Ted is joined this month by Lauren Aliza Green, author of the just-released novel The World After Alice, a “most anticipated” book by Vogue, Town & Country, and LitHub, among others. Her chapbook, A Great Dark House, won the Poetry Society of America’s Chapbook Fellowship, and she was named to Forbes’ 2024 30 Under 30 list.
After a quick overview of The World After Alice—which Ann Napolitano called “A lovely debut novel that glimmers with fine writing and notes of human insight”—Lauren and Ted discuss the swirl of emotions surrounding publication day, something that’s top of mind for both of them at the moment.
They then move into a conversation about Lauren’s second novel and work in progress, a modern-day interpretation of Shakespeare’s King Lear. Set in New York City, it follows three grown siblings as their father announces he’s leaving his multimillion-dollar art collection to his youngest child, cutting the older two out of the will.
Lauren and Ted talk about how closely (or not) her book follows the valleys and peaks of King Lear, writing in first- versus close third-person, what she describes as her “complete disorganization of process” and its parallels to working a jigsaw puzzle, giving the muse ample chances to visit you, and the emotion of having to set aside a project you’ve devoted years to. Then, in honor of Ted’s newly released romantic comedy, Date Week, they wrap up by trading thoughts on some of their own favorite rom-coms.
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Working Drafts episodes and info for requesting transcripts as well as more details about Ted and his books are available on his website, thetedfox.com.
