Meet the LITERARY LOOKBOOK, a comprehensive but not exhaustive collection of 182 upcoming 2024 releases curated by Kelly Hooker and me. The Lookbook includes titles from January-May 2024 from a variety of genres and features cover designs organized by publication date. Buy it here: Literary Lookbook

Nonfiction Episodes

Jan. 13, 2024

Julie Chavez - EVERYONE BUT MYSELF

In this interview, I chat with Julie Chavez about Everyone But Myself, her publishing journey including working with Zibby Books, what surprised her the most about writing a memoir, how involved the editing process can be, her title and cover, …

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Nov. 21, 2023

Mackenzie Funk - THE HANK SHOW

In this interview, I chat with Mackenzie Funk about The Hank Show, how he first learned about Hank Asher and then decided to write about him, how our personal data is accumulated and used today and how it all began, …

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Nov. 10, 2023

Jen Golbeck and Stacey Colino - THE PUREST BOND

In this interview, I chat with Jen Golbeck and Stacey Colino about The Purest Bond, how they came to write this book together, the physical, cognitive, emotional and social benefits of owning a dog, the gorilla basketball video on YouTube, …

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Oct. 30, 2023

Matt Singer - OPPOSABLE THUMBS

In this interview, I chat with Matt Singer about Opposable Thumbs, writing about Siskel & Ebert, how the two were trailblazers and the legacy they left, where the show can be watched today, whether it is best to read a …

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Oct. 25, 2023

Laurence Leamer - HITCHCOCK'S BLONDES

In this interview, I chat with Laurence Leamer about Hitchcock's Blondes, why he decided to write this book, his research, interviewing Eva Marie Saint and Kim Novak, the upcoming screen adaptation of Capote's Women, what surprised him the most when …

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Oct. 22, 2023

Meg Kissinger - WHILE YOU WERE OUT

In this interview, I chat with Meg Kissinger about While You Were Out, why she decided to write this book, how the health care system often fails those with mental illness, what surprised her the most when writing this memoir, …

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Oct. 20, 2023

Greg Glasgow and Kathryn Mayer - DISNEYLAND ON THE MOUNTAIN

In this interview, I chat with Greg Glasgow and Kathryn Mayer about Disneyland on the Mountain , how they learned about Mineral King and decided to write about it, Walt Disney's vision for a ski resort, putting the Mineral Ki...

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July 25, 2023

Interview with Elizabeth Passarella - IT WAS AN UGLY COUCH ANYWAY

In this interview, Elizabeth and I discuss It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway, narrating her audiobook, getting the Prologue right and why she had to rewrite it many times, her favorite essay in the collection, New York City during the …

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July 14, 2023

Interview with Kim Wickens - LEXINGTON

In this interview, Kim and I discuss Lexington, his impact on the sport of horse racing today, what happened to Lexington after he retired from racing, elk antlers and their significance in racing, horse racing in the 1800s, and much …

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May 19, 2023

Interview with Ava Chin - MOTT STREET

In this interview, Ava and I discuss Mott Street, the Chinese Exclusion Act, her family's close connection to Mott Street and how 49 of her family members have lived in this one building on the street, the importance of oral …

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April 20, 2023

Interview with Alex Mar - SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

In this interview, Alex and I discuss Seventy Times Seven, what constitutes justice, eliminating the death penalty for children, her title and its meaning, forgiveness, how different individuals approach a tragedy and why, and much more.

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April 16, 2023

Interview with Rory Carroll - THERE WILL BE FIRE

In this interview, Rory and I discuss There Will Be Fire, creating a roadmap regarding the history of the British/Irish conflict, how religion is really a social and political signifier in the conflict, writing true crime, how security changed in …

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March 9, 2023

Interview with Laura Cathcart Robbins - STASH

In this interview, Laura and I discuss Stash, why she decided to write this book, how tricky memory is, overcoming her addiction to Ambien, providing input on her book's cover, her podcast The Only One in the Room, and much …

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Feb. 7, 2023

Interview with Christie Tate - B.F.F.: A Memoir of Friendship Lost an…

In this interview, Christie and I discuss B.F.F., all of the book's great pre-publication press, why friendships were so hard for her, social media's impact on relationships, how the title and cover came about, how her family responded to this …

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Jan. 17, 2023

Interview with Erika Bolstad - WINDFALL

In this interview, Erika and I discuss Windfall, how she decided to write this book and the ways it changed over time, how everyone yearns to know where they come from, her internal conflicts about her family's inheritance, her book …

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