Author Interview - Beth Kander

Beth Kander joins Emily in the FCB studio to celebrate her debut novel, I Made It Out of Clay, a darkly funny Jewish holiday romance.-Beth Kander is a USA Today best-selling writer with tangled roots in the Midwest and Deep South. She is the author of the novel I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY and several books for younger readers. The granddaughter of immigrants, her work often explores how worlds old and new intertwine—or collide. Described as a “genre-defying author and playwright” (Oxford American), her work has been called “riveting” and “habit-forming.”Beth earned an MSW from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mississippi University for Women, where she now serves as visiting faculty. She currently calls Chicago home, and is lucky to live there with her very favorite characters: her heroic husband, their two hilarious kids, and a giant rescue dog named Oz. Right this moment, she’s probably revising a scene while drinking too much coffee. Representation: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio.Beth's debut novel, I Made It Out of Clay (bookshop.org)(libro.fm) is a darkly funny and surprisingly sweet novel, where a woman creates a golem in a desperate attempt to pretend her life is a rom-com rather than a disaster.-About I Made It Out of Clay:Nothing's going well for Eve: she's single, turning forty, stressed at work and anxious about a recent series of increasingly creepy incidents. Most devastatingly, her beloved father died last year, and her family still won't acknowledge their sorrow.With her younger sister's wedding rapidly approaching, Eve is on the verge of panic. She can't bear to attend the event alone. That's when she recalls a strange story her Yiddish grandmother once told her, about a protector forged of desperation...and Eve, to her own shock, manages to create a golem.At first, everything seems great. The golem is indeed protective--and also attractive. But when they head out to a rural summer camp for the family wedding, Eve's lighthearted rom-com fantasy swiftly mudslides into something much darker.With moments of moodiness, fierce love and unexpected laughter, I Made It Out of Clay will make you see monsters everywhere.-Thank you for supporting Friendly City Books by listening to our podcast. Shop with us in store and online at friendlycitybooks.com/shop or through bookshop.org and libro.fm.-Find us on social media -Facebook: facebook.com/friendlycitybooksInstagram: @friendlycitybooksTiktok: @friendlycitybooksYoutube: @friendlycitybooks2586-Host: Emily LinerGuest Author: Beth KanderMusic: Rear Projection by Hartle RoadProduction Assistance: Neon Newt Media LLCFriendly City Books Inc.Friendlycitybooks.com