Terry Shepherd welcomes author Susan L. Katz to discuss her new book, Pole Dancers at the Red Barn, a collection of 14 interconnected stories spanning the 1940s through the 1980s. The novel explores the lives of five dancers, the club's owners, and their mothers, delving into how experiences with addiction, mental illness, betrayal, and abuse echo across generations. Katz explains how her characters build a "found family" at a Pennsylvania pole dancing club, creating a space for deep acceptance and healing.

During the interview, Katz breaks down the three cultural touchstones that inspired the club's unique atmosphere:

• Cirque du Soleil: Influenced the acrobatic skill and physical artistry of the pole dancers, challenging the stigma often associated with the profession.
• Gypsy Rose Lee: Inspired the dancers to speak directly to the audience during their routines, sharing their inner thoughts and intelligence.
• Cheers: Provided the blueprint for the Red Barn as a welcoming, home-away-from-home venue where everyone is known and accepted.

Drawing on her 40-year career as a psychotherapist, Katz discusses the concept of "emotional excavation," emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and working through both significant and everyday traumas rather than simply trying to move on. She also shares how her background as a professional photographer influenced the book's visual elements, noting that each of the 14 stories begins with a photograph that resonates with the characters or themes, and that she even shot the book's cover.

Listeners can learn more about Katz and her work by visiting susanlkatz.com.

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