Podcast appearances and mentions of tessa fontaine

Annie Hartnett discusses the inspiration behind her quirky road trip novel The Road to Tender Hearts and why she breaks all the rules in writing her stories. Annie Hartnett joins me to discuss her latest bestselling novel, The Road to Tender Hearts, and the inspiration behind this road trip story. We explore the heartfelt and humorous moments that showcase a wonderfully quirky found family, which even includes a psychic cat.She also shares the surprising real-life inspirations for her unforgettable characters and explains how literary mischief is woven into their worlds.In this quirky conversation, Annie and I discuss: Why Annie made a death-predicting cat named Pancakes the emotional engine of the novel—and how a real-life nursing home cat named Oscar inspired this unforgettable character.How playing with point of view and narrator's voice keeps her writing fresh, and why she's unconcerned with grammar "rules."How Annie's own cross-country trip in her twenties helped shape the emotional core of this incredible road trip story.BONUS BOOK LIST: This week, I'm sharing an accompanying book list of 29 books about road trips, including new releases and backlist titles, that speak to the ripple effects of substance use across families and generations.Meet Annie HartnettAnnie Hartnett is the author of Unlikely Animals, which won the Julia Ward Howe Prize for fiction and was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize.She is also theauthor of Rabbit Cake, a finalist for the New England Book Award and a Kirkus Reviews best book of the year. Hartnett has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Along with writer Tessa Fontaine, she co-runs the Accountability Workshops for writers, helping them commit to routines and embrace the long, slow, joyful, terrible process of doing the work. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog.Mentioned in this episode:Browse the 2025 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide (with ads) or download the 48-page reading guide  ($7) to support our show. If you are a show patron, check your inbox for your copy as part of your member benefits—thank you for supporting my small business!  Join the May Book Club Chat (Beautyland)BONUS BOOK LIST: 29 Books About Road Trips to Read NowDownload Today's TranscriptThe Road to Tender Hearts by Annie HartnettUnlikely Animals by Annie HartnettRabbit Cake by Annie HartnettRed Dog Farm by Nathaniel Ian MillerMarried with ChildrenJane the VirginFargoRaising ArizonaKaren RussellThe Frightening and Wonderful Things That Will Happen to You When You Publish Your First Novel by Rufi ThorpeBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Annie on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals NewsletterBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation) 

Host Jason Blitman talks to Annie Hartnett (The Road to Tender Hearts) about the roots of her humor, why no one can sit in the backseat of her car, and her short-lived foray into greeting card writing. Jason is then joined by Guest Gay Reader Debbie Millman, who shares what she's been reading, why she had to stop listening to the audiobook of Barbra Streisand's memoir, and the story behind her new book, Love Letter to a Garden--which includes recipes from her wife, Roxane Gay. Debbie's TED "Love Letters" can be found here:https://www.ted.com/talks/debbie_millman_love_letters_to_what_we_hold_dearAnnie Hartnett is the author of Unlikely Animals, which won the Julia Ward Howe Prize for fiction and was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is also the author of Rabbit Cake, a finalist for the New England Book Award and a Kirkus Reviews best book of the year. Hartnett has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Along with writer Tessa Fontaine, she co-runs the Accountability Workshops for writers, helping them commit to routines and embrace the long, slow, joyful, terrible process of doing the work. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog.Debbie Millman has been named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, and “one of the most influential designers working today” by GDUSA. Millman is an illustrator, author, educator, and host of the podcast Design Matters. Broadcasting for 19 years, Design Matters is one of the first and longest running podcasts in the world. The show won a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in 2011, and Apple has named it one of their “All Time Favorites” three times. In 2023 the show won two Webby's, three Communicator Awards, a Signal Award, three awards from The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, and earned an Ambie nomination.SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ BOOK CLUB!Use code GAYSREADING at checkout to get first book for only $4 + free shipping! Restrictions apply.http://aardvarkbookclub.com WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.com

In the literary thriller The Red Grove, a community of women live among redwoods, until a death changes everything.

