slowly catching up! 💕
Have a fabulous time in Japan, Evelyn! I just got back from Osaka/Kyoto/Nara. We were lucky to get an early glimpse of the plum blossoms - the scent was divine, too! Enjoy being amongst the cherry blossoms!