# What if mid-life isn’t a crisis—but a powerful second coming-of-age? An interview with authors Elissa Bass and Christine Consolino

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/authors-talking-bookish-6426830/what-if-mid-life-isn-t-a-crisis-but-a-powerful-second-coming-of-age-an-interview-with-authors-elissa-bass-and-christine-consolino
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/authors-talking-bookish-6426830/what-if-mid-life-isn-t-a-crisis-but-a-powerful-second-coming-of-age-an-interview-with-authors-elissa-bass-and-christine-consolino.md
Podcast: [Authors Talking Bookish](https://stenobird.com/podcast/authors-talking-bookish-6426830)
Published: 2026-05-05T20:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/authorstalkingbookish/2745462
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/206287/2745462/authorstalkingbookish/2026_04_18_13_21_42_695aad45-a4cf-4b88-b22d-e740cd4ae2a1.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1789

## Resource

In this episode, we explore the rising genre of mid-life fiction with authors Elissa Bass ( Happy Hour ) and Christina Consolino ( The Marriage Debt ), who are redefining what it means to find love, identity, and purpose in the middle chapters of life. Through their unforgettable protagonists, KK and Nika, these writers explore how relationships evolve under the weight of experience, shifting expectations, and hard-earned self-awareness. Together, we unpack why readers are increasingly drawn to these stories now, and how mid-life fiction balances realism with possibility. SHOW NOTES: Book Summaries Mid-life fiction Connecting with audience Inspiration Balance Writing Life What’s next What you learned the hard way SOURCES & LINKS Elissa Bass Links Website https://www.elissabass.com/general-8 Happy Hour: https://bookshop.org/p/books/happy-hour-elissa-bass/4ca0d102bfc3fed9?ean=9781665756747&next=t Please Wait to Cross: https://bookshop.org/p/books/please-wait-to-cross-elissa-bass/0ec211895feba746?ean=9781665783354&next=t Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14319840.Elissa_Bass Christina Consolino Links Facebook Instagram or @AuthorChristinaConsolino for FB and @cmconsolino for IG Website: https://christinaconsolino.com/ Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

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