Today, we hear from Tessa Fontaine whose latest novel, THE RED GROVE, was released in May. We're talking to Tessa about how to bring a shy, attention-avoiding character to life on the page by discovering the many aspects of her situation and her past that gets her moving forward.By the way, on July 19 Tessa will be at Newtonville Books with authors Clare Beams, Rufi Thorpe, and Annie Hartnett. Watch a recording here. This audio/video version is available for one week. Missed it? Check out the podcast version above or on your favorite podcast platform.To find Fontaine's debut novel and many other books by our authors, visit our Bookshop page. Looking for a writing community? Join our Facebook page. Tessa Fontaine is the author of THE ELECTRIC WOMAN: A MEMOIR IN DEATH-DEFYING ACTS, a New York Times Editors' Choice, Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick, and best book of 2018 by Southern Living, Refinery29, Amazon Editors', and The New York Post. Other writing can be found in Outside, The New York Times, Glamour, AGNI, The Believer, LitHub, Creative Nonfiction, and more. Raised outside San Francisco, Tessa is a former professor and has taught in jails and prisons for five years. She co-founded and teaches the Accountability Workshops with writer and pal Annie Hartnett, and lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, daughter, goofy dog and sassy cat. THE RED GROVE is her first novel. It is a best book of May from Amazon and People Magazine, and on most anticipated lists from The Rumpus and Alta Magazine.Photo by Artur Rutkowski on Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com

Erin Moon performs this debut novel set in the 1990s against the backdrop of the California redwoods. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Kendra Winchester discuss this story of the Red Grove, a safe haven for women seeking refuge from patriarchal violence. Luce lives in the Red Grove with her mother, Gloria, and her little brother, Roo. When Gloria disappears, Luce is determined to find her and accidentally uncovers the Red Grove's secret history. Moon maintains the tension in her voice throughout the audiobook, adding to the suspense of this twisty novel. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Brilliance Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from Hachette Audio, and the audiobook edition of RELENTLESS by Luis A Miranda Jr, featuring a foreword read by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda. To find out more about this, and any other Hachette Audio productions, please visit www.hachetteaudio.com, or @HachetteAudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to Jessica Brody's Save the Cat Writes a Novel, the Fun & Games beat is pivotal for laying the groundwork of your story as you move into the second act while getting your characters moving. So how to do it? And how do the Fun & Games lead to your book's all important Midpoint? To help us out, we talk to authors Annie Hartnett and Sara Shukla.Sara Shukla is an editor and writer for Cognoscenti, WBUR Boston Public Radio's ideas and opinions page, and a graduate of Grubstreet's novel incubator. Her novel, Pink Whales, a humorous take on lies, drugs and yacht clubs in an exclusive seaside New England town – think “Mean Girls,” but moms — is forthcoming from Little A. She has writing in the Los Angeles Review of Books, short humor in McSweeney's and elsewhere, and interviews in Dead Darlings. She lives in Mass. with her husband and three kids. Annie Hartnett is the author of two novels: her first was called Rabbit Cake and her new novel, Unlikely Animals, just came out in April with Random House. Along with the writer Tessa Fontaine, Annie runs bi-weekly accountability groups – workshops designed to give you community and support on your writing projects without the pressure and confusion of feedback. Annie is also the co-host of the Here to Save You podcast, a podcast about writing while parenting young children. Annie lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and their dog.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com

In Episode 117, Annie Hartnett, author of Unlikely Animals, shares the intriguing backstory behind her new novel. She is wonderfully candid and shares interesting tidbits from the germ of the idea, through some of the editing process, all the way to the finished book and finding a publisher.  This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How interesting information transitions to the idea to write a book. The importance of voice in her stories. How she infuses comedy into her writing and embraces the potential for silliness. Annie shares the experience of having her second book under her belt and how that affects her confidence going forward. The difficulty in talking about and promoting a multi-faceted book. Cover design and summary decisions for Unlikely Animals. Why she chose to tell the story in the collective voice. The atmospheric place she lived when she began writing Unlikely Animals. Annie answers lightning round questions about some delightfully weird elements in the book. Annie's Book Recommendations [33:09] Two OLD Books She Loves The Electric Woman by Tessa Fontaine | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [33:18] We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [34:56] Two NEW Books She Loves Walk the Vanished Earth by Erin Swan | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [36:30] More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [40:05] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson (November 8, 2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [42:24] Last 5-Star Book Annie Read Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran | Amazon | Bookshop.org : [46:26] Other Books Mentioned Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett : [1:20] The Last Chairlift by John Irving (October 18, 2022) : [20:54] The Mothers by Brit Bennett : [24:42] Our Town by Thornton Wilder : [28:04] Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders : [28:15] Wild by Cheryl Strayed : [34:13] Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters : [35:27] When I'm Gone, Look for Me in the East by Quan Barry : [35:48] How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu : [37:16] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel : [37:38] Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel : [38:19] Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber : [40:45] Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson : [42:45] The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson : [45:30] Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson : [45:35] About Annie Hartnett Website | Twitter | Instagram In addition to her new book, Unlikely Animals, Annie Hartnett is the author of Rabbit Cake, which was listed as one of Kirkus Reviews's Best Books of 2017 and a finalist for the New England Book Award. She has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers' Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. She studied philosophy at Hamilton College, has an MA from Middlebury College, and an MFA from the University of Alabama. When she began writing Unlikely Animals, she was living in the groundskeeper's house in a cemetery. She now lives in a small town in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and darling border collie, Mr. Willie Nelson.

