In this episode of Elena Meets the Author, I had such a fun and fascinating chat with Katie Yee, the debut author of Maggie; or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar. Her novel has been compared to Nora Ephron’s Heartburn, it’s witty, warm, and full of heart, finding humour even in the hardest moments.
We talk about where the story came from, how Katie created her wonderfully observant narrator, and why she chose to leave her protagonist nameless. We also dive into friendship, love, identity, and the surprising ways storytelling can help us heal.
Katie’s energy is infectious, we even got into her writing process, what she’s been reading lately, and a sneak peek at her next project. I absolutely loved this conversation and I think you will too!
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction
00:17 – Meet Katie Yee and her debut novel
01:55 – Themes of humour, heartbreak, and identity
03:01 – Writing through personal experience
12:01 – Exploring race and motherhood
22:26 – The role of women and friendship
25:45 – Writing as healing
26:04 – Craft and structure
29:17 – Advice for aspiring authors
31:13 – Hopes for readers and future projects
33:50 – Book recommendations and closing thoughts
