This week's guest is Elizabeth Gonzales James, screenwriter and bestselling author of the novels, “The Bullet Swallower” and “Mona at Sea,” as well as the chapbook, “Five Conversations About Peter Sellers.”
“The Bullet Swallower” is based on mostly true events from her own family lore, a magical realism Western that was named a best book of 2024 by NPR and Esquire.
“Mona at Sea,” is a darkly funny coming of age story set against the backdrop of the Great Recession that was inspired by her own experience of long-term unemployment.
And “Five Conversations About Peter Sellers” is the result of Elizabeth attempting to sit down and write a reported piece on how the actor Peter Sellers derailed the production of a 1960s movie, “Casino Royale.” That’s when the book spins into its own chaos as five different narrators share their point of view about what the original essay is really about.
We covered:
- How she went from MBA graduate prepping for a career in finance to an unemployed stay at home mom living in her in-law’s basement
- The one, unfleshed-out idea for a short story that set her on the writing path (with a nudge from the creator of The Perfect Push-up, a made for TV fitness product)
- How writing books is like dating
- A detailed accounting of the financials for each of her book–and how she knew “The Bullet Swallower” would be her “put-my-kids-through-college” book
- Making the jump from writing books to writing screenplays
- Why, sometimes, all the tips in the world can’t help you write more–and how to give yourself grace during those times
- Knowing when to push and be disciplined, and when to back off
- Her current productivity hack that involves handicrafts
Connect with Elizabeth on Instagram @unefemmejames.
For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.
Thank you for listening!

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