
Adriana Trigiani: a Bestselling Author on Books, Movies, Podcasting, and Place
09/24/24 • 25 min
2 Listeners
What did you think of this episode?
Adri and I sit down at the Library of Virginia to catch up and talk about writing, The Origin Project, her podcast (You Are What You Read), and ten years since the release of her hometown movie Big Stone Gap.
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her “dazzling” novels, (USA Today) Adriana Trigiani is The New York Times bestselling author of twenty books in fiction and nonfiction (she just finished her 21st manuscript). She has been published in 38 countries around the world. The New York Times calls her “a comedy writer with a heart of gold,” her books “tiramisu for the soul.” She wrote the blockbuster The Shoemaker’s Wife, the Big Stone Gap series, the Valentine trilogy and Lucia, Lucia. Trigiani’s themes of love and work, emphasis upon craftsmanship and family life have brought her legions of fans around the world. Their devotion has made Adriana one of “the reigning queens of women’s fiction” (USA Today).
Adriana is host of the hit podcast, You Are What You Read, sponsored by Book of the Month. Adriana interviews the luminaries of our time about the books that built their souls. Episodes feature Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Hannah, David Baldacci, Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson, Amor Towles, Fannie Flagg, Katie Couric, Mitch Albom, Jhumpa Lahiri, Craig Ferguson and many more.
In 2013, Adriana co-founded The Origin Project with the late Nancy Bolmeier Fisher, who served as Executive Director of the program for over a decade. The Origin Project is an in-school writing program that brings professional authors into the classroom to work with students on their creative writing skills – specifically, stories inspired by their own family history. The project culminates with a published anthology of student work at the end of the school year. Since The Origin Project’s launch in 2013, the program has expanded to include many more schools, now serving over 1,700 students grades 2-12 in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia.
Jewelry from coal, river glass, and discarded books handcrafted in the central Appalachian Mountains
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)!
*Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social
*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:
Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain
*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian
*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: [email protected] or message me at the link here or on social.
Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
What did you think of this episode?
Adri and I sit down at the Library of Virginia to catch up and talk about writing, The Origin Project, her podcast (You Are What You Read), and ten years since the release of her hometown movie Big Stone Gap.
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her “dazzling” novels, (USA Today) Adriana Trigiani is The New York Times bestselling author of twenty books in fiction and nonfiction (she just finished her 21st manuscript). She has been published in 38 countries around the world. The New York Times calls her “a comedy writer with a heart of gold,” her books “tiramisu for the soul.” She wrote the blockbuster The Shoemaker’s Wife, the Big Stone Gap series, the Valentine trilogy and Lucia, Lucia. Trigiani’s themes of love and work, emphasis upon craftsmanship and family life have brought her legions of fans around the world. Their devotion has made Adriana one of “the reigning queens of women’s fiction” (USA Today).
Adriana is host of the hit podcast, You Are What You Read, sponsored by Book of the Month. Adriana interviews the luminaries of our time about the books that built their souls. Episodes feature Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Hannah, David Baldacci, Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson, Amor Towles, Fannie Flagg, Katie Couric, Mitch Albom, Jhumpa Lahiri, Craig Ferguson and many more.
In 2013, Adriana co-founded The Origin Project with the late Nancy Bolmeier Fisher, who served as Executive Director of the program for over a decade. The Origin Project is an in-school writing program that brings professional authors into the classroom to work with students on their creative writing skills – specifically, stories inspired by their own family history. The project culminates with a published anthology of student work at the end of the school year. Since The Origin Project’s launch in 2013, the program has expanded to include many more schools, now serving over 1,700 students grades 2-12 in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia.
Jewelry from coal, river glass, and discarded books handcrafted in the central Appalachian Mountains
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)!
*Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social
*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:
Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain
*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian
*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: [email protected] or message me at the link here or on social.
Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Previous Episode

Finding Glimmers with Poet Jane Hicks and Music by Tiffany Williams
What did you think of this episode?
Poet Jane Hicks is the author of three award-winning poetry collections: Blood and Bone Remember, Driving with the Dead, and recently, The Safety of Small Things (University Press of Kentucky/Fireside Imprint). She also wrote the essay "A Matter of Perception" for Talking Appalachian (the book.) In our conversation, we talk about our speech patterns as a "political choice" (of course), the healing inspiration for her latest collection, and why we look for glimmers (the opposite of triggers) in the darkest days.
You can contact Jane for workshops and readings via email: [email protected]
Opening poem: "Longing" by Jane Hicks from The Safety of Small Things
Music: "When You Go" written and performed by Tiffany Williams
Jewelry from coal, river glass, and discarded books handcrafted in the central Appalachian Mountains
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)!
*Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social
*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:
Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain
*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian
*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: [email protected] or message me at the link here or on social.
Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Next Episode

Appalshop: 55 Years of Telling Appalachia's Stories
What did you think of this episode?
Appalshop was founded in eastern Kentucky in 1969, providing "space for Appalachians to tell their own stories in their own words." Its founding followed the War on Poverty, when Appalachia was put on display for the rest of the world in a way that cemented stereotypical thinking about the region. Since then, it has grown to include not only filmmaking but oral history projects, a radio station, a record label, a reading series, theatre programs, and a priceless archive of film, photography, and artifacts.
I'm talking with Communications Director Rachel Rosolina and Visual Communications Manager Aaron Asbury about Appalshop's role in giving Appalachians a voice to tell their own stories, recovery and mediating archives since the flood of 2022, and who can benefit from their resources and programs.
Check out their web site here: Appalshop
Appalshop's Archives: Appalshop Archive
Featured music: "Lonesome Pine" from the album Fields Where We Once Played by The Payroll Boys (1983) courtesy of Appalshop and June Appal Recordings
*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)!
*Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social
*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:
Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon
*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain
*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian
*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: [email protected] or message me at the link here or on social.
Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
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