True Fiction Project

Taylor Swift biography writing takes rare skill, and Caroline Sullivan has mastered it. On the True Fiction Project, host Reenita Hora sits down with UK-based music journalist Caroline Sullivan, author of Taylor Era by Era: The Unauthorized Biography, exploring Taylor Swift's remarkable rise. Caroline shares how deep research and dry wit shape her storytelling, revealing surprising details about Taylor's music activism, her fight to reclaim her album rights from Scooter Braun, and her extraordinary bond with her mother. Tune in to hear Caroline read from the afterword of Era by Era, capturing the final emotionally charged night of the Eras Tour in Vancouver and what comes next for Taylor Swift.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
What an unauthorized biography actually means legally, and how a skilled music journalist like Caroline Sullivan conducts deep research without ever meeting the subject, using published sources, industry contacts, and her own expert voice to tell a compelling story about a Taylor Swift biography.
How Taylor Swift's music activism led her to spend nearly five years fighting to buy back her first six albums from Scooter Braun, ultimately reclaiming her album rights and setting a powerful precedent for artists across the music industry.
How Caroline approached the tone of Era by Era differently from other Taylor Swift books by weaving in dry British humor and personal music journalism perspective, turning dense research into a reading experience worthy of a Sunday Times bestseller.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 Reenita opens with a bold question about unauthorized biography writing and what permissions are actually required.
02:00 Caroline Sullivan discusses her six books, including pop star profiles of Madonna, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Dua Lipa, and Taylor Swift
04:10 Deep dive into music journalism research methods and why published sources form the backbone of a music biography
06:36 The origin story of Taylor Era by Era, how the publisher approached her after her Dua Lipa book, and how it sold 50,000 copies
12:20 Discussion of Taylor Swift's music activism, her long battle to reclaim her album rights, and her influence on the broader music industry
19:00 Caroline reads from the afterword of Taylor Era by Era, covering the final night of the Eras Tour in Vancouver and Taylor's appearance at the Grammy Awards

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
Writing a Taylor Swift biography without the subject's cooperation is entirely legal and achievable through thorough research, industry sources, and a strong authorial voice. Caroline Sullivan proves that an unauthorized biography can outsell the competition when personality and craft drive the narrative.
Taylor Swift's relentless pursuit of her album rights against Scooter Braun is one of the most significant acts of music activism in modern industry history, and one that Caroline documents with admiration throughout Taylor Era by Era, showing how Taylor uses her platform to benefit all artists.
The Eras Tour was far more than a concert series. With 149 dates, a terrorist threat in Vienna, and fans paying just to listen from behind the stage, it became a cultural phenomenon that Caroline argues marks a turning point in pop star history and in Taylor's personal legacy.

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
I'm a UK-based music journalist who writes for The Guardian and more, and have written seven books, most recently Taylor: Era by Era - an unofficial biography of Taylor Swift.

Caroline Sullivan - Facebook
Caroline Sullivan - Instagram 
X: @TheCSullivan
Taylor Era by Era: The Unauthorized Biography

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What happens when Alfred Hitchcock, Manhattan ghost stories, and a family legend collide? In this episode, debut novelist John McDermott reveals how he crafted The Last Spirits of Manhattan from a true event where Hitchcock rented his ancestor's decaying house for a celebrity-studded party. McDermott shares insights into the fiction writing process, navigating permissions for historical fiction featuring real figures, and why he added actual family ghosts to crash Hitchcock's 1956 soiree. From his publishing journey with Simon and Schuster to teaching undergraduates at Stephen F. Austin State University, McDermott offers invaluable lessons on creative writing and perseverance. Tune in to hear the chilling opening of The Last Spirits of Manhattan where Snug, a ghost trapped in the coal room, stirs as a new venture begins.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
How to balance historical fiction writing accuracy with poetic license when featuring real celebrities like Alfred Hitchcock, Henry Fonda, and Charles Addams as characters in your supernatural fiction.
The importance of literary research in crafting authentic period pieces, including navigating copyright permissions, advertising archives, and biographical sources when developing your novel.
Strategies for incorporating family history and personal anecdotes into creative writing, as demonstrated by McDermott's transformation of a Manhattan ghost story family legend into a publishable manuscript.
The reality of the publishing journey, including the persistence required through finding the right agent and working with major publishers like Simon and Schuster.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal.
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/.

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 A story inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 party at John McDermott's great aunt's Manhattan house 
02:30 Discussion of McDermott's family roots from Wisconsin to Texas and his role at Stephen F Austin State University's creative writing program
04:48 Exploring the marriage plot as an inciting incident and how poetic license shapes historical fiction writing 
06:03 Navigating permissions and copyright issues when featuring deceased celebrities like Henry Fonda and Charles Addams in fiction
09:45 The addition of supernatural fiction elements, including family ghost stories and getting this novel published 
15:32 An excerpt from The Last Spirits of Manhattan prologue introducing the blue girl ghost who hangs out in the coal room

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
Historical fiction success requires extensive literary research to capture authentic voices and settings, but the magic happens when authors blend documented facts with imaginative storytelling through careful poetic license.
The publishing journey for a debut novel often spans decades with multiple manuscript attempts. McDermott's 20-year persistence and four complete manuscripts before finding success with Simon and Schuster demonstrate that timing, craft improvement, and presenting the right idea to the right people all matter.
Creative writing drawn from family history creates deeply personal and compelling narratives. By weaving real family members who died from the Spanish influenza into his Manhattan ghost stories, McDermott transforms historical research into emotionally resonant supernatural fiction.

