WITTY RANTER EP05: THE BOOK EPISODE

Talented students at Bethel University put together this fun podcast, and I’m “in” this episode. I want to clarify one thing: I definitely don’t think that there is anything inherently WRONG about “novels about prom,” nor do I believe I am doing any groundbreaking work in writing novels like Truest. I am trying to follow in the talented footsteps of so many incredible writers who showed me the kind of books I wanted to read and write. Out of context, my quote might sound a little “well, no one was doing this thing until I came along,” which is just not true. Just because I couldn’t always find those books in my childhood didn’t mean they didn’t exist. And now I am so aware of the shoulders I stand on: Melina Marchetta, Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, C.S. Lewis, Maggie Stiefvater. And anyone who knows me knows I will never argue with a great kissing scene! 🙂 Enjoy!!!

THE BOOKS EPISODE features Jackie Lea Sommers, a young-adult author from the Twin Cities who battled obsessive compulsive disorder until she found treatment in her early 20s. She published her debut novel, Truest, in 2015 and her second book is set to release in the fall of 2018.

Host Christine Schuster and co-host Kellie Lawless talk about their shared love for fictional young-adult novels and Kellie geeks out about Mark Twain. Schuster’s mom just wants to know if it’s true.

Host and producer: Christine Schuster is a senior journalism and musical theater major. She can really write and report and do other stuff. She wrote this wedding story for City Pages. From Eagan, Schuster has interned at the Guthrie Theater on both the artistic and communications side. She’s obsessed with really old vintage clothing, NASCAR and Broadway.