In this episode of Elena Meets the Author, I had such a fun and fascinating chat with Katie Yee, the debut author of Maggie; or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar. Her novel has been compared to Nora Ephron’s Heartburn, it’s witty, warm, and full of heart, finding humour even in the hardest moments.
We talk about where the story came from, how Katie created her wonderfully observant narrator, and why she chose to leave her protagonist nameless. We also dive into friendship, love, identity, and the surprising ways storytelling can help us heal.
Katie’s energy is infectious, we even got into her writing process, what she’s been reading lately, and a sneak peek at her next project. I absolutely loved this conversation and I think you will too!
Timestamps00:00 – Introduction00:17 – Meet Katie Yee and her debut novel01:55 – Themes of humour, heartbreak, and identity03:01 – Writing through personal experience12:01 – Exploring race and motherhood22:26 – The role of women and friendship25:45 – Writing as healing26:04 – Craft and structure29:17 – Advice for aspiring authors31:13 – Hopes for readers and future projects33:50 – Book recommendations and closing thoughts
