Parks and Rec' Writer Aisha Muharrar Turns to Fiction With 'Loved One'

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "Parks and Rec' Writer Aisha Muharrar Turns to Fiction With 'Loved One'"

Release Date: August 13, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart

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Introduction

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart welcomes Aisha Muharrar, a celebrated TV writer known for her work on Parks and Recreation and Hacks. Muharrar discusses her debut novel, "Loved One," marking her transition from television to fiction writing. The conversation delves into the novel's intricate exploration of grief, relationships, and personal growth.

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Overview of "Loved One"

"Loved One" is a poignant love story that commences with the sudden death of Gabe, a beloved musician. The protagonist, Julia, a 30-something LA transplant and law school dropout who has successfully pivoted to running her own jewelry business, grapples with Gabe's unexpected passing. The novel navigates Julia's journey through grief as she strives to recover Gabe's belongings and make sense of their complex relationship.

Alison Stewart introduces the book, highlighting its emotional depth:

"The novel is called Loved One. Author Aisha Muharrar is here now..."
(00:09)

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Character Development: Julia and Gabe

Aisha Muharrar delves into the characters' backstories, emphasizing the deep bond between Julia and Gabe. They reconnect later in life after a brief romantic involvement in their youth, rekindling feelings that linger until Gabe's untimely death.

When asked why the novel begins at Gabe's funeral, Muharrar explains:

"I wanted to begin the book there because the book is about Julia's process of grieving and that's where it starts."
(01:45)

Julia is depicted as someone experiencing her first significant loss, leading her through denial and confusion. Gabe, though semi-famous, represents a personal loss that contrasts with the public mourning from his fans, creating a nuanced portrayal of grief.

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Themes of Grief and Loss

The novel intricately explores the process of grieving, especially in the context of unresolved feelings and unanswered questions. Muharrar emphasizes that the story isn't a mystery but a deep dive into coping with loss:

"...it's not like a whodunit. It's more like, now that this person is gone, what do we do?"
(01:45)

Julia's journey is marked by her mission to understand her relationship with Gabe, revealing the complexities of moving forward after a personal tragedy.

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Setting in 2016 and Its Significance

Set against the backdrop of 2016, Muharrar contextualizes the personal turmoil of the characters within a tumultuous year marked by significant global events. She reflects on why she chose this particular year:

"...I also want to show that in this busy, chaotic year globally, historically, you could still have a very personal experience that's happening to you that blocks all of that out. And I think that is how grief feels."
(12:00)

By anchoring the novel in 2016, Muharrar juxtaposes the characters' intimate struggles with the broader societal chaos, highlighting how personal grief can overshadow global happenings.

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Representation of Los Angeles

Julia's life in LA is portrayed authentically, focusing on aspects beyond the glitz of Hollywood. Muharrar aims to showcase ordinary passions and careers outside the entertainment industry:

"I wanted to show people with ordinary passions and jobs outside of the Hollywood entertainment industry living in LA."
(13:25)

This approach provides a realistic depiction of LA life, emphasizing that not all residents are entrenched in showbiz, but many pursue diverse and meaningful careers.

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Transition from TV to Novel Writing

Moving from a successful career in television to writing a novel required Muharrar to adapt her storytelling approach. When discussing this transition, she notes:

"It felt like this was the medium for the story."
(14:20)

Muharrar highlights the similarities between TV writing and novel writing, such as character development and narrative structure, while embracing the novel's capacity for deep introspection and personal storytelling.

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Personal Background of Aisha Muharrar

Originating from Bayshore, Long Island, Muharrar brings a distinct New York flavor to her work. She shares personal anecdotes that reflect her heritage, including:

"There's so many things that I've seen and other people have told me, and I still have a bit of my Long island accent that comes out when I say certain words."
(15:36)

Her connection to her roots manifests in her characters and settings, adding authenticity and relatability to her narratives.

