In this episode, I catch up with my longtime friend and collaborator, novelist (and occasional movie star) Lauren J. Joseph. From our early days making DIY operas and performance art to Lauren’s recent book deal with Bloomsbury, we trace the curious ways that art and life blur over time.

We talk about what it means to be taken seriously, how writing can reshape reality, and the strange magic of turning experience into art (even when the details get… embellished). It’s a conversation about voice, visibility, and the evolving forms creative expression can take.

Along the way, Lauren shares a line from Henry Nouwen: “The point is to be fruitful, not productive”, which quietly becomes the heart of the episode.

Playful, thoughtful, and full of layered history, this one’s a joy.