152: Joani Elliott- Author of The Audacity of Sara Grayson

This week's guest is Joani Elliott (The Audacity of Sara Grayson, Post Hill Press, May 2021). Knowing she’d never achieve her dream of being a writer unless she made a serious commitment, Joani quit her academic teaching career to work full-time on her first novel. You won’t want to miss the backstory of how the book’s high-concept idea came to her (and where). And even though it took three years to finish after that light-bulb moment, it only took days for a top agent she met at a pitch conference to offer to represent her. The result was a traditional contract, glowing reader reviews, and a spot in the finals of this year’s WFWA’s Star Award for Debut Fiction.   Joani is the wnner of two Whitney Awards. She has taught writing at the University of Maryland and Brigham Young University and has published excerpts of her work in LitHub and Fresh Fiction. Joani is passionate about the magic of shared stories and the power of living a creative life. She and her husband are the parents of two daughters and live near Salt Lake City, Utah.  To learn more about Joani, click here.