This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Matt Haig, bestselling author of The Midnight Library, The Midnight Train, and Reasons to Stay Alive. Matt opens up about the mental health crisis that changed the course of his life, how writing became part of his recovery, and why The Midnight Library was the most freeing book he's ever written. We also discuss the upcoming film adaptation starring Florence Pugh, the inspiration behind Nora Seed, social media, AI, creativity, and what he hopes readers take away from The Midnight Train.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Why Matt Reads His Own 1-Star Reviews
04:06 Why Children Are Better Readers Than Adults
06:24 Trouble at School, Neurodiversity & Finding Writing
08:28 The Breakdown That Changed Everything
11:56 How Books Helped Him Survive Depression
14:05 Recovery, Rejection & Becoming an Author
17:40 The Purpose Behind Reasons to Stay Alive
20:17 Mental Health Advocacy & Writing Fiction
27:26 Conquering His Fear of Public Speaking
33:07 The Origin of The Midnight Library
35:12 Writing Nora's Many Alternate Lives
37:50 How Nora Seed Got Her Name
38:52 The Midnight Library Movie Adaptation
40:27 Florence Pugh as Nora & Behind the Scenes
44:30 Inside The Midnight Train
46:14 What Matt Wants Readers to Take Away
49:20 The Dream of Opening a Bookstore
51:24 What's Next
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Matt Haig
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Find his books at Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/pages/contributor/matt-haig?id=811768428
Find his books at Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/authors/matt-haig
Off The Shelf
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Hosted by: Morgann Book
Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston
Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston
Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi
Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes
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