Ep. 82: JoAnne Tompkins (Author of What Comes After)

<p><strong>In Episode 82, JoAnne Tompkins (author of the debut novel <a href="https://amzn.to/3rvyefJ" target="_blank" rel= "nofollow noopener"><u>What Comes After</u></a>) shares how her previous career inspired her to write this story, the real-life case that partially inspired the book, and how she wrote a character-driven novel that was also a page turner.</strong></p> <p><em>This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).</em></p> <h2>Highlights</h2> <ul> <li>How JoAnne’s prior career as a trial lawyer, judicial officer, and mediator inspired her to become a writer.</li> <li>The real life case that inspired elements of the story in <a href="https://amzn.to/3rvyefJ" target="_blank" rel= "nofollow noopener"><u>What Comes After</u></a>.</li> <li>How JoAnne found her agent and the story of her selling <a href="https://amzn.to/3rvyefJ" target="_blank" rel= "nofollow noopener"><u>What Comes After</u></a> to Riverhead.</li> <li>How JoAnne took her characters on a journey that felt a bit like therapy without them actually going through traditional therapy.</li> <li>How she decided to make Isaac a Quaker and her own experience living in a Quaker community.</li> <li>What JoAnne did to make What Comes After introspective / character-driven AND a page turner.</li> <li>How JoAnne approaches writing (and how that changed over the course of writing this book).</li> <li>The most autobiographical part of the book.</li> <li>The story behind Rufus, the dog.</li> </ul> <h2>JoAnne’s Book Recommendations <a class= "spp-timestamp">[30:35]</a></h2> <p><strong>Two OLD Books She Loves</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/3etJDrM" target="_blank" rel= "nofollow noopener">Olive, Again</a> by Elizabeth Strout | <a href="https://amzn.to/3etJDrM" target="_blank" rel= "nofollow noopener">Buy from Amazon</a> | Buy from Bookshop.org<strong><img src= "https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=sarsbooshe04-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B01BD1SSO4" alt="" width="1" height="1"