Shelf Help Podcast #11In episode 11, booksellers answer an anonymous question from instagram in which one desperate listener asks for the "best ways to get out of a reading slump". For this question, Lisa adds an idea for the first time - Hunting and Gathering, a "fun to read" gem by France's best-selling author Ana Gavalda. Kari suggests reading short stories as a great way to get reading again; she singles out St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised By Wolves by Karen Russell, and then changes things up by also recommending a memoir, The Electric Woman by Tessa Fontaine. Allie believes that Sisters by Daisy Johnson will help anyone stuck in a slump. These and the other selections included in this show will help anyone who feels stuck trying to find the next great book to read.Welcome to Shelf Help a podcast where booksellers help you answer one of life's trickier  - and we'd argue extremely important - questions: what should you read next?  If you've got a reading dilemma, you can email us a question or voice memo at shelfhelpuv@gmail.com. We're here to help your shelves. Shelf Help is a collaboration between the Book Jam, a nonprofit designed to inspire readers; CATV Upper Valley media community; three Upper Valley bookstores: Yankee Bookshop in Woodstock, VT; the Norwich Bookstore in Norwich, VT; and Still North Books & Bar in Hanover, NH.  

An introduction to your Here to Save You hosts Tessa Fontaine and Annie Hartnett. We share the details of the "writing accountability contract" we signed in 2018-- which is how we were able to write second books and also how we became friends. This contract we signed came from this Aimee Bender essay: Why the Best Way to Get Creative Is to Make Some Rules Books mentioned: Deep Work by Cal Newport I'll Show Myself Out by Jessi Klein Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett Bewilderment by Richard Powers Spoiler: You will meet our third co-host Ellen O'Connell Whittet in episode 4! Support the show

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello relive some of their greatest escapes; writer and former sideshow performer Tessa Fontaine explains how learning to eat fire helped mend her broken heart; comedian and actor Moses Storm riffs on why he and his mom once had the same platinum blonde hairdo; memoirist and green card lottery winner Abdi Nor Iftin recounts his journey from war-torn Somalia to rural Maine; and singer-songwriter Laura Veirs performs “Margaret Sands” from her album "The Lookout."

Carey Cavanaugh of Univ of Kentucky on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Michael Saxton of Washington State Univ's Bear Center on fat bear week. Tessa Fontaine of Warren Wilson College on her book "The Electric Woman". Sam Payne of BYUradio's The Apple Seed. Ryan Steck on his book reviewer site. Steven Dudley of American Univ on his book "MS-13".

This week Alice and Kim talk about spelling bee horror stories, why you should read about ancient scrolls, and nonfiction to read if you love (or even just sort of like) Star Wars. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and TBR, Book Riot’s new subscription service offering tailored book recommendations for readers of all stripes. Subscribe to For Real using RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. For more nonfiction recommendations, sign up for our True Story newsletter, edited by Kim Ukura. FOLLOW UP Independent Bookstore Day Notes From a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi New York Times: “A Young Chef, and a Stunning Comeback” Good Talk by Mira Jacob My Favorite Murder podcast NEW BOOKS The Regency Years by Robert Morrison Beeline by Shalini Shankar Breaking the Bee documentary The Da Vinci Legacy by Jean Pierre Isbouts and Christopher Brown Magical Realism for Nonbelievers by Anika Fajardo The Role of the Scroll by Thomas Forrest Kelly Fall and Rise by Mitchell Zuckoff MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor The Making of Star Wars by J.W. Rinzler The World According to Star Wars by Cass R. Sunstein Wishful Drinking and The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher I Am C-3PO by Anthony Daniels and J.J. Abrams (November 4, 2019) Star Wars Meets the Eras of Feminism by Valerie Estelle Frankel READING NOW Without Precedent by Joel Richard Paul The Electric Woman by Tessa Fontaine

Tessa Fontaine is the author of The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts, A New York Times Editors' Choice; A Southern Living Best Book of 2018; An Amazon Editors' Best Book of 2018; A Refinery29 Best Book of 2018; A New York Post Most Unforgettable Book of 2018

