FRANCESCA LIA BLOCK discusses her writing book THE THORN NECKLACE with ELGIN JAMES

The Thorn Necklace: Healing Through Writing and the Creative Process (Seal Press)

For devotees of Bird by Bird and The Artist's Way, a memoir-driven guide to healing through the craft of writing.

Francesca Lia Block is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including the award-winning Weetzie Bat series. Her writing has been called "transcendent" by The New York Times, and her books have been included in "best of" lists compiled by Time magazine and NPR.

In this long-anticipated guide to the craft of writing, Block offers an intimate glimpse of an artist at work and a detailed guide to help readers channel their own experiences and creative energy. Sharing visceral insights and powerful exercises, she gently guides us down the write-to-heal path, revealing at each turn the intrinsic value of channeling our experiences onto the page.

Named for the painting by Frida Kahlo, who famously transformed her own personal suffering into art, The Thorn Necklaceoffers lessons on life, love, and the creative process.

“In this lyrical and haunting meditation on the craft of writing, Block… cracks open her psyche and lays it bare in the hopes of inspiring other storytellers-to-be. Wise and inspiring, this is a must-read for artists of all stripes.”—Booklist **starred** review

Francesca Lia Block is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five works of fiction and nonfiction, including the award-winning Weetzie Bat series and her latest, The Thorn Necklace: Healing Through Writing and the Creative Process. She lives in Los Angeles, a city the New York Times says she describes “better than any writer since Raymond Chandler.” She teaches writing at UCLA, Antioch University and numerous workshops across the country.

Elgin James is a writer and director best known for the film Little Birds, which Entertainment Weekly called “a touching and distinctive achievement.” He also co-wrote the film Lowriders (2017) for Universal Pictures, and is co-creator of the new FX series Mayans MC (2018).