Episodes

Kelly joins me for August's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Hollow Bones by Jodi Piccoult The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian Now: Minbak by Ela Lee Breathing Under Water by Jaqueline Friedland Next: Fallow by Sarah Anderson The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw DNFs: Land by Maggie O’Farrell (again) It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh The Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain Boo...

In this interview, I chat with Elizabeth Letts about Fallen for France, her inspiration for and connection to the story and setting, her love of horses and how they help create an entry into a story, the research she conducted, the title and cover, imagining the past, writing both fiction and nonfiction, and much more. Elizabeth's recommended reads are: The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Sharak Miss Lambert Steps Aboard Danger by Kazuo Ishiguro Lookin...

In this interview, I chat with writing duo Ellery Lloyd about Time to Burn, selecting their pseudonym, the 3 starred reviews for this book, crafting the time travel aspects of the story, their writing process and research, the stunning cover, and much more. Collette's recommended read is Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce. Paul's recommended read is The Whisper Man by Alex North. Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Thao Thai about The Seekers of Deer Creek, her inspiration for the story, incorporating Vietnamese art and culture, creating a strong sense of place, the stunning cover, and much more. Thao's recommended reads are: Son of Nobody by Yann Martel Between You a River by Kimberly Garza Understory by Chloe Benjamin Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a...

Kelly joins me for July's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders Under Story by Chloe Benjamin Now: The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica Next: The Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain The Natural Order by Matthew Aldrich DNFs: Land by Maggie O’Farrell Book Mail highlights: I Never Knew You at All by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza It’s Not What ...

Today's episode is a collaboration between Deanna Allbrittin, host of the podcast All About Books, and me about my literary salon here in Richmond, Virginia. We talk about how it originated, what it looks like now, and the future of the salon. Deanna Allbrittin is the main evening anchor and Development and Engagement Manager at WRIC - 8News. That means she leads station community engagement initiatives and special projects, while mentoring early-career journalists in investigative and communit...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in April through June 2026. Our shared top reads: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan The Top of the World by Ethan Joella Kelly’s remaining top reads: Start at the End by Emma Grey Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Bramer The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews Five by Ilona Bann...

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the third quarter of 2026. Mary’s Titles: July Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves Dad, Love, Me by Matthew Quick People Watching in the Desert by Cali Adeline Man Overboard by Kathleen Rooney August The Cruelest Game by Matthew Futterman The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson Fallen for France by Elizabeth Letter September The Vanishing Family by Robert Kolker The Pirate Queen by ...

In this interview, I chat with Ethan Joella about The Top of the World, how this story came about, setting a book in the 1970s, handing Chip's death, his research, the stellar cover, Bookstagram, writing this book and how much it changed over the years, our love for nostalgia, and much more. Ethan's recommended reads are: The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout Heart the Lover by Lily King When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printab...

Kelly joins me for June's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Whistler by Ann Patchett Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel Now: All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby The Under Story by Chloe Benjamin Next: No Exit by Taylor Adams Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult DNFs: Land by Maggie O’Farrell Book Mail highlights: Sunlight Finds You by Liane Moriarty Dead Batteries by Kate Maupin Cindy's Selections: Last: Few and Far Bet...

In this interview, I chat with Jessica Goldstein about Retro, why readers are fascinated by time travel stories, what inspired her to write this novel, the sense of foreboding she creates on the page, choosing the time periods her characters would travel to, our love for nostalgia, and much more. Jessica's recommended reads are: The Children by Melissa Alpert Books by Robert Caro The Fountain by Casey Scieszka Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Readin...

In this interview, I chat with Portia Elan about Homebound, her publishing journey, having Homebound selected as Scribner's Lead Read for spring, marketing in the publishing world, her research, what the editing process was like and how it changed the story, and much more. Portia's recommended read is Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett. Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip of your...