Interview with Tessa Fontaine, author of The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts, A New York Times Editors' Choice; A Southern Living Best Book of 2018; An Amazon Editors' Best Book of 2018; A Refinery29 Best Book of 2018; A New York Post Most Unforgettable Book of 2018  

This is her story in the midst of losing her mother, and finding herself out on the road with the World of Wonders, America’s last traveling sideshow. She earns a place in the crew and transforms into escape artist Tex Fontaine, headless woman Olga Hess and Electra, a woman whose body takes in electric currents and turns them into light.W: http://www.tessafontaine.com/home.htmlT: https://twitter.com/MouthFullofFireF: https://www.facebook.com/TheElectricWoman/

This week we’re going transatlantic with some great contemporary tales from America. Tessa Fontaine tells us about running away to join the circus, in her memoir ‘The Electric Woman’. Paul Birchard recounts the remarkable story of ‘The Boy Who Played With Fusion’. And Deborah Harkness talks about transforming ‘A Discovery of Witches’ from best-selling books to primetime TV. Join the conversation on readonair@rnib.org.uk

Who doesn't remember their first trip to the county fair? The greasy hotdogs and popcorn and cotton candy. The lights and sounds of the seemingly endless games and rides and shows on the midway. But maybe most of all, the sense of wonder inspired by real people who could contort their bodies into incredible shapes with ease, and show off amazing feats of agility and strength you never thought possible. Feats that made you think, “How on earth did they do that?” The trick, it turns out, is that there is no trick. Most of what you see, you can believe. This is the first of many sideshow axioms writer Tessa Fontaine learned when she left the life she knew to join the circus in 2013. Now, in her debut book of nonfiction, The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts (FSG, 2018), Fontaine's keen descriptive powers offer a revealing glimpse into the secret world of the United States' last traditional traveling sideshow. On the road, Fontaine met all kinds of personalities—from carnies to showpeople—who taught her about wonder, and how to inspire it through her performances as a fire breather, a sword swallower, a snake charmer, and so much more. Today on the New Books Network, join us as we sit down with Tessa Fontaine to hear more about The Electric Woman and her incredible journey traveling with the World of Wonders sideshow. Zoë Bossiere is a doctoral student at Ohio University, where she studies creative nonfiction and teaches writing classes. For more NBn interviews, follow her on Twitter @zoebossiere or head to zoebossiere.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn’t remember their first trip to the county fair? The greasy hotdogs and popcorn and cotton candy. The lights and sounds of the seemingly endless games and rides and shows on the midway. But maybe most of all, the sense of wonder inspired by real people who could contort their bodies into incredible shapes with ease, and show off amazing feats of agility and strength you never thought possible. Feats that made you think, “How on earth did they do that?” The trick, it turns out, is that there is no trick. Most of what you see, you can believe. This is the first of many sideshow axioms writer Tessa Fontaine learned when she left the life she knew to join the circus in 2013. Now, in her debut book of nonfiction, The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts (FSG, 2018), Fontaine’s keen descriptive powers offer a revealing glimpse into the secret world of the United States’ last traditional traveling sideshow. On the road, Fontaine met all kinds of personalities—from carnies to showpeople—who taught her about wonder, and how to inspire it through her performances as a fire breather, a sword swallower, a snake charmer, and so much more. Today on the New Books Network, join us as we sit down with Tessa Fontaine to hear more about The Electric Woman and her incredible journey traveling with the World of Wonders sideshow. Zoë Bossiere is a doctoral student at Ohio University, where she studies creative nonfiction and teaches writing classes. For more NBn interviews, follow her on Twitter @zoebossiere or head to zoebossiere.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn’t remember their first trip to the county fair? The greasy hotdogs and popcorn and cotton candy. The lights and sounds of the seemingly endless games and rides and shows on the midway. But maybe most of all, the sense of wonder inspired by real people who could contort their bodies into incredible shapes with ease, and show off amazing feats of agility and strength you never thought possible. Feats that made you think, “How on earth did they do that?” The trick, it turns out, is that there is no trick. Most of what you see, you can believe. This is the first of many sideshow axioms writer Tessa Fontaine learned when she left the life she knew to join the circus in 2013. Now, in her debut book of nonfiction, The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts (FSG, 2018), Fontaine’s keen descriptive powers offer a revealing glimpse into the secret world of the United States’ last traditional traveling sideshow. On the road, Fontaine met all kinds of personalities—from carnies to showpeople—who taught her about wonder, and how to inspire it through her performances as a fire breather, a sword swallower, a snake charmer, and so much more. Today on the New Books Network, join us as we sit down with Tessa Fontaine to hear more about The Electric Woman and her incredible journey traveling with the World of Wonders sideshow. Zoë Bossiere is a doctoral student at Ohio University, where she studies creative nonfiction and teaches writing classes. For more NBn interviews, follow her on Twitter @zoebossiere or head to zoebossiere.