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Book Recommendations

Towards the end of the episode, Muharrar offers five book recommendations for listeners participating in WNYC's summer reading challenge:

1. Classic: "Giovanni's Room" by James Baldwin
2. New York Set: "How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water" by Angie Cruz
3. Memoir/Biography: "Singing and Swinging and Getting Merry Like Christmas" by Maya Angelou
4. Recent Debut Novel: "Lonely Crowds" by Stephanie Wambugu
5. Futuristic Release (2025): "Dream Count" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

She enthusiastically endorses her own novel, "Loved One," as a compelling choice for readers.

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Conclusion

Aisha Muharrar's "Loved One" emerges as a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery. Through Julia's journey, Muharrar invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with grief and the enduring bonds that shape our lives. This episode of All Of It offers a deep dive into Muharrar's creative process, her seamless transition from screenwriting to novel writing, and the rich, character-driven narrative that "Loved One" promises to deliver.

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Thank you for tuning into All Of It. Stay connected with WNYC for more engaging discussions on culture and its creators.

Transcript

[Aisha Muhar]

Foreign.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. You have just a few weeks to complete our summer reading challenge where we ask you to read five books from five categories. One category is to read a recent debut novel. If you're looking for one, I a book by my next guest would make a fine choice. Aisha Muhar's novel is a love story of sorts, but one that begins with a sudden death. Julia is a 30something LA transplant and law school dropout who pivoted to create her own successful jewelry business. When we meet Julia, one of her best friends, Gabe, he's died. Gabe also happens to be a famous musician, but Julia knew him long before that. They met as teenagers, even dating one summer. Whether they admit it or not, years later, Gabe and Julia had feelings for each other right up until his death. However, things get messy as the book progresses. The accident causes Julia to go on a mission to recover Gabe's belongings and to make sense of her relationship with him along the way, even if she doesn't always like what she finds. The novel is called Loved One. Author Aisha Mehar is here now. When she's not writing books, she's winning Memmys for her TV writing, most notably, most notably for Parks and Rec and Hacks. But more importantly, she's the pride of Bayshore, Long Island. Welcome, Aisha.

[Aisha Muhar]

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here. I love the show. Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

The book begins at Gabe's funeral. Why did you want to begin the book immediately at a funeral?

[Aisha Muhar]

Well, I wanted to begin the book there because the book is about Julia's process of grieving and that's where it starts. I mean, it definitely, especially for someone in Julia's position where she's in a bit of denial. And I also felt like I wanted to just get that out of the way in a way to not string the reader along and be like, where is Gabe? He's passed away. That's not the mystery of the book. It's not like a whodunit. It's more like, now that this person is gone, what do we do? What are the questions that were left unanswered? How do you move on from a loss when things were left unsaid, unanswered, with the person that you're grieving?

[Alison Stewart]

Who's Julia? What's going on in her life?

[Aisha Muhar]

When we meet her, Julia is 30 years old and she's at that age where she's going to more weddings than funerals. She's never been to a funeral. Actually, this is her first big loss. And also she's, she's just kind of getting settled into her career. Like you mentioned, she had gone to law school and then she was trying to find a way to bridge her creativity and her business side. So she runs a small business as a jewelry designer. And she's at that age where I think this happens to a lot of people when they get to their 30s. It's a time when you feel like, okay, I've settled in as adult, I'm making a life for myself, I get it. And then something comes along where it's like, oh no, you're just going to continue learning as an adult. Like we evolve. It's not like this is a second college where you've completed and you have your degree in adulthood and you're done. Like there's more. So I wanted to do something with especially that age for Julia and Gabe. They're at a point where it can almost feel like 30 is this cliff you're going to go off of when you're that age and life is over. But obviously no, life is only over when you're gone. So I think it was, for me it was interesting to put a 30 year old sense of life changing, life being over with a real loss.

[Alison Stewart]

So Julia runs into Elizabeth, Gabe's girlfriend from London, and she's a bit hostile. I guess that's one way you could put it. What does Elizabeth see in Julia and what does Julia see in Elizabeth that makes their relationship rocky right from the start?

