Angourie and Kate Rice Are Rewriting Classics for the New Generation

Summary

Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Angourie and Kate Rice Are Rewriting Classics for the New Generation
Release Date: August 5, 2025

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Introduction

In this vibrant episode of Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, host Danielle Robay welcomes debut novelist Ashley Jordan and her mother, Kate Rice, to discuss their groundbreaking work, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood. This mother-daughter duo dives deep into their creative process, inspirations, and the contemporary twist they've infused into classic romantic storytelling.

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Announcing the Reese's Book Club Pick

At [02:24], Danielle Robay introduces the episode's highlight:

"On today's show, we're announcing the all-new Reese's Book Club pick."

Reese Witherspoon then proudly declares:

"Our book club pick this month is Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan." [04:09]

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Meet the Authors: Ashley Jordan and Kate Rice

Ashley Jordan, a debut novelist from Atlanta, shares her journey of crafting Once Upon a Time in Dollywood during the pandemic while juggling a role in public health. The novel began as fan fiction for The Walking Dead but evolved into a heartfelt love story, marking her transition into professional writing.

Book Overview

Ashley provides a synopsis of her novel:

"My main character, Eve, is fresh off a breakup and heads to Tennessee, to Dollywood, to stay with her grandmother. She's pretending to write her next play but is actually dealing with a life meltdown. Enter Jamie Gallagher, a handsome single dad who disrupts her plans, leading to an unexpected romance." [06:07]

She describes their romantic pairing as a "grumpy Sunshine pairing," with Eve embodying the grumpy trope and Jamie the sunny counterpart.

Writing Process and Collaboration

The collaboration between Ashley and her mother, Kate, is a testament to their seamless partnership. The first draft was penned in just 30 days, adhering to a detailed chapter plan. They alternated writing chapters, ensuring continuity and accountability:

"Every day one of us would write a chapter, and then the next day we would read the chapter from the day before and then write the next one." [20:13]

Kate emphasizes the structured approach they maintained by adhering closely to Jane Austen's original texts, which served as a guiding framework:

"We were never free-forming. We were always following a very strong thread." [22:27]

Influences and Inspirations

Ashley credits several authors who have shaped her writing journey:

"Kennedy Ryan is the Beyoncé of romance writers. Bolu Babalola, Beverly Jenkins, and Toni Morrison are among the many black women writers I look up to." [10:19]

She highlights the importance of reading and absorbing diverse voices to hone her craft:

"You have to read other writers... It's the way that you become a writer." [11:00]

Adapting Jane Austen for Gen Z

One of the episode's focal points is how Ashley and Kate adapted Pride and Prejudice for a modern, Gen Z audience. They translated classic themes into contemporary settings, making the story relatable without losing its essence.

Kate elaborates:

"We wanted to maintain the feeling of Mr. Darcy being perfect for Elizabeth without her being completely disempowered. She is much more empowered and does to a certain extent save her own day." [28:50]

The authors discuss the challenges of modernizing social norms and expectations while preserving character depth:

"How can we make these characters and make the audience feel the same, but in a context and situation that is completely different?" [25:18]

Themes and Messages

Once Upon a Time in Dollywood delves into themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and the complexities of modern relationships. Ashley expresses her pride in portraying a protagonist who learns that imperfection doesn't disqualify one from love:

"You can be a mess and you still deserve love." [12:30]

Kate adds a generational perspective, highlighting the shift towards self-sufficiency in romantic pursuits:

"My two beautiful Gen Z children don't feel that they need someone to complete them. They are happy to bring that to a relationship if it happens." [41:05]

Gen Z's Approach to Romance

The conversation touches on how Gen Z prioritizes independence and personal fulfillment over traditional romantic dependencies. Ashley reflects:

"Maybe there's a healthy sort of independence, like, I don't need this to complete me. I am whole as myself." [40:50]

Kate shares her evolution from searching for a partner to embracing self-contentment:

"I spent my entire teenage years and twenties going, where's the one who's going to complete me? I'm not going to do that." [41:16]

Future Projects and Continued Collaboration

As the interview concludes, Ashley and Kate confirm their intent to collaborate on future projects:

"Yes, we are writing another book together." [47:51]

They hint at exploring new stories aimed at young readers, maintaining their commitment to fresh and engaging narratives.

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Bookmarks Section: Inspirational Quotes

Ashley and Kate share their favorite quotes that inspire their writing:

Ashley Jordan:

"Mrs. Oliver and her relations seemed to exist on the spin of a coin. If your life is dictated by luck, you're living on the spin of a coin." [50:55]

Kate Rice:

"Art is a small break from human despair. It helps me cope because art is a fragile magic, just like love." [52:09]

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Speed Round: Rapid-Fire Literary Questions

The episode wraps up with a lively speed round, where Ashley and Kate answer rapid-fire questions, revealing their literary preferences and personal insights:

• Favorite Jane Austen Work: Both chose Pride and Prejudice and Emma.
• Book to Recommend: Ashley recommends Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel.
• Fictional Characters They Relate To: Ashley relates to Emma from Emma.

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Conclusion

Danielle Robay thanks Ashley and Kate for their insightful discussion, celebrating their contribution to modern romance literature and their innovative adaptation of classic narratives. Listeners are encouraged to follow Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on social media and stay tuned for more engaging literary conversations.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ashley Jordan on Writing Process:
  "Every day one of us would write a chapter, and then the next day we would read the chapter from the day before and then write the next one." [20:13]

• Kate Rice on Empowering Protagonists:
  "She is much more empowered and does to a certain extent save her own day." [28:50]

• Ashley Jordan on Gen Z Independence:
  "I don't need this to complete me. I am whole as myself." [40:50]

• Kate Rice on Personal Growth:
  "I spent my entire teenage years and twenties going, where's the one who's going to complete me? I'm not going to do that." [41:16]

---

This episode of Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club offers a rich exploration of modernizing classic literature, the dynamics of mother-daughter collaboration in writing, and the evolving landscape of romance for new generations. Whether you're a fan of Jane Austen or contemporary romantic narratives, Ashley Jordan and Kate Rice provide valuable insights and inspiration for both writers and readers alike.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an I Heart Podcast.

[Danielle Robay]

Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton.

[Reese Witherspoon]

We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots.

[Danielle Robay]

And characters who feel like friends.

[Reese Witherspoon]

What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion.

[Danielle Robay]

Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort, and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn [e-mail] have you ever looked at.

