Turning Inspiration into a Trilogy, with Laura Buchwald

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "The Book of Reservations is about a woman navigating a dubious gift in a world that doesn’t always believe in it." — Laura Buchwald Author Laura Buchwald returns to discuss her latest novel, The Book of Reservations, the second installment in her Ghost Table trilogy. Laura shares how a haunted Manhattan restaurant inspired her series, what it’s like to write under contract deadlines, and why humor is essential—even when tackling heavy themes like grief and the aftermath of 9/11. If you love stories about creativity, resilience, and the supernatural, this conversation is for you. Key Themes: The origin of the Ghost Table trilogy — How a real-life restaurant and whispers of paranormal activity sparked Laura’s imagination. From standalone to trilogy — The challenges of expanding a single novel into a multi-book series. Writing under pressure — Why Laura found publisher-imposed deadlines motivating rather than stressful. Balancing grief and humor — How levity helps navigate heavy themes without diminishing their impact. Research through experience — Laura’s approach to visiting real locations to bring authenticity to her settings. The role of belief and skepticism — Laura’s personal experiences with mediums and how they influenced her storytelling. Looking ahead — A sneak peek into book three and how early reader feedback is shaping its tone. Buy The Book of Reservations Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bbtcze Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798892990776 Connect with Laura Website: https://laurabuchwald.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurabuchwaldauthor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095294176611 Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@uncorkingastory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #LauraBuchwald #TheBookOfReservations #GhostTableTrilogy #AuthorInterview #WritingLife #ParanormalFiction #UncorkingAStory #BookTok #Bookstagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices