Francesca Lia Block shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Francesca Lia, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Going to Uncle Ollie’s Penthouse or Grand Star Jazz Club Underground to dance with my friends!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve been writing from the time I could hold a pen and sold my first book in 1989; since then I’ve published over thirty books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and written numerous screenplays and articles. My latest book, House of Hearts, is about a woman looking for her missing beloved in the Salton Sea area of the desert. She gets involved with a self help cult and discovers the dark truth about her past. I’m currently working on a new novel, editing two journals on Substack, developing a film project based on my first book, the punk rock fairy tale Weetzie Bat with director Rebecca Thomas, and teaching creative writing privately online and at The Village Well bookstore, through Antioch’s MFA program, UCLA Extension and Pocket MFA. My teaching focus is on craft and also on the healing aspects of the creative process.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Both my parents saw the writer in me and encouraged me in this way. Now I try to do this for my students.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
This is a long answer so I recommend reading my memoir/craft book The Thorn Necklace: Healing Through Writing and the Creative Process if you want to know the answer! But the short answer is I’ve struggled with anxiety and writing has helped heal me (along with therapy, acupuncture, friends, dogs and physical activity!)
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Love.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
My first book was published as a young adult novel though I never intended to write for that audience. Afterwards, my publisher were kind enough to offer me many contracts in that genre even when some of the books didn’t quite fit. I am so grateful to my publishers and younger readers but I hope that people can recognize my literature for adults–both the many books published specifically for adult audiences and some of the books published for younger readers that appeal to an adult audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://francescaliablock.com/#
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francescaliablock/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-block-09103913/frances
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/francescaliablock/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
