Episodes

Kelly Hooker joins me for July's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: The Killer Question by Janice Hallett Heart the Lover by Lily King Now: Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead Next: Cape Fever by Nadia Davids Westward Women by Alice Martin DNFs or Didn't Like: None Book Mail Highlights : Murder by the Book by Amie Schaumberg What We Can Know by Ian McKewan Cindy's Selections: Last: T...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in April through June 2025. Our shared top reads: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans This American Woman by Zarna Garg My Friends by Fredrik Backman It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan Kelly’s remaining top reads: Abigail & Alexa save the Wedding by Lian Dolan The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin The Names by Florence Knapp The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram The River is Waiting by Wally L...

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the third quarter of 2025. Pamela's Selections: July A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst Typewriter Beach by Meg Waite Clayton The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay Ashes to Ashes by Thomas Maltman August Joy Moody Is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne Just Another Dead Author by Katarina Bivald The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman Destroy This House by Amanda Uhle September Life and Death and Giants by Ron Rind...

In this interview, I chat with Nathalia Holt about ⁠The Beast in the Clouds⁠⁠ , how the panda bear was the large mammal unknown to science, the Roosevelt brothers' unlikely but successful excursion, how they changed the way the world viewed conservation, how she learned about this story, finding a publisher for this tale, and much more. Nathalia's recommended reads are: Palace of Deception by Darrin Lunde On a Mission: The Smithsonian History of U.S. Women Astronauts by Valerie Neal Looking for ...

In this interview, I chat with Bruce Holsinger about Culpability , ⁠ why his publishing date moved up by three months (now we know it's an Oprah pick!), the research he conducted for this one, P(doom) numbers, his stunning cover, and much more. Bruce's recommended reads are: Dream State by Eric Puchner Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte Trust by Hernan Diaz Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner Small Rain by Garth Greenwell Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading...

In this interview, I chat with Lidija Hilje about ⁠⁠⁠ Slanting Towards the Sea⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, writing about present day Croatia, her father's health and how it inspired this story, writing in her second language and why she chose to write the book in English, her title and cover, and much more. Lidija's recommended reads are: The Anthropologists by Aysegul Savas We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons Joanna's Room by James Baldwin Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page...

In this interview, I chat with Laura Wood about ⁠⁠ Let's Make a Scene ⁠⁠ , the challenges she faced while writing her first dual timeline and dual POV book, her favorite tropes, her fascination with how fame impacts a person in today's world, referencing her favorite rom-coms in this one, giving cameos to the character from Under Your Spell , the title drama, and much more. Laura's recommended reads are: The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood Looking fo...

Kelly Hooker joins me for June's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Everything is TB The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts by Josie Shapiro Now: Culpability by Bruce Holsinger Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Next: What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon Buckeye by Patrick Ryan DNFs or Didn't Like: Sunburned by Katherine Wood Book Mail Highlights : Heart t...

In this interview, I chat with Travis Kennedy about ⁠⁠⁠ The Whyte Python World Tour⁠ , his inspiration for this book, creating Rikki Thunder, what surprised him as he wrote this one, screen adaptation plans, determining when during the Cold War to set the book, his research, and much more. Travis's recommended reads are: The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie Jr. Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison The Boys of Riverside by ⁠Thomas Fuller Looking for so...

In this interview, I chat with Hazel Gaynor about ⁠⁠ Before Dorothy , why this story appeals to everyone not just The Wizard of Oz fans, The Wizard of Oz book is celebrating 125 years, how she was a fan of the book first, the title and cover, why she chose the setting she did, and much more. Hazel's recommended reads are: Elphie by Gregory Maguire The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page ...

In this interview, I chat with Karen Dukess about ⁠ Welcome to Murder Week , writing a mystery versus standard fiction, her trip that inspired this book, the popularity of BritBox mysteries, what surprised her the most, and much more. Karen's recommended reads are: The Original by Nell Stevens Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip of your choice or for a set price here via credit card with over 60...