[Lizzie]

A piece of abstract art or music or poetry and thought that's just a bunch of pretentious nonsense? That's exactly what two bored Australian soldiers set out to prove during World War II when they tricked the literary world with their intentionally bad poetry, setting off a major scandal. We break down the truth, the lies, and the poetry in between on Hoax, a new podcast hosted by me, Lizzie.

[Dana Schwartz]

Logan and me, Dana Schwartz. Every episode, Hoax explores an audacious fraud or ruse from history.

[Lizzie]

Listen to Hoax on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bob Crawford]

The Stuff you SHOULD Know Guys have made their own summer playlist of their must listen podcasts on movies.

[Josh]

It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you to the Stuff youf Should Know Summer Movie Playlist. What screams summer more than a nice darkened, air conditioned theater and a great movie playing right in front of you?

[Bob Crawford]

Episodes on James Bond, special effects, stunt men and women, disaster films, even movies that change filmmaking, and many more. Listen to the Stuff youf Should Know Summer Movie Playlist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. I'm Bob Crawford, host of American History Hotline, a different type of podcast. You, the listener, ask the questions.

[Ashley Jordan]

Did George Washington really cut down a cherry tree?

[Danielle Robay]

Were JFK and Marilyn Monroe having an affair?

[Bob Crawford]

And I find the answers. I'm so glad you asked me this question.

[Danielle Robay]

This is such a ridiculous story.

[Bob Crawford]

You can listen to American History Hotline on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Robay]

Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club is presented by Apple Books. Hi, I'm Danielle Robe and welcome to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. On today's show, we're announcing the all.

[Reese Witherspoon]

New Reese's Book Club pick.

[Danielle Robay]

And we're getting all the juicy details.

[Reese Witherspoon]

From the author herself in her first.

[Danielle Robay]

Interview on the day her book is released. Okay. So we can all wish her a happy pub day together. And later, the star of Mean Girls, the musical movie, you may know her as Cady Heron. And Gauri Rice and her mom Kate are here to share how they reinvented.

[Reese Witherspoon]

A classic Jane Austen novel for a whole new audience.

[Danielle Robay]

They set it in Australia with movie stars and a Gen Z heroine. But before we try to make fetch happen, it's time to announce the August Reese's Book Club pick. So you all know that I was a fan of Reese's Book Club before I started hosting this podcast. And part of what makes this so fun for me is that I now.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Get the inside scoop.

[Danielle Robay]

So we are going to talk about everything before everybody else knows about it. And here's how it works. At the beginning of every month, I'll announce the brand new Reese's Book Club pick right here. And then we'll kick things off with something really special. A release day conversation with the author herself. So she's coming here first. And then at the end of the.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Month, we'll bring her back for a.

[Danielle Robay]

Full deep dive, meaning we have all month long to read the book, mark our favorite passages, use our favorite highlighters, read, write our favorite notes in the notes app, and then get ready to unpack all the juicy details together. And we have the Reese Witherspoon herself here to announce this month's Reese's Book Club pick. Hey, Rhys.

[Lizzie]

Hey, everybody.

[Ashley Jordan]

I'm so excited.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Our book club pick this month is Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan.

[Danielle Robay]

How exciting. Thank you, Rhys. Now, Ashley Jordan is a debut novelist from Atlanta, and. And what a debut it is. If you've ever dreamed of becoming a writer, she is an inspiration.

[Reese Witherspoon]

She wrote this novel during the pandemic.

[Danielle Robay]

While working in public health. It started as fan fiction, actually, and.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It turned into a love story for the ages.

[Danielle Robay]

Ashley, welcome to the club.

[Podcast Host]

Thank you so much. This is literally a dream come true. Thank you so much for having me.

[Danielle Robay]

Well, it feels like a dream for us to have you too, because your book is officially out in the world today. So happy pub day. I'm so excited for you. How are you celebrating?

[Podcast Host]

I'm celebrating by crying a little bit. And then in good ways, I'm happy crying and then I'm Having a launch event at one of my favorite bookstores, all the tropes in Atlanta. I'm so excited for it. It'll be my first event. So, yeah, that'll be a really great entry into pub day.

[Danielle Robay]

Okay. So one time I had a new job at NBC, and the general manager sent an email very early in the morning, and it was the launch of a new show. And he said, you never forget your first. Your first kiss, your first concert, your first car. And so hearing you talk about your first book event, I almost have chills for you. I have a feeling this is gonna be one of your many books that you write. Are you going to start some sort of pub day tradition?

[Podcast Host]

Oh, that would be great. I think. Yeah, I think I would like to do that. I don't know exactly what it'll be like. Definitely want to have launch day events in my hometown. That would be great. And then I have to figure out some fun little thing that I will do just for me. Maybe I'll go buy the book at a certain place every time it comes out. I think that would be cool.

[Danielle Robay]

That's like when presidential candidates vote for themselves. I love that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, exactly.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm looking at your cover right now, and obviously the title is on it. It says, upon a time in Dollywood, and the tagline says, love is a roller coaster. So I have a little challenge for you if you're game.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Danielle Robay]

Don't sound so scared.

[Podcast Host]

I'm not scared. Go ahead.

[Danielle Robay]

Okay. You have the length of a roller coaster ride at Dollywood to tell us what your book is about.

[Podcast Host]

Yes, sure. Okay. Yes. So my main character, Eve, is fresh off of a breakup, and she is estranged from her parents as well. And so she is going to Tennessee, to Dollywood, basically, to go to her grandmother's house. And supposedly she's there to write. She wants. She's a playwright, and she wants to write her next play, and she's going there. She's pretending she's not having, like, a total life meltdown, but she is. And so her cover story gets kind of complicated by the guy next door. His name is Jamie Gallagher. And, you know, he's this. This handsome, sunshiny single dad, and he really throws all her plans for a loop. She wanted to be alone, and he's like, no, you don't. And so they kind of fall in, like. And then they eventually fall in love. This is a romance, so that's not a spoiler. This is all, much to Eve's chagrin. I would call this a grumpy Sunshine pairing, but she's the grumpy one. And basically, what starts as a fling really turns into something much deeper. What happens is they have a lot of baggage, they have a lot of scars, and so they are emotionally exhausted and kind of exhausting. But if they could just sort of stop overthinking, they can figure out how to have their happily ever after.

[Danielle Robay]

A Grumpy Sunshine pairing. I love that. That's a trope that I think I could always get behind.

