NO SPOILERS in this conversation with #1 NY Times Bestselling author Susan Wiggs!!*** Susan has published almost 60 novels, and we loved hearing her describe the backstory behind her newest, The Lost And Found Bookshop, which she shared was “a title in search of a book and also a fantasy in search of a story.” (00:47)*** Her novel is a heart-warming story of a woman discovering her true self, but it is also a love letter to reading and local bookstores. (05:35)*** Natalie Harper, the protagonist, is at a crossroads and the book explores the tension between the safe path and the risks we may have to take to facilitate something even better. We loved Susan’s description of how her “reluctant hero” and “seeker of stability” is rewarded more than she ever could have imagined once she follows her heart instead of her head. (08:08)*** The Lost and Found Bookshop explores the theme of coming home, not just to a place, but to your true self. Susan shares why coming home is a theme that provides a perfect mix of intimacy and conflict and is one she keeps coming back to in all of her novels. (13:45)*** Because this novel celebrates the power of books to lead us on adventures and reinforces that “there is a book for everything” we loved hearing some of Susan’s picks for books that are part of her bones and soul. Susan generously shout-outs so many of her fellow authors throughout the book and this interview. (19:09)*** Of course we talk about love and how people, like the protagonist Natalie, stay in their lanes of comfort and compatibility even if it's not fulfilling. It's a defense mechanism to avoid vulnerability and the turbulence of raw emotion. (25:12) *** A quote about complicated women in The Lost And Found Bookshop, leads us into a fascinating discussion with Susan about the traditional roles and expectations of women in society. (28:11)*** Susan’s choices for what fictional complicated women have inspired her are some of our personal favorites too. Maybe we can convince her to share drafts of those classic novels where she rewrote the endings! (34:03)*** As always, we talk astrology. Susan is a total Taurus and we loved hearing about how astrology factors into her character development! (37:29)*** Grief is a theme in the novel, and we get personal with Susan about how we have each dealt with the inescapable pain of losing loved ones. Her advice, to “take the scars and become better for it” will certainly stick with us. (39:24)Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @popfictionwomen and on Twitter @pop_women. To do a full deep dive, check out our website at www.popfictionwomen.com.Stay Complicated!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.