“June in the Garden” by Eleanor Wilde
In this heartfelt episode of Narratives & Nightcaps, Brie welcomes adult debut author Eleanor Wilde for an intimate conversation about her novel June in the Garden, a moving story shaped by neurodivergence, grief, and a longing for belonging. Eleanor opens up about the personal experiences, research, and emotional truths that inspired her character June’s journey. The result is a warm, grounding interview that blends craft, creativity, humor, and healing.
The narrative: about June in the Garden
June in the Garden follows June, a neurodivergent young woman whose world unravels after the death of her mother—her primary caregiver and the most stable relationship she’s ever known. Forced from her home and desperate for connection, June travels to London to find her biological father, only to discover he’s not ready to meet her; instead, she secretly moves into his yellow garden shed and begins rebuilding her sense of self. Over one transformative summer, the novel explores identity, trauma, belonging, and the fragile yet hopeful search for family in all its imperfect forms.
The nightcap
Eleanor’s nightcap pairing for June in the Garden is a simple cup of English breakfast tea with milk and honey—a nod to her character June’s daily ritual of morning tea in the garden, and the gentle, comforting tone of the book. She imagines it being enjoyed outdoors, ideally surrounded by greenery, just like June.
In the episode
This episode takes listeners behind the scenes of Eleanor Wilde’s writing process, from the moment she stared at her own garden shed and imagined painting it yellow to the deeper themes of trauma, neurodivergence, and identity that shaped the novel. Eleanor shares candid details about her personal experiences, the academic research she conducted, the influence of motherhood and COVID isolation, and her desire to create a character who is both direct and deeply human. The conversation is thoughtful, vulnerable, and often funny, offering an honest look at the emotional labor of writing a coming-of-age story rooted in healing. We talk about:
How the story began with Eleanor painting her real-life garden shed yellow — and how that shed became the seed for June’s world
Crafting June’s neurodivergent voice through personal lived experience and extensive research with experts in childhood trauma, attachment, autism, and psychology
Exploring the book’s major themes: abandonment, fractured identity, grief, isolation, the search for belonging, and the messy, nonlinear rebuilding of self
Insight into Eleanor’s writing journey, including motherhood during COVID, merging diary-like memories into fiction, and the emotional intensity of finishing a story that took years to build.
Listen to the full author interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts
Purchase your copy of JUNE IN THE GARDEN here (Narratives & Nightcaps is an Amazon Affiliate)
Connect with Eleanor on Instagram!