[Aisha Muhar]

I think right from the start. Well, Julia's a bit unaware. And I think this is what annoys Elizabeth is that, you know, Julia isn't really thinking of Elizabeth. She's not thinking of her. And Elizabeth is Gabe's most recent ex girlfriend in the book. So it's basically someone who dated him very early. Julia, almost his first girlfriend with his last girlfriend. And there's almost about. There's about 12 years in between those experiences. A person changes a lot. A person is different in every relationship. So you have, have these two women who had in Julia's case a romantic relationship and a very long friendship with this person. And they're comparing notes in a way and they have different ideas of him. They are also. We're also both in different places with him. When he died, he died suddenly. And I think that there's this tension between them that goes between. What can you tell me about this person? Where do we overlap? Where do we differ? Should I believe you or not? And it's like I tell me everything but at the same time. Then there's this resistance where it's tell me everything, then you don't know anything. They're resisting each other's interpretation too, but they can't help but be curious. And the other thing is, Julia is someone who, you know, especially in this moment, it's typical in grief to go through a period of denial and confusion. And she's experiencing that. And she's just more of a holding the cards close to the best person. Whereas Elizabeth is sober and she really believes in living a life of honesty. And sometimes that means she can be incredibly blunt in moments that one would find that inappropriate. So she immediately goes in on Julia and tells her what she thinks. And that's Julia's surprise there. Her confusion is what compels her to look into seeing Elizabeth again.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm speaking with Aisha Muhar. Her new novel is called Loved One. Would you read a little bit from your novel for us?

[Aisha Muhar]

Oh yes, of course. I'll start at chapter one, the beginning. There was no bride. There was no groom, no seating chart with my name and calligraphy, a blue dot next to Julia indicating a preference for fish. No DJ coaxing guests to the dance floor with a multi generational crowd pleaser, no maid of honor fiddling with a sheet of white printer paper, unfolding it from eighths to fourths and taking a theatrical deep breath before she says, okay, so. Which made sense because it was not a wedding. But there were approximately 100 of us gathered at Berkeley City Club, a grand Italian Renaissance revival building often rented out for private events like weddings. And there were two sections of dark wood folding chairs separated by a wide stripe of hardwood floor, an aisle, if you will. And more important, it just felt like it should have been a wedding. It's what we did that year. We went to weddings, not together. Though Gabe did ask the year before when the invitations went out and before he'd started dating Elizabeth, if I'd be his plus one to the Tokyo wedding of his percussionist and backup vocalist. They'd met on tour with him. I would have loved to go to Japan, but I already had another wedding on the same day. By September I'd been to 6 and RSVP'd to 3 more. I was 30, gay, born the same year, but in December was 29, and apparently we'd entered that stage of life where if you haven't nailed down your version of semi formal cocktail attire, you better do it quick because that's what your weekends were going to be for the next decade. This perpetual wedding season was such a well known truth about people our age that I could feel an awareness of it in the room as I stood up, clutching my own folded sheet of printer paper and began to speak about my dear friend Gabe. It was one of the things I had to avoid saying in Gabe's eulogy. The obvious thing, that he was only 29 and his death was so sudden, by anyone's estimation, it would have been more likely I was speaking at the happiest day of his life.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Aisha Mihar reading from her new book, Loved One. It's her debut novel. Shortly after that scene, we go back in time and we learn about Gabe and Julia. They're in Barcelona. They clearly have chemistry. A little bit of a young crush. What do Julia and Gabe see in each other when they're young?

[Aisha Muhar]

When they're young, there's this moment of kinship, like as you described. And I think with Gabe and Julia, it starts as a great conversation. And that's one reason why it's a little unsure whether they'll be friends or whether there's something more. And at that age, neither of them is so experienced, so they do date, but it's only six weeks. And then later in life when they become friends, they pick up that conversation again. They both find a way to be easy with each other, which I think is what so many people want. It's kind of a hard to explain chemistry where you're just kind of clacking back and forth and they have that. So I think what they really see in each other is a place where they can be themselves and comfortable and just continue talking all the time and getting each other's references and laughing and joking with each other.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, you seem to know Barcelona quite well. Is that true?

