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Fiction, Writers on Writing

APR 20: Sylvain Neuvel’s Take Them to the Stars Trilogy

April 20, 2022

Until the Last of Me

Author Sylvain Neuvel sold the movie rights to his first book before it was even a book. How did that happen? We share that and much more about Sylvain’s road to literary success in today’s conversation.

We discuss the origins of his Take Them to the Stars Trilogy and how his ideas developed.  We look at book one A History of What Comes Next. And the latest in the trilogy, book two, Until the Last of Me. Sylvain shares how he plots. How he writes from female points of view. And some of the intense research he did to build a believable, yet speculative, world for his characters.

About Sylvain Neuvel

Sylvain Neuvel taught linguistics in India and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. His debut novel Sleeping Giants was described BY NPR as one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory. Until the Last of Me is the second and latest book in his Take Them to the Stars trilogy.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

FEB 10: The Chanel Sisters with Judithe Little

February 10, 2021

One of USA Today’s “5 Books Not to Miss”

Say Chanel and we picture luxury, class, wealth. But THE CHANEL SISTERS grew up in anything but. Set from 1897 to 1921, the story takes us though the humble beginnings and ambitious rise of the sisters.

Author Judithe Little shares some of the extensive research she did to create authentic characters.  We discuss how their upbringing influenced the Chanel brand. We explore where and why Judithe took creative license. Why she told the story from the point of view of younger sister, Antoinette. And what Judithe wishes she’d known when she started out.

About Judithe Little

Judithe Little is the award-winning author of Wickwythe Hall. She earned a BA in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

JAN 15: The Body Outside the Kremlin with James L. May

January 15, 2020

For our Writers On Writing Series, James L. May, author of The Body Outside The Kremlin joins us with what Publisher’s Weekly calls a “richly evocative first novel…gripping…thriller deserves high marks…for historical detail about a prison that served as a key link in the gulag chain.”

We discuss the history of the White Sea Solovetsky Islands and Russia’s renowned concentration camp. How and why this sparked the location and set the scene for his murder mystery. His favorite scenes to write. Most surprising research. What James knows now, that he wish he’d understood when he began writing his book. Does his work as a reviewer inform or hinder his own creativity? And is it worth doing an MFA in Creative Writing?

James L. May’s short fiction has appeared in Tigertail, and he reviews fiction for The Florida Book Review, Gulf Stream Literary Magazine, and New Orleans Review.

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Inspirational, Non Fiction, Social Issues, Women's Issues

MAR 05: Roseann Lake’s Leftover in China & Brad Meltzer’s Ordinary People Change the World

February 22, 2018

There is a quiet cultural revolution going on in one of the world’s biggest superpowers.  Chinese men traditionally do not want their women to be well-educated or high achieving, but the women of China are taking a stand.  Leftover in China: The Women Shaping the World’s Next Superpower is a revealing look at some of the women who are changing the way China operates.

Author Roseann Lake is The Economist’s Cuba correspondent. She was previously based in Beijing, where she spent time as a television reporter and journalist. Her China coverage has appeared in Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, Salon and Vice, among others.

Our second guest today became frustrated a few years back as he realized his three children were idolizing princesses and reality stars; as a history buff, he knew that there were better heroes for his kids to look up to.  Inspired, Brad Meltzer created his wildly successful Ordinary People Change the World series to educate kids on real heroes throughout the history of mankind.

Brad Meltzer is a #1 New York Times bestselling Fiction author, and has the distinction of being the only author to also appear on the bestselling list in the Children’s Books, Non-Fiction, Advice, and Comics categories.  He is also a noted History Channel host.

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