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418 episodes — Page 4 of 9

Ep 269Jaime Lynn Hendricks' Their Double Lives: What Would You Do to Save Your Dog?

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This week, the iconic Jaime Lynn Hendricks is back for the fifth time to chat about her newest page turner Their Double Lives! Gare and I ask all our burning questions, and we discuss Gare's dog Murphy's debut in a book!Their Double Lives SynopsisA down-on-her-luck waitress at a posh New Jersey country club, Kim Valva couldn’t be living a more different life from the carefree socialites she serves. Her live-in boyfriend recently cheated on her, her social life is in shambles, and her dog needs a life-saving surgery that she can’t afford. Then her luck seems to change when a mysterious figure identifying themself only as The Stranger contacts her with an offer she can’t refuse: Put a pill in the new member’s drink and, when he dies, she’ll have enough money to fix her dog and her life.Her target turns out to be Tony Fiore—Kim’s bad boy ex-boyfriend from high school. Fifteen years have passed, and he now goes by Anthony Fuller. He’s cleaned up, made tens of millions, and his gorgeous fiancée, twenty-two-year-old PJ Walsh, is on his arm.PJ had her own agenda from the second she met Anthony. Find him, trick him, marry him, kill him. It was supposed to be easy, but she finds that while living her double life, the lines blur between who she is and who she’s pretending to be.Stunned to see Tony again, Kim can’t bring herself to go through with spiking his drink. Instead, it is PJ who dies horrifically at the table just as dinner ends. Was someone else at the club—member or worker—tasked with poisoning PJ just as she had been instructed to do to Tony? Who would want both of them dead? With no one to trust and The Stranger to answer to, Kim must peel back the layers of deceit to reveal a deeply buried truth, more shocking than she could ever imagine… Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 20, 202551 min

Ep 268Summer Thriller Releases We Are Excited for with Gare and Steph

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This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about the 2025 Summer thriller releases we are excited to read!Bookwild MerchThrillerFest GoFundMeBooks We Talked AboutLove You to Death by Christina DotsonNight Watcher by Daphne WoolsoncroftThe Laughing Dead by Jess LoureyJust Emilia by Jennifer OkoOne Dark Night by Hannah RichellThe Ghostwriter by Julie ClarkDoll Parts by Penny ZangForget Me Not by Stacy WillinghamOur Secrets Were Safe by Virginia TrenchEcstacy by Ivy PochodaWe Are All Guilty Here by Karin SlaughterHigh Season by Katie BishopHer Many Faces by Nicci ClokeGuess Again Charlie DonleaKing of Ashes by S.A. Cosby Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 16, 20251h 6m

Ep 267Judy Huston's Spy Notes: The Music Business as the Perfect Cover for a Spy

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This week, I talk with Judy Hutson about her new spy thriller Spy Notes! We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her job as a publicist in the music industry informed the book, and how she chose the places for Johnny to travel to!Spy Notes SynopsisMusic, Mayhem, and Missions...When music publicist Johnny Harrington isn't managing her superstar client Naive, she's enjoying Christmas on her family's idyllic island home in Barbados. But this year's holiday harmony is shattered when an undercover detective turns up dead, and Johnny's new romance with charming businessman Henley becomes entangled in a web of suspicion.Using her backstage pass to Europe's most exclusive social circles through Naive's tour, Johnny becomes an unlikely spy in designer heels. As she juggles a volatile artist with her secret mission, she uncovers a deadly network of drug trafficking that hits dangerously close to home. In a world where every VIP party could be a cover and every intimate encounter could be a setup, Johnny must figure out who's playing her before she becomes the next victim.From private island paradises to high-stakes concert venues, this glamorous thriller proves that in both the music business and espionage, the most dangerous notes are the ones you don't see coming. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 13, 202520 min

Ep 266Five Fave Authors and Books with Gare and Steph

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This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about five of our favorite authors and our favorite book of theirs!Books We Talked AboutThe Last HousewifeBright Young WomenPlay NiceThe Woman InsideJar of HeartsThe Family Next DoorThe Night She DisappearedDark HighwayThe Quarry GirlsThey Never LearnThe TrapThe Children on the Hill Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 9, 20251h 2m

Ep 265Robert Bailey's The Boomerang: Hidden Cancer Cure, An Outspoken Land Baron and One Dedicated Father

