Guest Jennifer Egan, Pulitzer prize winning novelist and former president of PEN America, discusses her journey of rejection before achieving success, her award-winning novel Goon Squad, and PEN America's mission. She also shares her worst author event.
Jennifer Egan faced rejection in her early writing career, but eventually went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for her novel 'A Visit from the Goon Squad'.
Jennifer Egan discusses her role as president of PEN America and their mission to promote freedom of expression on college campuses.
Jennifer Egan shares her worst-ever author event experience, highlighting the challenges and unexpected moments that authors can face.
Deep dives
The Personal Journey of a Successful Author
The podcast episode features host Doug Brun introducing himself and discussing his passion for books and writing. He shares his experience as a novelist and his fascination with the creative process of authors. He expresses his desire to bring conversations with renowned writers to the audience.
Jennifer Egan's Accomplishments and Writing Career
In this episode, Doug Brun interviews Jennifer Egan, a highly acclaimed author. He highlights her notable works, including her debut novel 'The Invisible Circus' and the Pulitzer Prize-winning 'A Visit from the Goon Squad.' The conversation delves into her writing style, her role as the president of Pen America, and her latest novel 'The Candy House.'
Reflecting on Childhood Influences and the Impact of Music
Jennifer Egan shares anecdotes from her childhood and reflects on the influence of music in her life. Growing up in San Francisco during the 70s, she developed a deep appreciation for rock and roll and the gothic soap opera 'Dark Shadows.' She emphasizes how music defined a generation and allowed her to understand the power of subculture. Egan also discusses the impact of technology and social media on today's youth.
Writing Process and Themes
The speaker discusses their writing process and how certain themes emerged in their work. They emphasize the importance of research and outline in their writing process. The speaker also mentions the influence of Martin Amis on their use of humor in storytelling.
Penn America and Literary Culture
The speaker talks about their role as president of Penn America and highlights the organization's mission of promoting discourse and communication among writers. They emphasize the importance of facilitating conversations across political, geographic, and ideological divisions. The speaker also mentions Penn America's support for local news and nurturing literary culture.
Jennifer talks about getting rejected from every writers' workshop she tried because her writing showed "no promise", her Pulitzer prize winning novel Goon Squad, her term as president of PEN America and the organization's mission to promote freedom of expression on college campuses, and her worst-ever author event.
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