Ep.29: CLAIRE FULLER

Hunger & Thirst: An Exploration of Art, Memory, and the Paranormal

Host Elena Lappin in conversation with novelist CLAIRE FULLER about her latest novel Hunger & Thirst, weaving themes of art, memory, and the supernatural, in a 1980s setting. Claire Fuller shares insights into her creative process, her fascination with horror, and how her background as a sculptor influences her writing.

Key topics:

Claire Fuller’s transition from artist to novelist at age 40The significance of physical books and the joy of making something tangibleHow her novel explores the link between art and perception, especially through sculptureThe symbolism of the lithopedian—a calcified fetus—and its relevance to themes of trauma and the bodyThe importance of self-contained readings and moments that can stand alone from the main narrativeThe influence of horror films like Rosemary’s Baby, The Shining, and The Stepford Wives on her storytellingHow visual detail shapes her prose and enhances storytellingThe role of domestic spaces and traces of the past in shaping identity and memoryHer approach to writing horror and the necessity of foreshadowing and buildupThemes of interconnectedness, ghosts, and historical echoes in her characters’ livesHer inspiration from place, notably Winchester and her childhood home—a bungalowThe emotional significance of personal memorabilia and the act of holding onto objectsHer advocacy for other writers through social media and her Substack newsletterThe enduring joy of creating physical books and the unique experience of writing in physical formTimestamps:00:00 - The magic of making and sharing books across the world

00:34 - Claire Fuller introduces Hunger and Thirst and reads a fragment of her novel

01:34 - The significance of a standalone scene and its thematic relevance

06:23 - Why Hunger and Thirst encapsulates the novel’s themes and character development

08:08 - The symbolism of medical conditions like the lithopedian in her narrative

09:11 - The narrative layer of contemplating mortality and the question of being "ever gone"

10:15 - Visual storytelling and the influence of her artistic background

11:48 - Observing the world through a detailed, almost forensic lens

12:49 - The "Hamlet" space of ambiguity in her storytelling and horror influences