1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:05,319 Speaker 1: Hey fam, Hello Sunshine. 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 2: Today on the bright Side, it's time for another edition 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 2: of shelf Life. We're joined by Laura Taylor, Nami and 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: Chatham Greenfield of Reese's Book Club's Lit Up Program, a 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 2: fellowship that uplifts and supports underrepresented writers. It's Tuesday, October 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 2: twenty second on Danielle Robe and. 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 3: I'm Simone Voice and this is the bright Side from 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 3: Hello Sunshine, a daily show where we come together to 9 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 3: share women's stories, laugh, learn and brighten your day. Well, 10 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 3: Bestie is if you've ever wanted to write a book 11 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 3: but don't know where to start, You're in the right place, 12 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:38,919 Speaker 3: you know, Danielle. We talk a lot about the importance 13 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 3: of storytelling and the power of putting pen to paper, 14 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 3: but getting the resources you need as an underrepresented voice 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 3: in the publishing industry can be really intimidating, and according 16 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 3: to research by The New York Times, only eleven percent 17 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 3: of books in twenty eighteen We're written by people of color, 18 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 3: eighty nine percent were written by white authors, And when 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 3: it comes to the content of books, representation is actually 20 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 3: lacking there too. Research by the Cooperative Children's Book Center 21 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 3: from twenty nineteen shows that only eleven percent of main 22 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 3: characters were Black or African, five percent were LATINX, three 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 3: percent were disabled, and just one percent were native or 24 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 3: First nations. 25 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,040 Speaker 2: These numbers are so disappointingly low, and that's why programs 26 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: like lid up are so important. Lid Up is a 27 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 2: writer's fellowship for unpublished, diverse authors. It provides five emerging 28 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 2: writers with a three month mentorship program with a published 29 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: author in all expenses, paid retreat and marketing support from 30 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: Reese's Book Club. So six fellows were selected from over 31 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 2: eight hundred submissions this year, and one of our guests 32 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 2: today was the very first fellow to have their book 33 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,639 Speaker 2: published through the program. Chatham Greenfield is a young adult 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: author whose debut novel, Time and Time Again, is out 35 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: now and that's in large part due to the lid 36 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: up program and the guidance of their mentor and New 37 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 2: York Times bestselling author, Laura Taylor namy Well. 38 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 3: They're both here now to talk all about lit up, 39 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 3: its impact, and Chatham's new book, Time and Time Again. 40 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 3: Chatham and Laura, Welcome to the bright Side. 41 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you for having us. 42 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 3: And congratulations to both of you for being recognized by 43 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 3: Reese's Book Club. 44 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: What an honor. Thank you so much. Absolutely so. 45 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: One of the reasons that the program lit Up exists 46 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 2: is to help bring underrepresented authors into the business side 47 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 2: of writing. We often forget that it's not a strictly 48 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 2: creative profession. And Laura, you're a mentor in the lit 49 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 2: Up program. You've published multiple books, So will you take 50 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 2: us inside of the publishing world in twenty twenty four. 51 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 2: What are some of the key barriers to writers and 52 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: particularly the underrepresented authors. What are they facing when they're 53 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: trying to get published. 54 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: Oh? Yeah, they're facing gaykeepers at every turn. So first 55 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: you need to find an agent, someone who believes in 56 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,399 Speaker 1: you and is going to kind of take you under 57 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: their wing. And then that age it needs to go 58 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: and just present you to this group of editors and 59 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: make you look amazing and get that manuscript ready. And 60 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: so it can be hard because gosh, I think I'm 61 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: not keen on all the statistics right now, but it's 62 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: only like one percent, one or two percent of all 63 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: querying writers right now will get an agent, and then 64 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: it's like another one percent of those will sell. So 65 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: it can be really challenging. And I think once you 66 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: get in there and you get an agent and you 67 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: get a first deal. It can be a little easier 68 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: to catch momentum and to keep going, but it can 69 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: be hard to break out, to break through. And then 70 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: you're also dealing with everything going inside on inside of 71 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: your own mind as a creator. You're dealing with self doubt, 72 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: You're dealing with imposter syndrome, You're dealing with maybe you've 73 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: shared your work with a lot of people with like 74 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: lots of cooks in the kitchen telling you all these 75 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: things about something you've created. So there's a lot of 76 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: noise and it can be challenging just looking at peers, 77 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: looking at authors that you emulate, and you see what 78 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: they've done. You look at this and it's like, how 79 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: can I get this little book of my heart, this 80 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: thing that I've been spending one, two, three more years on, 81 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: How can I get that to that level? And it 82 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: can be daunting, but it does happen, for sure, and 83 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: it is possible. 