Please do us a favor and rate us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram.

Please do us a favor and rate us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Follow @popfictionwomen on Instagram.

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

Friday Preview 3/15: What We're Reading, Watching, and Discussing

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years, to discuss her new novel, Expiration Dates, a story about the search for love and finding yourself in the process. 

This is our third time chatting with Rebecca and every time our minds are blown by what we take away about the interplay between fate vs free will and life’s big questions. We discuss the scene that moved Rebecca to tears when writing it and what it taught her about not abandoning herself; the radical act of putting yourself first; magical realism as a natural extension of external things occurring in life; the energetic footprint of love; the mantra that she tells herself about the Universe; and how the “twists” in her novels tell her what the story is really About. 

Rebecca told us, of her writing, that she just wants “to make people feel.” Mission accomplished! Expiration Dates is out now. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts.

On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years, to discuss her new novel, Expiration Dates, a story about the search for love and finding yourself in the process. 
This is our third time chatting with Rebecca and every time our minds are blown by what we take away about the interplay between fate vs free will and life’s big questions. We discuss the scene that moved Rebecca to tears when writing it and what it taught her about not abandoning herself; the radical act of putting yourself first; magical realism as a natural extension of external things occurring in life; the energetic footprint of love; the mantra that she tells herself about the Universe; and how the “twists” in her novels tell her what the story is really About. 
Rebecca told us, of her writing, that she just wants “to make people feel.” Mission accomplished! Expiration Dates is out now. Buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free chat wherever you get your podcasts.

Rebecca Serle & 'Expiration Dates': Complicated Conversations Series

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In our series Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Sarah-Jane Collins to discuss her debut, Radiant Heat, a slow-burn, atmospheric story about a catastrophic wildfire and the mysterious connection between two apparent strangers.

Sarah-Jane shares her early reading habits and the strong influence of her family's love for books; the inspiration behind Radiant Heat and the themes she wanted to explore; how being a journalist informed the story; her decision to pursue writing and enroll in an MFA program; the process of finding an agent; and the incredibly permanent way Sarah-Jane embraced astrology! We were impressed!

Listen now to Sarah-Jane Collins’ story wherever you get your podcasts. Radiant Heat is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!).

In our series Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Sarah-Jane Collins to discuss her debut, Radiant Heat, a slow-burn, atmospheric story about a catastrophic wildfire and the mysterious connection between two apparent strangers.
Sarah-Jane shares her early reading habits and the strong influence of her family's love for books; the inspiration behind Radiant Heat and the themes she wanted to explore; how being a journalist informed the story; her decision to pursue writing and enroll in an MFA program; the process of finding an agent; and the incredibly permanent way Sarah-Jane embraced astrology! We were impressed!
Listen now to Sarah-Jane Collins’ story wherever you get your podcasts. Radiant Heat is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!).

Sarah-Jane Collins & 'Radiant Heat': Debut Discussions

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In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Sophie Wan to discuss her debut, Women of Good Fortune, a story about three women, one daring plan, and a wedding heist to remember.

In this conversation, Sophie shares her journey as a reader and writer, and how she came up with the idea for the book. Set against a high-society Shanghai wedding, the novel follows three women, Lulu, Rena, and Jane, as they plan a heist on Lulu's own wedding. Sophie chats with us about each of these women, their unique struggles and desires, and why she wanted to explore themes of friendship, identity, and societal expectations. We also discuss her path to becoming a published author - one that involves perseverance while also pursuing other careers and interests. Ultimately, Sophie knows she is debuting with the right book at the right time for her and we love that! 

Listen now to @thesophiewan’s story wherever you get your podcasts. Women of Good Fortune is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!)

In our new series, Debut Discussions, we're asking debut authors to tell us their story -- not only the story in the novel they wrote -- but the journey they took to hold that book in their hands. On today's episode we welcome Sophie Wan to discuss her debut, Women of Good Fortune, a story about three women, one daring plan, and a wedding heist to remember.
In this conversation, Sophie shares her journey as a reader and writer, and how she came up with the idea for the book. Set against a high-society Shanghai wedding, the novel follows three women, Lulu, Rena, and Jane, as they plan a heist on Lulu's own wedding. Sophie chats with us about each of these women, their unique struggles and desires, and why she wanted to explore themes of friendship, identity, and societal expectations. We also discuss her path to becoming a published author - one that involves perseverance while also pursuing other careers and interests. Ultimately, Sophie knows she is debuting with the right book at the right time for her and we love that! 
Listen now to @thesophiewan’s story wherever you get your podcasts. Women of Good Fortune is out now -- buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!)

Friday Preview 3/15: What We're Reading, Watching, and Discussing

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