“What if you could change your life? Would you do it? How would you do it?” These introductory questions invite readers into the world of The Shame—Makenna Goodman’s debut novel that follows the yearning and ultimate unraveling of a woman named Alma.
While the book itself is short in length, readers become immersed in a slow buildup to a critical decision that Alma makes revolving around Celeste, a mysterious but pivotal character in Alma's life, who, at first, serves as a source of inspiration for Alma but steadily evolves into infatuation throughout the story.
While Makenna has created a riveting work of fiction, The Shame acts as a vehicle for necessary conversations around the relationship between art, identity, and commerce. For Makenna, these ideas remain top of mind, and in this conversation, she shared more about how she arrived at this transcendent story, her relationship with pace and creativity, and how she's learned to reframe an important question when examining storytelling—and life.
Jordan Taylor — ”The most meaningful learning comes from deeper experiences.”
Jenn Tardif — ”You get to define what success looks like and how it feels.”
Sophia Amoruso — ”The only way to know is to see the results that come of people’s lives.”
Sanaë Lemoine — ”There’s something that’s almost unlocked when I begin writing on paper.”
Suleika Jaouad — ”Focus on cultivating a practice.”
Ali Kriegsman — ”It’s on us to take that pause.”
Dianna Cohen — ”Everything is so much better when it’s low and slow.”
Vanessa Barboni Hallik — ”We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Julia Hunter — ”If we could be more honest about what’s hard, there would be more vulnerability.”
Eryn Danielle — ”Whose voices are going to be highlighted and amplified?”
Emily Schildt — ”I am looking for trusted perspectives.”
Stephanie Danler — ”Compassion depends on being able to pay attention and feel.”
Nichole Powell — ”There is tremendous power in the pause.”
Brandy Pham — ”We don’t need more of more.”
Fran Hauser — ”When we slow down, we can be kinder to ourselves.”
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