84 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 3: Chatham, did you experience any of the resistance that Laura 85 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 3: is describing before you got into the lit up program? 86 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 3: What was your perception of the industry and the barriers 87 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 3: that exist. 88 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, so the biggest thing for me was 89 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 4: just that I didn't even know where to start. The 90 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 4: litt Up fellows, we all have a range of experience. 91 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 4: Some people were trying to get published before and being 92 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 4: told no by gatekeepers. I hadn't yet sent my book 93 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 4: out to agents because I didn't even know how to 94 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 4: do that. I didn't know that anybody could send their 95 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 4: book out to an agent. I didn't know how to 96 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 4: get my manuscript ready enough. And that was how lit 97 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 4: Up really helped me, because, like you said, you know, 98 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 4: it's not just the creative side. We all wish it was, 99 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 4: but it is at the end of the day of business. 100 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 4: And I had just graduated college where I had really 101 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 4: when all my classes they'd really focused on how do 102 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 4: you write the best book possible, but not then how 103 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 4: do you get that book into the world. Which I 104 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 4: do think it's fundamental to get your writing to a 105 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 4: solid place before you start thinking about publishing. So I 106 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 4: don't have regrets about that, but it was definitely really 107 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 4: important for me to just learn even the fundamentals of 108 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 4: how do you publish your manuscript, how do you find agents, 109 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 4: how does it work setting it out to editors. It's 110 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 4: really helpful to have a mentor to help guide you 111 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 4: through the process, because it can feel very daunting when you're. 112 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: On the outside. 113 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: Well having been through the process, I'm curious what you 114 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 2: think authors should keep in mind in terms of positioning 115 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 2: their work for publishers, and I'll give a little context. 116 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 2: I know that one of the main things that you 117 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: do as an authors you write a book proposal. Then 118 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: when you submit the proposal, people bid on it, publishers 119 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 2: bid on it, and that sort of determines what your 120 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 2: advance is. And so it is an exercise in branding 121 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 2: in some ways. What do you think people should be 122 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: keeping in mind. 123 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 4: Yeah, so in fiction you typically do write the whole 124 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 4: book instead of just a proposal until you're later in 125 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 4: your career. Book proposals are more for nonfiction, so definitely 126 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 4: make the book as good as you can find people 127 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 4: to swap manuscripts with if you can, or find an 128 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 4: amazing fellowship like I did, where you get paid with 129 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 4: the mentor who reviews it. I think it's definitely good 130 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 4: to think long term and think what kinds of books 131 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 4: do I like to write and what kind of career 132 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 4: do I want, you know, and definitely get in the 133 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 4: practice of summarizing your book in one sentence would be 134 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 4: my advice. You know, I've kind of got my pitch 135 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 4: down of it's basically a ya gay disabled spin on 136 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 4: Groundhog Day. So that's definitely good practice because at every stage, 137 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 4: from getting an agent, getting a publisher, and getting it 138 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 4: to readers, you need to know what the heart of 139 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,679 Speaker 4: your book is and be able to summarize set in 140 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 4: two seconds, because sometimes that's all you have. 141 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: Laura, how about you? I would say one of the 142 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: best things that you can do as an author trying 143 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: to position a book is to find a book community. 144 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: And that can be emerging authors, it can be established 145 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: authors who are available on social media on x or 146 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: on Instagram, on TikTok. We're always giving tips and always 147 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: welcoming emerging writers into our space to help. And I 148 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: would say befriend those people, ask questions, and then when 149 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: you get some trusted people that you can get in 150 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: some small DM groups with, you can ask like, what 151 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: are the best agents for rom coms right now? Who's 152 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: taking this? And have you heard of this agent or 153 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: that company or anything. Just to vet people, just to 154 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: bet experiences, because there's some scammers out there that are 155 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: trying to take advantage of new and emerging creators. As 156 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: established authors, we want to make sure that emerging authors 157 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: are coming into this safely and with as much knowledge 158 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: and empowerment that we can give them. 159 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 3: Chadam, how did this even get on your radar? How 160 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 3: did you get involved with lit up? Yeah? 161 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 4: I just saw a post about it on social media 162 