207: Owning Your Story - Interview with Grace Kennan Warnecke

07/04/18 • 44 min

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Grace Kennan Warnecke on the show!

Grace is the daughter of George F. Kennan, one of the most influential diplomats of the 20th century, and as such had a very unique childhood. She grew up in the shadow of the Cold War and her larger than life father, but found her way into the limelight to forge a dynamic career for herself.

She is chairman of the board of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, a fellow of Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and was the associate producer of the prizewinning PBS documentary The First Fifty Years: Reflections on U.S.-Soviet Relations; just to name a few of her accomplishments.

She has now written a memoir titled Daughter of the Cold War, which tells the tale of Grace’s whole life lived on the edge of history.

Listen in as Grace and I chat about crafting a broad scope memoir, and owning your own story.

In this episode Grace and I discuss:

How writing groups can lift you up and help you reach your writing goals.
Keeping a memoir enthralling from beginning to end.
Crafting your whole life into a story.
Ways to navigate writing about others’ lives without censoring yourself.
Why you should never turn down an opportunity.

Plus, Grace’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/207

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Grace Kennan Warnecke on the show!

She has now written a memoir titled Daughter of the Cold War, which tells the tale of Grace’s whole life lived on the edge of history.

Listen in as Grace and I chat about crafting a broad scope memoir, and owning your own story.

In this episode Grace and I discuss:

How writing groups can lift you up and help you reach your writing goals.
Keeping a memoir enthralling from beginning to end.
Crafting your whole life into a story.
Ways to navigate writing about others’ lives without censoring yourself.
Why you should never turn down an opportunity.

Plus, Grace’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/207

Previous Episode

206: A Literary Tea Party - Interview with Alison Walsh

Hey there word nerds!

Today I am delighted to have author Alison Walsh on the show!

And OMG word nerds I am so excited because we’re going to be talking about Alison’s new cookbook: A Literary Tea Party!

I first learned about Alison’s book last summer, from my friend and awesome DIY MFA contributor Sara Letourneau. Right away I knew I had to get Alison to come on the show.

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I’m obsessed with tea. I drink probably around 3 pots of tea per day, not to mention the gallons of iced tea I consume in the summertime. So when I learned that there would soon be a book of literary-themed teatime recipes I just about died and went to heaven (and I say this as someone who absolutely cannot cook).

Alison actually started out as a food blogger at Alison's Wonderland Recipes, a blog dedicated to making recipes inspired by classic literature. She has since been featured on Real Life at Home and MuggleNet, and her cookbook, A Literary Tea Party, is now available.

Listen in as Alison and I geek out about books and tea, and dive into the craft behind creating a cookbook that not only gives you tasty treats to try but draws you into a story.

In this episode Alison and I discuss:

Extrapolating recipes from literature.
How to craft a narrative arc in a cookbook.
Building a book around your audience.
What goes into a nonfiction cookbook proposal.
An inside look at crafting a food blog that stands out.

Plus, Alison’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/206

Next Episode

208: A Character's Heart and Soul - Interview with Gail Honeyman

Hey there word nerds!

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Gail Honeyman on the show!

Gail is the author of the novel Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, which hit shelves in May of last year and made a huge splash with readers. Gail’s debut novel was the star book at the Frankfurt Book Fair and was selected as an Indie Next Pick by booksellers across the country.

It soon became one of the most beloved novels of 2017, catching the attention of readers worldwide, including Reese Witherspoon, who made it one of her book club picks and bought the film rights.

The love for this book has not let up since its release, and it has been heralded as a must-read for summer by The New York Times, People, and TheSkimm. Independent booksellers were so excited about the book that many of them even participated in an “Eleanor Oliphant Day,” touting this quirky, funny, and heartbreaking novel to their customers both in their stores and across social media.

So listen in as Gail and I unpack this quirky, sometimes difficult, but always lovable character of Eleanor Oliphant, and how to craft a story that really puts readers directly into the heart and soul of a character.

In this episode Gail and I discuss:

Crafting a voice driven novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The learning curve of your first book.
Creating empathy for an unlikable character through close first person narration.
How to “feel” your way through writing and editing your novel.
Building a compelling character with multiple layers.

Plus Gail's #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/208