In Episode 97, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza share how their co-authored novel (We Are Not Like Them) explores how hard it is to have conversations about difficult topics even between dear friends. We discuss why they decided to write a book with a lifelong, interracial friendship at its core, and how they handled collaborating on a book with a plot revolving around a fraught topic.

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Highlights

• How they met and began their professional relationship.
• Who had the initial idea for We Are Not Like Them.
• How they decided to go from an editor/writer relationship to co-writing and what that looked like for them.
• Why it was important to work collaboratively on both main characters, rather than each taking one.
• Christine's and Jo's own challenges while working on this novel.
• How they handled any "creative friction" that came up.
• How the discussions around character development really opened up how they had to consider race on the page.
• How their own personal experiences and perspectives really informed both characters
• They share some key thoughts to having these important conversations.
• The surprising but similar reaction from both Black and white readers.
• They also share a little teaser about the next book they are writing together.

Christine's and Jo's Book Recommendations [32:55]

Two OLD Books They Love

• Christine: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [33:23]
• Jo: In Five Years by Rebecca Serle | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [36:21]

Two NEW Books They Love

• Christine: No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [38:05]
• Jo: Matrix by Lauren Groff | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org[40:42]

Other Books Mentioned: Everything Happens for a Reason by Kate Bowler [38:13] Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff [42:01] Bonus Pick: Three Girls from Bronzeville by Dawn Turner [42:42]

Two Books They DIDN'T LOVE

• Christine: The Push by Ashley Audrain | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [44:26]
• Jo: Her thoughts on sharing books she doesn't like. [48:47]

Other Books Mentioned: The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller [48:18] Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl [48:20] Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens [49:53]

Two NEW RELEASES They're Excited About

• Christine: I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer (November 9, 2021) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [50:14]
• Jo: Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult (November 30, 2021) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [53:16]

Other Books Mentioned: 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard [53:51] Voices from the Pandemic by Eli Saslow [54:02]

Last 5 Star Books They Read

• Christine: Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [54:43]
• Jo: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [54:54]

Other Book Mentioned

• Marriage Vacation by Pauline Brooks [5:09]