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 4: and when I had applied, you know, it was the 163 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 4: first year that they were doing it. You know, I 164 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 4: didn't see other authors who had done it, but I 165 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 4: just saw an author or I didn't even follow that 166 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 4: many authors at the time, but I saw like the 167 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 4: one author I followed thankfully posted about the fellowship, and 168 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 4: I just thought like, wow, this sounds like the perfect 169 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 4: opportunity for me. I had just graduated in twenty twenty is, 170 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 4: you know, not a fun year to graduate, but I 171 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 4: immediately had started writing time and time again, and so 172 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 4: I had a draft completed when I found out about 173 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 4: the program, and I was like, you know, I think 174 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 4: my book could be a good fit for this. Let's 175 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 4: find out you know, there was I think another thing 176 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 4: that's great about lit up is there is no application cost, 177 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 4: which can be another really prohibitive aspect. Of it doesn't 178 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 4: cost money to query agents, but sometimes with fellowships and retreats, 179 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 4: it does cost money to apply and then to pay 180 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 4: for the program. So having it be a free program 181 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 4: with no application costs was kind of like, Okay, all 182 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 4: I have to do here is invest my time and 183 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 4: working on my manuscript, which I want to do anyways, 184 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 4: and filling out a few asked me questions. So I 185 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 4: did that, and then like six months later or so, 186 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 4: I found out I'd been accepted, and I screamed at 187 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 4: the top of my legs. 188 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 3: Naturally, how do you participate in other writing workshops or 189 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 3: retreats like this before, and if so, how is this different. 190 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 4: I hadn't gone to a retreat before. Now, I had 191 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 4: done workshops. I studied writing in college, and I'd done 192 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 4: some workshopping programs. I think what's different about lit up 193 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 4: is that you're working one on one with a mentor. 194 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 4: Workshops can be helpful, but they can also pinder the 195 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 4: process because, like Laura mentioned, sometimes there's just too many 196 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 4: cooks with the workshops. Sometimes it's too much feedback. And 197 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 4: I also had a lot of issues when I went 198 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 4: to workshops with people who didn't quite understand what I 199 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 4: was doing writing marginalized characters. So having a mentor who 200 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 4: also writes marginalized characters and who really understood what I 201 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 4: was to do with my book just was really helpful. 202 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 4: And just having someone who's dedicated, because in a workshop, 203 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 4: you're reading ten fifteen, however many stories versus. Laura was 204 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:11,839 Speaker 4: only working with me for that cycle and was able 205 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 4: to dedicate time to go through my manuscript twice, provide 206 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 4: notes that I really needed and really teach me how 207 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 4: to form a final manuscript. I'm working on my second 208 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 4: book now and there definitely things that I learned from 209 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 4: Laura that I still employ. So yeah, I think that 210 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 4: one on one help is what makes Slit Up really special. 211 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 2: We have to take a quick break, but we'll be 212 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 2: right back to Shelf Life with Laura Taylor, Namey and 213 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 2: Chatham Greenfield. And we're back with Laura Taylor, Namey and 214 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 2: Chatham Greenfield. Laura, when you begin working with someone or 215 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 2: a mentee, I should say, where do you begin? 216 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: Is it a focus on story? Is it structure? I 217 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,199 Speaker 1: like to go in just straight away. I open the book, 218 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: and I just love to get a solid first impression 219 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: of a baseline of where this author is. Mainly, I 220 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: love to start with voice because we can work on story, 221 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: we can work on beats and are things in the 222 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: right place, the mechanics. I can line at it you 223 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: for two weeks and I'm a good line at it. 224 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: I love to get in there. Are we using language 225 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: to the best of our ability. But voice is something 226 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: that's very important to me, and it's important to readers. 227 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: And that is just the way you present your story. 228 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: It is the style, it's more than that is just 229 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: how the story comes across. And I noticed when I 230 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: opened Chatham's book, didn't know anything about this story other 231 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 1: than just the brief pitch. And I read three paragraphs 232 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: and I had to stop, and I'm like, who is 233 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: this person and where did they come from? Because the 234 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: voice was so gorgeous and so engaging and so interesting 235 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: and full of like all the things that we try 236 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 1: to teach to help develop voice, because it can be taught, 237 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: but it is harder. It's hard. It's voices something it's 238 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: so innate, and it's really like there's a talent. You 239 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: can have a knack for it, and a talent in 240 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: Chattham just showed me, like this is a person who 241 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 1: is