In this week’s episode of The Bookshop at the End of the Internet, author Laury A. Egan discusses her latest novel, Once, Upon an Island. It is a coming-of-age story set against the beautiful backdrop of the island of St. Croix in 1966, and it follows 16-year-old Olivia and her glamorous mother as they escape to St. Croix following the devasting loss of Olivia’s younger brother. On the island, Olivia befriends a mysterious Czechoslovakian woman named Sofiya, and the two bond over their mutual grief as long-buried secrets come to light. This book is semi-autobiographical for Laury, because she visited St. Croix in 1966 when she was just 16 years old. The island left an indelible impression on her, and she promised herself she would write a book about it someday. So, nostalgia finally led her to put that idea down on paper, more than half a century later. In this episode, I’ll chat with Laury about her writing journey, the similarities between herself and her main character Olivia, and why she wanted to explore the reasons people come to islands and how they are changed as a result of their visit.
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The Bookshop at the End of the Internet is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify and iHeartRadio. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!
