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In Conversation: Maria Bamford with Claire Philips
Memoir, Mental Illness, and Comedy: Excavating the Mother in Maria. In February 2025, I had the chance to have a powerful conversation with Maria Bamford about her brilliant memoir, Sure I’ll Join Your Cult . In the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, this interview feels like a bittersweet postscript to an era. After meeting through the vibrant community in Altadena we had the pleasure of orbiting each other for a while. We discuss our mothers, our favorite authors tackling nuance
1 day ago1 min read


In Conversation: JONATHAN LETHEM with Claire Phillips
So honored to be in conversation with Jonathan Lethem, a beloved author, for the Brooklyn Rail during its 25th anniversary week and following this significant election moment in NYC.
Nov 51 min read


In Conversation: Craig Clevenger with Claire Phillips
Traumatized Masculinity and the Dark Romanticism of Craig Clevenger Craig Clevenger, a West Coast literary darling, notable for his inventive foray into the phantasmagoric with his early novels of neo-noir has dropped another glimmering, ruminative addition to his literary genre-bending oeuvre. Join our conversation in my interview and read about his latest crime novel Mother Howl in the Brooklyn Rail's June 2024 issue.
Jun 12, 20241 min read


In Conversation: Emily Rapp Black with Claire Phillips for THE BROOKLYN RAIL
Grateful to Books Editor Joseph Salvatore of The Brooklyn Rail for the opportunity to be in conversation with acclaimed memoirist Emily Rapp Black on the writing of her latest nonfiction book, Frida Kahlo and My Left Leg : a work of great bravura that will undoubtedly find itself a classic among the robust literature on Kahlo.
Mar 28, 20221 min read


"A Gift I Couldn't Offer My Mother," an Interview with the Los Angeles Review of Books
In April, I did a very special interview with Holly Rudolph at LA Review of Books who related to experiences detailed in my memoir, A Room with a Darker View: Chronicles of My Mother and Schizophrenia. We speak candidly on some of the meat of the book, unpacking inter-generational mother-daughter/familial relationships, Medicare, anti-psychotic treatment, and representation of mentally ill characters in contemporary media like Shameless , Homeland , as well as YA novels li
Jul 1, 20211 min read


❉ Interview and Review by Amelia Kennedy at Write or Die Tribe ❉
So grateful to Amelia Kennedy at Write or Die Tribe for writing "How Can We Both Love and Survive Our Parents? - A Room with a Darker View: Chronicles of my Mother and Schizophrenia by Claire Phillips": a thoughtful review of my memoir which you can find on their site here. She likens the book to writing by Sylvia Plath and describes how the prose invites readers to "bond over the journey throughout the memoir and constantly details without overexplaining the stigma surro
Jul 1, 20211 min read


Interview for Always with a Book: In Conversation with Leslie Lindsay
Honored to have been interviewed by Leslie Lindsay for her wonderful interview series Always with a Book— which you can read here —during May on Motherhood Mental Health & Illness. Leslie and I speak on caring for family members with mental illness. as well as how de-stigmatizing these experiences and bringing them to light can "bring hope to yourself–and others" in this intimate interview.
Jun 28, 20211 min read


✯ Podcast Features: "Drinks with Tony" and "LA Review of Books Radio Hour" ✯
Had such a wonderful time speaking with Tony DuShane on his podcast, "Drinks with Tony" available on iTunes , Spotify , Pandora , Stitcher , and other podcast outlets. Go listen now to hear us talk about my memoir A Room With a Darker View and specifically mental health, schizophrenia, Stephen King, healthcare, the author lifestyle, and living in a bubble (in Tony's words, "not the John Travolta bubble boy type bubble, not that there’s anything wrong with that.."). Also, catc
Jun 28, 20211 min read


Interview with "This Book That Book" and More!
So happy to share that I recently had the pleasure of doing an interview with the team at This Book That Book...
Jan 26, 20211 min read