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This week, I got to talk with Robert Bailey about his emotionally driven action thriller The Boomerang. We dive into the inspiration for the book, the research he did for certain parts, and his favorite parts of writing the relationships in the book.The Boomerang SynopsisThe president of the United States has terminal cancer. Chief of Staff Eli James, his faithful consigliere and best friend, is one of the few who know. But just as the president’s condition mysteriously improves, Eli’s hit with another blow: his daughter has cancer too.Hell-bent on helping her, Eli turns to Big Pharma’s top lobbyist for advice, but their encounter yields more questions than answers. As he races along a twisted trail to the truth, he stumbles upon a devastating cover-up worth billions of dollars—and millions of lives.Armed with this deadly secret, Eli goes rogue, fleeing with his family out west. To keep them safe, he forms an uneasy alliance with land baron Nester “the Beast” Sanchez, known for his ruthless power tactics. An epic showdown brews, and it’s the state versus one desperate citizen, willing to risk everything to save his daughter. Can Eli broker a truce with his once allies? Or will there be war in the desert? Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 6, 202532 min

Ep 264The Role of Subconscious in Writing, Milling for Empathy, and Craft Tactics with Halley Sutton

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This week, Halley Sutton is back and we delve into character development, the subconscious influences on storytelling, and the darker themes that often emerge in our work. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 6, 20251h 12m

Ep 263Sinners Reactions and Analysis with MacKenzie Green

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This week, MacKenzie Green and I dive into everything we loved about Sinners. We dive into Ryan Coogler's succinct visual storytelling, how he tackled the themes of religion, spirituality and race, and how social horror paired with humor comes together so well.Follow MacKenzie hereListen to Manifestation Monday hereTikToks I mentionedSeven Deadly Sins from TheReel VoiceVampires Needing to Be Invited BrandonToksMoviesSammy's Ability to Connect With People is What the Devil Wanted from 5hahemRacism hurts White Couple Too from TheJaam Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

May 2, 20251h 34m

Ep 262Liann Zhang's Julie Chan is Dead: Estranged Twins, Toxic Influencers and a Wild Trip

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This week, I got to talk with Liann Zhang about her incredibly voicey and suspenseful thriller Julie Chan is dead. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her ability to write the environment of the Internet is linked to how she is chronically online (same), and her favorite backstories she created for some extra vapid influencers.Julie Chan is Dead SynopsisJulie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 29, 202534 min

Ep 261Books We Took a Chance on and Loved with Gare and Steph

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This week, Gare, Steph and i talk about books we took risks on that we ended up loving!Books We Talked AboutLion Women of Tehran Marjan KamaliHush Anne FrasierThe Wedding People Alison EspachAn Academy for Liars Alexis HendersonA Density of Souls Christopher RiceThe Shards Bret Easton EllisWe Used to Live Here Marcus KliewerThe Paper Palace Miranda Cowley HellerIKEA BookshelfRing Page TurnerPaperfeel/Matte iPad Screen ProtectorThe Push Ashley AudrainThe Manor of Dreams Christina LiHow We Named the StarsDisorientation Elaine Hsieh Chou Ring Page TurnerPaperfeel/Matte iPad Screen Protector Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 25, 20251h 32m

Ep 260Analyzing Agatha All Along with Halley Sutton SPOILERS

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THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AGATHA ALL ALONGA couple weeks ago, Halley told me she watched Agatha All Along and loved it, which lead to me binging it in one week. We reconvened and broke down all of our favorite parts of this (dare I say) perfectly written show! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 23, 20251h 19m

Ep 259Pyschological Thrillers, Reality TV, and a Tornado with Marishka Lunde and Gare Billings

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This week, Marisha Lunde, Gare and I set out to talk about psychological thrillers, but veered into all kinds of other topics, including reality TV. The episode may feel a little disjointed at times, because a tornado touched down near my home and I lost power in the middle of the episode as well as a few other times. Otherwise, enjoy meeting Marisha Lunde and hearing about her journey on Bookstagram! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 18, 20251h 13m

Ep 258Saumya Dave's The Guilt Pill: Mom Guilt, Ambition and Maintaining Your Individuality

