#8 Jessica Guerrieri: Motherhood, Writing the Hard Stuff, and Depicting Addiction

Jessica Guerrieri: Motherhood, Writing the Hard Stuff, and Depicting Addiction

The Everygirl Book Club hosts Garri and Lauren interview Jessica Guerrieri, author of Both Can Be True, the August pick, about her novel of estranged sisters Mer and Frankie reunited after a local woman, Brie, goes missing, exploring family secrets and “the many ways women can disappear in plain sight.” They share current reads, recent five-star books, and TBRs, and discuss algorithm-driven recommendations versus browsing bookstores. Guerrieri recounts her roots in a family of English majors, an influential high school teacher, and authors she admires, including Lily King and Barbara Kingsolver. She reflects on publishing, defining success, her sobriety journey, AA community, relapse portrayal, and themes of motherhood, neurodiversity, sisterhood, and identity. She previews her completed book three, The Inheritance of Worry, and book four, which she describes as The Wedding People meet Remarkable Creatures.

00:00 Welcome to Book Club

01:05 Read Receipts

16:51 Author Origin Story

22:20 Authors She Admires

26:45 What Publishing is Really Like

33:25 Taking Risks

38:12 Defining Success

40:19 Why This Book Hit

41:50 Building Both Can Be True’s Atmosphere

49:16 Motherhood In Many Forms

01:01:16 Sisterhood And Identity

01:08:57 Recovery And Relapse Truths

01:22:41 What's Next for Jessica

01:27:31 Farewell and Book Club Announcements

Books mentioned:

Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri

It's Different This Time by Joss Richard

The Inheritance of Worry by Jessica Guerrieri

Understory by Chloe Benjamin

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson

Let's Kiss and Tell by Joss Richard

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

A Good Person by Kirsten King

Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

A Hymn to Life by Gisèle Pelicot

Join The Everygirl Book Club meetings

August 27: Both Can Be True

• RSVP here
• Use code ‘EGAug26’ for 15% off your copy on Bookshop.org
• Use code ‘TEGBookClub’ for 30% off your copy on Libro.fm

September 3: A Good Person

• RSVP here
• Use code ‘EGBonus26’ for 15% off your copy on Bookshop.org
• Use code ‘TEGBookClub’ for 30% off your copy on Libro.fm

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