On episode 60 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast I spoke once again with Ina Zajac, author of PLEASE, PRETTY LIGHTS. We debated what genre her book belongs to–chick lit, psychological thriller, literary fiction–and also discussed:
- what it’s like to try to write after a concussion;
- how social media almost drove her crazy;
- screen addiction and the value of zoning out;
- what she learned about marketing and the writing life in the year after her debut novel.
Plus on “Today in Writing,” the origin of “Paul is Dead” and my favorite SNL sketch of all time, which you can find here or watch below.
About our guest:
An experienced feature writer, Ina Zajac is an avid people watcher, and lover of quirk and contrast. She enjoys creating contemporary characters; and is especially fond of gritty musicians, passionate artists and irreverent free thinkers. Her debut novel Please, Pretty Lights was selected as an AmazonEncore title in March 2015.
Zajac’s writing is heavily influenced by her fascination with music, art and her hometown Seattle. She does not shy away from provocative topics such as religion, addiction and violence. She also explores playful, uplifting topics related to the mystical and metaphysical. She is a fan of Jason Silva, Duncan Trussell, Alan Watts and Abraham Hicks. “Remember who you are” — the central theme of Please, Pretty Lights — comes from this universal perspective.
She has a B.A. in journalism from Western Washington University, an M.A. in mass communication (minor in women’s studies) from Arizona State; and studies fiction at the University of Washington.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
