EP.26 House Swaps and Hilarity: An Interview with Amy Poeppel

In this episode of Elena Meets the Author , I interview the wonderful novelist Amy Poeppel about her latest book, Far and Away , a comedic tale of two families from Dallas and Berlin embarking on a chaotic house swap. Amy shares the inspiration behind her book, drawn from her own experiences living in these cities, and we dive into the complexities of writing a multi-layered story. She discusses the humorous misunderstandings and cultural clashes her characters face and gives insights into her unique writing process, including her preference for using a whiteboard over outlining. We wrap up with a conversation about how Amy's characters discover the true meaning of home and community. Links to books mentioned: Please buy through these links to directly support the podcast for free! Amy Poeppel - Far and Away Amy’s book recommendations: The Correspondence The Road to Tender Hearts Red Island House Check out my favorite rolling top 10 books, updated regularly! Watch Amy’s trailer here 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:39 Meet the Author: Amy Poeppel 02:13 The Inspiration Behind the Novel 05:00 Humorous Miscommunications 11:03 Writing Process and Challenges 15:24 Character Development and Research 25:49 Exploring the Vermeer Scandal 26:12 Writing Process and Research 28:49 Teenage Dialogue and Miscommunication 30:14 Character Development and Themes 32:51 Challenges and Joys of Writing 37:18 The Importance of Community 39:17 Starting a Writing Career Later in Life 45:59 Upcoming Projects and Inspirations 49:43 Book Recommendations 52:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Get full access to Elena Meets the Author at elenabowes.substack.com/subscribe