Lara Tupper is the author of three books: Amphibians, a short story collection (Leapfrog Global Fiction Award winner; Leapfrog Press, 2021), Off Island, a fictional re-imagining of Paul Gauguin's travels (finalist, Housatonic Book Award; Encircle, 2020) and A Thousand and One Nights (Harcourt and Untreed Reads, 2015), an autobiographical novel about singers at sea. She co-wrote the screenplay adaptation for A Thousand and One Nights with filmmaker Greg Eismin. Her forthcoming book, At the Center, is a speculative novel in which Paper Bans make printed matter taboo. (It will be published by Regal House in 2027.) Her work has appeared in The Believer, Epiphany, Zone 3, Ghost Story, etc. and been anthologized in many collections. A graduate of the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, she taught at Rutgers University for nine years and now presents workshops and manuscript development via Swift Ink Stories, her writing platform. She is also a jazz/folk singer who has traveled the world; her latest album is This Dance. 

Lara Tupper's upcoming novel, AT THE CENTER, is a fresh take on the topics of banned books and literary taboos. While it won't be available for readers until 2027, she has a wealth of work and wisdom to tide us over until then. In this delightful interview, Tupper's sensitive spirit and nurturing insights shine through. As a writer and writing coach with a teaching background, she has worked with writers at all stages of the process and experience levels, and it has all worked to solidify her love of story and the value it brings to the world. 

To learn more, visit:

https://www.blakereichenbach.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/blake-reichenbach/