NOTE: Repost of our second most popular episode of the year, Happy Holidays! New York Times bestselling author, Ann Napolitano, spoke with me about overcoming rejection early on, how grief transformed her writing process, and getting that fateful call from Oprah about Hello Beautiful. Ann Napolitano is the New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful which was selected as Oprah’s 100th Book Club pick; Dear Edward, an instant New York Times bestseller, a Read with Jenna selection, and an Apple TV+ series; A Good Hard Look, and Within Arm’s Reach. Hello Beautiful has been called a “powerfully affecting” (People) family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole? The Washington Post said of the book, “Another tender tearjerker . . . Napolitano chronicles life’s highs and lows with aching precision.” It was named Chicago Public Library’s Ten Best Books of the Year and a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, Time, Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, New York Post, She Reads, and Bookreporter. Ann was the associate editor of the literary magazine One Story for seven years, and she received an MFA from New York University. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Ann Napolitano and I discussed: Her long and rocky road to success How an illness early in life helped her realize she was a writer Why her first published book felt like a proving ground The nine-month approach to planning your next novel How to write the truest sentence possible Why you need to string together as many Xs as you can And a lot more! Show Notes: AnnNapolitano.com Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club): A NOVEL By Ann Napolitano (Amazon) Ann Napolitano Amazon Author Page Ann Napolitano on Twitter Ann Napolitano on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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