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This week, I got to talk with Saumya Dave about her new thriller The Guilt Pill! She shares how she found the inspiration for the book, how her work as a psychiatrist informed the book, and how she started the book while pregnant with her first child, and finished it while she was pregnant with her second!The Guilt Pill SynopsisWhat if women could get rid of their guilt?Maya Patel has it all—her own start-up, a sexy, doting husband, influencer status, and now, a new baby. Or does she? Because behind closed doors, Maya's drowning.Her newborn's taking a toll on her marriage, her best friend won't return her calls, and her company's hanging on by a thread. The worst part? It's all her fault. If she could just be a better boss, mother, wife, daughter, friend… Maybe she wouldn't feel so guilty all the time.Enter: #Girlboss Liz Anderson, who introduces her to the "guilt pill," an experimental supplement that erases female guilt. At first, it’s the perfect antidote to Maya’s self-blame and imposter syndrome, and she finally becomes the unapologetic woman she’s always wanted to be. But there's a catch: for Maya to truly "have it all," she needs to be ready to risk it all. And as Maya falls deeper and deeper down the pill's guilt-free rabbit hole, her growing ruthlessness could threaten everything she's built for herself—and the family she's worked so hard to protect.Electric, taut, and sharply observed, The Guilt Pill is a feminist exploration of motherhood, race, ambition, and how the world treats women who dare to go after everything they want. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 15, 202552 min

Ep 257White Lotus Season Three Reactions with Halley

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This week, Halley and I do a DEEP dive into our thoughts after the season three finale of The White Lotus. Grab a piña colada and enjoy! 🙃Links Mentioned:White Lotus PodcastNo Nonsense SpiritualityTake on Death in Season 3 Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 11, 20251h 46m

Ep 256White Lotus Finale Predictions and Writing Catchup with Halley

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If you're listening to these episodes as their air, you're getting what was going to be April 8ths Tuesday episode today, because Halley Sutton and I HAD to talk White Lotus Spoilers and finale predictions!If you want to skip White Lotus spoilers (through Season 3 Episode 7) you can listen to the first few minutes, and when I say skip to this timestamp if you don't want spoilers, skip ahead to 31:02. *Yes, there were 25 mins worth of White Lotus to talk about, and really, we could've probably done 90 minutes on it.Then, we talk about how the setting you are in can influence your writing, and Halley shares some great insight from her friend's book Pen on Fire, about how to fit any amount of writing into your busy life. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 6, 20251h 19m

Ep 255Single POV Thrillers with Gare and Steph

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This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite single POV thrillers!Books We Talked AboutAnd Now She’s GoneChasing the BoogeymanThe Devil and Mrs DavenportThe Book of EssieThe Family TreeThings We Do in the DarkAn Anonymous GirlProvidenceTheir Vicious GamesKismetLook What You Made Me DoSugarA Criminal DefenseThe InmateThe Mirror House Girls Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 4, 20251h 8m

Ep 254Olesya Lyuzna's Glitter in the Dark: 1920s Harlem, Prohibition, Showgirls and Noir

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This week I got to talk with Olesya Lyuzna about her historical noir Glitter in the Dark! We dive into Olesya's lifelong obsession with the 1920s, some wild facts she learned while researching, and how humans have always been chasing really similar feelings, even 100 years ago.Glitter in the Dark SynopsisThe search for a kidnapped singer in Prohibition-era New York leads an intrepid reporter from Harlem speakeasies to the dazzling world of the theater, all while grappling with her warring passions.Ambitious advice columnist Ginny Dugan knows she’s capable of more than solving other people’s beauty problems, but her boss at Photoplay magazine thinks she's only fit for fluff pieces. When she witnesses the kidnapping of a famous singer at Harlem’s hottest speakeasy, nobody takes her seriously, but Ginny knows what she saw―and what she saw haunts her.Guilt-ridden over her failure to stop the kidnappers and hard-pressed for cash to finally move out of her uptight showgirl sister’s apartment, Ginny resolves to chase down the truth that will clear her conscience and maybe win her a promotion in the process. When private detective Jack Crawford starts interfering with her case, Ginny ropes him into a reluctant partnership but soon finds herself drawn to the kind heart she glimpses beneath his brooding exterior. Equally as alluring is Gloria Gardner, the star dancer of the Ziegfeld Follies who treats life like one unending party. Yet as Ginny delves deeper into the criminal underworld, the sinister plot she uncovers seems to lead right back to the theater.Then a brutal murder strikes someone close to her, and Ginny realizes the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. This glamorous world has a deadly edge, and Ginny must shatter her every illusion to catch the shadowy killer before they strike again. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 1, 202549 min