[Aisha Muhar]

I've only been there once actually, but I was on a trip there. I have a friend who studied abroad. I did a lot of research to dive back into the book. I went with two of my friends and my friend Alexis actually posted recently a carousel of our pictures from that trip and was like, well, I was with her through the whole trip, so does that mean make me Gabe? So. But yeah, I just really loved it. And I had two friends who went to an art summer abroad program. Not in Spain actually, but I like the idea of Julia being away from home in a new setting and feeling a little lonely and out of place and then finding someone who felt like home for her. Not just because he was another American there, but there was something about him that Feels like home to her.

[Alison Stewart]

Gabe goes on to become a pretty famous musician. First of all, how famous would you say I.

[Aisha Muhar]

In the book? I say semi famous. Which in my mind I think it's like kind of a Sufian Stevens meets Bright Eyes type of thing where if you're. Yeah, if you're, if you're a fan of the musicians, like I say that he could walk into a certain bar and everyone turns around. He could walk into another bar and no one even notices and he just sits and has a beer. So I. But the thing is, in Julia's world, he is famous because she is a 30 year old woman living in LA and that's where a lot of his fans are. So there are moments when in the book where he is unnoticed, but in terms of where Julia is, like a lot of people are mourning him, which is difficult when you're going through a private mourning. And you know, fans, rightfully so, are mourning someone too, but it's a very different type of loss. And there are moments when Julia kind of resists that and feels uncomfortable in that place, but also understands because we're all fans of someone and we all feel when, you know, when Whitney Houston or Paul Hartman, Phil Hartman passed away, I felt very sad and I don't know them personally.

[Alison Stewart]

Gabe's band's name was Separate Bedrooms. Was that your first choice for a band name?

[Aisha Muhar]

Yeah, it actually was. And for Gabe it comes from his parents. He's a child of divorce and he talks about it a lot and it's something that. It's something that he writes about in his music. So the idea of Separate Bedrooms came to me. Yes, that was something that did. I went back and forth on Julia's jewelry line name, but the band name came very quickly and never changed.

[Alison Stewart]

What were some of the names for Julia's jewelry line name?

[Aisha Muhar]

I wanted to do a line from a Claudia Rankine poem, but then I realized that the poem had come out before the book takes place. So I took that out and then there was another version where it was a Nikki Giovanni line also. And then I ended up going with something that I thought was funny and maybe sillier and with Julia in mind. But yeah, those were other possibilities.

[Alison Stewart]

It takes place in 2016. The Gabe. This is the year that Gabe passes away. As you write, there were headlines of that summer. The election, Zika, more takes on Beyonce's lemonade. The swimmer who'd been accused of lying and of being held up at gunpoint at the Rio Olympics. Why did you set the book in 2016.

[Aisha Muhar]

Most of the setting of the book in 2016 has to do with the age of Julia and Gabe, the references for them, the type of music that Gabe would be playing. And I did consider it was because obviously, 2016 is a huge year in retrospect now, but at the time, because we think of the election. But at the time, the election was in November. So this is all taking place before. And I also just want to kind of. I had noticed a few books and movies that were set in 2015. There was, like, seemed to be a trend of people setting things in 2015 because they didn't want to deal with anything that happened after, which I totally understand. But I also like the challenge of, you know, setting the book at this time and being honest about how people were feeling at the time and what they were thinking about. And it was a. It was a medley of things. And then after November, it was one thing, but at the time, there was a lot going on. And also to say that in this busy, chaotic year globally, historically, you could still have a very personal experience that's happening to you that blocks all of that out. And I think that is how grief feels. The world could be completely upside down, and you're aware of that. But then if you've had this personal loss, that's kind of all you're focused on.

[Alison Stewart]

Gia lives in la. She moves there to go to law school, then drops out to start her jewelry business, my grandmother's collection. What part of LA life did you want to make sure was in this book?

[Aisha Muhar]

I really wanted to make sure the dating life was in there. There's a character who explains dating in la, a kind of jaded sing. And I also wanted to show people with ordinary passions and jobs outside of the Hollywood entertainment industry living in la, because that's. I work in tv, but that's the reality for a lot of my friends is that some people just come here because they like the weather, or they come for USC or UCLA and end up staying. So I wanted to show that, too. Like, Julia's life is in la, but she's not in the business of la.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Aisha Muharra. We're talking about her new book. It's called Loved One. We've mentioned that you've written on Parks and Rec and the Good Place. You had to sit down and you had to sort of switch your brain a little bit to write a book. What is something that you kind of had to forget about the way you write to write this new book?

