Podcast Summary: True Fiction Project

Episode: S7 Ep 8 – Freefall: A Divine Comedy

Host: Reenita Hora
Guest: Lily Iona Mackenzie
Date: February 24, 2026

Overview

In this rich and reflective episode of the True Fiction Project, host Reenita Hora sits down with acclaimed author, poet, and writing instructor Lily Iona Mackenzie. Together, they delve into the interwoven territory of memoir and fiction, the power of storytelling across the span of life, the nuances of writing about age, and how recollection and imagination entwine. The episode culminates with Lily reading from her novel, Freefall: A Divine Comedy, showcasing how fiction is often rooted in life’s truths.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Memoir-Fiction Intersection

• Creativity in Memoir Dialogue
  • Lily discusses the flexible nature of writing memoir, particularly with dialogue:

    "Well, you lie a lot. We lie a lot. We make things up. But you lie in the service of the truth."
    (01:00, 07:57)

  • She draws a direct parallel between writing memoir and fiction — both rely on imagination and the crafting of narrative to access emotional truth.
  • Teaching memoir, according to Lily, is much like teaching fiction, as the foundational elements are the same: scene, imagery, point of view, and dialogue.

Age as a Narrative Force

• Writing for and about Older Adults
  • Lily shares insights about her teaching at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute for older adults. She notes that memoir is particularly popular in this demographic, serving as a tool to leave a legacy and seek community.

    "They're interested in their past, and leaving some kind of remnant of their past to family, children, or they want to publish their pieces."
    (06:41)

  • Reenita and Lily discuss how age influences both what stories are told and who listens or reads, but also highlight that a character’s depth and intrigue can transcend age barriers.

  • "...if you just want a really good read... then I think whatever age you are, you're going to read that."
    (04:32)

Imagination, Memory, and Truth

• Constructing the Past

  • Both agree our memories are malleable; even someone who was "in the room" might remember differently.

    "Even the person who was in the room doesn't know... our memories are. They shift."
    (11:31–11:39)

  • Recreating the past, whether one's own or another’s, is inherently imaginative — facts become shaded by memory and perspective.

• Structure in Memoir

  • Lily challenges the strict adherence to traditional narrative structures in memoir:

    "It's unfortunate we get stuck into those limited ideas... there's so many ways to create a narrative structure."
    (09:30)

  • Fragmentation and non-linearity can make memoirs dynamic and resonant, juxtaposing different times in life for richer thematic interplay.

Memoir and Historical Fiction

• The boundaries between memoir and historical fiction blur; both reconstruct the past and are shaped by the writer’s perspective.

  "Historical fiction is recreating... a period in time from the past. And when you're writing memoir, you're doing the same thing. So it merges, don't you think?"
  (10:46)

Notable Quotes

• On the craft of memoir:

  "You lie in the service of the truth."
  (07:57, attributed to Lily Iona Mackenzie)

• On narrative limits:

  "It's unfortunate we get stuck into those limited ideas, how a narrative unfolds, but there's lots of different things that you can do."
  (09:30, Lily Iona Mackenzie)

• On memory’s unreliability:

  "Even the person who was in the room doesn't know. Because our memories shift."
  (11:31, Lily Iona Mackenzie)

• On aging and perspective:

  “In some instances, if you just want a really good read... whatever age you are, you're going to read that."
  (04:32, Lily Iona Mackenzie)

• On writing later in life:

  "What they’re interested in... is their past, and leaving some kind of remnants... memoir is an extremely important and popular genre for them."
  (06:41, Lily Iona Mackenzie)

Fiction Reading: Freefall: A Divine Comedy

(Begins at 16:42)

Premise and Inspiration

• Lily introduces her novel, inspired by her own experiences and friendships.

• The story follows four women (“the Big Four”) from Canada who, after years apart, reunite as they approach their 60th birthdays — first in Whistler, then on a trip to Venice in the year 2000.

  “So during that time, secrets surface. Their stories bind them closer together.” (13:20)

Memorable Excerpts

• Lily reads the opening where Tilly, a late-50s installation artist in San Francisco, wrestles with anxieties about aging, financial insecurity, and the pull of old friendships.

  "Tilly woke to another overcast morning in San Francisco, rattled by the dragon dream image of her old friend Daddy wasting away in a jail cell..."
  (16:42+)

  • "How the later stage in life got labeled golden remained beyond her. Pewter made more sense, all that dull drabness. So far her current phase had been anything but golden."
    (around 18:30)

• Humor and candor suffuse the writing, especially when Tilly reflects on body image, dating, and family.

  “Even now, they [men] were the only game in town. That is when she could find an available one who could still get it up. A late bloomer in all ways, Tilly also might be late for her own death, if she were lucky.”
  (~20:30)

Important Timestamps

• [01:00, 07:57] – Lily on creativity and honesty in memoir dialogue
• [06:41] – Popularity of memoir with older adults and reasons for writing it
• [09:30] – Approaches to memoir structure; breaking free from the classic narrative arc
• [10:46] – The overlap between memoir and historical fiction
• [11:31–11:39] – Memory’s selectivity and subjectivity
• [13:20] – Synopsis and inspiration behind Freefall: A Divine Comedy
• [16:42] – Fictional reading: Introduction to Tilly and the tone of the novel

Memorable Moments

• Meta-Commentary:
  As Reenita points out, the episode itself embodies its own thesis — that fiction is born of memory and lived experience, distorted, refashioned, and used for deeper truths.
• Self-Aware Humor:
  Lily’s candid comments on aging and the supposed “golden years” bring levity, particularly her quip about “pewter” as a more fitting label.
• Literary Connections:
  The discussion of merging genres — memoir, fiction, history — reflects ongoing debates in literary circles about classification and truth.

Where to Find Lily Iona Mackenzie’s Work

• Publisher: Pennel Press
• Available: On Amazon and through the publisher directly (links to be included in show notes per host, 15:14)

Conclusion

This episode gracefully weaves together reflections on life, memory, storytelling, and aging. By juxtaposing lived experience with creative transformation, it offers listeners a generous glimpse into the porous border between truth and fiction, and the lasting power of personal narrative to inspire art.