When writing her novel, Songs in Ursa Major, Emma Brodie was inspired when she learned about the relationship between Joni Mitchell and James Taylor.
Her characters—Jane and Jesse—are loosely based on singer/songwriters, as is the time, place, and overall vibe. But Brodie presents Songs in Ursa Major with an original voice as it explores addiction, mental illness, misogyny, and the music industry.
I recently spoke with Emma Brodie about her novel, her day job, and Freddie Mercury (her dog.)
Here’s our conversation.
Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie was published by Knopf.
Marginalia was produced at KMUW Wichita. If you like this podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.
Engineers: Mark Statzer and Torin Andersen
Editor: Lu Anne Stephens
Producer: Haley Crowson
Follow Beth Golay on Twitter @BethGolay.