[Aisha Muhar]

You know, I don't think I had to forget anything. And I've had, you know, versions of the question of difference between TV and novel. And I think that, for me, it feels like there are so many ways where they're similar. I also wrote a nonfiction book in high school about labels and cliques and how we categorize each other. And I think that's just stayed with me, this idea of, you know, how things fit into different categories and that it's totally reasonable to have something that makes you laugh out loud but also ground you in an incredibly uncomfortable, emotional moment in writing and life. I've never been into categories like this is this, and that is that, and the two shall never meet. So it feels like I just switched from this story, felt like it needed to be a novel because we're so close to Julia's perspective. Like, the interiority seemed like, this has to be a novel. And I'd written fiction before, prose fiction, before going into tv, so I just switched. It felt like this was the medium for the story.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, you grew up in Bayshore, Long Island. Class of 2002 at Bayshore High. Class valedictorian. You're a member of the Bay Shore hall of Fame.

[Aisha Muhar]

Oh, my gosh. Yes. I'm so excited. Bayshore is getting a shout out. I love it. I love it.

[Alison Stewart]

What is something that is still very New York or very Long island about you?

[Aisha Muhar]

Oh, my goodness. So many things. Bagels. Loving bagels. I was just talking to a co worker yesterday about Long island bagels. I still prefer Poland Spring bottled water over any. It's just my memory. I had so many things like the way I talk. I use my hands a lot. You know, just. There's so many things that I've seen and other people have told me, and I still have a bit of my Long island accent that comes out when I say certain words. My husband's from Chicago, and he'll point out if I say strawberry. When I was pregnant, we were like, are we having a boy or a girl? And I was like, we're having a girl. I'm gonna have a daughter. And he was like, oh, you say daughter? Like, oh, no. I have this thing where it's like. It was a word I had never said out loud before, but then I was pregnant, and I was like, I'm gonna have a daughter.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, really quickly. You were kind enough to give us five recommendations for our book challenge here at wnyc. Okay. What's a classic people could get to?

[Aisha Muhar]

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin.

[Alison Stewart]

A book about or set in New York.

[Aisha Muhar]

How not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz. A memoir or biography, Singing and Swinging and Getting Merry Like Christmas by Maya Angelou.

[Alison Stewart]

Ooh, good choice. A recent debut novel.

[Aisha Muhar]

I haven't read it yet, but I'm really excited about Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu, who I know you had on the show recently.

[Alison Stewart]

Last week we did. And a book published in 2025.

[Aisha Muhar]

Book published in 2025 I'm really excited about. I read Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

[Alison Stewart]

Five great recommendations. Or you can read her book. It's called Loved One. My guest has been Ayesha Mihar. Nice to meet you, Aisha.

[Aisha Muhar]

Thank you so much. Nice meeting you too, Allison.

[Alison Stewart]

And that is all of it for today. I appreciate you listening. I appreciate you, and I will meet you back here next time.

[Aisha Muhar]

Morning. One sausage McMuffin with egg, please. Okay, your total is. Wait. Let's negotiate. How's about you throw in hash browns for a dollar? Well, yes, sir, that price is already a dollar. Take it early. Take it, I guess. Buy one, add one for a dollar on sausage McMuffin with egg, hash browns and more with McValue. Most locations open 5am or earlier. Price and participation may vary. Limited time only. Valid for item of equal or lesser value. Ba da ba ba ba.

[Ira Flatow]

This is Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, the science Friday team has been reporting high quality science and technology news, making science fun for curious people by covering everything from the outer reaches of space to the rapidly changing world of AI to the tiniest microbes in our bodies. Audiences trust our show because they know we're driven by a mission to inform and serve listeners first and foremost with important news they won't get anywhere else. And our sponsors benefit from that halo effect. For more information on becoming a sponsor, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.