Episodes

In this interview, I chat with Gill Paul about Scandalous Women, how she decided to write about these two women and why she paired them together, what surprised her the most when writing this one, her fascinating research, the changes these authors made in the publishing industry, and much more. Gill's recommended reads are: Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie The Last Light Over Oslo by Alix Rickloff The Women by Kristin Hannah Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Readin...

In this interview, I chat with Alison Espach about The Wedding People, her title and cover, the inspiration for this novel, the role a "stranger" plays in a story, the hardest thing about writing the book, and much more. Alison's recommended reads are: Green Dot by Madeleine Gray Big Swiss by Jen Beagin Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-page 2024 Summer Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide gre...

In this interview, I chat with Jennifer Mathieu about The Faculty Lounge, how she began writing this book, writing an adult novel versus a YA book and how the two differ, weaving the characters together, what surprised her the most when writing this one, her fun cover, and much more. Jennifer's recommended reads are: Rift by Cait West I'm Wearing Tunics Now by Wendi Aarons Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-page 2024 Sum...

In this interview, I chat with Flynn Berry about Trust Her, why she returned to writing about Tessa and Marian, creating such a strong sense of place, focusing on motherhood, her title and cover, her writing process, Northern Spy's screen adaptation, Reese's Lit Up program, and much more. Flynn's recommended reads are: Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-p...

In this interview, I chat with Laura Wood about Under Your Spell, writing an adult novel, how she wrote this one, her title and cover, how writing adult novels varies from Young Adult and children's books, her title and cover, and much more. Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-page 2024 Summer Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer. Want to know which new titles are p...

In this interview, I chat with Kristy Woodson Harvey about A Happier Life, her title and cover, why this is a very personal story for her, tackling a dual timeline story, unearthing her feelings about traditions, her next book, and much more. Kristy's recommended reads are: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin A Wedding at Lake Como by Jennifer Probst Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andre...

In this interview, I chat with Julie Satow about When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, deciding to write about these women, her research, getting the cover right, how her title came about, and much more. Julie's recommended reads are: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan All the Summers in Between by Brooke Lea Foster Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my comple...

In this interview, I chat with Laura Hankin about One-Star Romance, setting the book over a longer period of time than most rom-coms, the publishing world as a backdrop, writing a rom-com versus women's fiction, and much more. Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-page 2024 Summer Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer (free to paying patrons). Want to know which new ti...

In this interview, I chat with Clare Pooley about How to Age Disgracefully, including a memorable dog in this book, how readers do not like dogs to die in books, Iona Iverson's various covers and titles, the easiest and hardest characters to write in this one, her research into gang behavior, and much more. Clare's recommended reads are: Weyward by Emilia Hart You Are Here by David Nicholls Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summ...

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 decided what invention to use, the Thursday Authors group, and much more. Susie's recommended reads are: Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters Funny Story by Emily Henry Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview...

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 recommended reads are: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-pa...

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 along with people as an introvert, why your priorities change as you get older, and much more. Ann's recommended reads are: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote The Collector by John Fowles Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my Summer Reading Guide Preview or my complete printable 12-page 2024...

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 the book, and much more. Susan's recommended reads are: American Daughters by Piper Huguley Do What Godmother Says by L.S. Stratton Missing White Woman by Kelley Garrett Want to know which new titles are publishing in May - October of 2024? Check out our second Literary Lookbook...

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: Mercury by Amy Jo Burns Everyone But Myself by Julie Chavez Drinker of Ink by Shannon Castelon Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Oliva Ford Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan James by Percival Everett How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kris...

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 cover, and much more. Eileen's recommended reads are: Solito by Javier Zamora Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Inciting Joy: Essays by Ross Gay Want to know which new titles are publishing in May - October of 2024? Check out our second Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensiv...

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 book, the title and cover, and much more. Michelle's recommended reads are: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith Murder Bot by Martha Wells Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of...

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, what surprised him the most when researching this one, the purple cover, and much more. Tommy's recommended reads are: Being a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo Want to know which new titles are publishing in Ja...

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 guidebook, writing in the present tense and moving around in time, the title and cover, and much more. Amy's recommended reads are: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje Want to know which new titles a...

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 Whitaker Same As It Ever Was by Clare Lombardo Cindy’s Summer Reading Guide Preview Selections: How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2024? Check out ou...

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 cover came to be, why she chose the time period she did to write about, and much more. Piper's recommended reads are: The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe In a League of Her Own by Kaia Alderson Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2024? Check o...

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 Meghan started her blog, getting the rights to the rare photos used in the book, how so many photos in this book have not been published before, and much more. Meghan's blog Rare Audrey Hepburn can be found here. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2...

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 Toibin Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris The Klanman's Son by R. Derek Black June Bear by Julia Phillips Service by Sarah Gilmartin Swift River by Essie Chambers One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whittaker July The Wedd...

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 book, why Lauren's life continues moving forward, creating the attic and coming up with how it would work in the novel, and much more. Holly's recommended reads are: Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon Want to know which new titles are publishing in Janu...

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 the most when writing this one, and much more.