Episodes

In this interview, I chat with Susie Orman Schnall about Anna Bright Is Hiding Something , how her marketing background helps her as an author, the research she conducted for this one, the Elizabeth Holmes effect, how she dec...

In this interview, I chat with Annabel Monaghan about Summer Romance , the term "hard pants", exploring grief as well as what it means to be a mother, multi-tasking, skateboarding, her book title, and much more. Annabel's rec...

In this interview, I chat with Ann Leary about I've Tried Being Nice , why she decided to write this essay collection, how she is trying to no longer be a people pleaser, how hard it can be to get …

In this interview, I chat with Susan Elia MacNeal about The Last Hope , ending the series, what she plans to do next, how this installment is based on actual events, including Coco Chanel and Kim Philby, the title of …

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in January through March 2024. Our shared top reads: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill Kelly’s remaining top reads: ...

In this interview, I chat with Eileen Garvin about Crow Talk , the inspiration for Adam, writing a book during COVID, creating her own field guide, the characters that were the easiest and hardest to write, the title and cove...

In this interview, I chat with Michelle Collins Anderson about The Flower Sisters , inspired by an actual event from 1928, her daily family newsletter, how she decided to structure the story, the highlights of writing the boo...

In this interview, I chat with Tommy Tomlinson about Dogland , how he became interested in the world of show dogs and the Westminster Dog Show, following Striker and his handler, creating the interludes throughout the book, w...

In this interview, I chat with Amy Lin about Here After , writing about the grief she experienced after losing her husband, narrating her audiobook and how that process worked, creating a book that is a mirror versus a guideb...

In this episode, Kelly Hooker and I discuss our upcoming Literary Lookbook and our Summer Reading Guides and how they are different. Kelly’s Summer Reading Guide Preview Selections: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitake...

In this interview, I chat with Piper Huguley about American Daughters , writing about the secret friendship between Portia Washington and Alice Roosevelt, how she learned about their relationship, her research, how her book c...

In this interview, I chat with Meghan Friedlander and Luca Dotti (Audrey's son) about Audrey Hepburn in Paris , how the cover came about, why Luca asked Meghan to write this book, Audrey and her connection to Paris, how Megha...

Mary Webbey O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of Spring and Summer 2024. Mary's selections: April Days of Wonder by Caroline Leavitt Somehow by Anne Lamott May Long Island by Colm Toi...

In this interview, I chat with Holly Gramazio about The Husbands , how she came up with the unique premise for The Husbands , creating all of the different husbands and the many more that were left out of the …

In this interview, I chat with Jo Piazza about The Sicilian Inheritance, how this book is inspired by a family story, Sicily as a setting, why she chose for Sara to be a chef, plotting versus pantsing, what surprised her …

In this interview, I chat with Jesse Q. Sutanto about The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties, creating and now ending this series, the screen adaptation and its status, the highlight of writing this book, her writing process and how …

In this interview, I chat with Allison Pataki about Finding Margaret Fuller, how she learned about Margaret Fuller and decided to write about her, why her goal is to educate and entertain, visiting Concord, her in-depth Author's Note, Fuller's rivalry …

In this interview, I chat with Cara Hunter about All the Rage, how the DI Fawley series came about, creating a police procedural series, basing All the Rage on a real-life case, the title and its mutliple meanings, when book …

In this interview, I chat with Rebecca Serle about Expiration Dates, incorporating magic into her books, how magic opens up the world she is creating, how she chooses her characters' names, how her title and cover came about, what surprised …

In this interview, I chat with Jennifer Ryan about The Underground Library, writing a book about books and libraries, how her role as book editor informed her writing, what surprised her the most when writing this one, her stunning cover, …

In this interview, I chat with Stephanie Dray about Becoming Madam Secretary, why she decided to write about Frances Perkins, her research and how she chose what to include and what to leave out, drafting a comprehensive Author's Note, what …

In this interview, I chat with Eliza Knight and Denny S. Bryce about Can't We Be Friends , how they learned about the friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, writing a book together and how they approached it, ...

In this Behind the Scenes interview, Heather Duncan and I chat about her role as Executive Director at Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association, what her job entails, FallCon and SpringCon, the states that make up the MPI...

In this interview, I chat with Clare Mackintosh about I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This , how grief changes your identity, structuring this memoir, how her titles and cover came about, the differences and similarities ...