Pop Fiction Women
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On this episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Neely Tubati Alexander to discuss her novel, In A Not So Perfect World, a Caribbean-set romcom romp about an ambitious designer of apocalyptic video games with a strategy for (almost) everything who discovers what happens when her best-laid plans go off course. We chat with Neely about why she wanted to write the kind of female protagonist that isn’t always represented in the romance space (hellooo pessimists out there!); her “cinnamon roll” male lead, Charlie, who is sexy but is most attracted to her ambition; writing what a healthy relationship looks like and how love makes someone more profoundly who they are; the pressure women face to balance and do it all, and how she leaned into her favorite romance tropes in writing this novel! In A Not So Perfect World is out now and it is a delight!
On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years, to discuss her new novel, Expiration Dates, a story about the search for love and finding yourself in the process. This is our third time chatting with Rebecca and every time our minds are blown by what we take away about the interplay between fate vs free will and life’s big questions. We discuss the scene that moved Rebecca to tears when writing it and what it taught her about not abandoning herself; the radical act of putting yourself first; magical realism as a natural extension of external things occurring in life; the energetic footprint of love; the mantra that she tells herself about the Universe; and how the “twists” in her novels tell her what the story is really About. Rebecca told us, of her writing, that she just wants “to make people feel.” Mission accomplished! Expiration Dates is out now. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Please do us a favor and rate us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our series Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Sarah-Jane Collins to discuss her debut, Radiant Heat, a slow-burn, atmospheric story about a catastrophic wildfire and the mysterious connection between two apparent strangers. Sarah-Jane shares her early reading habits and the strong influence of her family's love for books; the inspiration behind Radiant Heat and the themes she wanted to explore; how being a journalist informed the story; her decision to pursue writing and enroll in an MFA program; the process of finding an agent; and the incredibly permanent way Sarah-Jane embraced astrology! We were impressed! Listen now to Sarah-Jane Collins’ story wherever you get your podcasts. Radiant Heat is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!). See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Sophie Wan to discuss her debut, Women of Good Fortune, a story about three women, one daring plan, and a wedding heist to remember. In this conversation, Sophie shares her journey as a reader and writer, and how she came up with the idea for the book. Set against a high-society Shanghai wedding, the novel follows three women, Lulu, Rena, and Jane, as they plan a heist on Lulu's own wedding. Sophie chats with us about each of these women, their unique struggles and desires, and why she wanted to explore themes of friendship, identity, and societal expectations. We also discuss her path to becoming a published author - one that involves perseverance while also pursuing other careers and interests. Ultimately, Sophie knows she is debuting with the right book at the right time for her and we love that! Listen now to @thesophiewan’s story wherever you get your podcasts. Women of Good Fortune is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!) See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode, we’re taking you to a cultural flashback moment … the iconic pilot episode of the beloved TV series, Felicity, which premiered on The WB in September 1998. Starring a then-unknown Keri Russell who gives up everything her parents planned for her to follow a boy to college that she didn’t even know, Felicity took us all on her coming-of-age journey of self-discovery in a way that still resonates today!! Were you a Felicity fan? Let us know in the comments and listen to our episode wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Please do us a favor and rate us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s Complicated Conversation, we welcome back Carola Lovering, bestselling author of Tell Me Lies, to discuss her new novel, Bye Baby, a story that explores the complicated friendship between two women and a dark secret that binds them together. We chat with Carola about the premise for this novel; trauma bonds; writing suspenseful chapters that make you want to keep turning pages; the meaning behind the epigraph in her book; her obsession with obsession as a writing theme; and the surreal experience of seeing the Hulu adaptation of Tell Me Lies! Bye, Baby is out now! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat with Carola wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s Complicated Conversations, we welcome back Allison Winn Scotch to discuss her tenth (and we’ve declared, her BEST) novel, Take Two Birdie Maxwell, a story about what happens when Hollywood’s biggest rom-com star tries to recover from her damaged reputation by staging her own rom-com and following a lead on a lost love. We dive into the inspiration behind the character of Birdie Maxwell and the concept of exploring past loves. We also also discuss Birdie's fall from grace and the complexities and arc of Elliot, the reporter chronicling her journey who has spent two decades repressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend. Allison shares the difficulties she faced while writing this book, the importance of sibling relationships in the story, and Birdie's search for agency and narrative in her own life. In this conversation, Allison discusses the themes of stepping into our power, embracing change, forgiveness, idea generation, and the lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship! Take Two Birdie Maxwell is out now and you are definitely going to want to buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free conversation with Allison wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s episode we discuss the Oscar-nominated and critically acclaimed film, Past Lives, written and directed by Celine Song. We have had this movie on our radar since it first premiered at Sundance last year - immediately intrigued by its questions around fate, the choices we make, and the invisible strings that tie us to people. Our anticipation was warranted because Past Lives totally delivered for us! This semi-autobiographical movie chronicles the shifting dynamic between two childhood friends, Nora Moon (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo). Growing up together in South Korea the pair are inseparable, but when Nora’s family moves to Canada, they grow apart. 