July 01, 2025
“I don’t want to tell anyone what to think—I want to expose things and say, here’s what’s going on. What do you think about it?” — Jacqueline Friedland
In this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike Carlon sits down with bestselling author and former attorney Jacqueline Friedland to talk about her latest novel, Counting Backwards, and her inspiring journey from the world of law to the world of fiction. Jacqueline shares how a Supreme Court case she discovered at 17 sparked a lifelong interest in social justice—one that now informs her writing. We discuss the power of empathy in fiction, the challenges of writing from diverse perspectives, and how a legal background unexpectedly sharpens storytelling skills. Tune in for an engaging conversation about using fiction to raise awareness and connect hearts.
Jacqueline’s unique path from commercial litigator to novelist How her latest novel Counting Backwards draws from real headlines and social justice issues The role of empathy in fiction writing Balancing legal expertise with storytelling Why writing is like running a small business today Navigating the pressures of writing a second book The importance of stepping into perspectives different from your own
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