Ep 253Elizabeth Rose Quinn's Follow Me: A Thrilling Takedown of Mommy-Influencer Culture

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This week, I got to talk with Elizabeth Rose Quinn about her new thriller Follow Me! We dive into the personal inspiration for this book, and how cathartic it was to write as a new mother.Follow Me SynopsisAfter her twin sister, Chiara, goes missing at a mom-fluencer weekend, Adrienne Shaw will find her no matter what it takes. They may have been on the outs, but no one comes for her sister and gets away with it.It’s been a year, the authorities have no answers, and her brother-in-law is useless in the matter. It’s time for Adrienne to take the case into her own hands. Following in Chiara’s last footsteps, Adrienne goes undercover, infiltrating the same influencer retreat as the last thing she wants to be: an Instamommy.The remote ranch in Northern California is certainly welcoming—in a cult-adjacent kind of way. A charismatic leader, communal crafts, fixed smiles—and a lot of dead eyes.Going on gut instinct and chasing a wild theory—that Chiara came here and never left—Adrienne is determined to uncover the truth before the too-perfect-to-believe women figure out who Adrienne really is: a threat to be eliminated. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Apr 1, 202545 min

Ep 252More Kindle Unlimited Thrillers We Love

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Gare, Steph and I share more Kindle Unlimited thrillers so you can basically read for free.Blacktop WastelandValentineThe Devil and Mrs DavenportFracturedThe ButcherStrange Sally DiamondLike a SisterThe Good LieDarling GirlsThe Memory WatcherRicochetSuch Quiet GirlsA Killer’s CodeThe Secret WitnessSlewfoot Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 28, 20251h 0m

Ep 251Emily Carpenter's Gothictown: Southern Hospitality Turns Out to Be Anything But Hospitable

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This week, I got to chat with Emily Carpenter about her new horror-thriller Gothictown. We dive into how a newspaper article she saw during the pandemic inspired the story, and how she crafted such a creepy vibe for Julianna, Georgia. Gothictown SynopsisWelcome to gentle Juliana, where you can have it all…if you pay the price.The email that lands in Billie Hope’s inbox seems like a gift from the universe. For $100, she can purchase a spacious Victorian home in Juliana, Georgia, a small town eager to boost its economy in the wake of the pandemic. She can leave behind her cramped New York City rental and the painful memories of shuttering her once thriving restaurant and start over with her husband and her daughter. Plus, she’ll get a business grant to open a new restaurant in a charming riverside community laden with opportunity. It seems like a dream come true…or a devil’s bargain.A few phone calls and one hurried visit later, and Billie, Peter, and six-year-old Meredith are officially part of the Juliana Initiative. The town is everything promised—two hours northwest of Atlanta but a world away from city living, a “gentle jewel” with weather as warm as its people. Between settling into their lavish home and starting her new restaurant, Billie is busy enough to dismiss any troubling signs…But Billie’s sleep is marred by haunting dreams, and her marriage with Peter is growing increasingly strained. Meanwhile the town elders, all descended from Juliana’s founding families, exert a level of influence that feels less benevolent and more stifling day by day.There’s something about “Gentle Juliana”—something off-kilter and menacing beneath that famous Southern hospitality. And no matter how much Billie longed for her family to come here, she’s starting to wonder how, and if, they’ll ever leave. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 25, 202539 min

Ep 250Ashley Winstead's This Book Will Bury Me: A Roman à Clef About Processing Grief, and True Crime Obsessions

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This week, I got to chat with one of our podcast faves ASHLEY WINSTEAD! In her third appearance on the show, we talk about her new thriller, This Book Will Bury Me, and how she exorcized her own demons after she found herself obsessed with true crime forums in the wake of her father's unexpected death. She shares why she was drawn to writing a roman à clef about grief and true crime obsession, and her willingness to critique herself through that form.This Book Will Bury Me SynopsisIt's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions, and begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans... Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 25, 20251h 23m

