Preview: Dani Shapiro reveals the very different challenges of writing fiction versus memoir

<p>Over 20-plus years, Dani Shapiro made a name for herself as a best-selling author of deeply revealing and unforgettable memoirs -- including "Slow Motion," "Hourglass," "Devotion," and "Inheritance."</p> <p>But in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Shapiro discovered a forgotten manuscript for an unfinished novel in her office closet -- and her return to fiction, which had been her career focus early on, became essential. The result was "Signal Fires," a wonderfully intimate novel that spans more than two decades and takes us inside the hearts -- and into the well-kept secrets -- of three intertwined families.</p> <p>In this excerpt from our forthcoming full interview with Shapiro -- her second visit to The Story Talks Back -- she talks about the very different demands and opportunities in writing fiction versus memoir, and reveals how the two inform each other in her work.</p> <p>#stories #storytelling #storytellers #danishapiro #signalfires #inheritance #memoir #memoirist #novel #novelist #fiction #familysecrets #bestseller #nationalbookaward #jewishculture #timetravel #astronomy</p>