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn’t remember their first trip to the county fair? The greasy hotdogs and popcorn and cotton candy. The lights and sounds of the seemingly endless games and rides and shows on the midway. But maybe most of all, the sense of wonder inspired by real people who could contort their bodies into incredible shapes with ease, and show off amazing feats of agility and strength you never thought possible. Feats that made you think, “How on earth did they do that?” The trick, it turns out, is that there is no trick. Most of what you see, you can believe. This is the first of many sideshow axioms writer Tessa Fontaine learned when she left the life she knew to join the circus in 2013. Now, in her debut book of nonfiction, The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts (FSG, 2018), Fontaine’s keen descriptive powers offer a revealing glimpse into the secret world of the United States’ last traditional traveling sideshow. On the road, Fontaine met all kinds of personalities—from carnies to showpeople—who taught her about wonder, and how to inspire it through her performances as a fire breather, a sword swallower, a snake charmer, and so much more. Today on the New Books Network, join us as we sit down with Tessa Fontaine to hear more about The Electric Woman and her incredible journey traveling with the World of Wonders sideshow. Zoë Bossiere is a doctoral student at Ohio University, where she studies creative nonfiction and teaches writing classes. For more NBn interviews, follow her on Twitter @zoebossiere or head to zoebossiere.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn’t remember their first trip to the county fair? The greasy hotdogs and popcorn and cotton candy. The lights and sounds of the seemingly endless games and rides and shows on the midway. But maybe most of all, the sense of wonder inspired by real people who could contort their bodies into incredible shapes with ease, and show off amazing feats of agility and strength you never thought possible. Feats that made you think, “How on earth did they do that?” The trick, it turns out, is that there is no trick. Most of what you see, you can believe. This is the first of many sideshow axioms writer Tessa Fontaine learned when she left the life she knew to join the circus in 2013. Now, in her debut book of nonfiction, The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts (FSG, 2018), Fontaine’s keen descriptive powers offer a revealing glimpse into the secret world of the United States’ last traditional traveling sideshow. On the road, Fontaine met all kinds of personalities—from carnies to showpeople—who taught her about wonder, and how to inspire it through her performances as a fire breather, a sword swallower, a snake charmer, and so much more. Today on the New Books Network, join us as we sit down with Tessa Fontaine to hear more about The Electric Woman and her incredible journey traveling with the World of Wonders sideshow. Zoë Bossiere is a doctoral student at Ohio University, where she studies creative nonfiction and teaches writing classes. For more NBn interviews, follow her on Twitter @zoebossiere or head to zoebossiere.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tessa Fontaine is the author of “The Electric Woman”, a story about her complex relationship with her mother and her parallel experience of traveling with America's last Sideshow. Tessa shares her remarkable journey of pain and loneliness growing up with a mother who couldn't connect  emotionally. Their relationship was further complicated by her mother suffering multiple strokes and near death experiences, leaving her in a profound state of disconnect. Needing an escape from the constant state of crisis and worry, Tessa joined America's last Sideshow as a strange new way to face her fears, connect with others who had also suffered, and persevere on a whole new level. She articulates how this crazy experience led her to a new sense of understanding and compassion for her mom and their complex relationship. Her journey is filled with layers of failure and the strange bright sides that come from facing your darkest moments. Find out more about Tessa & her book @: www.tessafontaine.com  

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello relive their “great escapes;” writer Tessa Fontaine explains how learning to eat fire as a part of America's last traveling sideshow helped mend her broken heart; comedian and actor Moses Storm riffs on a childhood spent living in a bus with his missionary family; memoirist and visa lottery winner Abdi Nor Iftin recounts his journey from war-torn Somalia to rural Maine; and singer-songwriter Laura Veirs performs the T.S. Eliot-inspired “Margaret Sands” from her latest album “The Lookout.”

We've interviewed a lot of people on the City Podcast. We've had business leaders, elected officials, nonprofit luminaries, artists of all kinds, and a rotating gaggle of bureaucrats so smart they could probably divide by zero if asked.    What we haven't had is a local author with one of the hottest books in the country...but we've fixed that.    Today on the podcast, we're talking with author and Spartanburg resident,  about her fantastic memoir The Electric Woman () and about her experience finding a supportive creative community in our city. 