Ep 249Marshall Karp's Don't Tell Me How to Die: A Family Saga, A Dying Woman Looking for Her Replacement, and A Wild Third Act

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Today, Gare and I talk with Marshall Karp about his book that we all loved (Gare, Steph and me) Don't Tell Me How To Die. He shares the inspiration for the book and how his determination to get the story right delivered us one of our new favorite books!SynopsisI have one thing to do before I die.And time is running out.I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before my next birthday.My mother also died at forty-three. I was seventeen, and she warned me that women would flock to my suddenly single father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. They did. And one absolutely evil woman practically destroyed his life, mine, and my sister’s.I am not letting that happen to my family.I have three months, and I plan to spend every waking minute searching for the perfect woman to take my place as Alex’s wife, and mother to Kevin and Katie.You’re probably thinking, she’ll never do it. Did I mention that in high school I was voted “Most Likely to Kill Someone to Get What She Wants”?From thriller writer Marshall Karp (cocreator with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times bestselling NYPD Red series), and rich with Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 23, 20251h 15m

Ep 248Books to Read if You Love White Lotus

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This week, Gare and I share books we think will cure your White Lotus hangover after the season finale!Books We Talked AboutBorn for ThisIt Could Be AnyoneRunning ColdWe Were Never HereThe Hollywood AssistantShe Started ItThe WhispersThe Vacationers Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 21, 202550 min

Ep 247Nick Kolakowski's Where The Bones Lie: Bodies in Barrels, An LA Fixer and Smugglers

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This week, I talk with Nick Kolakowski about his mystery-thriller Where the Bones Lie! We dive into the inspiration for the story, his closeness to one of the characters, and how he subverted the noir genre.Where the Bones Lie SynopsisFor Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home. He’s spent years making the film industry’s worst secrets disappear, and it’s left him a cynical burnout with a taste for bourbon and self-loathing.But when a young woman comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees a chance at redemption. Madeline Ironwood is the daughter of Ken Ironwood, a notorious smuggler and murderer who disappeared 20 years ago. Ken’s skeleton has just been discovered in a barrel at the bottom of a dried-up lake, and Madeline wants to know who killed him.Dash agrees to help, and as this desperate daughter and jaded cynic claw their way through a world of sun-bleached secrets, crooked cops, and Hollywood thugs, they soon uncover a conspiracy involving some of LA’s most powerful people.Learn more about Nick Kolakowski here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 18, 202551 min

Ep 246Popcorn Thrillers We Love!

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This week, Gare and I share some of our favorite popcorn thrillers, AND discuss actors we want to see on future seasons of White Lotus.Books We Talked AboutIf You See MeReturn to MidnightOn the SurfaceYou Killed Me FirstThis Girl’s A KillerThe TeacherThe Astrology HouseThe Final ActThe Lake of Lost GirlsCount My Lies Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 14, 202552 min

Ep 245Keeping the Paint Wet: A New Writing Series with Halley Sutton (aka I said I would finish my book this year so I need to get on it)

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This week, Halley Sutton and I introduce a new series about writing! I've said on this podcast a few times that I will finish my book this year, and this series is a way to make sure I do spend time on it, and stay in the writing state of mind. For our first topic of this series, we talk about things that keep us close to writing even when we aren't putting down tons of words. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 11, 20251h 15m

Ep 244Books We Wish We Could Erase From Our Memory And Read Again

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This week, Gare and I talk about books we wish we could erase from our memories and re-read!Books We DiscussedLocal Woman MissingThe Last Winter of Dani LansingThe Night BirdThe Girl Who Was Taken1984The ShardsAll the Missing GirlsWhat You Don’t Know Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Mar 8, 202539 min

Ep 243Spring 2025 Thrillers We're Excited About

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This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about 2025 thrillers we are excited about!Glitter in the DarkCount My LiesThis Book Will Bury MeImmaculate ConceptionThe Death of UsWhispers of Dead GirlsA Thousand Natural ShocksThe Missing HalfDon’t Tell Me How to DieThe Memory CollectorsOne in FourTheir Double Lives Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Feb 28, 20251h 29m

Ep 242Books You Can Easily Escape Into with Gare and Steph

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This week, Gare, Steph and I share books that you can easily escape into!Books We Talked AboutWatch Out for HerDon’t Tell Me How to DieNotes On Your Sudden DisappearanceThe Real DealCross My HeartLenny Marks Gets Away with MurderThe Paradox HotelA Killer’s MindCackle Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Feb 21, 20251h 6m

