Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and debut novelist, Iris Yamashita, spoke to me about working with Clint Eastwood, her journey from Hollywood to publishing, and falling down the rabbit hole with her first mystery “City Under One Roof.” Iris Yamashita has been working in Hollywood for over 15 years and was nominated for a “Best Original Screenplay” Oscar for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima (directed by Clint Eastwood). Her debut novel is City Under One Roof, described as “Alice in Wonderland meets Fargo,” and, “The ultimate locked room mystery, [the novel] drops readers into an isolated, snowy town and is perfect for fans of Twin Peaks, Mare of Easttown, and Broadchurch.” A Publishers Weekly starred review noted, “Unusual topography plays a major role in screenwriter Yamashita’s atmospherically charged debut….This distinctively original perspective on a ‘community of stragglers, oddballs, and recluses’ heralds the arrival of a major new talent.” #1 New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box called the book, “A compulsive page-turner that’s both atmospheric and claustrophobic at the same time.” Iris continues to work in Hollywood, developing for both film and streaming media. She has taught screenwriting at UCLA and the American Film Institute. Stay tuned until the end of the show for a preview of the Audiobook, excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita, read by Aspen Vincent, Shannon Tyo, and Anna Caputo. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Iris Yamashita and I discussed:
How she kept her dream of becoming a novelist alive
The reverse path from TV pilot to novel
What her transition from the movie world to the book world was like
Why nothing is precious
Vomit drafting
Finding flow state versus slow state
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita (Amazon)
www.irisyamashita.com
Iris Yamashita on Facebook
Iris Yamashita on Instagram
Kelton Reid on Twitter
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Released:
Jan 20, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Kelton Reid studies the habits, habitats, and brains of a wide spectrum of renowned writers to learn their secrets of productivity and creativity. Tune in each week to learn how great writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid block. Explore our archives at writerfiles.fm to find interviews with notable guests that include bestselling authors John Scalzi (Old Mans War), Greg Iles (Natchez Burning), Jay McInerney (Bright Lights, Big City), Kevin Kelly (founder of WIRED magazine), Emma Donoghue (Oscar Nominee for Room), Maria Konnikova (The Confidence Game), Andy Weir (The Martian), Dan Buettner (The Blue Zones), Austin Kleon (Steal Like an Artist), Daniel Pink (When), and serial guest hosts: neuroscientist Michael Grybko, journalist Adam Skolnick, and short story writer Robert Bruce.