a talented author, who has the basic skills and 242 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: really knows what they're doing with self expression and expression 243 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: of the characters. The characters jumped off the page. It 244 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: was witty, it was fun. So I was just like, oh, 245 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: my goodness, this is going to be the best book. 246 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: It's going to be so much fun. And it was. 247 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: And then it made it so much easier for me 248 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: because then I was able to just tune and pull 249 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: Chatham and pull the story threads, pull the characters, challenge 250 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: them with motivations, and pay off all the things that 251 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:55,839 Speaker 1: we as authors that were trained and we do over 252 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: and over again. Just using those things to pull that 253 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: through Chatham's manuscript. That's kind of where I start. But 254 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: I really just love to get that first impression and 255 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 1: like to see like it's like Clay, like what am 256 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: I working with here? And I love to meet an 257 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: author where they need me most. So with Chatham sounding 258 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 1: so great and coming across is so polished already, I 259 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: knew exactly what this story needed and I could focus 260 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 1: my energy on those things, and that book sold right away. 261 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: So I think we did a good job, right, Cheam, 262 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: I think so? Yeah? 263 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 4: Okay, So That's so nice to hear because I look 264 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 4: back and I'm like, oh my gosh, that I don't 265 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 4: know what that book was before we revised it. But 266 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 4: you know, it's nice to remember I did. 267 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: I did. 268 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 4: I think you're right. I did have some sort of 269 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 4: you know, a natural talent and natural voice. But I 270 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 4: think what we worked on was really what makes the 271 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 4: story a novel, and what makes a protagonist a protagonist, 272 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 4: you know, in figuring out what our phoebe the main 273 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 4: characterist motivations, and what does her character look like, and 274 00:13:56,120 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 4: really developing what was already there. Because I think what 275 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 4: makes you so good as a mentor, Laura, and so 276 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 4: good as an editor as you understand how to work 277 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 4: with what's already there. You know, you don't want to 278 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 4: really take feedback for people if they don't understand the 279 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 4: heart of your book and are trying to get you 280 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 4: to write it how they would write it, and trying 281 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 4: to get you to write it in their voice. But you, 282 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 4: like you said, kind of met me where you were 283 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 4: at and understood the story and just said how do 284 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 4: we polish and develop what's already here? And in this case, 285 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 4: I think that was really adding to and fleshing out 286 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 4: the character arc. 287 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 3: Chadam, it sounds like you entered this process on really solid, 288 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 3: strong footing. But if you had to pinpoint one significant 289 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 3: way in which you personally transformed as a writer, what 290 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 3: would it be. 291 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it was really to me, it felt 292 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 4: like this whole journey has been going from being a 293 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 4: writer to an author, Like I had never really revised 294 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 4: a book over and over again like I did with 295 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 4: Time time again. You know, I revised it twice with 296 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 4: Laura and then with an agent, and then multiple times 297 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 4: with my editor, and I had never gone through that process. 298 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 4: So I think the biggest thing was just learning what 299 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 4: it takes and learning what the process looks like, and 300 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 4: having some sort of inside information from Laura, who's someone 301 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 4: who's you know, already been there and his steps ahead. 302 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 4: Now that I'm working on my second book, I have 303 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 4: a much clearer idea of what to expect out of 304 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 4: the process and out of the publishing industry as a whole. 305 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 2: I think that social media has taken the mysticism of 306 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 2: things away, like we have an inside look into so 307 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: much now that we didn't before. But one of the 308 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 2: things that is still mysterious is how to write a book. 309 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 2: If you put a book out, people are like, how 310 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 2: did you do that? 311 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: You know, like it still holds this mystery, you know. 312 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 2: Speaking of social one of the technologies that is upending 313 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 2: the book publishing industry is TikTok and more specifically book talk. 314 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: It has over one hundred and one billion impressions. 315 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 2: How do you think authors can lear average social platforms 316 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 2: to their advantage. 317 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: The thing that I want readers to know is that 318 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 1: we are authors and we're not all social media experts. 319 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: We love book talk. I'm on book talk, I'm on TikTok. 