[Podcast Host]

Yes. I think it's my favorite.

[Danielle Robay]

Is there a chapter you had the most fun writing?

[Podcast Host]

Ooh, the most fun writing. So I'm a little bit damaged. So I love writing the breakups. I love writing the fights. Give me the angst. Anytime that they're arguing with each other. Those went by really easily. The fluff is a little harder for me, but I love a breakup.

[Danielle Robay]

Wait, what do you mean you're damaged?

[Podcast Host]

I said what I said. Well, no, I'm not really damaged. I love angst. That's really it. All of my favorite things about TV shows or anything is when people are arguing and crying and things like that. I don't know what that says about me, really.

[Danielle Robay]

Wait, what does that mean? Can you give me an example? Cause my mind went to Real Housewives, but I know that's not what you're talking about.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, kind of Real Housewives, but also, I think I say in my bio, Mad Men is my favorite show of all time. So all of the. Anything that is Don Draper angsty, I'm into, like, Absolutely. So the parts where people are hurting, I feel like. And we're exploring the human condition and depression and all the things that make us cry and make us, you know, have to get through life. Not the. I love the good parts of life, too, don't get me wrong. But the hard parts are where the things get interesting.

[Danielle Robay]

You know, now that you're sharing that, it's that tension that you also really share in your book. And it's not often that I get to speak to an author before reading their book. Usually I've read the book already. Are there any breadcrumbs that you left for us in this story? Are there any small moments or details that carry more weight than they seem to at first glance? Asking for a friend. I want to know the Easter eggs while I read.

[Podcast Host]

Well, there is one Easter egg that probably will only apply to a handful of people, but this book actually started as fan fiction, and. And it was for the Walking Dead. So I left some little breadcrumbs for my Roshon readers. And I would tell them, if they're listening, look at the times on the text messages. They mean something.

[Danielle Robay]

Oh, I love that. If this book were a mashup of two TV shows, which would they be?

[Podcast Host]

I remember when I pitched it, I said that it was Insecure meets Emily Henry's beach read. But if I were to do two TV shows, I would say insecure meets shrinking, probably.

[Danielle Robay]

That's cool. Do you have sort of a pie in the sky, somebody that you really look to and admire in terms of writing?

[Podcast Host]

Oh, God, yes. There are so many, I think, in this genre especially, I can't not say Kennedy Ryan. Like, she is the Beyonce of romance writers. So, yeah, she is my, like, North Star. Bolu Babalola, one of the Reese's Book Club authors. I discovered her because of you guys. Beverly Jenkins, of course, like, OG romance writer Toni Morrison. She's the reason that I ever aspired to be a writer. The reason that I know that black women writers are incredible. Like, she is God, basically. I mean, I could go on like so many black writers that I just really look up to.

[Danielle Robay]

It's so fun to talk to writers who are fans of other writers.

[Podcast Host]

That's how you write, is you have to read other writers. Like, you can learn craft in a way, like the technicalities of writing, but how to say what you want to say, you get by absorbing the world, absorbing other writing, even other forms of media. I think that is really the way that you become a writer.

[Danielle Robay]

So aside from the fact that your debut novel is getting published as a Reese's Book Club pick, I want to do, like, a silent cheer gif for you as I say that. What are you most proud of?

[Podcast Host]

I think that I did it. I'm like Eve in a lot of ways. I cannot believe this is actually happening to me. Even when I wrote it, I didn't really know what I was going to do with it. I just wanted to see it get done. And so doing that, I did that while I went back to school. And that was very silly, but I did it. And so I'm proud of that. I'm really proud of. I think Eve's journey. She goes through a lot. And what I really wanted people to take away from her journey is that you don't have to be perfect in order to be like, you can be a mess and you still deserve love. Think that watching her journey and her being the conduit for that message is my favorite part about this book. She starts off and she's Very guarded and very hurt by the past and even the present. And so seeing her open up and realize that who she can be is not who she's been told to be, she doesn't have to be who she's been told to be. And so I love that message. I love that message, especially for women, especially for black women, to just understand, hey, you got this. Be you. You're worthy of love, regardless.

[Danielle Robay]

There is this mentality that you have to be like a perfect package before you can find your other puzzle piece.

[Kate]

Yes.

[Danielle Robay]

And I agree with you. I've never found that to be the case. It's more about embracing the mess. Was there a point in your life where that clicked for you? Because I find oftentimes, particularly in creative professions, that the thing we give the world is the thing we actually most need to hear.

[Podcast Host]

Wow. Yes. Yes, for sure. And I think because I wrote this during the pandemic, and I was going through a lot of personal things, like I said, I went back to school partly because I just needed a distraction. And so, yes, I think that I definitely needed to be reminded that who I am is okay. Am I going to cry right now? No. But, yeah, I think sometimes, especially in relationships, you start to internalize the criticism instead of the better parts of it. And so, yeah, I think that there was a point where I definitely needed to remind myself, you're doing fine. If someone isn't on board with that, that's okay. They weren't for you, and you will find somebody who is.

[Danielle Robay]

So, yeah, it's a really nice message for all women to hear over and over and over again.

[Podcast Host]

Repeat it. It's a mantra.

[Danielle Robay]

Okay, I'm about to ask you an impossible question because I know that you're a huge Beyonce fan. So which version of Jolene would you pick? Is it Dolly's or is it Beyonce's?

[Podcast Host]

This is so hard. I feel like I'm about to shock myself and say Dolly's version. I love her vulnerability in that song, and I love Beyonce. I love that she don't play. But I'm also like, I wish. I sort of. I don't fully wish this because I totally get her version and why it works for her, but I wish we had leaned into the vulnerability a little bit more in her version, I think so. I appreciate Dolly's a little bit more.

[Danielle Robay]

Can you say more about what you mean in terms of why the Beyonce version works for her?

[Podcast Host]

Well, because she's been on this journey. You know, we have lemonade, and we know what she went through. And so at this point she is no longer like, I'm accepting what you're doing. Like she's just like, I'm not doing this anymore. Stop playing with me. Stop playing with my man. And that makes total sense for her. As a black woman. She's not going to be like begging someone to stop playing with her. She's saying, stop, you're not going to play with me anymore. And so I totally understand where she's coming from and why she did it that way. And maybe if it had come earlier, like maybe if it was on Lemonade, it would have made more sense for her to do a more Dolly version.

