The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison - Ep. 13: “Disorientation” with Elaine Hsieh Chou

Motherhood, ghosts, intergenerational trauma—find out how these themes serendipitously fit into Jennifer's life while starring in THE PENELOPIAD at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and coming across the novel, MOTHER DOLL by author Katya Apekina. Jennifer and Katya discuss how these themes and storytelling devices help audiences process life decisions, dealing with grief, and taking on new roles (in more ways than one), in our exciting 20th episode of THE BOOKSHELF with Jennifer Morrison. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIA: Get 30% off your purchase Link: www.helloamia.com AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription or 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot. Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

An avid fan of theatre, each season Jennifer features a play for the book club—stories that transport, inform, and inspire and this selection is no different. Join Jennifer in conversation with barrister-turned-playwright-turned-novelist: Suzie Miller, writer of the Olivier AND Tony Award-winning play, "Prima Facie". Suzie shares how the state of the legal system compelled her to tell this powerful story, how she made the transition from fighting in court to writing on the page, and what we can do to elicit real change for justice in our future.

Join Jennifer in conversation with author, poet, and screenwriter Fatimah Asghar to discuss their first novel, "When We Were Sisters". A finalist of the 2023 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award, the story follows 3 orphaned sisters who despite losing everything, find home in one another. Fatimah shares their own life experiences as an orphan, and how they have survived navigating both the publishing world and Hollywood as a writer on Disney's "Ms. Marvel". Find out what life advice (there's a lot!) Jennifer will take from both the novel, and this incredible interview with Fatimah Asghar. The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

Join Jennifer this month in conversation with author Christine Lai to discuss her novel, "Landscapes". Through a series of narratives and essays, the story follows Penelope in a not-too-distant and unfortunately, very probable future in the English countryside, now devastated by heat and drought. While most are keen on surviving, Penelope is tasked with archiving works of art that have outlasted post-apocalyptic weather in a ruined country home scheduled for demolition. Find out why Christine's writing opened Jennifer's eyes to the art world as they discuss just what is worth saving for future generations or is the question itself, like art—subjective?  The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

This month, The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is honoured to welcome our very first returning guest—author Melanie Finn, to discuss her novel, THE UNDERNEATH. The story follows Kay, a former journalist who decides to spend the summer in rural Vermont with her husband and two children. Based on her own experiences as a journalist, Melanie and Jennifer discuss how her own small town influenced this thrilling story, how desperation and even love can turn seemingly unsuspecting individuals to commit unforgivable acts.

It's spooky season and what better month to escape into an epic fantasy novel? This October, Jennifer's pick is "Deep Sea Feline" written by author Dave Hurlow. Join Jennifer and Dave as they explore his process of creating magical realms, the fairy tales that inspired his writing, and find out why Jennifer describes his story as one filled with "hope of biblical proportions"... The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

It's a new year, and in our first episode of 2024, Jennifer sits down with writer and poet Reyes Ramirez, a finalist of the 2023 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award. Reflecting his parents' immigration journey, "The Book of Wanderers" is a collection of short stories following several (creatively named) characters facing harrowing but similar experiences. Find out why Jennifer says the book helped her to empathize, and expand as a person, as well as what we can do to create real change in the present—to avoid Reyes' imagining of the future in "The Book of Wanderers".  The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

"All Day is a Long Time" author, David Sanchez, tells Jennifer Morrison the elevator pitch for his novel: a "pseudo-autobiographical book about a young man in Florida who struggles with drug addiction". An incredibly brave tale, written by an equally fascinating person. Jennifer talks with David about his debut novel, how his story differs from most surrounding the theme of addiction, and how a class in poetry shifted his path of becoming a doctor—to becoming a writer. The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

On this episode, Jennifer discusses DISORIENTATION, a novel written by Elaine Hsieh Chou, a finalist for the 2023 New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Award. DISORIENTATION follows the story of Ingrid Chou who, while procrastinating writing her thesis, stumbles upon a peculiar note that changes the course of her research and life. Jennifer and Elaine discuss how she was able to tackle important yet heavy subjects while keeping the audience constantly engaged with never-ending laughs, twists and turns. Can we ever break free from the story structure of beginning-middle-end? Or are all our lives just the shape of a curve whether you're surviving a war, writing an award-winning novel, or just a snail in a diorama? The Bookshelf with Jenifer Morrison is brought to you by ⁠Apartment 3C Productions⁠, and our amazing sponsors. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF at the links below for special discounts offered exclusively for our listeners. AMIGO Coffee Roasters: Get 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠www.amigoroasters.com⁠⁠ BEAM: Get 35% off a subscription -or- 15% off your purchase Link: ⁠⁠shopbeam.com/jensbookshelf⁠ SEED: Get 25% off your first order Link: https://seed.com/ FREDA: Get 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Link: https://fredasalvador.com/en-ca

Welcome to Season 2 of The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison. In this exciting first episode, Jennifer meets with Zain Khalid, author of Brother Alive, winner of the 2023 New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award. Jennifer and Zain cover everything from growing up in their hometown libraries, to global affairs that inspired Zain's novel, to the perfect notebook and pen combination every aspiring writer needs. The Bookshelf with Jennifer Morrison is brought to you by Apartment 3C Productions. Use the code JENSBOOKSHELF for the following offers from our wonderful sponsors: Seed - 25% off your first order Freda - 15% off a one-time purchase - *exclusions include Brooke x Sam Wennerstrom collab boot Beam - 35% off a subscription -OR- 15% off a one time purchase Amigo Roasters - 15% off