320 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: You can follow me and say hi, and we try 321 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: with just this goal of celebrating the things we love 322 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: about our books and our friends books. That is really 323 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: what I do. And so other than that, I will 324 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: be honest. Sometimes it feels like you're just screaming into 325 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: the void, and that one hundred and one billion impressions 326 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: just feels like this never ending lake of question marks 327 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: and emptiness sometimes, and it's hard to know what to do, 328 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: how to brand yourself quickly, how to celebrate, And so 329 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: I've tried to let myself go with that and just 330 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: celebrate the books that I have coming out the things 331 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: that I've done have fun, be playful with my books 332 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: and with music or pop culture references, just with my 333 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: own writing day showing things like that. But I just 334 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: want readers to remember that, above all, we are authors, 335 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: and the pen is our greatest gift and tool, and 336 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: the computer and the phone is not always where we're strongest. 337 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: So what you can do to help authors is to 338 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 1: amplify the ones that you love best, because we are 339 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 1: really trying to be accessible to you, to be exciting 340 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: for you, to be relevant for you, to be celebratory 341 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 1: for you. But we're also trying to write that next 342 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: book and that next book, and there are only so 343 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: many work hours in the day. 344 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 4: So yeah, I think that's well said Laura. I like 345 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 4: the framing of it as celebrating the book because it 346 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 4: can sometimes be hard because you just want to be writing, 347 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 4: and social media promotion can be fun, but it can 348 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 4: also be time that you feel is kind of taking 349 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 4: away from writing. I think the most valuable aspect of 350 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 4: social media to me has been being able to connect 351 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 4: with other authors, and like Laura said, just finding that 352 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 4: community and amplifying each other's books rather than just shouting 353 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 4: about your own can make it feel less lonely. Laura 354 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 4: and I always shouting about each other's books, and you 355 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 4: know that's just that's really great. But yeah, I mean, 356 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 4: I would just say, yeah, don't put the pressure on 357 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 4: yourself to be like a video editor and an amazing creator, 358 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 4: because if you can do social media, it's a plus, 359 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 4: but it's not an absolute necessity, Like you don't need 360 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 4: to be a TikTok star to get a book deal. 361 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 4: And I think there's a big misconception that you do, 362 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 4: but you don't. It helps, of course, I think that 363 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 4: the way that I look at posting on social media 364 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 4: is just about using it as a way to connect 365 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 4: with my readership and carry them through books, rather than 366 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 4: thinking of it as I'm going to go viral and 367 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 4: I'm going to be the next big book on book talk, 368 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 4: because really we have no control over that. A lot 369 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 4: of times it's the readers who push that rather than us. 370 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 4: So I like to think of it as I post 371 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 4: consistently on social media and I have the same handle 372 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 4: across all platforms because I want people who like my 373 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 4: books to be able to come to those spaces for 374 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 4: updates and for connection. 375 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 3: It's time for another quick break we'll be right back 376 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:24,160 Speaker 3: with Laura Taylor, Nami and Chadam Greenfield, and we're back. 377 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 3: I'd love to dive into your writing and genre a bit, 378 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 3: because you both have written why novels and have a 379 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 3: special connection to coming of age stories and Chatham, you 380 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 3: said something interesting earlier, which was that lid Up really 381 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 3: taught you how to distinguish what makes a novel and 382 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 3: novel and what makes a protagonist a protagonist. So what 383 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 3: is the secret to writing a voicey coming of age story? 384 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 4: I think it's about figuring out the voice of your 385 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 4: character rather than just seeing it as your voice is 386 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 4: an author, because you want to write distinct protagonists in 387 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 4: each book, So it's about figuring out who is this 388 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 4: person and kind of seeing them as a person. There's 389 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 4: someone you're creating, but they are still a person, and 390 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 4: figuring out what they want, you know. I mean I 391 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 4: had when I was submitted time and time again to 392 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 4: lit Up, I had phoebe the main character. Her core 393 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 4: motivation was I want to get out of this time loop. 394 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 4: You know, She's stuck in a timeloob the same days, 395 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 4: repeating over and over again, and she's like, I want 396 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 4: to get it out of this time loop, because who wouldn't. 397 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 4: Then when lit up and Laura came in, you know, 398 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 4: Laura kind of said to me, you know, I think 399 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 4: Phoebe needs to have her own motivation on top of 400 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 4: the time loop. Why is she so desperate to reach tomorrow? 401 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 4: What is it about tomorrow that she can't have today? 