@underthecover Station Eleven author Emily St. John Mandel is next Under the Cover 馃А
Emily has written seven novels, including The Glass Hotel and Sea of Tranquility. She鈥檚 known for her dystopian and otherworldly stories which cleverly weave together across the Mandelverse.
Her latest, Exit Party, begins in post-civil war Los Angeles in 2031, with the world in chaos. When a house party goes very wrong, the unfolding mystery takes us to Europe and across time and space, exploring freedom, surveillance, survival, and building a new life after loss.
We loved speaking to Emily at London鈥檚 Gay鈥檚 the Word bookshop! Head to our Substack for our full conversation, as well as Emily鈥檚 four favourite ghost stories - perfect for Halloween 馃懟
Author answers rapid fire book questionsfrom @underthecover
[01]
Overview
Author Emily St. John Mandel is interviewed in a bookstore, where she answers a series of rapid-fire questions about her favorite books. She provides recommendations for various categories, such as a book she didn't want to end, one that makes her laugh, and one that changed her life, with each answer accompanied by a visual of the book's cover. The video concludes by directing viewers to a Substack for the full conversation.
A medium shot of an author in a visually appealing bookstore setting, creating immediate context and interest for a book-loving audience.
[07]
Hook and payoff
The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back
Hook
An immediate, on-screen text prompt poses the first category question directly to the viewer and the expert, creating instant engagement and establishing the video's format.
Payoff
A direct call-to-action that leverages the authority and rapport built throughout the video to guide the audience to a different platform for more in-depth content.
[08]
Narrative framework
The structural pattern this video runs on
Framework
The Expert Category Gauntlet
A rapid-fire Q&A format where an expert provides curated recommendations based on a series of distinct, thematic prompts, creating a high-value, easily digestible list for the audience.
1
The Immersive Pick
The expert recommends an item that provides a deeply engaging, world-building experience that the audience wouldn't want to end.
2
The Positive Emotional Anchor
The expert recommends an item associated with a strong positive emotion, such as joy or laughter, creating a relatable high point.
3
The Cathartic Anchor
The expert recommends an item associated with a poignant or sad emotion, providing emotional range and demonstrating the power of the medium.
4
The Foundational Favorite
The expert shares a personal 'go-to' or comfort item they repeatedly return to, revealing a deeper, more personal connection.
5
The Canonical Choice
The expert makes a judgment call on the 'best' item within a classic or established category, leveraging their authority.
6
The Sentimental Artifact
The expert chooses an item based on personal history and sentimental value, adding a layer of human connection beyond pure critique.
7
The Transformative Experience
The expert identifies an item that fundamentally changed their perspective, career, or life path, highlighting the medium's impact.
8
The Genre Pivot
The expert recommends an item from a different genre or category than their primary expertise, showcasing their breadth of knowledge.
9
The Anticipation Builder
The expert shares what item they are looking forward to engaging with next, creating a sense of ongoing curiosity and shared experience with the audience.
Themes
love of reading
literary influences
personal connection to books
Techniques
text overlays
image overlays
jump cuts
Trends
rapid-fire Q&A
expert recommendations
Post caption
Station Eleven author Emily St. John Mandel is next Under the Cover 馃А
Emily has written seven novels, including The Glass Hotel and Sea of Tranquility. She鈥檚 known for her dystopian and otherworldly stories which cleverly weave together across the Mandelverse.
Her latest, Exit Party, begins in post-civil war Los Angeles in 2031, with the world in chaos. When a house party goes very wrong, the unfolding mystery takes us to Europe and across time and space, exploring freedom, surveillance, survival, and building a new life after loss.
We loved speaking to Emily at London鈥檚 Gay鈥檚 the Word bookshop! Head to our Substack for our full conversation, as well as Emily鈥檚 four favourite ghost stories - perfect for Halloween 馃懟
Text overlays
contextual 路 beginning
A book you didn't want to end?
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Emily St. John Mandel
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2666 (By Roberto Bola帽o)
branding 路 beginning
under the cover with Emily St John Mandel
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Book that makes you laugh?
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Book that makes you cry?
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Which book do you always come back to?
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Best classic?
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Book you'd save from a fire?
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What book changed your life?
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Best non-fiction?
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Your next read?
call-to-action 路 end
If you loved this conversation with Emily head to our Substack to hear even more of her answers including her four favourite ghost stories
branding 路 end
underthecoverbooks.substack.com
call-to-action 路 end
Follow for more under the cover
Transcript
I thought that he didn't want to end. This will sound crazy. It's such a dark good. tier. A very interesting look at violence in Northern Mexico. It was so good. I love his writing style. I could have lived in that world for longer. And which book makes you laugh? The Jeeves books. I started reading those as a teenager, really as an antidepressant. I have to say, they were. And which book makes you cry? Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan about the Megdalene laundries. Oh, my good. That was a devastating little book. Which book do you always come back to? Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson. She is a Worst Nations Canadian author. And she writes these books that feel completely modern, but also feel deeply rooted in indigenous mythology. Monkey Beach is a coming of age story. It's also a ghost story and a mystery about a girl trying to figure out what happened to her missing brother. The best classic? I'm gonna go with The Bluest Eye. It was so moving to me and so beautifully done. Which book would you save from a fire? Oh, this one's easy. My grandmother's 1946 edition of Alice in Wonderland. Cloth bound, gorgeous illustrations. My grandmother and then my mother as a child wrote their names in it practicing their handwriting. Makes it feel personal. Which book changed your life? The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje. Bad been in love with stories before then, but I'd thought of them as stories. This happens, that happens, then that happens. That was the first book where I came to realize that prose itself could be beautiful. I think of it as good formative book, pushing me toward my career. Best nonfiction. The Tragedy of True Crime, John J. Lennon. This fascinating portrait of crimes committed by four men, himself included. It's fairly rare to get that kind of a glimpse inside prison life. What are you excited to read next? Ellie Smith just published her second novel titled GLIF, but this one spelled with the y and the p h. What I love about her work is this feeling of total originality. She doesn't really even remind me of anybody else. Yeah. I think it'll be fascinating. If you loved this conversation with Emily, head to our Substack to hear even more of her answers, including her four favorite ghost tier, as well as extended interviews with authors about the books they love.
Author answers rapid fire book questions | Viral Hooks
