Episodes

For today’s episode, I am running a Chapters and Chats conversation with Chris Whitaker about All the Colors of the Dark. Chapters and Chats is run by Kelly of @kellyhook.readsbooks and Ivana of @beachesbooksnbubbles. You can contact either one of them to be added to their list for a particular chat. Check out their Instagram accounts to learn more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Kirsty Greenwood about The Love of My Afterlife, how popular the romance genre currently is, romance tropes and including them in her book, her favorite trope, her U.S. and U.K. covers, being selected as the GMA July pick, the screen adaptation, and much more. Kirsty's recommended reads are: Under Your Spell by Laura Wood How to End a Love Story by Yulia Huang Join my Patreon to support the production of my podcast. Other ways to support the podcast can be found...

In this interview, I chat with Lynda Cohen Loigman about The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, the familial inspirations for this book, her title and stunning cover, including humor into the narrative, how hard she worked to get her characters' voices right, the research she conducted, The Thursday Authors, and much more. Lynda's recommended reads are: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo The Wedding People by Alison Espach Four Squares by Bobby Finger Join my Patreon to support the production of my p...

Kelly Hooker joins me for the October's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly’s Selections: Last: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister Now: Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon Next: The Family Inside by Katie Garner One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter DNFs or Didn't Like: Isola by Allagra Goodman Clever Little Thing by Helena Es...

Mary Webbey O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of Fall 2024. Mary's selections: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte Eden Undone by Abbott Kahler The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Loigman Remember You Will Die by Eden Robbins American Rapture by CJ Leede Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong Life's Short, Talk Fastbby Ann Hood The Serviceberry by Robin Kimmermer The Hidden Life of...

In this interview, I chat with Kimberly Brock about The Fabled Earth, how she decided to write about Cumberland Island and how she created her characters, building a strong sense of place, looking back on history through a 2024 lens, what makes us human, her cover and title, and much more. Kimberly's recommended reads are: Circe by Madeline Miller Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Join my Patreon to support the production of my podcast. Other ways to support the podcast can be found her...

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in April through June 2024. Our shared top reads: How To Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea Kelly’s remaining top reads: The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe ...

In this interview, I chat with Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding about Elizabeth of East Hampton, how they decided to write together, modernizing Jane Austen and the pressure of updating such an iconic author's works, how writing for television is different than writing novels, how they decide which book to tackle and when, and much more. Audrey's recommended reads are: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab The Paradise Problem by Christin...

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...