20 years later, reuniting in New York City they reflect on their journey, what they mean to each other and the choices they made. Past Lives is a subtle exploration of how people can be intrinsically linked to each other in ways that are almost impossible to explain. It is a story about an unconventional love triangle, that begs the question whether it is ever really a choice between two people or choosing yourself? And it is a movie that asks us to contemplate whether our love and connections with people can transcend lifetimes – a topic we love to discuss! Believe the hype about this movie and the incredibly bright filmmaking future of Celine Song! If you have seen the movie, listen now to our episode wherever you get your podcasts. And if you haven’t watched it yet - do it! Then come back when you’re done. Please do us a favor and rate us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s episode of Complicated Conversations, we welcome Brynne Weaver to discuss her new novel, Butcher & Blackbird, a viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry that is unlike anything you've read before. We talk to Brynne about the idea for this novel about two serial killers and how she leaned into the dark, sexy and funny aspects of it; how she created such a complex, yet totally relatable female protagonist in Sloane; the way smitten Rowan allows her to feel safe and seen (and what her own experience rescuing birds has to do with it!); their annual murder competition; how fun it is to write sex scenes (this one is high on that chilli pepper 🌶️ scale!); and of course, how it feels to have your book go viral! Butcher & Balckbird is out now and it’s the first book in The Ruinous Love Trilogy (look out for book two, Leather & Lark, coming June 4th!). Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat whenever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Amanda Churchill to discuss her debut, The Turtle House, a story of intergenerational friendship, family, coming of age, identity, and love. Told in dual timelines, The Turtle House moves between late 1990s small-town Texas to pre-World War II Japan and occupied Tokyo, and tells an emotional story about a grandmother and granddaughter who connect over a beloved lost place and the secrets they both carry. We chat with Amanda about her early love of reading, her journey as a writer and the very personal inspiration behind her novel. Amanda talks about the process of writing The Turtle House, the significance of the dual timeline structure, and the role of the Turtle House as a unifying aspect of the story. We learn about Amanda’s path to publication, including the role of writing programs, getting an agent, and going out on submission while on a family vacation! Finally, we learn her astrological sign and Enneagram number and let’s just say one of us squealed. Listen now to @amandagchurchill’s story wherever you get your podcasts. The Turtle House is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!) See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
To honor the spirit of Valentine’s day this month we are turning the spotlight on a classic romcom circa 2002: Sweet Home Alabama. It’s an absolute favorite for us both! In today’s episode we deep dive into what makes it a classic, some of our favorite scenes, what we each love about it, and where we could potentially find Melanie and Jake now if those sequel rumors ever came true (highly doubtful!). Come take a trip down romcom memory lane with us and revisit this incredible film! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s Complicated Conversation we are thrilled to chat with Arielle Haller-Silverstone, the writer and co-producer of Love, Reconsidered, an indie rom com about a down-on-her-luck New Yorker whose life is suddenly transferred to the Hamptons after a chance meeting with a wealthy consignment store owner. We chat with Ari about how her own real life journey inspired this movie and the character of Ruby; how writing the film helped her reconsider love and relationships more broadly; the path from writing a indie romcom to bringing it to the big screen; why comedy is so important in a romcom; and what some of her all-time favorite romcoms have in common. Love, Reconsider is streaming everywhere now! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s Complicated Conversation we welcome back one of our favorites, New York Times bestselling author, Tia Williams. We discuss her steamy and beautiful new novel, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, a story about a free-spirited florist and an enigmatic musician who are irreversibly linked through the history, art, and magic of Harlem. Making her three-peat appearance on PFW, we chat with her about writing the most un-Tia female protagonist of all her novels (a “chaotic Gemini”); the inspiration behind Ezra, her smoldering and enigmatic male lead (a true attention loving Leo); how the idea for this novel came to her and how she has true confidence in her own voice; diversity in the publishing industry; love, fated soulmates, and the magic all around us; the glamor of the Harlem renaissance; and what it was like to see the literal manifestation of her dreams with the Netflix adaptation of her prior novel, The Perfect Find. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is out now and it's magnificent - Tia has done it again! Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Tracy Sierra to discuss her debut novel, Nightwatching, a terrifying and gripping story about a mother forced to the breaking point when her life and the lives of her children are threatened by a home intruder. Tracy has been telling scary stories since childhood! She shares her journey from there to Biglaw transactional lawyer to thriller writer and how becoming a mother played a role; how her novel strikes the nerves of our most primal fears around home invasion and evil in the world; the reason no characters have names in her novel (and why it works so well); and her path to publication, from rejections to the disorienting joy of finding a dream agent and publishers. Nightwatching is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!) See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We have your recap of Episodes 1 & 2 of Expats, a six-part limited series, based on the best-selling novel “The Expatriates” by Janice Y.K. Lee and directed by Lulu Wang. Set against the complex tapestry of Hong Kong residents, Expats depicts a multifaceted group of women – Margaret, Hillary and Mercy – after a single encounter sets off a chain of life-altering events that leaves everyone navigating the intricate balance between blame and accountability. Led by a diverse all female writers’ room, Expats explores complicated issues of motherhood, grief and marriage, boasts an incredible cast led by Nicole Kidman, and leaves us wondering where this story will take us in future episodes based on the narrative choices we've seen so far. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Ashley Tate to discuss her debut, Twenty-Seven Minutes, a gripping thriller about what happens when grief becomes unbearable and dark secrets are unearthed in a hometown that is all too giddy to eat it up. Ashley shares how she has always been attracted to dark, beautiful writing even as young and voracious reader; how grief acted as the inciting incident for writing this novel (as well as a very meaningful discussion with her now writing partner @ashleyaudrain); why she wanted to write about themes of dysfunctional family trauma and being taken for granted/unseen; the twist she held onto for 15 years until it found a way into this novel; her writing process, persevering path to publication, and incredibly wise advice for us all! Listen now to @ashleytateauthor’s story wherever you get your podcasts. Twenty-Seven minutes is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!). See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s Complicated Conversation we welcome Ashley Elston to discuss First Lie Wins, her addictive, twisty, cat-and-mouse suspense novel with plenty of heart and plenty of fans – the novel is the January pick for Reese’s Book Club and an instant NYT bestseller! We chat with Ashley about her complex protagonist Evie – a woman without a true identity who longs to be someone to somebody; the romantic tension in this otherwise thrilling suspense story; the significance of the title and the art of lying; the role of setting; the well-plotted narrative and how Ashley visually plots with precision; and how Ashley’s astrological sign suits her. Ashley’s enthusiasm and appreciation for the moment this novel is having is infectious and so well deserved. First Lie Wins is out now. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler free chat with @ashleyelston wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Carinn won't be offended -- or surprised -- if you shout "no one cares!" but she can't deny it's all pretty exciting! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Jessica Saunders to discuss her debut, Love, Me, an honest examination of love, marriage, and the fantasy of a second-chance romance with the one that got away. Like us, Jessica is a lawyer, who, after years of writing scintillating legal briefs, was finally able to fulfill her lifelong dream of writing fiction. In our chat, she shares her early love of reading (hellllo, she picked books as her bat mitzvah theme in 1994 - amazing!), the unthinkable loss that served as the inciting incident to pursuing her novelist dreams, her writing process and path to publication, from writing classes to landing an agent and what she’s learned along the way. We had so much fun chatting with Jessica! Listen now to @jessicasaundersbooks’s story wherever you get your podcasts. Love, Me is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!). See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
All hail Emerald Fennell! The English writer/director who brought us the critically heralded and Academy Award-winning, candy-colored revenge thriller Promising Young Woman, has followed-up it up with Saltburn, a visually-stunning thriller about class conflict, jealousy, obsession. This movie is not for everyone. On today’s episode, Kate and Carinn fall into different camps in terms of how this movie and some of its “never seen anything like it on the screen” moments land for each of them, but isn’t that what great art/content should do? Make you FEEL strongly (either way). By that measure, Saltburn certainly succeeds. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today’s Complicated Conversation we welcome Emma Grey to discuss her first adult novel, The Last Love Note, which she wrote in the wake of her husband’s death. It’s a fictional tribute to their love, an attempt to articulate the magnitude of her loss and a life-affirming commitment to hope. It’s also funny and warm, just like @emmagreyauthor herself! Emma chats with us about the line between true life and fiction; what she hopes readers will take away from the novel about grief, loss and love; her serendipitous path to US publication and the many ways she has found unexpected magic in her life; why she believes she is “genetically romantic” and what Anne of Green Gables has to do with it! Emma has an infectious joy that comes through in our conversation and in the pages of The Last Love Note, which is out now! See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It may be the start of 2024, but in our new episode we are discussing the highest grossing movie of 2023 - BARBIE - and Greta Gerwig, its history-making director and co-writer. For this episode we went a bit old school PFW and brought back some of our favorite segments: analyzing the scenes we loved, citing our favorite quotes and insights from Greta Gerwig in “what she said”, picking what won the movie for us, predicting Barbie’s future in our “crystal ball”, and sharing our “takeaways”. If you are one of the few people who didn’t see this in the theaters this summer, Barbie is now streaming on Max! Greta and her husband Noah Baumbach wrote a smart, truly original, and thought-provoking script. And of course the set, costumes, music and entire world created on screen is weirdly wonderful. We loved it and our conversation about it - check it out wherever you get your podcasts. (P.s. We both re-listened to our episode on Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, Ladybird, in preparation for this and if we do say so ourselves, it’s fantastic! Definitely worth revisiting if you missed in the first time around.) See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Please do us a favor and rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! (if we're not five stars to you, skip it) Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