When her mother suffers a stroke, Tessa Fontaine joins the traveling circus sideshow. She recounts this unique time in her life in her incredible new memoir, THE ELECTRIC WOMAN. She and James talk about being okay with not knowing what you're writing about, how first books are like teenagers, and finding the untold story. And, she is the first guest (to James's knowledge) to flashback to Eagle-Eye Cherry's "Save Tonight." Plus, Meg Reid of Hub City Writers Project.   Tessa Fontaine: http://www.tessafontaine.com/home.html Tessa and James discuss: Annie Hartnett Harper  University of Alabama  University of Utah  Freytag's Pyramid  LET'S NO ONE GET HURT by Jon Pineda  "The First Cut is the Deepest" by Sheryl Crow  "Save Tonight" by Eagle-Eye Cherry  Cormac McCarthy Ernest Hemingway  Jenna Johnson  HELL'S ANGELS by Hunter S. Thompson  - Meg Reid: (Hub City) https://hubcity.org/  (Book Design) http://www.megireid.com/ Meg and James discuss:  WPA  Newtonville Books  Turnrow Book Co.  Square Books  Tessa Fontaine  Betsy Teter  Publisher's Group West  Dzanc Books Milkweed Editions  OVER THE PLAIN HOUSES by Julia Franks  FLIGHT PATH by Hannah Palmer  John Jeremiah Sullivan  Sewanee  WHISKEY & RIBBONS by Leesa Cross-Smith Emily L. Smith  Lookout Books  ECOTONE  UNC-Wilmington  NEA  Sarabande Books  Carolina Wren Press  THE HANDS OF STRANGERS by Michael Farris Smith  Lemuria Books  Parnassus Books  Eric Svenson  Kelly Estep  Carmichael's Books  Bookmarks in Winston-Salem   - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/

Over the course of eleven books, including his latest novel, THE UNMADE WORLD, Steve Yarbrough has established himself as a master of language and place. But James knows him as the leader of the greatest workshop ever. They discuss that class at Sewanee, as well as being a Southern writer with a British aesthetic, structuring novels based on the football calendar, and getting poked in the stomach. Plus, Annie Hartnett on being more productive.    Steve Yarbrough: https://www.steveyarbrough.net/ Steve and James discuss: Sewanee Writers' Conference  Jill McCorkle  Johnny Carson  IN THE SHADOW OF 10,000 HILLS by Jennifer Haupt  THE GIRL FROM BLIND RIVER by Gale Massey  Bill Parcells  Jimmy Johnson  University of Arkansas  William Harrison  John Clellon Holmes  James Whitehead  Bill Belichick  Graham Greene  Emerson College Pamela Painter  Margot Livesey  THE LAST PICTURE SHOW by Larry McMurtry BOOKMARKED: LARRY McMURTRY'S THE LAST PICTURE SHOW by Steve Yarbrough (SY)  PRISONERS OF WAR by SY  THE END OF CALIFORNIA by SY  "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway  Ron Hansen  A CLOCKWORK ORANGE  Bill Evans  Raymond Carver  THE DIXIE ASSOCIATION by Donald "Skip" Hayes  Richard Yates  William Trevor  "Wildwood Flower" "Blowing up on the Spot" by Kevin Wilson (from PLOUGHSHARES, Winter 2003-4)  Joyce Carol Oates "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"  THE PIGEON TUNNEL by John LeCarre   Alice Munro  THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER by Tom Clancy  Gary Fisketjon  Greg Michalson Fred Ramey  Knopf  THE OXYGEN MAN by SY  The Harvard Book Store  Michael Nye  OBJECTS OF AFFECTION by Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough Unbridled Books  - Annie Hartnett: http://www.anniehartnett.com/ Annie and James discuss: "If You Want to Write a Book, Write Every Day or Quit Now" by Stephen Hunter   "Why the Best Way to Get Creative Is to Make Some Rules" by Aimee Bender http://www.oprah.com/spirit/writing-every-day-writers-rules-aimee-bender/all#ixzz58vlFL9eU THE ELECTRIC WOMAN by Tessa Fontaine  Sarah Shute  THE DEFINING DECADE by Meg Jay  ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT by Stephen King  DEEP WORK by Cal Newport  Anne Vogel  Benjamin Percy  THE SOUND OF MUSIC -  http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/