Episode 178: Interview with Stephanie Soileau, author of Should the Waters Take Us

“Should the Waters Take Us by Stephanie Soileau is filled with unforgettable characters, breathtaking scenes, fascinating time jumps, and a setting so precisely rendered that it’s palpable.” —Patrick Ryan, author of Buckeye When you get that kind of recommendation, you read the book! I have been fan-girling Stephanie Soileua since 2020 for her debut short story collection, Last One Out Shut Off the Lights. Then this year, her debut novel, Should the Waters Take Us, hit shelves, and I was completely bowled over. Our conversation in the episode covers her twenty-year journey to write this book, the disappearing bayous of Louisiana, a group of characters you won’t forget, and so much more. It’s a must listen. Thank you for joining me, Stephanie! Stephanie recommends: Bayou Farewell, by Mike Tidwell; Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer; The Hill by Harriet Clark; Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore; Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; the works of Jesmyn Ward Follow Stephanie on Instagram.  Click here for more information about the cover art by Aloysius Patrimonio.