From the Playground to the Page: Corey Ann Haydu on Writing Motherhood and Memory in Her Adult Debut

From the Playground to the Page: Corey Ann Haydu on Writing Motherhood and Memory in Her Adult Debut

March 17, 2026 · 55 min · Episode 106

About this episode

Corey Ann Haydu discusses her transition from children's literature to adult fiction, exploring themes of motherhood and friendship in her debut novel.

What happens when a celebrated children's author decides to explore the messy, vulnerable truth of adult friendships and motherhood? Corey Ann Haydu takes us behind the scenes of her vulnerable leap into adult fiction with Mothers and Other Strangers, a dual-timeline story exploring friendship, motherhood, and the weight of secrets across generations. In this episode, Corey reveals the seven-year journey behind her stunning adult debut. She opens up about the fear of leaving her comfort zone,...

People in this episode

Host: Kelley Vick

Guest: Corey Ann Haydu

Topics covered

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mothers and Other Strangers

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