[Danielle Robay]

Ashley, I'm having so much fun talking to you. I don't want to let you go, but we are going to have our full interview again at the end of the month. So thank you for your time today and a huge congratulations.

[Podcast Host]

Thank you so much. This is amazing. I cannot wait to talk to you again.

[Reese Witherspoon]

We'll be right back with the mother daughter duo behind the Young Adult Pick of the Summer.

[Danielle Robay]

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[Reese Witherspoon]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Reese Witherspoon]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Reese Witherspoon]

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[Angari]

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[Danielle Robay]

Today's episode is brought to you by.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Cotton we spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic.

[Danielle Robay]

Plots and with characters who feel like friends.

[Reese Witherspoon]

What if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book.

[Danielle Robay]

Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It's the fabric that can be tossed.

[Danielle Robay]

In the wash without fuss.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like the books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments. Moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love, loss and the legacy.

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[Reese Witherspoon]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Reese Witherspoon]

Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton, not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn [e-mail] have you ever looked at.

[Lizzie]

A piece of abstract art or music or poetry and thought that's just a bunch of pretentious nonsense? Well, that's exactly what two bored Australian soldiers set out to prove during World War II when they pulled off what was either a bold literary hoax or a grand poetic experiment, publishing over a dozen intentionally bad but highly acclaimed works of expressionist poetry under the name Ern Malley. In an incident that caused a media firestorm and even a criminal trial, the Ern Malley episode made fools of believers and critics alike and still fascinates poetry lovers to this day. We break down the truth, the lies, and the poetry in between on Hoax, a new podcast hosted by me, Lizzy.

[Dana Schwartz]

Logan and me, Dana Schwartz. Every episode, Hoax explores an audacious fraud or ruse from history, from forged artworks to the original fake news. To try and answer why we believe.

[Lizzie]

Listen to hoax on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari Kate welcome to the club.

[Kate]

Thank you so much, Danielle.

[Ashley Jordan]

Thank you for having us.

[Danielle Robay]

I am so excited that you're here. In prepping for this interview, you guys have something in common with an entire castle in France. Okay, you also have something in common with A Las Vegas high roller wheel and a homemade jetpack. And a life size room of chocolate. Any guesses about what it could be?

[Kate]

I love all of those things.

[Ashley Jordan]

Were they all invented by mothers and daughters?

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, you're sort of a genius. It's not quite that, but the fact that you even caught on is incredible. So it's all things that were built in 30 days. And you two wrote this book in 30 days. I didn't realize that.

[Ashley Jordan]

Well, the first draft was 30 days.

[Kate]

I still have that first draft. All of the notebooks, it was all handwritten.

[Danielle Robay]

So that was my next question. How did you write? Did you write separately? Did you write together? Because I kind of imagine you living under the same roof, having a coffee in the morning together, and then going somewhere fabulous to write.

[Kate]

Sort of. I mean, we were. It was summer holidays for us. It was during COVID so we couldn't have any visitors. And we were at our. A family beach house that we have. So there was literally nothing much to do apart from go for a swim and go for a walk. And we had already plotted out the whole thing, so we knew we had a very, very detailed chapter breakdown. And then every day one of us would write a chapter, and then the next day we would read the chapter from the day before and then write the next one. So, you know, it was actually quite. It was a little bit like, have you done yours yet? Because, you know, I'm ready. You know, it was a bit like that.

[Danielle Robay]

And who came up with that plan? How did you decide to set that in motion?

[Kate]

So the definitely the rule that I had was just write it and don't cross anything out. And certainly when you. When you were reading the other person's chapter, you couldn't cross anything out, but you could add things.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah, I think the structure worked well. And also just having someone hold you accountable was really good. We were also working from a chapter plan that we'd come up with over the past sort of two months that we'd been thinking about this idea. We had written this chapter plan, and that helped. So we knew exactly what we were doing. There was no confusion about what story we were trying to tell or where it was going.

[Danielle Robay]

That was actually my next question because it seems easier in my mind to write nonfiction with somebody than it is to write fiction, just because there's so many nuanced moments in characters that play out later in the book that seem like it would all get jumbled when you're writing with two people. Kate, I see you shaking your head. How did you navigate that?

[Kate]

Well, we talked through the story a lot and we had a genius showing us how to do it. You know, we had Jane Austen's original text, so we were able to, you know, whenever we had a problem, we were able to go back to that and go, well, what did she do? How did she do it? And we were never free forming. We were always following a very strong thread.

[Danielle Robay]

And Kate, you've been a playwright and so you're not new to writing in any way. Angari, what things did you learn from your mom's breadth of experience?

[Ashley Jordan]

My mum is probably one of the smartest people I know. I had grown up just like, wandering around the house, hearing the keyboard tapping, hearing her talking dialogue out loud. So to actually be in that process as opposed to just like hearing it in the house was so fun and so nice. I think there were so many things Kate taught me, but mainly she taught me about just getting it down without fear, like really just committing. And the handwriting of the first draft really helped with that. Also the advice of people, never say what they mean. I think that was really clever too, especially in dialogue. Like, I remember there was one scene where I originally wrote it, the character was really annoyed and. And he showed that in his dialogue. And Kate said, let's rewrite it. And this time everything he says is exactly opposite to how he feels. And that just creates an extra layer of nuance and reality to characters.

[Danielle Robay]

I think I really like what you just shared. And I'd never thought about the idea that people don't actually say what they mean. It's so true. So even though you two had this roadmap that you set forth, were there any parts of the plot or the book writing process that you struggled with?

[Ashley Jordan]

Yes, I think that's going to come along in any writing process. Yeah. I guess if it's too easy, it's maybe not good enough or something that you really need to push yourself to come up with the best possible story. And in adapting, we already had Jane Austen's framework of Pride and Prejudice to work from. So that was great because she'd already thought about a lot of plot things before us. But in adapting, there are certain things that don't work for the present day. And that was challenging to sort of find. How can we make these characters and make the audience feel the same, but in a context and situation that is completely different?

[Danielle Robay]

So Jane Austen is prolific and writers seem to really love Jane Austen, but if you ask middle school children, they sort of side eye because they think of Jane Austen as homework. So I'm going to ask you a funny question. If you can take Jane Austen out of the classroom, can you sell her and her work to someone who was born 250 years ago to a Gen Z reader who's never read Jane Austen? Why read her for fun?

[Kate]

Part of the answer to that is the book we wrote. Like, read that and then you'll get into it, I hope. Look, I mean the thing about Jane Austen is that her characters, because her world is deliberately, I mean you could, you could describe it as small, I mean, but it's, it's family and friends. And that is the world that we still live in. We still live in family and friends. And the issues and the characters that come up in her world of family and friends are so well observed. It's really hard to believe that these characters are not present day characters. They all feel like people we know, even though they speak in sort of, you know, long words and long sentences, their motivations and their obsessions. I mean there's, there's a character, that character in Northanger Abbey, you know how your dude might be really into cars and just talk about cars all the time. There's this dude who just talks about his carriages in exactly the same way.

[Danielle Robay]

That's funny.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah. I would pitch it too as like if someone between the ages of 12 and 16 came to me and said, why should I read this and how should I read it? I would sort of say that, treat it like a fantasy book because young readers are so good at understanding new worlds, at picking up on, you know, these whole complex magic systems. And really the difficulty with Jane Austen is the language and the understanding of the social customs. I think that's what the barrier is. But if you treat that like learning a fantasy world, understanding the vocabulary, how people talk to each other, address each other, I think that's your sort of gateway and your access to this really wonderful, rich story.

[Danielle Robay]

Kate, what do you think makes Jane Austen's work so perfect for modern remixes?

[Kate]

I think in a way we are all still living in Jane Austen's kind of world. She was just the first one to really, really examine it. And with a very, very genius eye I think too, because she is a real champion of clever women. And you know, we're in the age of women really coming into their own in a way and telling their stories. So I suspect that's got something to do with why, particularly now, kind of in the last 20 to 30 years that she's had such a big, big revival.

[Danielle Robay]

Well, As a foil to clever women. There's also some men that behave badly in Jane Austen stories. Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, he has his moments. He insults Elizabeth to her face. He's a little emotionally clueless at the beginning. His first proposal is definitely insulting. What kind of behaviors did you have to change for a Gen Z audience in order for a Mr. Darcy type character to resonate?

[Kate]

I mean, everything that we had to change, like so much of it just translated directly really. But the things we had to change were around women as property because they couldn't, you know, women couldn't earn their own money. They were, they were part of a family headed by a man. So that was, that was kind of the main thing. And that did have to be reflected very much with, with our Mr. Darcy journey as well. Because, you know, in Pride and Prejudice he can't. He swoops in and saves the day. And for Elizabeth. And we wanted to maintain that feeling of him being perfect for her without her being completely disempowered. So she now is, in our version, she is much more empowered and she does to a certain extent save her own day.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah, I think too that Mr. Darcy is someone who, he's not particularly charming. He's quite awkward. And it's about sort of hitting that awkwardness. What does awkwardness today mean? Is it the same as it was 200 and something years ago or is it slightly different also? I think maybe for Jane Austen it was really easy for Mr. Darcy or not easy, but there were so many social rules around how to behave that I think it's quite pointed in her novels when people don't follow those social rules and what that says about who they are. So I think in our version two, when we might consider our contemporary, our day to day having less social rules, it's about sort of showing how someone can still sort of operate within society, either breaking those rules or bending them and what that says about their character.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, this isn't the first classic adaptation that you've been a part of. I didn't realize this. Mean Girls is a retelling of Julius Caesar. And so did. You're looking like you didn't know that either.

[Ashley Jordan]

I didn't know that.

[Danielle Robay]

I know.

[Ashley Jordan]

It makes sense though. It does, doesn't it?

[Danielle Robay]

Well, when I learned it, I thought, okay, Gretchen Wieners monologue saying we should all just kill Caesar.

[Ashley Jordan]

Stop Caesar. Yeah, we should all stop Caesar.

[Danielle Robay]

She's like, it makes so much more sense.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah. Bruce is smarter than Caesar. Brutus is where. Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

Oh my God. Please just recite for the rest of the podcast. That was fun.

[Ashley Jordan]

I wish. I wish I had it all.

[Danielle Robay]

Do you still. Do you ever think of Cady Heron's lines? Are they up top to, like, the tip of your tongue ever? No.

[Ashley Jordan]

More after playing her than before. Like, even like before I got that job. Mean girls was always a part of my vocabulary. I think that's true for a lot of people who grew up with that movie. It's just in your vocabulary. And me playing her, I don't know, it's maybe made me actually say her lines and lines from the movie less because I feel a bit like, I don't know, calling attention to the fact. And I don't want to do that.

[Danielle Robay]

I know. You're so humble. My claim to infamy is that Tina Fey wrote the movie about my high school and we had all those lunch tables she was so spot on with. All of was very funny. So Jane Austen really was so prolific. She had drafts of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility all written by the time she was 23 years old. And she's also known for coining a bunch of these phrases that we still use today, like dinner party or dirt cheap. If anybody's ever said dog tired, you can thank Jane Austen. I feel like some of these phrases could have been Gen Z slaying at the time. Are there any Gen Z slang terms that you think will stand the test of time? Angari. Do you use anything like rizz or crash out or skibidi? Anything that's gonna sustain and endure?

[Ashley Jordan]

It's so funny you say that, because I was reading a book. I'm trying to remember which book it was, but it was a book from the mid 20th century. It would have been from like maybe the 40s or 50s that used the term crash out in the exact same way that we are using it today. What? And I read that and I thought, this has just come back around. That's so interesting. So I wish I could cite my source, but I don't remember. I just remember thinking that, yeah, I think. I mean, I don't think everything will stick around, but I think things do come back around. So I don't know if the slang will necessarily, like, be present forever, but it will return. I mean, that's something interesting that we wanted to do with our book too, is we made it sort of a conscious effort to not include any slang because we were worried about it aging. So we wanted to create sort of new things, new insults, new turns of phrase that were not Slang that were not swearing that could sort of exist in our little fictional world.

[Danielle Robay]

Clueless.

[Ashley Jordan]

Did that mean girls did that with fetch as well? And then also, when I think about. When I think about Jane Austen, I'm sure there are words in there that were slang at the time that we don't even recognize. But also, all of those phrases she coined which I didn't even know about, but, you know, that's her also forging ahead. That's her not using the slang at the time. That's her saying, we don't have a word for this or a phrase for this. Let me describe it this way, which I love.

[Danielle Robay]

Do you have any favourites from your book?

[Ashley Jordan]

There's something in there about him having as many arms as an octopus and just as slimy or something.

[Danielle Robay]

That's cute.

[Ashley Jordan]

Did that make it in?