Ep 241Dark Valentine Thrillers with Halley Sutton

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This week, Halley and I dive into recommendations for Dark Valentine coded thrillers!Books We Talked AboutCross My HeartIt Takes MonstersTo Die ForThe Close UpMore Than You’ll Ever KnowKill for LoveThe Last PartyMy HusbandIt Had To Be YouVladimir Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Feb 14, 202550 min

Ep 240Heather Levy's This Violent Heart: Mystery, Romance, and Coming of Age

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This week, I go to talk with Heather Levy about her new mystery thriller This Violent Heart! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how her personal experience informed her writing, and exploring kink through a new character.This Violent Heart SummaryDevon Mayes thought she was done with the small conservative town she once called home. She fled when she was eighteen after her best friend Summer took her own life, leaving Summer’s twin brother, Keaton, lost in his grief. But when tragedy strikes again, Devon has nowhere to turn but back to the place that first broke her heart.Being back in Arkana means struggling with the old guilt that shrouds her bisexuality and her feelings for Keaton. There’s so much she’s still hiding from him—and so much of their shared past that’s now resurfacing.It’s not long before Devon has reason to believe Summer’s tragic death wasn’t suicide after all. Summer had secrets, too…and she wasn’t the only one who didn’t want them exposed.As Devon and Keaton piece together the mystery of what happened that fateful summer, they must reckon with their own truths before they can move forward. But one person will do whatever it takes to stop them. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Feb 11, 202557 min

Ep 239Thrillers with Romance with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

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This week, we answer a listener request for thrillers with romance. At least, we tried to answer it. Some felt questionable to call romance once we started talking, but that's thrillers for you!Books We DiscussedThe Woman InsideBath HausHello, TranscriberMy Lovely WifeSeeing StrangersThe Girl in 6EThis Violent HeartThe Grave Between UsKiller PotentialCackle Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Feb 7, 202541 min

Ep 238Carter Wilson's Fast Paced Podcast Thriller Tell Me What You Did

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This week, I talk with Carter Wilson about his new page turner Tell Me What You Did. We dive into the inspiration for Poe's name, what got him writing about a podcaster, and how he crafted a chilling nemesis.Tell Me What You Did SynopsisShe gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she's hiding a terrible secret. It's time for the truth to come out…Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead.Poe killed him.From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys? Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Feb 4, 202544 min

Ep 237Going Bookwild in Manhattan with Jamie Hergott

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After three days of bookish tourism, my sister-in-law Jamie and I recapped our trip while we waited to board at LaGuardia. We dove into Liz and Greg's Trust Issues Book Launch, the bookstore crawl we completed, and how we slowly became subway girlies. Some parts may be choppy since we had to pause for airport announcements! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 31, 202534 min

Ep 236Jakob Kerr's Gritty Technothriller Dead Money

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This week, I got to talk with Jakob Kerr about his new technothriller Dead Money! We dive into hos his experience in Silicon Valley informed the book, why the tech industry is a prime thriller setting, and how he came up with one of the best intro paragraphs.Dead Money SynopsisDon’t call me a fixer. This isn’t HBO.In her job as unofficial “problem solver” for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde’s gotten used to playing for high stakes. Even if none of those tech-bro millions she’s so good at wrangling ever make it into her pockets.But this time, she’s in way over her head—or so it seems.The lightning-rod CEO of tech’s hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. As the company’s chief investor, Mackenzie’s boss has a fortune on the line—and with the police treading water, it’s up to Mackenzie to step up and resolve things, fast.Mackenzie’s a lawyer, not a detective. Cracking this fiendishly clever killing, with its list of suspects that reads like a who’s-who of Valley power players, should be way out of her league.Except that Mackenzie’s used to being underestimated. In fact, she’s counting on it.Because the way she sees it, this isn’t an investigation. It’s an opportunity. And she’ll do anything it takes to seize it.Anything at all.Featuring jaw-dropping twists and a wily, outsider heroine you can’t help rooting for, Dead Money is a brilliant sleight-of-hand mystery. Written by a longtime insider, it is also a dead-on snapshot of the Valley’s rich and famous—and a glimpse at the darkness lurking behind the tech world’s cheery facade. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 28, 202542 min

