In this engaging conversation, Lisa Montanaro shares her journey from a legal career to becoming a novelist with her debut book, Everything We Thought Was True. The discussion delves into the themes of family dynamics, emotional trauma, and the importance of empathy in storytelling. Lisa reflects on her personal experiences that inspired her characters and the emotional truths woven throughout her narrative. The conversation highlights the significance of fiction in fostering understanding and connection among diverse experiences.

What We're Talking About...

• Lisa Montanaro transitioned from law to writing after 9/11.
• Her novel explores the impact of family secrets over generations.
• The book is inspired by her own experiences as a child of a gay parent.
• Fiction can create empathy and understanding for different perspectives.
• The characters in the book are composites of real-life experiences.
• Lisa's writing process involved journaling and personal reflection.
• The emotional core of the story is based on truth, but the narrative is fictionalized.
• Family dynamics play a crucial role in the story's development.
• Lisa's relationship with her brother influenced the sibling dynamics in the book.
• The book includes a book club kit with recipes and playlists.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 04:22 The Journey to Writing a Novel 10:45 Exploring the Themes of the Book 17:54 Character Connections and Personal Reflections 24:57 Family Dynamics and Emotional Truths 30:59 Empathy Through Fiction and Closing Thoughts

Links Mentioned

Lisa Montanaro's Website

www.LisaMontanaroWrites.com Lisa Montanaro's Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/LisaMontanaroAuthor

Lisa Montanaro's Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/lisa.montanaro/ Lisa Montanaro's Threads 

https://www.threads.net/@lisa.montanaro Lisa Montanaro's BlueSky 

https://lisamontanaro.bsky.social Lisa Montanaro's Amazon Author Central 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lisa-Montanaro/author/B00585O2TC Lisa Montanaro's Goodreads 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4985348.Lisa_Montanaro Lisa Montanaro's BookBub 

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/786071194