The Art Box - Episode 496 — Kimberly Nixon: The Stories Our Families Leave Behind

What happens when a family legend turns out to be true? Author Kimberly Nixon grew up hearing that her grandmother had “robbed a train.” Years later, she discovered her grandmother’s 1925 felony conviction papers, stayed up all night reading them, and immediately began writing the novel Rock Bottom, Tennessee.

Kimberly joins us for a wonderful conversation about turning family history into historical fiction, the “ache and the triumph” of writing resilient women, and why preserving names and dates isn’t enough, we need to preserve the stories that tell us who we are.

We also talk about her newest novel, Cutie Pies by the Slice, set during Prohibition and the Great Depression, the idea of chosen family, her unforgettable mother “Look It Up Mary,” and the remarkable real people who continue to find their way into Kimberly’s fiction.

And yes—we even find time for pineapple pie.

Visit Kimberly's web site: https://kimberlynixon.com/