402 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 4: And that was such a lightful moment to me of like, 403 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 4: oh yeah, I really need to figure out what is 404 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 4: it that she wants. So I think the first step 405 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 4: for writing a voice Waite novel is to just figure 406 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 4: out whose voice it is. 407 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 3: That's good, Laura, as the chef you know of the 408 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 3: secret sauce here, would you share your perspective too, or 409 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 3: if it's the same answer as Chatham, then that's okay. 410 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: Chadam nailed it. I can just to add if you 411 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: feel that as an author, there are a lot of 412 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: young young adult novels out there. If you look at 413 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: the shelves at Barnes and know you're gonna see tons, 414 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,880 Speaker 1: and how can you stand out? I would say, try 415 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: to pick something that manners universally to teens and to 416 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 1: those who have been teens and still remember their teenage years. 417 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: What are those universal struggles, those milestones, those things that 418 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: keep teens up all night talking to their friends or 419 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 1: texting about them, because they matter at that time, so crucially, 420 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: what are those things? And then I would challenge you 421 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: to find what is not quite as universal about you 422 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: as an author, expressing that what makes you special? What 423 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 1: take can you find? What angle, what little plot zinger? 424 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: What fresh thing can you bring to something that we 425 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 1: already know to make it really exciting? 426 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 2: Laura, this sounds like book therapy. You're asking such thoughtful questions. Well, 427 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 2: that's what we do of our books. 428 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: Like when I sit down to write a new book, 429 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 1: it's like putting myself through therapy and putting the characters 430 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: in there with me. We all get on the couch 431 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: and we say, who have we been before today? And 432 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,640 Speaker 1: what have those days done to us? How have they 433 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,160 Speaker 1: made us? What's past his prolog? I did not say 434 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: that Shakespeare did what's past his prolog? So what have 435 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: we all seen, done, felt, hurt, loved and lived? That 436 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: has then created the peer's the person we are on 437 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: day one of that book, on page one of that book, 438 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,440 Speaker 1: and taking all that and infusing it through a story 439 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: that's really exciting, can make a novel that's fun and 440 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:40,160 Speaker 1: resonant and relevant. 441 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 3: So Chatham, earlier, you mentioned that you pitched this book 442 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 3: as a queer, disabled spin on groundhog Day, and I 443 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 3: know that you've brought your own personal health journey into 444 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 3: this too. Why groundhog Day, I'm curious if that's nostalgic 445 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,719 Speaker 3: for you, and why this storytelling device? 446 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely, so I do love groundhog Day. 447 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: Who doesn't. 448 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 4: It's a crazy too, But it was more so inspired 449 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 4: by just my sort of realization that when you have 450 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 4: health issues, it can often feel like you're living the 451 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 4: same day over and over again. You wake up in 452 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 4: your pain, you go to a doctor's appointment, you're on 453 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 4: more pain. People don't believe your pain, and it can 454 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,399 Speaker 4: often be very repetitive. And so I wanted to play 455 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 4: on that, by that feeling of living the same day 456 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 4: over and over again, by having a character who is 457 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 4: chronicle ill and is living literally the same day over 458 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 4: and over again, and having health issues can often feel 459 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 4: like a very isolating experience. So that's why I decided 460 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 4: to make Phoebe's love interest, Jess be disabled as well. 461 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 4: So Phoebe is stuck with someone who really on an 462 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 4: inherent level, understands her and what she's going through. Even 463 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 4: though they have different disabilities, there's still this level of 464 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 4: camaraderie there. So Yeah, the timeloop device was really less 465 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 4: of an homage to Groundhog Day, as much as we 466 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 4: all love it, and more sort of a way to 467 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 4: represent what it's like to live your life with chronic pain. 468 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 2: Chatham, you come from a Jewish family, and there's this 469 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: really special part in the book that talks about but 470 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 2: share it. 471 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 1: Will you share what. 472 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 2: It personally means to you and why it plays such 473 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 2: a special role in your story? 474 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 3: Yeah? 475 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 4: I love this question because I actually haven't talked about 476 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 4: this in interviews before, but this was something that was 477 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 4: sort of inspired by my own life, something that I 478 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 4: always say, you know, there's always this question with books 479 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 4: of how much of it is your life? 480 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 2: Is it? 481 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 4: And people tend to assume, oh, it's all like a memoir 482 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 4: and that's fictionalized, and it's like no, So I always 483 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 4: say I sprinkle aspects of my life in my books, 484 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 4: like Confetti, like I am not Phoebe and Phoebe is 485 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 4: not me, but we do share experiences and there are 486 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:54,479 Speaker 4: details of my life that I add in that I 487 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 4: feel sort of grounded in reality, and one of those 488 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 4: is that concept of beshirt. So basically, my parents grew 489 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 4: up together, they went to high school together, but they 490 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 4: didn't like date in high school at all. My mom 491 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 4: actually hated my dad. She would write in the front 492 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 4: of her books that she hated him because their last 493 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 4: names were close to each other alphabetically. So they were 494 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 4: always paired together for projects. It's like a real life 495 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 4: rom come. So they were always paired together for projects. 496 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 4: And she was a very serious student and he would 497 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 4: like to goof off, so she was always annoyed by him, 498 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 4: but they were still kind of friends, and then they 499 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 4: went their separate ways. They went to college, and years 500 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 4: later they reconnected and now they've been married for over 501 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,640 Speaker 4: thirty years. So something my bubby would always say is, oh, 502 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 4: it's it's fishirt. They're faded for each other, and it's 503 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 4: love at second site. And I've just always loved that 504 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 4: concept of love at second site rather than love at 505 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:44,400 Speaker 4: first sight. 506 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: You know, love at. 507 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,719 Speaker 4: First sight is a classic, but I loved this idea 508 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 4: of having these characters who come together and come apart 509 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:52,239 Speaker 4: at different times in their life. They meet first when 510 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 4: they're seven years old, and then again at the beginning 511 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:57,120 Speaker 4: of high school, and then they kind of come into 512 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,640 Speaker 4: the time look with all this baggage around each other 513 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 4: that they have to work through, and it's just sort 514 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 4: of a beautiful idea of meeting at different points in 515 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 4: your life until. 516 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 1: The time is right. It's beautiful. 517 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 3: All right, We are going to step into Phoebe and 518 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 3: Jess's shoes for a moment because I have a silly 519 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 3: question for us. If we had a day like Phoebe 520 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 3: and Jess from time and time again, where we could 521 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 3: live without consequences, how would we all spend. 522 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 2: It without consequences? 523 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: This is a tough question. I'm definitely doing something illegal. 524 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 3: Really wait, no, concept not demure of you. 525 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: It's not mindful, not very cute. 526 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: I'm like riding a motorcycle through the desert. I'm running 527 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 2: around naked somewhere. 528 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 3: This is really funny because we just got done having 529 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 3: a conversation about how her Jewish parents don't approve of 530 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,159 Speaker 3: her being on a motorcycle. So clearly there's some unearthed 531 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 3: trauma here A thousand percent. 532 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, there is no consequences, you know. There you go, 533 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: How about you, guys? This is not about me? I 534 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: would just go to Paris every day. Oh my gosh. Yes, 535 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: I would just get on and I fly like the 536 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:11,719 Speaker 1: business class, because I mean, it's not my money, it's 537 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:13,159 Speaker 1: going to come back to my account right to like 538 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: the really nice business class and go to Paris sick 539 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: every day and ecroissants and shopping and like hang out 540 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 1: in the sun river and then just come home. And 541 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,640 Speaker 1: they keep doing that. Yeah. 542 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 4: I was going to say the same thing because I 543 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 4: think part of no consequences that people don't think about 544 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 4: that I talk about in the book is that your 545 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 4: bank account will replenish the next day. So it's like, 546 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 4: you know, yeah, I would just kind of think, like, 547 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 4: you know, what can I do for the most amount 548 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 4: of money yet fly first class around the world. Hopefully 549 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 4: I'm stuck. On the day that Taylor Swift is performing, 550 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 4: I will be front row. 551 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 2: I will we be together. We're definitely going to see 552 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 2: some live music. 553 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: I want to be in Chatham's Loop. I'm going to 554 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,360 Speaker 1: be a jazz hop into your move and do that. 555 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 4: I was going to say, come bring the car and okay, 556 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 4: you know, crash crash lightly into me. 557 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: We'll go see. 558 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,199 Speaker 2: Joe's with Simone you're not off the hook. What's your answer? 559 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 3: Probably the day that my kids were born. That's the 560 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 3: day that I want to be stuck in. Just that 561 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 3: feeling when they place your baby on your chest for 562 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 3: the first time. It's magical, euphoric. Even, Yeah, I'm surprised 563 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 3: you're not having twelve children. How much you love giving birth? 564 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 1: I love giving birth. 