Ep 235Our Next 3 TBR Picks with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

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This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about the next 3 books on our TBRs!Books We Talked AboutTemperRabbitsVantage PointThe Dark Hours A Long Time GoneA Killer’s MindThe ReformatoryWhere Are the Children?The Last Caretaker Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 24, 202543 min

Ep 234Recapping the 33 Movies We Saw in Theaters in 2024 Part Two

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Tyler and I finish up our recap of the movies we saw in theaters in 2024!Movies We Talked AboutOddityIt Ends With Us Strange DarlingBlink TwiceSaturday NightAfrAIdVenom: The Last DanceAnoraHereticConclaveGladiator IIInterstellarBabygirl Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 17, 20251h 21m

Ep 233Layne Fargo's The Favorites: Wuthering Heights Meets Figure Skating

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This week, Halley Sutton, Steph Lauer and I talk with Layne Fargo about her new book The Favorites! We dive into her inspiration for the book, trips Halley and Layne took to research the book, how she used character names from Wuthering Heights in The Favorites, and her lifelong love for figure skating!The Favorites SynopsisShe might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 14, 20251h 12m

Ep 232Mind Benders and Cold Cases with Gare Billings

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This week, Gare and I chose our own sub-genres to give recommendations for!I chose "Mind Benders" and Gare chose "Missing Persons/Cold Cases" so if you are looking for books in either of those genres, we've got you covered!Kate's BooksRecursionI’m Thinking of Ending ThingsThe Mechanics of MemoryThe New OneStay AwakeGare's BooksThe Lost HouseA Flicker in the DarkThe Man on the TrainLeave the Girls BehindAll Good People Here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 10, 202548 min

Ep 231Recapping the 33 Movies We Saw in Theaters in 2024 Part One

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This week, Tyler joins me to discuss the many movies we saw in 2024 thanks to our AMC membership.Movies We Talked AboutAnyone But YouAmerican FictionArgylleDuneDune 2Civil WarMonkey ManChallengersThe Fall GuyFuriosa: A Mad Max SagaInside Out 2Bad Boys: Ride or DieThe BikeridersMaxxxineLonglegsTwistersA Quite Place: Day OneDeadpool & Wolverine Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 7, 20251h 13m

Ep 230More Backlist Thrillers We Want to Read with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

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This week, we catch up on how our holidays went, talk about words/phrases of the year for 2025, and share ore backlist thrillers we want to read!Books We Talked AboutHostageTake it BackWhat January RemembersWe SpreadSuch a Pretty SmileThe Truth About Melody BrowneOutSummer RentalSuch Sharp TeethThe House on Needless StreetThin AirNotes on Your Sudden Disappearance Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Jan 3, 20251h 34m

Ep 229The Ways I Went Bookwild in 2024

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There isn't an author interview this Tuesday, so I did a year in review solo episode! I dive into everything that happened with Bookwild in 2024, including merging Between the Lines and Killing the Tea into Bookwild, the co-hosts that joined this year, bookish friendships created, repeat author guests, writing progress, Imposter Hour and Bookwild's Backlist Book Club! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 31, 202448 min

Ep 2282025 Books We Can't Wait to Read with Gare Billings and Halley Sutton

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This week, Halley, Gare and I catch up and also share 2025 book releases we are super excited about!Books We Talked AboutThis Book Will Bury MeBeautiful UglyCross My HeartDon’t Let Him InA Serial Killer’s Guide to MarriageVictorian PsychoHigh SeasonA Gorgeous ExcitementVantage Point Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 27, 20241h 6m

Ep 227Hyped Books Recommendations with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

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This week, Gare, Steph and each chose a hyped book and share three books like it that deserve more hype!Kate's Books Like The Guest List (And White Lotus)The Astrology HouseYou Can Trust MeIt Could Be AnyoneSteph's Books Like The PushThe First Day of SpringBlood SugarMonday’s Not ComingGare's Books Like The Luckiest Girl AliveEverything You Want Me to BeNice GirlsWhite Ivy Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 24, 202454 min

Ep 226Some of Our Favorite Subgenres with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

