Susan Gregg Gilmore on the 10-Year Road to The Curious Calling of Leonard Bush

Host Jane Khodos Beyer welcomes novelist and former journalist Susan Gregg Gilmore to The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria Podcast to discuss Gilmore’s career pivot from freelance journalism (including the LA Times and Christian Science Monitor) to fiction writing at 40 with no prior fiction experience. Gilmore describes her messy, scene-based drafting process, finding inspiration in everyday life, and the publishing path of writing a book, securing an agent, and submitting to publishers. She recounts the 10-year journey to write The Curious Calling of Leonard Bush, inspired by a tombstone reading “Leonard Bush’s leg, 1923,” including balancing a full-time real estate career, receiving painful feedback from her agent, and reshaping the novel through a Novel Writing 101 workshop. Gilmore shares advice for writers (time in the chair, thick skin), explains the book’s hopeful premise, and celebrates winning the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, then ends with Old Town favorites and where to buy the book.00:00 Meet Susan Gilmore01:48 Pivot to Fiction at 4003:10 Journalism Roots04:41 Writer Joys and Struggles06:02 Messy Novel Process07:58 Finding Inspiration10:00 Leonard Bush Spark12:07 Ten Year Rewrite16:12 Revision and Writing Space17:30 Praise and Harsh Reviews19:29 Publishing Journey Next19:46 Publishing Pathway21:20 Advice For Writers22:18 Building Thick Skin24:05 Holding The Book25:06 Winning Willie Morris26:30 Hopeful Message27:58 What She Reads28:45 Micro Memoir Substack30:13 Old Town Lightning Round32:52 Where To BuyAround Old Town and beyond:Josephine: 400 King St | josephineoldtown.com | IG: @josephineoldtownTatte Bakery & Cafe: 115 King St | tattebakery.com | IG: @tattebakeryComfort One Shoes: 201 King St | comfortone.com | IG: @comfortoneOld Town Books: 106 N St Asaph St | oldtownbooks.com | IG: @oldtownbooksLet’s Stay in TouchEmail us at [email protected]. To stay up to date with The People You Meet In Old Town, and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple, Spotify or YouTube. The People You Meet in Old Town AlexandriaThe People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria is a podcast that explores the people, places, and ideas that shape the historic district. Hosted by Jane Khodos Beyer, the show features wide-ranging discussions with local leaders and experts who bring practical ideas on how to preserve our heritage and build a vibrant community.© 2026 The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria. All rights reserved.