Author Jen Michalski centered her third novel, "You’ll Be Fine," on a magazine writer in her 30’s who’s still carrying baggage from a couple failed love affairs, as she tries to find common ground with her feckless younger brother and deals with a lot of unresolved conflicts with her bohemian mother. And then her mother dies.

Still, Michalski says, she and her editor felt the family was working out the tensions in a predictable way:

“I began to think, what sort of monkey wrench can I throw into their relationship. And just out of the blue this character named Johanna stepped in, like clearly as she walked into the door of my mind. And was like, ‘hello’ and I was like, ‘hello!’ And then the novel just became completely transformed.”

Author&nbsp;<a href="http://jenmichalski.com/">Jen Michalski&nbsp;</a>centered her third novel, "You&rsquo;ll Be Fine," on a magazine writer in her 30&rsquo;s who&rsquo;s still carrying baggage from a couple failed love affairs, as she tries to find common ground with her feckless younger brother and deals with a lot of unresolved conflicts with her bohemian mother. And then her mother dies.
Still, Michalski says, she and her editor felt the family was working out the tensions in a predictable way:
&ldquo;I began to think, what sort of monkey wrench can I throw into their relationship. And just out of the blue this character named Johanna stepped in, like clearly as she walked into the door of my mind. And was like, &lsquo;hello&rsquo; and I was like, &lsquo;hello!&rsquo; And then the novel just became completely transformed.&rdquo;

On The Record is co-hosted by Sheilah Kast and Ashley Sterner. Sheilah and Ashley are excited to share conversations with audacious artists, intrepid scientists, community leaders and more. And of course, tales from the beloved Stoop Storytelling Series!

Currently, you'll hear On The Record on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the full hour of NPR's Morning Edition on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On The Record is produced by Maureen Harvie and Melissa Gerr. Theme music created by Jon Ehrens. Logo designed by Louis Umerlik.

If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you'd like to hear, email us at ontherecord@wypr.org

On The Record is co-hosted by Sheilah Kast and Ashley Sterner. Sheilah and Ashley are excited to share conversations with audacious artists, intrepid scientists, community leaders and more. And of course, tales from the beloved Stoop Storytelling Series!
Currently, you'll hear On The Record on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the full hour of NPR's Morning Edition on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
On The Record is produced by Maureen Harvie and Melissa Gerr. Theme music created by Jon Ehrens. Logo designed by Louis Umerlik.
If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you'd like to hear, email us at <a href="mailto:ontherecord@wypr.org">ontherecord@wypr.org</a>

On The Record

Catch On the Record, hosted by Sheilah Kast, weekdays from 9:30 to 10:00 am, following NPR's Morning Edition. We'll discuss the issues that affect your life and bring you thoughtful and lively conversations with the people who shape those issues -- business people, public officials, scholars, artists, authors, WYPR reporters and other journalists who can take us inside the story. If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you'd like to hear, email us at ontherecord@wypr.org

Catch On the Record, hosted by Sheilah Kast, weekdays from 9:30 to 10:00 am, following NPR's Morning Edition. We'll discuss the issues that affect your life and bring you thoughtful and lively conversations with the people who shape those issues -- business people, public officials, scholars, artists, authors, WYPR reporters and other journalists who can take us inside the story. If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you'd like to hear, email us at <a href="mailto:ontherecord@wypr.org">ontherecord@wypr.org</a>

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