[Kate]

Also, because as well as not using any slang, we also didn't want to swear. We wanted to be able to say there's no swearing. So, yes, we talk about Dorian having a stick up his potato.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah, Stick up his potato. I think that's hilarious. Still, that's the thing. It's like, I don't care if nobody else likes it. That makes me laugh.

[Danielle Robay]

Well, also, one of my really good friends is Australian and she has the funniest terminology. I just ask her to describe things to me because you guys have all these funny terms that we don't have in America. And so I feel like there must be so many in the book that we don't even know that are inspired by some Australian terms.

[Kate]

You've got tickets on yourself.

[Danielle Robay]

What does that mean?

[Kate]

That means you think you're pretty good. You've got tickets. I don't know, like you're for sale or something.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I love that.

[Danielle Robay]

That's a good one, Kate.

[Kate]

And wake up, Australia. It means, you know, stop. Stop dreaming. Snap out of it. Wake up, Australia.

[Ashley Jordan]

There were also. There was one in there. I don't remember what it was, but I think I said, I don't even know what that is. You have to take that out.

[Danielle Robay]

That's funny.

[Ashley Jordan]

My grandfather is quite well known for making up phrases. Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

Wait, really?

[Kate]

Ah, yeah, that's. That's true. I grew up with him saying all sorts of bizarre things.

[Ashley Jordan]

I just find. I find nothing funnier than someone bungling a turn of phrase. So saying like, oh, you know, we'll jump off that bridge when we get to it, which is one we say. Or like, whatever floats your goat or something. I just find that. I find that so funny.

[Danielle Robay]

Whatever floats Your goat is really good.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

So Jane Austen was also known for illuminating little corners of our social and cultural lives. The way you described Angari, what did you want to illuminate in your own retelling?

[Ashley Jordan]

Well, I think initially we were thinking about how do we translate Mr. Darcy, who is young and independent and rich today, and that's famous people, movie stars, influencers, musicians. So I think. So that came as an easy answer to us for two reasons. It really matched Jane Austen's sort of framework of someone who's wealthy and independent, but it also matched our special experience and maybe a unique perspective that we had to tell as me being an actor and Kate having chaperoned me until I was 18. So we both had a sort of a perspective on Hollywood and the industry that we wanted to talk about because I think also in creating a character who had gotten famous at a young age was interesting to us and sort of talking about what fame means for someone and what it does to someone, and also how. How drastically it affects how you interact with the world. And we see that in Dorian and his friends, and we wanted to explore that.

[Kate]

I think for me, I was also really interested in the, in legacy in mothers and daughters families. Why do we, why, why do we culturally hold on to certain things? What, are we ready to let go? Are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our parents? You know, so this, it is a, this is a retelling, but it is also the next generation, which was very important to me. I wanted it to be about what happens next in the Pride and Prejudice story.

[Danielle Robay]

It feels particularly apropos writing this as a mother daughter duo. Kate, did you come to your own conclusion about any of those questions? Yes.

[Kate]

Well, I mean, sort of my hope is that each generation gets a. Gets a bit better like that. If you're conscious about it. Like, the default position is always going to be to fall back into whatever you grew up with. But the conscious decision to improve is something that we can all do and go, okay, it was like this for my mum. My mum was like this. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to do this. And that's in the book. And I hope in our lives.

[Danielle Robay]

It's really powerful. And I like the idea of what you want to keep and what you want to change, because I think we all feel that about our family legacy in some way. So Stuck up and Stupid is marketed as a book for a generation of teens who are definitely not looking for love. I have to tell you, I was astounded reading that. What do you mean they are not looking for love? What is so unique about Gen Z's approach to romance? Please school this millennial. I am confused.

[Ashley Jordan]

Oh, so I think that's a particular reference to Lily, our main character. She's not looking for love, and I think that's. That is reflective of how she feels about her mother and how her mother has, throughout her whole life, sort of depended on men and romance to make her feel happy and validated. But I don't know, maybe. I mean, I don't know if I can speak to everyone born 2001 like me, but maybe there's this sort of idea of, like, maybe there's a healthy sort of independence, like, I don't need this to complete me. I am whole as myself. A relationship is nice, but I can be on my own in this world and be okay with that, which is just.

[Kate]

Which makes me so happy because I spent my entire teenage years and twenties going, where's the one who's going to complete me? And I was literally writing that in my diary going, where's the guy?

[Danielle Robay]

Where is my.

[Kate]

You know.

[Ashley Jordan]

And your other half?

[Kate]

Where is my other half? I'm useless. I'm nothing without a man. Like, I was very much of that mindset. And it makes me so happy that. That my two beautiful Gen Z children don't feel that and feel quite content in themselves and are happy to bring that to a relationship if it happens. And if it doesn't, that's also fine.

[Danielle Robay]

That's really cool that you feel that way. Kate. I think a lot of parents still want their kids. They put a lot of pressure on their kids to find love. Do you think that our perception of love has changed? Do you see it differently within your daughters? I know you just mentioned that they feel whole, but do you see how they go about things? Is it different than you did?

[Kate]

Well, that aspect is certainly different because I was. I was always looking constantly. It's great that they're not all the time. That's good. I don't know. Maybe. I certainly think. I mean, the other thing that's really changed attitudes to love, obviously, is the whole Internet thing that now it seems it's kind of a bit uncool to ask somebody out just out of the blue because you don't know if they're looking because they're not on an app declaring their lookingness. But obviously, I can't really speak about any of that. But that is the big shift from when I was young.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, do you see it with your friends. Do you have certain friends who are a little bit more obsessive about finding love than others? Or do you find it truly that it's a generational difference?

[Ashley Jordan]

Hmm. I guess it changes from person to person. I think I gravitate towards people in my life who make me feel happy and special and excited about being a person in the world. And so I think that means I'm gravitating towards people who feel that way about themselves as well. Like that's something I really admire about so many of my friends is how, how they show me independence and power and like my friends make me want to be a better person. And I think that is, that's linked to, yeah, this sort of strength in independence and betterness for yourself and your community. I think that's the other thing I feel really empowered by my friends to sort of create a strong sense of community and that if I ever need anything, I just can ask.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah, that's really beautiful at your age. I don't know that I felt like that until I was in my 30s with my girlfriends, so I think that's pretty cool. Apple Books is the best way to.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Read or listen to the books you love without a subscription right on your.

[Danielle Robay]

Iphone and a heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Ebook home for Reese's Book Club, so.

