This episode, we dive into storytelling with award-winning author Ben Fountain.

Through novels and short stories, we discuss exploring a character and their voice, fearlessly embracing big themes and complexity, and he talks about the process of having one of his works adapted into a movie.

Chapters:

1. 00:00 - Introduction
2. 00:13 - Understanding Story Voice
3. 07:17 - Character Development in Billy Lynn
4. 24:33 - Exploring Power Dynamics in Literature
5. 30:21 - Complex Interplay of Power in Haiti
6. 41:34 - Reflections on Beautiful Country Burn Again

Ben's Information:

Ben Fountain’s work has received the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction, the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for Fiction, the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, the PEN-Cerulli Award for Excellence in Sports Writing, and a Whiting Writers Award, and has been a finalist for the National Book Award and runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Most recently, he has been awarded the Joyce Carol Oates Prize and the Thomas Wolfe Prize, and, along with French author Marc Levy, L’Hermione Award given by the French American School of New York. Fountain lives in North Carolina.

benfountain.com

Ben's Books:

1. Rasputin Swims the Potomacoraudiobook
2. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walkoraudiobook
3. Brief Encounters with Che Guevaraoraudiobook
4. Devil Makes Threeoraudiobook
5. Beautiful Country Burn Againoraudiobook

Ben's headshot photo credit: Laura Overman

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