NO SPOILERS in this conversation with debut author and friend of the pod Rebecca Baum discussing her novel Lifelike Creatures

*** Lifelike Creatures, set in rural Louisiana, is anchored around 13-year-old Tara and her mother Joan, who is an addict. One day there is an industrial disaster on their property and Joan becomes the accidental hero of the town, the face of a class action lawsuit and the community at large. Tara sees her mother with new eyes. As they get closer to a settlement, Joan collapses under the pressure and has a spectacular fall and Tara must decide if she will pick up her mother or shape her own fate. (02:26)

*** We focus on complicated women in this podcast so Rebecca tells us more about both narrators -- mother and daughter -- and what challenges she encountered in shaping these two female protagonists. We loved hearing how these two characters evolved from some feedback in a writing workshop and how Rebecca surrendered and went with it. (04:35)

*** Mommy issues are an emerging theme on the podcast and Tara and Joan’s relationship is complicated. Rebecca shared how she felt changing their relationship as she wrote, allowing a pressure that had built up on its own and letting the story inform her. (09:15)

*** Rebecca tells us how she feels about Tara and Joan now and whether these deeply entrenched familial relationships can change. (14:20)

*** This book is dedicated to Rebecca’s mother and she shares the profound ways in which she helped Rebecca cherish creativity and the arts. (17:54)

*** Rebecca and Carinn have history...Rebecca shares her version of how they met. (21:07)

*** Rebecca discusses when she knew she wanted to be a writer, but also when she decided to take it seriously. We loved hearing about how Rebecca was able to be more daring in her 40s and how this novel is debuting on her 50th birthday. Here’s to second acts! (22:35)

*** Carinn talks process and gets into the details of when and where Rebecca writes. Carinn and Rebecca get deep about their writing and how it helps them make sense of things. (28:37)

*** As always, we talk astrology...Rebecca is a Virgo who actually shared her birth chart with Carinn! She shares how her Virgo perfectionism seeps into her writing and revision. (35:29)

*** Rebecca talks about how circumstances -- particularly ones as BIG as a pandemic -- can affect how we feel, think, act, and write. (40:28)

*** We loved hearing about what else Rebecca is watching, reading or following right now, besides I May Destroy You and Pop Fiction Women of course! (46:45)

 

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