[Danielle Robay]

You can discover every exciting pick, plus.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set and track your reading goals and get great recommendations for your next read or listen. Again, no subscription required. Visit Apple Co Reese. That's R E E S E applebooks to find out more.

[Angari]

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[Danielle Robay]

Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton.

[Reese Witherspoon]

We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots.

[Danielle Robay]

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[Lizzie]

A piece of abstract art or music or poetry and thought that's just a bunch of pretentious nonsense? Well, that's exactly what two bored Australian soldiers set out to prove during World War II when they pulled off what was either a bold literary hoax or a grand poetic experiment, publishing over a dozen intentionally bad but highly acclaimed works of expressionist poetry under the name Ern Malley. In an incident that caused a media firestorm and even a criminal trial, the Ern Malley episode made fools of believers and critics alike and still fascinates poetry lovers to this day. We break down the truth, the lies, and the poetry in between on Hoax, a new podcast hosted by me, Lizzie.

[Dana Schwartz]

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[Lizzie]

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[Danielle Robay]

Will the two of you be writing another book together?

[Ashley Jordan]

Yes.

[Danielle Robay]

You know what's funny is Kate nodded a quick yes and I didn't hear anything from Angari.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yes, we yes. The answer is yes. I always get I'm always like thinking about the thing after that. So yes, absolutely. And also maybe yes again, but not sure, but yes.

[Danielle Robay]

Cool so, yes, times two, potentially.

[Kate]

Well, we do. Yes. There is one very much in the works and then there's another one that we're still kind of.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah. But as per our rule, we cannot say anything until it's done.

[Danielle Robay]

You know what? I'm not going to fight you on that. That's totally fair. And I love a full circle moment in an interview, so I'll take it. I do have one question about it, which is, is it a classic retelling? Again, is there a story you would want to adapt or is it an original work?

[Kate]

Well, there is another classic that I do want to adapt, but with Angauri, no, we're doing new things pretty much.

[Ashley Jordan]

Also for young readers or for sort of. Yeah, this similar audience to stuck up and stupid, but different story, different world.

[Danielle Robay]

I love asking our guests what they've bookmarked this week. It could be a weird fact, a fun quote, something you've saved on Instagram, something you texted your best friend about. What have each of you bookmarked?

[Ashley Jordan]

Well, I have this book that I just finished called Saplings by Noel Streatfield, and I have been bookmarking this a lot and I just finished it last night because there are so many fabulous turns of phrase in here. Like, for example, I feel this is an occasion for masterly inactivity. Just kind of loved that. Like, what an elegant way of saying, leave it alone, don't do anything. I also liked this one. Mrs. Oliver and her relations seemed to exist on the spin of a coin. I really liked that everything that happened to them was caused by passing under ladders, meeting black cats, tripping over dropped nails and the arrangement of tea leaves in their tea cups. I love that idea that, like, if your life is dictated by luck, you're living on the. On the spin of a coin. But, yeah, this is a book from 1945. Noel Streatfield wrote Ballet Shoes, which was a classic I read and loved growing up. It's about a family who is dealing with the fallout of World War II and sort of how that changes a family in England. And it was published just towards the end of World War II. So when she was writing this, she didn't know when the war would end. So it's a really interesting perspective on children dealing with the war. So that's my bookmarks thing.

[Danielle Robay]

Oh, Hungari. That could be one of the best ones we've had. That is so good. And I love that turn of phrase too. It is. It feels so precise.

[Ashley Jordan]

Yes, yes. There were a lot of things in this book that I loved and I like collecting sentences like that and writing them down and not copying them or stealing them, hopefully ever, but just sort of. Just that creativity of. Of thinking about something in a new way. I love that.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah. Do you write them in your phone or do you have a notebook?

[Ashley Jordan]

I have a little. Yeah, I have a little notebook that I am writing my writing quotes down in.

[Kate]

I have mine here. This is my folder of quotes.

[Danielle Robay]

Ooh, Kate. Okay, let us know. What have you bookmarked?

[Kate]

When I read a book, don't tell my librarians from high school or primary school, but I do dog ear them and I literally bookmark the pages where I have find things that I love and then I copy them and I put them in here in alphabetical order so that you can find them.

[Danielle Robay]

But the ones in alphabetical order, how do you even organize them?

[Ashley Jordan]

Yeah, alphabetical order of the.

[Kate]

Of the author by author. Yes. So my favorite, most recent ones from My Friends by Frederik Backman, which is out now all about art.

[Danielle Robay]

Great.

[Kate]

Art is a small break from human despair. And art helps me cope because art is a fragile magic, just like love. And that's humanity's only defense against death. That we create and paint and dance and fall in love. That's our rebellion against eternity.

[Ashley Jordan]

Do you know, I also read that book and I wrote that quote down in my book too.

[Danielle Robay]

That's so cute. Like mother, like daughter. Why did that. Why did it strike both of you?

[Kate]

I mean, for me, art is a bit like a religion. Art is what gives my life meaning in many ways. It's how I process everything and makes it more than just, you know, waking up and getting through the day. It connects us to each other and it connects us to something bigger than ourselves. So art is everything for me. And to have it explained so beautifully in such a short, beautiful sentence. Yeah, great.

[Ashley Jordan]

I think also for me, art, like, it functions on so many levels. It can be as simple as if I feel in my head and sad about anything. Art is the best way to sort of get outside of yourself to create is to. It's sort of like gratitude is the best killer of jealousy or despair. It sort of functions in that same way for me. And then it can also be as grand as, like, art is what we leave behind. Like, that's. That's our legacy. When we think about how we connect to how we connect to people. In the early 1800s, we're reading Jane Austen. That's. That is how we are connecting to people through history. And so it feels so big in that sense.

[Danielle Robay]

What was it like to grow up with a mom who has such reverence for art?

[Ashley Jordan]

It was amazing. I mean, I feel so fortunate for so many things. Like if I were to pinpoint something that I think illustrates how I grew up, maybe. Or like, now you're worried, now you're nervous. Don't be worried. Don't be worried. So I grew up with a lot of books in the house. We have an amazing bookshelf. And my parents would read to me and they each had their own stories that they liked reading. So my dad liked reading us more sort of adventure stories and stories from his childhood about animals going on adventures. And that was fun. And then Kate had some favorites as well. But I remember Kate reading us the Happy Prince, which is a short story by Oscar Wilde. And she's laughing now because she knows what I'm about to say. But Kate can't read that book without crying. So I remember listening to this story as a kid and being so moved by it because it's a really sad story. And also my mum being moved by it and crying and sort of just seeing that connection between, like, what stories can make you feel and what they're for. They're there to make you empathize. They're there to make you connect with the world. And yeah, just showing emotion in response to art is natural and beautiful. Wonderful thing. Is that a good story about you?

