As Good a Place as Any with Rebecca Păpucaru
Today we have a writer’s writer’s talk with the accomplished author and poet Rebecca Păpucaru. Rebecca has published an impressive variety of poetry and fiction, and she is someone who works very hard and long on her creative projects. Legend has it that some of her published poems and her recent novel have taken years (and even a decade or so) to make them what they are today. So, if you’re someone who’s been toiling on a project forever, if you feel like you’re stuck, or even if you haven’t started yet, this interview is bursting with hope, tips, and inspiration.
Bio: Rebecca Păpucaru (also known as Rebecca Schwarz)
Growing up in Montréal, Rebecca Păpucaru was always the English teacher’s pet. During her youth, she won second prize in an Archie comics’ writing contest. Her essay on how to change the world beat out hundreds of American and Canadian competitors. In 2018, her collection of poems, The Panic Room won the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Poetry. Her novella Yentas won the Malahat Review’s 2020 Novella Prize. And her recent novel, As Good a Place as Any has met great acclaim, making all kinds of lists including the CBC’s selection for Best Canadian Fiction Book of 2025. As Good a Place as Any tells the story of 16-year-old Paulina, who is forced to flee Chile with her brother after the 1973 coup. They land in Toronto, and no spoilers but Paulina has a much better time than her brother Ernesto does, and we get to read about her unlikely quest for freedom as a queer woman and aspiring actress. It’s a historically relevant, emotionally compelling coming-of-age novel. You’ll love it as much as you’ll love this episode! Thank you, Rebecca for coming on the show.
Follow Rebecca on Instagram: @rebeccapapucaruwriter
Rebecca’s author page on Facebook
Book of Poetry: The Panic Room (Nightwood Editions)
Novel: As Good a Place as Any (Guernica Editions)
Erica on Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt
Erica on Substack (new!): @ericajschmidt
Erica's website: ericajschmidt.com
Full shownotes: ericajschmidt.com/podcast/as-good-a-place-as-any-rebecca-papucaru
If you enjoyed this podcast, you may also enjoy:
Montréal’s Favourite Anita Anand (Author, Translator, Peace Seeker): Apple Podcasts Spotify
True Stories to Save Your Life with Nisha Coleman: Apple Spotify
Curiosity with Michelle Syba (Author of End Times): Apple Spotify
Rebecca Păpucaru on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life (Timestamps)
00:00:00 Theme Song, Intro + Rebecca Păpucaru’s bio
00:03:50 Rebecca gushes about Erica’s squatty potty set-up in her bathroom.
Erica: You want to give birth and take a dump in a squat.
Rebecca and Erica talk ergonomic redemption and the importance of internal plumbing as you age.
00:08:00 Rebecca was born Rebecca Schwarz but prefers her father’s family name Păpucaru, which he changed when he came to Canada.
“If I’m honest, my decision to publish under that name is a certain internalized self-loathing. But on the other hand, I really like the sound of it.”
00:12:05 Writer’s Block Trick: If you don’t have money for a writer’s course, just write an essay on your name.
00:12:47 Rebecca Păpucaru’s creative origins and how she became a writer (Early journals, lots of reading, and winning the Archie comic writing contest)
00:16:55 Theatre school at Dawson college and why Rebecca did not become an actor
00:19:52 The call to read. University of Toronto
Rebecca is captivated by Sylvia Plath and decides she wants to write poems. Ends up studying English at U of T. She writes poem but they rarely submits them anywhere. Then her uncle dies when she is 38, and she vows to take the writing thing seriously.
00:27:31 What is most natural, writing poetry or fiction?
00:31:05 The tension between commercial and literary fiction and the pressure to write something high-brow and cerebral.
00:32:03 Elevator pitch for As Good a Place as Any
00:36:19 Did Rebecca do research to authentically and respectfully depict the experience of the queer Chilean woman? Rebecca describes her process and self-doubt, and the trip where she met her main character.
00:42:37 A sign that you’re really stuck with your writing.
00:43:29 Writing through shit in the dark and/or How to get into a flow state and get your characters to talk to you
00:48:30 Rebecca Păpucaru’s Morning and Creative Routines
00:53:31 Rebecca Păpucaru’s Spectacular TED talk
00:54:59 More writing tips! How to write or not write and not hate yourself
01:48:00 Rebecca Păpucaru’s Cleaning Routine
01:03:40 How to read outside reading bubbles and Instagram lists. Reading tips and recs
01:07:59 Wrap-up and where to find Rebecca online and buy her book
To support this independent podcast, please consider purchasing a Lil and Bud dog greeting card at ericajschmidt.com/merch. You can also make a one-time donation here at The Donate Button. Feel free to get in touch for other sponsorship possibilities. My infinite thanks for all of this.
More infinite thanks, as always, to Taes Leavitt (darling big sister, Big Heart Journey), Sherwin Tjia (technical and creative advisor, Sherwin’s Quirky Events, Episode 22) and my dearly departed aunt Eileen Gun, whose generous gift helped to fund my new podcast equipment.
Stay tuned for more episodes extra soon. Don’t forget to follow This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life on your favourite podcast platform. And if you enjoyed the episode, I would be immensely grateful if you could share it with a friend and/or leave a kind and enthusiastic rating and review.