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
John A. McDermott was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He now serves on the board of directors for the Writers’ League of Texas and teaches creative writing at Stephen F. Austin State University. Before teaching, he worked as an actor, bartender, house painter, and advertising copywriter. He lives in Nacogdoches with his wife and teenage daughter.

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 
John A McDermott - Website
John A McDermott - LinkedIn
John A McDermott - Facebook
The Last Spirits of Manhattan - Instagram
Book Shop - Website

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What does it look like when a woman refuses to be put in a box? On the True Fiction Project, host Reenita Hora sits down with the fearless Keldamuzik Diva, a singer, songwriter, actress, and fashion designer whose life is the ultimate blueprint for women's empowerment. Keldamuzik shares how she went from childhood auditions to starring in films, performing in live theater, launching her beret collection Tamz, and hosting her own fashion shows, all while building a fiercely independent brand. Her story is proof that creative entrepreneurship has no ceiling. Tune in to hear Keldamuzik Diva deliver a powerful verse from her song "Get Up and Get It," a bold declaration of independence and self-sufficiency for women everywhere. Listen here to stream her music

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
Why women's empowerment and financial independence go hand in hand, and how Keldamuzik Diva's music speaks directly to women who are building lives on their own terms as independent artists and entrepreneurs.
How a multifaceted artist can successfully manage a music career, an acting career, and a fashion line simultaneously without sacrificing quality or passion, even when industry insiders say otherwise.
What it truly takes to succeed in the entertainment industry as a creative entrepreneur, from navigating auditions and live theater to launching a product line and hosting your own fashion shows.
How personal branding in the entertainment industry requires more than one skill set, and why having your hands in multiple areas of performing arts can actually strengthen rather than dilute your brand.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 Keldamuzik on why the entertainment industry demands a strong personal brand and multifaceted creative approach
01:56 Keldamuzik explains how she ignored industry advice to specialize and instead pursued creative entrepreneurship across multiple fields
04:34 Kelda discusses how acting came first, from childhood auditions to co-starring in the live stage play How Black Mothers Say I Love You
06:32 Living in California and having a song on The Housewives of Atlanta
08:05 Keldamuzik describes her beret collection, Tams, her inclusive fashion shows, and her upcoming glitter lipstick line
10:12 Keldamuzik shares the women empowerment message behind her song "Get Up and Get It" and performs a verse live

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
💎 The entertainment industry is crowded, and the most resilient creatives are those who build a distinct personal brand by developing skills across multiple disciplines rather than limiting themselves to one lane.
💎 True women's empowerment is not just a message in a song. For Keldamuzik Diva, it is a lived practice: she earns her own income, produces her own shows, creates her own fashion line, and answers to no one but herself.
💎 Launching a beret collection and hosting inclusive fashion shows that welcome customers of all heights, weights, and backgrounds is Keldamuzik's way of dismantling traditional gatekeeping in the fashion world and making space for every woman to shine.

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
Keldamuzik is a multifaceted artist known for her international touring, music placements on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and an acting role in the film "First Date," available for streaming on Hulu. In addition to her accomplishments in the entertainment industry, she has launched her own beret line, Tamz, and is involved in producing fashion shows.

Keldamuzik - Website
Get Up and Get It
‎Keldamuzik - Apple Music
https://weartamz.com/

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Memoir writing blurs the line between truth and imagination in this revealing conversation with Lily MacKenzie. We explore how creative writing techniques shape both fiction narrative and personal stories, as Lily explains her unique approach: "you lie in the service of the truth." The prolific author, with works published in over 170 venues, teaches writing dialogue, narrative structure, and storytelling techniques at the University of San Francisco's Fromm Institute for older adults. Discover why age matters, and doesn't matter, in the writing community, and what connects memoir to traditional storytelling. Hear an excerpt from Freefall: A Divine Comedy where Tilly, an installation artist approaching 60, confronts her anxieties about aging and finances in San Francisco.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
How memoir writing employs storytelling techniques identical to fiction, including writing dialogue that reconstructs past conversations through imagination in writing and memory recreation.
Why traditional narrative structure rules can be broken in favor of fragmented, non-chronological approaches that create compelling conversations between different life stages.
The distinction, or lack thereof, between memoir writing and historical fiction, and how both genres recreate time periods through similar creative writing processes.
How the writing community serves older adults by providing audience, connection, and purpose while preserving family legacies through literary arts.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal

Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 Memoir writing and the concept of lying in the service of truth with creative writing techniques
03:30 Does age affect readership and character development in novels featuring women over 60
05:51 Why writing community and memoir writing appeal to older demographics seeking legacy preservation
07:07 Exploring narrative structure and making a comparison to historical fiction
10:58 Inspiration behind the Freefall: A Divine Comedy novel about four women writers reuniting in Whistler and Venice
15:09 Reading excerpt from Freefall: A Divine Comedy featuring installation artist Tilly confronting aging and financial anxiety

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
Memoir writing succeeds by "lying in the service of truth," using creative writing techniques like scene construction, imagery, and writing dialogue to recreate authentic experiences from imperfect memory recreation.
Narrative structure doesn't require chronological order or traditional story arcs; fragmented approaches can create powerful juxtapositions between life stages, allowing pieces to "talk to each other or clash."
Writing community for older adults serves multiple purposes beyond skill development, creating audiences for each other's stories and fostering connections through shared memoir writing experiences.

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
Lily Iona MacKenzie has published poetry, essays, and short stories in over 170 venues. She’s also published four novels: Fling!, Curva Peligrosa, Free Fall: A Divine Comedy, and The Ripening: A Canadian Girl Grows Up, a sequel to Free Fall and two poetry collections: All This and California Dreaming. Shanti Arts Publishing released her hybrid memoir Dreaming Myself into Old Age: One Woman’s Search for Meaning on 9/19/23. She blogs at http://lilyionamackenzie.com and teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco's Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning.

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 
Lily MacKenzie - Website
Lily MacKenzie - LinkedIn
Lily MacKenzie - Facebook
Lily MacKenzie - Business Facebook
Lily MacKenzie - Twitter
Lily MacKenzie - Instagram
Free Fall - A Divine Comedy - Website 

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Middle-grade historical fiction meets women in science in this inspiring episode! In this episode we welcome Michele Hollow, author of the novel Jurassic Girl, a biographical fiction about Mary Anning, the remarkable 12-year-old fossil hunter who discovered an ichthyosaur in 1811. Despite being poor, female, and self-educated, Mary triumphed over the dismissive men of the Geological Society. Michele shares her journey from animal writing and wildlife conservation journalism to crafting this middle-grade biography, discussing her research at the Lyme Regis museum and the challenges of writing historical research with authentic dialogue. Tune in to hear an excerpt from Jurassic Girl where young Mary visits Elizabeth Philpot's library for the first time.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
How Michele Hollow discovered the story of Mary Anning, the pioneering fossil hunter who made groundbreaking discoveries in paleontology despite facing gender and class barriers in 1811
The process of transforming journalism skills into middle-grade historical fiction writing, including researching Lyme Regis and the Geological Society archives to create authentic biographical fiction
Why Mary Anning was dismissed by male scientists of her time and how she persisted in her fossil hunting work along the dangerous cliffs of England's Jurassic Coast
Michele's background in animal writing and wildlife conservation, from childhood classes at the Bronx Zoo to writing a middle-grade biography about the Grateful Dead
Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 - Michele Hollow shares her work: animal writing, wildlife conservation, and middle-grade historical fiction
02:19 - Michele's childhood passion for animals, from the Bronx Zoo zoology classes to volunteering at Central Park Zoo and learning about wildlife
05:03 Michele discusses her experiences writing about the Grateful Dead
07:42 - Discovering Mary Anning, the 12-year-old fossil hunter who found an ichthyosaur in Lyme Regis in 1811, despite being dismissed by the Geological Society
10:12 - Research process for Jurassic Girl, including connecting with the Lyme Regis museum and studying Mary Anning's life through biographical fiction sources
14:32 - Excerpt from Jurassic Girl where Mary Anning visits Elizabeth Philpot's library and discusses fossil hunting and paleontology discoveries

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
Mary Anning overcame extraordinary obstacles as a poor, self-educated 12-year-old girl in 1811 to make groundbreaking fossil hunting discoveries that changed our understanding of prehistoric life, yet faced dismissal from the male-dominated Geological Society
Michele Hollow demonstrates how journalism skills translate powerfully to middle-grade historical fiction, using research abilities to uncover details about Lyme Regis, museum archives, and Mary Anning's life while creating authentic dialogue for biographical fiction
Jurassic Girl brings women in science history to young readers, showing how Mary Anning's persistence and passion for paleontology paved the way for future scientists despite the gender barriers of her time

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
Michele C. Hollow writes about health, pets and wildlife, climate, and lifestyle. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Next Avenue, The Guardian, Parents, AARP, and The Costco Connection. She's the author of The Everything Guide to Working with Animals (Adams Media) and a middle-grade biography of the Grateful Dead (Enslow Publishing).

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 
Michele C. Hollow - LinkedIn
Michele C. Hollow - Facebook
Michele C. Hollow - Website
Jurassic Girl: The Adventures of Mary Anning, Paleontologist and the First Female Fossil Hunter (Dinosaur books for kids 8–12): Hollow, Michele C.

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