Today on this very special episode of the Author Pep Talks podcast I’m actually interviewing two guests instead of just one. My first guest is Crystal Maldonado, the author of the Young Adult romance, Fat Chance Charlie Vega.
Crystal Maldonado is a young adult author with a lot of feelings. Her work has been published in the Hartford Courant, Buzzfeed, and Latina Magazine. By day, she is a social media manager working in higher ed, and by night, a writer who loves Beyoncé, shopping, spending too much time on her phone, and being extra. She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Next up is Olivia Abtahi, author of the Young Adult novel, Perfectly Parvin. Olivia Abtahi is a film director and writer based in Denver, Colorado. Born to an Iranian father and an Argentine mother, she is a melting pot of distinct cultures. Growing up in the DC area, Olivia always had a passion for cinema and storytelling. She is a graduate of NYU Film School and VCU Brandcenter, and has lived in New York, San Francisco, Richmond Virginia, and Dublin, Ireland. She holds a BFA and MaSC. In her spare time, she enjoys watching music videos, laughing so hard it hurts, and hunting down gluten-free pastries. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and daughter.
Today, we’re talking about the absolutely monumental feat that is parenting during the pandemic, the intense stress of debuting, also during a pandemic, and making time for your creative practice when you’re being pulled in a million different directions.
I enjoyed every second of our conversation and loved the back and forth between these two fierce Mamas. I am so in awe of their strength, candidness, and sense of humor, and I hope you come away from this conversation feeling as liberated as I did. So steal some alone time if you can, kick up your feet, and then enjoy my conversation with Crystal Maldonado and Olivia Abtahi.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Crystal online:
Connect with Olivia online:
