LISA TADDEO: When I was in my 20s in New York and texting and all of that, my friends and I would often go, “Just take my phone, just take my phone!” And we never, of course, would give each other our phones, but the notion of giving someone else your phone, someone who was completely removed from feeling but had your best interests at heart like a friend, or in the case, even better than a friend, a service that you can pay for to essentially outsource your hysteria. And those in charge of this system are beautiful and sought after - a “cool girl” archetype. KATIE TAMOLA: The short story “Ghost Lover” focuses on a forwarding system for text messages that alleviates the stress of communicating with someone you’re interested in. Shondaland caught up with Taddeo to discuss the joy of nonfiction and fiction writing, what inspires her, the power of both young and old people coming together, and more.

In Ghost Lover, readers can expect to encounter themes like the complexities of body image, female desire, obsession, rage, and more.

Characters feel the highs and lows that are all but a guarantee in life. Each story focuses on a variety of women, from glamorous high-profile fundraisers to women in cold, sterile hospitals, to the effortlessly cool girls who work for a service, Ghost Lover, that will create the perfect text message for your crush. Now the talented writer is back with her new short-story collection, Ghost Lover. Animal was also met with critical acclaim, with film rights acquired by MGM. But when one behaves so horribly, she escapes to Los Angeles, where she searches for her friend Alice and must confront the trauma of her past to find a way forward. Taddeo’s debut novel, Animal, follows Joan, a woman who has dealt with cruel men for as long as she can remember. Lisa Taddeo Explores Women’s Anger in ‘Animal’.

Animal taddeo