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This week, Gare, Steph and I chose our own genres to pick books from, and tried to guess what each other picked based on our choices! Listen and you can play along with us!Kate’s PicksThe PredictionFatal IntrusionDead MoneySteph's PicksA Step Past DarknessJane DoeThe Mindfuck SeriesGare's PicksThe Girls Are All So Nice HereTell Me EverythingOnly If You’re Lucky Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 20, 202449 min

Ep 225Sagit Schwartz's Broken Threads: Ageism in Publishing and Social Media, And the Writer's Battle Against AI

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This week, I talk with Sagit Schwartz about her new short story thriller Broken Threads! We dive into the inspiration for the story, the fun of writing short stories, and the Easter egg for her next novel.Broken Threads SynopsisWhen Clare loses her job as a technical writer at a pharmaceutical company due to AI, she has one month’s rent saved and a historical fiction novel she’s been unable to get published. Desperate, she turns to Amber, a young influencer in her apartment building, for help promoting the book.Amber offers Clare a shocking deal: fifty percent of the profits—if Clare allows her to claim the novel as her own. Running out of money and options, Claire hesitantly agrees.Then, the unimaginable happens. The book is an instant runaway hit—a viral phenomenon, skyrocketing to the top of multiple bestseller lists. Literary agents reach out to Amber, eager to sign her, and Clare begins to suspect Amber is cheating her out of money. Until Amber is found dead… Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 17, 202435 min

Ep 224Some of Our Favorite Books We Read in 2024 with Gare Billings and Steph Lauer

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This week, Gare and Steph and I share SOME of our favorite books we read in 2024! I have to add that we all had plenty of others we loved, and it was hard to just pick a few for this episode.Books We Talked AboutWe Used to Live HereReturn to MidnightMargo’s Got Money TroublesAn Academy for LiarsThe Lake of Lost GirlsLula Dean’s Little Library of Banned BooksThe Last PartyRabbit HoleListen for the LieMadwomanOnly If You’re LuckyDon’t Forget the GirlNo Road HomeHow We Named the StarsThe Golden Cage Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 13, 20241h 30m

Ep 223You're Never Too Old to Start Writing with Karen E. Osborne

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This week, I talk with Karen E. Osborne about how she published her first book at 69, and continued publishing more! We dive into the grit and grace that permeate all of her stories, and her desire to see survivors of trauma as thrivers and not just the "bad guys" of a story.Follow Karen's podcast on YouTube hereAnd check out her website here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 10, 202449 min

Ep 222The Difference Between Twists and Reveals, But Also, Gladiator II, A Man on the Inside and a Writing Challenge with Halley Sutton

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Halley Sutton is back this week, and per usual, we cover ALL the things! We dive into the visuals of Gladiator II vs the plot, Michael Schur's A Man on the Inside, and give a writing challenge update. Then, we get to our main topic: the difference between twists and reveals. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 6, 202456 min

Ep 221Pip Drysdale's The Close Up: Hollywood, A Stalker, and A Book Within a Book

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This week, I talk with Pip Drysdale about her new Hollywood thriller The Close Up! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she made LA come to life, and writing a book within a book.The Close Up SynopsisWhen Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is... not.She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to feel Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second? But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her... Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 3, 202427 min

Ep 220Victor Methos' The Silent Watcher: A Guardian, A Survivor, A Detective and a Terrifying Serial Killer

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This week, I talk with Victor Methos about his chilling new legal thriller The Silent Watcher. We dive into how Batman inspired the story, how Victor's work as a lawyer has informed his writing, and how he writes multiple books a year.The Silent Watcher SynopsisFar from the neon glare of the Vegas strip, attorney Piper Danes walks away from a hotshot law firm to work as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Piper was once a vulnerable youth herself, and a GAL gave her hope when she needed it most. Now she’s committed to paying it forward.Her first case is unlike any fifteen-year-old Sophie Grace is the sole survivor of a gruesome family murder. Teaming up with the formidable Judge Hope Dawson and enigmatic Detective Lazarus Holloway, Piper delves into a world more sinister than she could have imagined.Their hunt for the truth leads to a serial killer known only as “The Creeper,” a predator who hides in the shadows. But as the team inches closer to unveiling the murderer, they find themselves in the crosshairs. Trapped in a web of lies, Piper will do anything to protect Sophie and stop the killer…before she becomes his next victim. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Dec 3, 202442 min