Episodes

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 ou...

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...

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 Collecti...

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? ...

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 entert...

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 by Christina Clancey The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens The Moth...

In this interview, I chat with Joanna Miller about The Eights, creating a strong sense of place, how she decided to write this book, her focus on the small details, including the Timeline, Glossary, and Author's Note at the end of the book, her covers and all of the meaning in them, incorporating eights throughout the book, and much more. Joanna's recommended read is Mere by Danielle Giles. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 ne...

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the second quarter of 2025. Pamela's selections: April: I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney May: Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins Shop Girls by Jessica Anya Blau The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough June: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark Far and Away by Amy Poeppel Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger ...

In this interview, I chat with Belinda Bauer about The Impossible Thing, the world of rare bird egg collecting, how hard it was to find information on this subject matter and why, how she characterizes the book, the title and cover, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Belinda's recommended reads are: There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafuk Tommy the Bruce by James Yorkston Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading...

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: Too Old for This by Samantha Downing The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Now: Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan Next: Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb DNFs or Didn't Like: The Compound by Aisling Rawle Book Mail Highlights: Everyone is Lying to You by ...

In this interview, I chat with Elise Hooper about The Library of Lost Dollhouses, how she decided to write about dollhouses, her great-grandmother's dollhouse and what it has taught her, her focus on women lost to history, her research for this novel, connecting timelines together, her title and cover, and much more. Elise's recommended reads are: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton Storybook Ending by Moira McDonald California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan Looking for some great winter reads? Check o...

In this interview, I chat with Nicholas Binge about Dissolution, coming up with his stellar ending, his writing process, pursuing how memory works and what loss of memory can do, balancing the science fiction elements with storytelling, the love story at the heart of the book, his title and cover, and much more. Nick's recommended reads are: Playground by Richard Powers There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter R...

In this interview, I chat with Shara Moon about Let Us March On, highlighting an unsung heroine, her research, bringing Lizzie McDuffie to life, deciding what and what not top include, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Shara's recommended reads are: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan Becoming by Michelle Obama Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new t...

In this interview, I chat with Patti Callahan Henry about The Story She Left Behind, the real life inspiration for this book, exploring how humans deal with the unknowing, digging up literary themes, including Beatrix Potter, how she determined who would tell the story, her title and cover, and much more. Patti's recommended reads are: Playworld by Adam Ross Go As a River by Shelley Read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 202...

In this interview, I chat with Chloe Dalton about Raising Hare, why she decided to write this memoir, her relationship with Hare, how her habits and lifestyle changed as a result of this relationship, our interactions with wild animals, what she learned from these experiences, her working relationship with Angeline Jolie, and much more. Chloe's recommended reads are: The Women by Kristin Hannah The Future by Naomi Alderman The Glass Maker by Tracy Chevalier The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami ...

In this interview, I chat with Gillian McAllister about Famous Last Words, subverting the standard thriller tropes, her writing process and how she deletes her entire first draft after she writes it, setting a book in the publishing world, taking a hostage negotiation course, and much more. Gillian's recommended read is Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra. 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...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the February's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell Now: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri The Names by Florence Knapp Next: What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown The Compound by Aisling Rawle DNFs or Didn't Like: None Book Mail Highlights: Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin The Girls Who ...

In this interview, I chat with Penny Haw about Follow Me to Africa, how and why she decided to write about Mary Leakey, writing about a real person, drafting a dual timeline story, creating a fictional character to help tell Mary's story, a strong sense of place, and much more. Penny's recommended reads are: The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander by Denny S. Bryce The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas Happy Is the One by Katie Allen Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my...

In this interview, I chat with Marianne Cronin about Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love, her interesting inspiration for the book, intergenerational friendships, writing her sophomore novel, what surprised her the most about writing this one, why she selected a charity shop for Eddie's job, Eddie's new wardrobe, and much more. Marianne's recommended reads are: Sandwich by Catherine Newman The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Wi...

In this interview, I chat with Callan Wink about Beartooth, his inspiration for this story, Hazen's name and how he chose it, Hazen's character, his process for writing this book, creating a strong sense of place, his thoughts on the title and cover, and much more. Callan's recommended reads are: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Read...

In this interview, I chat with Jakob Kerr about Dead Money, his inspiration for this story, how his work in the tech industry informed this book, how thriller stories follow the money, his writing process, focusing on character development, and much more. Jakob's recommended reads are: Longmire by Craig Johnson What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guid...

In this interview, I chat with Renee Rosen about Let's Call Her Barbie, the story of how Barbie came to be, why Barbie looks like she does, what Renee couldn't include, the editing process, her title and cover, and much more. Renee's recommended reads are: The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn The Many Lives and Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahall 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 gre...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the January's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine Penitence by Kristen Koval Now: The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke Dream State by Eric Puchner Next: Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett DNFs or Didn't Like: The Antidote by Karen Russell Book Mail Highlights: Finding Grace ...