Ep. 465: Help! We Need Book Therapy!

In this episode of Happier in Hollywood, hosts Liz Kraft and Sarah Fane dive into the creative challenges of writing their thriller novel, Bad Trip, seeking guidance from bestselling author and mentor Greer Hendricks. The central struggle revolves around choosing between narrative tense (past vs. present) and point of view (limited third-person vs. omniscient), particularly as they aim to maintain suspense around a character's hidden abuse while ensuring equal weight among four female protagonists. Greer, who describes herself as a 'book therapist,' emphasizes intuitive writing, recommending that the hosts experiment by rewriting key scenes in different tenses and POVs to discover what feels most authentic. She shares her own process of testing multiple perspectives and reading aloud to hear the rhythm of the story, reinforcing that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution—each book demands its own approach. The episode also features a book recommendation for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, a darkly comedic novel about a social media influencer trapped in 1855, and a Hollywood Hack for saving on gas prices using the GasBuddy app. A heartfelt moment comes when Liz shares a celebrity sighting of John Mellencamp, made possible by her daughter’s podcast and social media presence, highlighting how modern media shapes recognition. The episode closes with a powerful short film recommendation, The Singers on Netflix, praised for its emotional depth and unexpected storytelling in just 18 minutes.