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On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Allison Winn Scotch to discuss her tenth (and we’ve declared, her BEST) novel, Take Two Birdie Maxwell, a story about what happens when Hollywood’s biggest rom-com star tries to recover from her damaged reputation by staging her own rom-com and following a lead on a lost love.

We dive into the inspiration behind the character of Birdie Maxwell and the concept of exploring past loves. We also also discuss Birdie's fall from grace and the complexities and arc of Elliot, the reporter chronicling her journey who has spent two decades repressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend. Allison shares the difficulties she faced while writing this book, the importance of sibling relationships in the story, and Birdie's search for agency and narrative in her own life. In this conversation, Allison discusses the themes of stepping into our power, embracing change, forgiveness, idea generation, and the lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship!

Take Two Birdie Maxwell is out now and you are definitely going to want to buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free conversation with Allison wherever you get your podcasts.

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Allison Winn Scotch to discuss her tenth (and we’ve declared, her BEST) novel, Take Two Birdie Maxwell, a story about what happens when Hollywood’s biggest rom-com star tries to recover from her damaged reputation by staging her own rom-com and following a lead on a lost love.
We dive into the inspiration behind the character of Birdie Maxwell and the concept of exploring past loves. We also also discuss Birdie's fall from grace and the complexities and arc of Elliot, the reporter chronicling her journey who has spent two decades repressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend. Allison shares the difficulties she faced while writing this book, the importance of sibling relationships in the story, and Birdie's search for agency and narrative in her own life. In this conversation, Allison discusses the themes of stepping into our power, embracing change, forgiveness, idea generation, and the lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship!
Take Two Birdie Maxwell is out now and you are definitely going to want to buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free conversation with Allison wherever you get your podcasts.

In Pop Fiction Women we deep-dive into the complicated women of books, movies and TV shows, along with the women that bring them to life behind the scenes. Think Fleabag and Phoebe Waller Bridge, Normal People and Sally Rooney, and so much more.

In each episode you can expect us to:

* Break down the protagonist as we ask what makes her complicated?
* Identify the best scenes, which can mean sweetest, funniest, or most badass. Anything we love.
* Recount the cringiest scenes. The ones that make you squirm. Sometimes it’s self-sabotage, sometimes it’s growth, but it’s always part of the process of becoming our complicated selves.
* Play arm-chair therapist in What’s Your Damage, Heather? An homage to the iconic line in Winona Rider’s Heathers, we discuss how these characters got to be the way they are.
* “What She Said” - the segment where we scour every essay and interview with the women behind the scenes and share some of our favorite first person quotes. Real life is as interesting as fiction here.
* Look into our crystal ball and ponder where these characters are six months later and five years later. Typically, Kate gets very real and Carinn gets buck wild.
* Provide a takeaway, aka that part in the podcast where we try to sound deep. We leave you with some parting wisdom, challenge each other with thought-provoking questions inspired by the work, and urge you to “stay complicated.”

Pop Fiction Women

Allison Winn Scotch & 'Take Two, Birdie Maxwell': Complicated Conversations Series

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