Uncorking a Story Podcast

Uncorking a Story

Hosted ByMike Carlon

Stories influence, teach and inspire us, but what about the storytellers who create them? Uncorking a Story profiles storytellers to uncover how their background and life experiences influence the stories they create. We learn what motivates them, their path to success, and what fuels them to keep creating. It all starts by asking one simple question, where does your story begin? Welcome to uncorking a story. All of the books promoted on Uncorking a Story can be viewed and purchased here: https://bookshop.org/shop/UncorkingaStory

Website Subscribe

From Law to Literature: Melanie Anagnos on Finding Her Voice

September 23, 2025 MPN Uncorking a Story 0 Comments
Share the goodness!
FacebookXRedditEmailLinkedIn

“Don’t look around—just run your own race. That’s what I’d tell my younger self about writing.”-Melanie Anagnos

Melanie Anagnos has worn many hats—waitress, attorney, stay-at-home mom—but her true calling emerged when she pursued her MFA at Sarah Lawrence College. Now, she’s making waves in the crime fiction world with her novel Night Swimming, a police procedural set in her hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. In this conversation, Melanie shares what draws her to 1970s crime fiction, the social upheaval that inspires her stories, and how she finally found her voice as a writer.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Roots in Patterson, NJ: Melanie’s novels draw inspiration from her hometown, which also serves as the backdrop for Night Swimming.
  2. Journey to Writing: After a career in law, Melanie embraced creative writing later in life, proving it’s never too late to start.
  3. The 1970s as Creative Muse: Social upheaval, shifting gender roles, and cultural tensions of the decade fuel her storytelling.
  4. The Allure of Police Procedurals: She loves the pacing, character focus, and slower-burn suspense of classic crime fiction.
  5. Finding Her Voice: Melanie stresses the importance of writing authentically, not trying to “sound like a writer.”
  6. On MFA Programs: While her Sarah Lawrence MFA was valuable, she believes what you put in matters more than the credential itself.
  7. Recognition and Validation: A New York Times review affirmed her efforts to go deeper with her storytelling 

Buy Nightswimming

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JLav9P

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781962931151

 

Connect with Melanie

Website: https://melanieanagnos.com/

Substack: ​​melanieanagnos.substack.com

Connect with Mike

Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory

Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#UncorkingAStory #MelanieAnagnos #NightSwimming #CrimeFiction #WritersJourney #PoliceProcedural #AuthorInterview #1970sCrime

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices