You’ll Never Guess What Ann Napolitano Was Doing When Oprah Called
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Oprah Daily spoke with the Ann Napolitano about Hello Beautiful. Topics ranged from what she was doing when Oprah called to the inspiration for her moving novel—the 100th Oprah’s Book Club pick.
What were you doing when Oprah called?
I was taking out the garbage! I was holding a garbage bag in one hand, standing next to the mailboxes in the lobby of my apartment building, when I answered the phone. The call screen said Chicago, so I thought it might be my uncle, who lives there. When the voice said, “Hi, Ann; this is Oprah Winfrey,” my first thought was that it was one of those smart telemarketing recordings, like when Bill Clinton uses your name and asks you to vote for a particular candidate. But the voice also sounded real, so I replied dumbly, “Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Winfrey?”
Once it was clear that it really was Oprah, and she was telling me that she loved my book, it became an out-of-body experience. I still can’t believe she called me. I never took a step or even put down the garbage bag, because I was afraid that if I moved, the cell reception might drop out and Oprah and this amazing conversation would disappear.
What book most inspired Hello Beautiful?
I wasn’t aware of a book inspiring Hello Beautiful until I was well into the first draft, and the Padavano sisters started to compare themselves to the sisters from Little Women. Once this happened, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen the connections earlier. I had created a family of four strong sisters who were incredibly close, and a lonely young man who enters their family. The similarities to the March sisters and Laurie were there; I just hadn’t seen them. I’m often surprised when I write; my work is usually wiser than I am. Little Women was one of my favorite books growing up, and it clearly never left me.
What was the hardest thing about writing this book? And what was the most fun?
The most challenging aspect of writing this book was how deeply I cared, almost immediately, about the story and these characters. Instead of walking in slowly, getting a feel for the story and making choices, it felt like I was dropped into the ocean and I had to flail my arms wildly to stay afloat. It felt so important—almost life or death—that I get the characters’ stories right. The idea that I might not go deep enough, or that I might miss a truth, worried at me all the time. The fictional world of the Padavano sisters and Pilsen and William lived inside me, and I was feverish with it until I felt like I’d done the characters justice.
The most fun part, for me, was being with the four sisters. I started this book at the beginning of the pandemic, and my father had just died. In a way, I entered this book lonely like William. I was craving connection and vitality, and the four girls embodied those qualities when they were in the same room. I loved them immediately, and that love nourished not only William but me, too.
Hello Beautiful
barnesandnoble.com
What advice do you have for writers out there? I’m talking about average people who are out there writing, finding success not in their youth.
Two things:
1. Write as often as you can. Even if you can only manage five minutes of writing a day, do that. The more stories you write, and the more characters you create, the stronger your feel for your strengths and weaknesses will be. There’s a wonderful Isak Dinesen quote: “Write a little every day, without hope and without despair.”
2. Find a reader (or readers) who will be kind and tell you the truth about your work. No matter how talented or experienced you are, you need another pair of eyes to tell you what you’re doing badly, and what you’re doing well. You’re in the river with the work, and you need someone on the bank of the river to call out: “Head left; there’s waterfall up ahead,” “Slow down here,” etc. Two writers I went to graduate school with, Helen Ellis and Hannah Tinti (check out their amazing books!), are my first and best readers. But perhaps your partner or sister or lawyer friend might be the perfect reader for you.
Ann Napolitano is the author of Dear Edward, which was published in 2020 and adapted for an Apple TV+ series. Her previous novel A Good Hard Look is a national bestseller, and Within Arm's Reach was adapted for theater.
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