In this interview, I chat with Lauren Oliver about The Girl in the Lake, UVA's Division of Perceptual Studies, her research, incorporating reincarnation into the story, creating a strong sense of place, what the rest of the series will look like, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Lauren's recommended reads are: God of the Woods by Liz Moore The Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French The Anniversary by Alex Finlay Looking for some great summer reads? Check ...

Kelly joins me for May's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh Now: Abby Offsides by Anna McCallie The Forgotten Midwife by Laura Anthony Next: The Gulf of Lions by Caitlin Shetterly Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray DNFs: The Au Pair by Teddy Wayne Book Mail highlights: Breathing Under Water by Jaqueline Friedland Great and Unfortu...

In this interview, I chat with Christina Baker Kline about The Foursome, her personal connection to this story, her research and trying to learn more about the sisters who marry Cheng and Eng, having Sarah narrate the story, telling the tale without sensationalizing it, drawing on today's divisions to inform the past, The Foursome's publishing journey, and much more. Christina's recommended read is The Original by Priya Parmar. Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 17-pag...

In this interview, I chat with Annabel Monaghan about Dolly All the Time, choosing Rhode Island as the setting for the book, why she invented a fictional town, her favorite male love interest that she has created, serving as a caregiver and honoring that role, designing a suitable breakup, and much more. Annabel's recommended reads are: The Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh Down With the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore Leave and Come Back by Lavanya Lakshmi Fossil Feud by Maggie North ...

In this interview, I chat with Sarah Damoff about The Burning Side, exploring family dynamics, memory, and the early years of motherhood, how she decided who would tell the story, her writing process, the beautiful cover, and much more. Sarah's recommended reads are: Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves Start at the End by Emma Grey Land by Maggie O'Farrell (and all of her backlist) Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠...

Kelly joins me for April's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Make Nice by Ryan Effgen Ms. Mebel Goes to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q Sutanto Now: The Good Parts by Evann Normandin Not a Word by Linwood Barclay Next: Mother Tongue by Sara Novic Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri DNFs: Helpless by Jessica Knoll Book Mail highlights: The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane Cindy'...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in January through March 2026. Our shared top reads: Good People by Patmeena Sabit Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser Upward Bound by Woody Brown Kelly’s remaining top reads: Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson Where The Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris A Good Anima...

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the second quarter of 2026. Mary’s Titles: April Everything has Happened by T. Greenwood Love & Other Monsters by Emily Franklin Moonshine Women by Michelle Collins Anderson The Drop by SR Masters Go Gentle by Maria Semple Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth May Homebound by Portia Elan American Rambler by Isaac Fitzgerald The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline Take Me With You by Steven Rowley June Mari...

In this interview, I chat with Craig Thomas about That's Not How It Happened, having his book selected for Book of the Month, how he decided to write a book, weaving the craziness of Hollywood into his story, Darcy's character and how she is resonating with readers, casting the amazing audiobook, and much more. Craig's recommended reads are: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Wonder by R.J. Palacio Election by Tom Perrotta A Heart That Works by Rob Dulaney The Curious Inci...

Kelly joins me for March's Real Time Reading episode where we discuss our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last: Start at the End by Emma Grey The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews Now: Keep Them Close by David Ellis Leave and Come Back by Lavanya Lakshminarayan Next: City of Widows by Nadia Hashimi Time to Burn by Ellery Lloyd DNFs: None Book Mail highlights: The Brunswick by Callie Murray In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage by Michae...

In this interview, I chat with Ross Montgomery about Murder at World's End, weaving Halley's Comet into his story, the late Edwardian period, conspiracy theories and how they have always existed, how hard it was to write a locked room mystery, creating a strong sense of place and time, and much more. Ross's recommended read is Strange Houses by Uketsu. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip o...

In this interview, I chat with Amy Jo Burns about Wait for Me, her inspiration for this book and for Elle Harlow, the world of 1960s and 1970s country music and its strong women, drafting lyrics for the novel, her writing process and writing group, selecting the mandolin as Elle's instrument of choice, her beautiful cover, and much more. Amy Jo's recommended reads are: Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai Looking for some great winter reads? Check out m...