[Kate]

That's beautiful. That's beautiful. I thought you were going to say something along the lines of, you know, that I wouldn't let you have the My Little Pony stories because I would say that's merchandise.

[Ashley Jordan]

It's not.

[Danielle Robay]

I love that. There is a difference, Kate.

[Reese Witherspoon]

There is.

[Ashley Jordan]

I do remember, and I think this is actually very clever. And now I appreciate it. I remember you saying, I'm not gonna get you merch because then you become free advertising for whatever thing you love. And I think that's very. That's very smart.

[Danielle Robay]

It is. I really, really appreciate and admire your reverence for art, both of you. So thank you for creating it and thanks for sharing some of your art with me today. Okay, well, we're gonna end on something fun, which is called speed.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Ready?

[Danielle Robay]

Here's how it works. We put 120 seconds on the clock, 60 seconds for each of you, and we're gonna see just how many rapid fire literary questions you can get through. So I'm gonna do it popcorn style. Kate, I'll ask you a question, and then, Angari, I'll ask you the question.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Are you ready?

[Ashley Jordan]

Yes. Yes.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Okay.

[Danielle Robay]

Three, two, one. Kate, what's one literary trope you would ban forever?

[Kate]

She let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Nyx.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari. One that you'll defend with your life.

[Ashley Jordan]

Enemies to lovers, always.

[Danielle Robay]

Agreed. Kate, what's a book that you wish you had written?

[Kate]

Fortunes of? Richard Marnie by Henry Handel Richardson.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, what is your favorite book to recommend?

[Ashley Jordan]

Oh, I love recommending. Depends who it's for. But I love recommending Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel because it's about a pandemic, but it's also about art and the resistance of art.

[Danielle Robay]

Ooh, I have to read that. Okay, your favorite page to screen adaptation, Kate.

[Kate]

Oh, 1994. Pride and Prejudice.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, how about you?

[Ashley Jordan]

I would say the same, but I also love Clueless as an adaptation of Emma by Jane Austen.

[Danielle Robay]

Okay, what is your favorite Jane Austen work?

[Kate]

Pride and Prejudice. And also Emma.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, how about you?

[Ashley Jordan]

The same.

[Danielle Robay]

Kate, what book do you wish you could read for the first time again?

[Kate]

Alone in Berlin by Hans Falada.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, which fictional character do you secretly think you're most like?

[Ashley Jordan]

Emma. Emma from Emma by Jane Austen. Unfortunately, if you've read it. Yeah. Yeah, unfortunately.

[Danielle Robay]

Kate, if you could vicariously live through one fictional character, who would that be?

[Kate]

Elizabeth Bennet. Once she becomes Mrs. Darcy, she's got a good life.

[Danielle Robay]

Angari, last question. What book shaped the way you see the world?

[Ashley Jordan]

Oh, my gosh. Every book. Every book I've ever read. Is that an answer?

[Danielle Robay]

No, it's true. Yeah, it is an answer. I love it. Guys, this was really fun.

[Ashley Jordan]

Thank you for this, but thank you so much. Thank you so much, guys, for having us. This was lovely.

[Kate]

Yes, thank you. Thank you.

[Danielle Robay]

If you want a little bit more from us, come hang with us on socials. We're at Reese's Book Club on Instagram, serving up books, vibes, and behind the scenes magic. And I'm Danielle Robay. R O B A Y.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Come say hi and DM me.

[Danielle Robay]

And if you want to go 90s on us, call us. Okay, Our phone line is open, so.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Call now at 1-501-291-3379.

[Danielle Robay]

That's 1, 501-291-3379. Share your literary hot takes, book recommendations, questions about the monthly pick, or let us know what you think about the episode you just heard.

[Reese Witherspoon]

And who knows, you might just hear.

[Danielle Robay]

Yourself in our next episode. So don't be shy, give us a ring. And of course, make sure to follow bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your shows.

[Danielle Robay]

Until then, see you in the next chapter. Bookmarked is a production of Hello Sunshine and iHeart podcasts. It's executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and me, Danielle Robay. Production is by Acast Creative Studios. Our producers are Maddie Foley, Brittany Martinez, Sarah Schleed and Darby Masters. Our production assistant is Avery Loftus. Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter are the executive producers for Acast Creative Studios. Maureen Polo and Reese Witherspoon are the executive producers for hello Sunshine. Olga Kaminwa, Kristin Perla and Ashley Rapoport are associate producers for Reese's Book Club. Ally Perry and Lauren Hanson are the executive producers for iHeart podcasts. Tim Palazzola is our showrunner. Apple Books is the best way to.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Read or listen to the books you love without a subscription right on your.

[Danielle Robay]

Iphone and a heads up for listeners, Apple Books is the official audiobook and.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Ebook home for Reese's Book Club so.

[Danielle Robay]

You can discover every exciting pick, plus.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks.

[Danielle Robay]

You can set and track your reading.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Goals and get great recommendations for your next read or listen again. No subscription required. Visit Apple co Reese. That's R E E S E Apple Books to find out more.

[Danielle Robay]

Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton.

[Reese Witherspoon]

We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots.

[Danielle Robay]

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Magazine article announced something incredible. Two young girls had photographed real fairies. But even more incredible, that article was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who invented Sherlock Holmes. How did he fall for that hoax? Is a new podcast from me, Dana Schwartz, the host of Noble Blood, and me, Lizzy Logan.

[Lizzie]

Every episode we'll explore one of the most audacious and ambitious tricks in history and try to answer the question why we believe what we believe.

[Dana Schwartz]

Listen to Hoax on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bob Crawford]

The Stuff youf Should Know guys have made their own summer playlists of their must listen podcasts on movies.

[Josh]

It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you to the Stuff youf Should Know Summer Movie Playlist. What screams summer more than a nice darkened air conditioned theater and a great movie playing right in front of you?

[Bob Crawford]

Episodes on James Bond, special effects, stuntmen and women, disaster films, even movies that change filmmaking and many more. Listen to the Stuff you Should Know Summer Movie Playlist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.