Mega-Bestselling Author Kathryn Stockett on Finding Her Voice Again After ‘The Help’

BUY THE BOOK!

"The Calamity Club" by Kathryn Stockett

New York Times best-selling author Kathryn Stockett talks with Oprah about her long-awaited novel The Calamity Club. She reveals how daunting it was to write a second novel in the wake of the success and the criticism of her smash debut hit The Help. The book sold over fifteen million copies, rose to number one and was on the best-seller list for more than two years. In 2011 it became a hit movie garnering four Oscar nominations and an Oscar win for Octavia Spencer as Best Supporting Actress. In The Calamity Club Kathryn shifts her perspective and writes a coming-of-age story set in the Depression era South about its two main characters Birdie and Meg. Kathryn explains how the cast of characters live inside her and yearn for expression through her written word. She shares her desire to tackle shocking challenges that women faced during that time. She says eventually the story evolved into an adventure about a group of bold, unbreakable women who overcome incredible hardships to reclaim their lives. The camaraderie, courage, resilience and the love between these characters will have you crying one page and laughing out loud the next. Three readers zoom in from their homes with questions for Kathryn about the book.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Welcome Kathryn Stockett, author of ‘Calamity Club’

00:02:58 - 17 years between books

00:05:00 - Kathryn on the criticism of ‘The Help’

00:06:03 - How it changed her writing

00:08:15 - Getting fired by her publisher

00:09:30 - Characters and plot of ‘Calamity Club’

00:12:20 - How Kathryn found her characters

00:13:40 - Reactions to ‘Calamity Club’

00:17:20 - Will there be a sequel?

00:20:43 - How will ‘Calamity Club’ be received?

00:25:17 - Women in the 20s

00:27:10 - Theme of found family

00:28:02 - What she wants readers to take away

00:31:55 - Advice to young women

00:35:35 - Kathryn’s favorite character

00:37:00 - Writing this story kept her sane

00:38:08 - Finishing the book

Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:

https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/

https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/

Listen to the full podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381