In this interview, I chat with Renée Ahdieh about Park Avenue , crafting the Park siblings, exploring the Korean American immigrant experience, writing her first adult novel and how it differed from writing YA, the symbolism of the Birkin bag for Jia, the story of her stunning cover, and much more. Renée's recommended reads are: E mily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summ...

In this interview, I chat with Ali Brady about Battle of the Bookstores , the You've Got Mail inspiration, writing the steamy scenes, creating a guy who loves romance novels, using Beta readers and how that impacted the original ending, choosing character names, and much more. Bradeigh's recommended reads are: Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka Alison's recommended reads are: The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the May Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natura When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy Now: Four Mothers by Abigail Leonard Silver Elite by Dani Francis Next: Far & Away by Amy Poeppel Sunburned by Katherine Wood DNFs or Didn't Like: Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson Book Mail Highlights : Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady The Book of Guilt by Catherine...

In this interview, I chat with Kristy Woodson Harvey about ⁠⁠⁠⁠Beach House Rules , deciding on a format for telling the story, finding the right title for this one, what surprised her the most about writing this one, why she chose a white collar crime and her reasearch on the subject, and much more. Kristy's recommended reads are: Happy Land by Dolen Perkins Valdez The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel Listen to the Friends and Fiction F...

In this interview, I chat with Annabel Monaghan about ⁠⁠⁠ It's a Love Story , her inspiration for this book, writing sex scenes, creating Jane's character, reader response to Jane, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Annabel's recommended reads are: Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez ⁠ Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess Far and Away by Amy Poeppel Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠ with 45 ne...

In this interview, I chat with Mary Alice Monroe about ⁠⁠⁠ Where the Rivers Merge , setting the book in the ACE Basin, writing a duology, her love of the land and its ecosystems, crafting a strong sense of place, writing her first historical novel, her title and cover, and much more. Mary Alice's recommended reads are: The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Judith Viorst about ⁠⁠⁠ Making the Best of What's Left , living the fifth fifth of your life, dealing with loneliness and redefining happiness, what surprised her the most when writing this one, her cover, the importance of community, reader response, and much more. Judith's recommended reads are: Avid Reader by Robert Gottlieb The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17...

In this interview, I chat with Elisabeth Dini about ⁠⁠Bearer of Bad News, the idea of a bearer of bad news, what surprised her the most when writing this one, how she settled on the format, honoring real women through her character names, her job at the International Criminal Court and how it informed the story, and much more. Elisabeth's recommended reads are: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue The Expert of Subtle Revisions by Kirsten Menger-Anderson Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you…

Friends & Fiction authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Patti Callahan Henry join me to chat about celebrating their fifth anniversary. We discuss how the group formed originally, centering independent bookstores on their platform, impact of Friends & Fiction on their writing, how inclusive they are, how they handle disagreements, and more. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the March's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby Now: The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb This American Woman: A One-in-a Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg Next: The Midnight Estate by Kelly Rimmer The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison DNFs or Didn't Like: Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective by Jo ...

In this interview, I chat with Virginia Evans about ⁠The Correspondent , how her blurbs helped her encapsulate the book's description, the role Ann Patchett has played in her life, Sybil's story arc, her lengthy cover story, the power of human connection, and much more. Virginia's recommended reads are: The Boy From the Sea by Garrett Carr The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh Looking for some great winter reads? Check...

In this interview, I chat with Kristin Koval about Penitence , why she decided to write about forgiveness, choosing who would tell the story, tackling such a difficult topic, her stunning cover, how the book's title was chosen, and much more. Kristin's recommended reads are: Elita by Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum God of the Woods by Liz Moore Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertain...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in January through March 2025. Our shared top reads: Dead Money by Jakob Kerr Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson Kelly’s remaining top reads: More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy The Favorites by Layne Fargo Dream State by Eric Puchner Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley The Snowbirds b y Christina Clancey The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens The Mother Next Door...