Today, we hear from Crystal King whose latest novel, IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS, releases in September. We’re talking to Crystal about writing about real people, particularly really problematic people, as well as familiar stories and places. Watch a recording here. This audio/video version is available for one week. Missed it? Check out the podcast version above or on your favorite podcast platform. To find King’s debut and many other books by our authors, visit our Bookshop page.  Looking for a writing community? Join our Facebook page.  Crystal King is a novelist, culinary enthusiast, and marketing expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy. She has taught writing, creativity and social media at UMass Boston, Boston University, Mass College of Art, Harvard Extension School, and Grub Street. She’s a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the (now defunct) online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review.  She received her M.A. in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res. She lives in Boston but grew up in the Pacific Northwest (Spokane, Seattle, Boise). She also works in the world of social media, AI, marketing, and community management.  Photo by Enrica Tancioni on Unsplash This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com