565 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 3: I might have one more. 566 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: We'll see. Well, I'm going to take a left turn. 567 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 3: Laura. 568 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 2: Your book is titled A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea 569 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 2: and Tomorrow and it is being adapted for film, which 570 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 2: is really huge. Congratulations. How much control or input do 571 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 2: you have as an author when your book is adapted 572 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 2: to film, like, are you part of the casting? 573 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: How much, say, do you get zero? Yeah? Pretty much? Yeah, 574 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: we don't. When you option a book, if you're Stephen King, 575 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: you might get more because you know, if you're this venerable, 576 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: longtime author for thirty forty years, you are gonna earn more. Say, 577 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 1: but that wasn't me as a new author. So the 578 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: same company who made my movie also did the Jenny 579 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: Hans to All the Boys I'd loved before, and I 580 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: love that adaptation so much. Even though it's not so 581 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: exactly like mirrors the book completely. I thought the adaptation alone, 582 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: if you didn't know anything about that book and you 583 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: just watch the movies, you go, oh, these are really beautiful, 584 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: fun movies. So when I picked them, I went off 585 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: that like, am I going to get a beautiful movie? 586 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: And I absolutely did. 587 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 3: That sounds like a real exercise and surrender. 588 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 589 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: It's been a few years that we've been working on this, 590 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: and I think i've it has taken me a while 591 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 1: to do that, because when you write a book, you 592 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: get to control everything until you know an editor might 593 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: get in there and tune you a little bit bit. Really, 594 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: it's your story. That's not always how it works in movies, 595 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: because movies and books are separate entities and they are 596 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: different brands. They are different I think for viewers, I 597 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: will just caution you that if you do love a 598 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: book and you do see an adaptation, to put the 599 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: book away and just say, are the characters that I 600 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: love represented well in this particular art form, which is 601 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: a different art form that the author did not necessarily 602 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: have control over. 603 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 3: But no matter how many times you tell that to readers, 604 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 3: they're still going to go on social media and complain 605 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 3: about yes. 606 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: They are and it's okay, and I understand. Like I said, 607 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: my movie is not out yet. As soon as it 608 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: sells and goes to its home, then I will let 609 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: you know. But I'm will you celebrate? Oh gosh, I 610 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,479 Speaker 1: feel like I've been celebrating for years because they've got 611 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 1: an option right after the book came out, so it's 612 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: been alone, which was twenty twenty so like in twenty 613 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 1: twenty one, like right away, So it's been a long time. 614 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: You know, Hollywood is very slow. You think publishing is slow. 615 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: Hollywood is very slow and something that I don't always 616 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 1: understand and have to appeal to my team and and people. 617 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: I don't have all the answers for that celebrating. I 618 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: think I'll just I would love to be if there's 619 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: a premiere, I want to do that, you know, and 620 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: hang out with everyone, and I just want to be 621 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: with my friends and family, the people I love who 622 00:30:58,120 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: supporting me when I was writing this book. 623 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 3: So cool, I mean, what a what a surreal moment 624 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 3: to see so. 625 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: Surreal. It was very emotional, yeah, very lots of different emotions. 626 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 3: I'm so happy to see how happy you are with 627 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 3: how it came in. Yeah, like that's that's really huge, 628 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 3: and that just makes me really happy for you as 629 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 3: a creative and an author. Well, thanks for coming on 630 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 3: our show, guys. Thank you so much. Thanks for coming 631 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 3: on the bright Side. 632 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Thank you, thanks for having us. 633 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 2: Laura Taylor Namy is the author of A Cuban Girl's 634 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 2: Guide to Tea and Tomorrow. 635 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,719 Speaker 1: You can find it wherever you get your books. 636 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 2: Chatham Greenfield is a fellow of the lit Up program 637 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 2: from Reese's Book Club and the author of Time and 638 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 2: Time Again, available wherever you get your books. 639 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 1: That's it for today's show. 640 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 3: Tomorrow, It's well on this Wednesday, we're joined by Board 641 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 3: certified psychiatrist doctor Sasha hamdani Our adhd Awareness Month. Join 642 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 3: the conversation using hashtag the bright Side and connect with 643 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 3: us on social media at Hello Sunshine on Instagram and 644 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 3: at the bright Side Pod on TikTok Oh, and feel 645 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 3: free to tag us at Simone Voice and at Danielle Robe. 646 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 2: Listen and follow the bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, 647 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 648 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 3: See you tomorrow, folks. Keep looking on the bright side.