What we leave behind can still shape what moves us forward. This idea is at the core of Kayla Maiuri's poignant debut novel, Mother in the Dark.
In this quietly captivating story, readers follow Anna, a young woman who finds herself at a crossroads as her complicated past converges with the present. As Anna's family life unfurls, we meet various characters who inspire deeper reflection about what it means to be a daughter, sister, and friend.
For Kayla, fiction is a lens to understand reality, and her book is a powerful reminder not to turn away from the people we love. In this interview, Kayla shared more about the origins of this story, her relationship with nature, and what she's learned about family, leaving, and time. This episode also opens with a story by Kate Litterer.
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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/kayla-maiuri
Learn more about Kayla's work: https://www.kaylamaiuri.com/
Purchase MOTHER IN THE DARK: https://bookshop.org/p/books/mother-in-the-dark-kayla-maiuri/20078457?ean=9780593083291
Follow Kayla: https://www.instagram.com/kaylajosefine/
Learn more Kate's work: https://katehenry.com/
Purchase TEND TO IT: https://bookshop.org/p/books/tend-to-it-a-holistic-guide-to-intentional-productivity-kate-litterer/16072031?ean=9781735802206
Follow Kate: https://www.instagram.com/thetendingyear/
Brandon Stosuy and Rose Lazar — "Crying is a cool thing."
Mason Spector — "I find a lot of value in the sadness."
Chelsea Hodson — ”I’m genuinely excited about creating things.”
Katherine May — ”It’s okay to get on with the business of living.”
Tembe Denton-Hurst — ”Growing isn’t always in the big moments.”
Allie Rowbottom — ”The questions in your writing are the questions in your life.”
Ross Gay — ”There’s always a gathering inside of us.”
Tarajia Morrell — ”We imagine our future, our family, ourselves.”
Ella Frances Sanders — ”People ask questions differently, and they also answer questions differently.”
Naj Austin — ”What does it mean to put ourselves on a platform that requires less of us?”
Jon Staff — ”Our words matter, and our lack of words matter.”
Lisa Taddeo — ”I’ve been there, and you’re not alone.”
Ashley Merrill — ”Design is in service of your rest.”
Coco Mellors — ”If you create something and no one sees it, does it count? Yes.”
Hannah Traore — ”The context is always important.”
Laura Cramer and Starr Hout — ”We’re so capable of realizing dreams.”
Katie Kitamura — ”There’s also incredible power in grief.”
Grace Miceli — ”Slowing down is about trusting myself more.”
Matthew Herman — ”I hope we’re all realizing that we can live by our own rules.”
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