Totally Booked with Zibby

Judith Warner's latest book is called And Then They Stopped Talking to Me: Making Sense of Middle School. She is a best-selling author, a special correspondent for Newsweek, and journalist who had a New York Times column. She's an extremely compelling speaker and writer, and this book provides invaluable insight about the (sometimes really painful) memories from navigating adolescence, and for parents trying to intellectually make sense of what's going on with their middle schoolers. It’s also about the memories from adolescence that adults carry with them and how that translates into their own parenting. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Beanland is the author of the novel Florence Adler Swims Forever, through which she takes family history and secret-keeping to a riveting place. Based on a tragedy that took place in the 1930s in her own family, we talked about how Rachel grew up with this family lore, whether it's justified to keep hard truths from the people they impact, and how that narrative has shaped her relationships.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I interviewed the amazing Taffy Brodesser Akner about her bestselling first novel, Fleishman Is in Trouble, as part of the Streicker Center from Temple Emanu-El's "Women on the Move" series. Taffy was formerly a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and has written for GQ, ESPN the Magazine, and many other publications. We laughed about how many people in her circle think that they know who her protagonist is based on - or even thought “Fleishman” was supposed to be them! I loved Taffy's insights about the role of Judaism in her book, what makes a good interview, and where she wrote this novel. (Hint: it involves a couch in the bathroom at Nordstroms.) I truly loved connecting with Taffy.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bethany Saltman is the author of Strange Situation: A Mother's Journey into the Science of Attachment. She's also an award-winning editor and researcher. Her work can be seen in publications like The New Yorker, New York magazine, Atlantic Monthly, Parents and many others. Strange Situation is a beautiful memoir of Bethany's 10-year journey researching and exploring the science of attachment. The science is fascinating but I really loved that this was a coming-of-age story about motherhood that explored her own upbringing to who she became as a parent. We talked about expectations about what motherhood "should" feel like, Bethany's Buddhist practice, growing up in a 1970's household of "benign parental neglect," and unpacking the heavy things she was carrying from her childhood in order to be the parent she envisioned for her daughter.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had a blast interviewing former child actress from “The Wonder Years” Danica McKellar about her latest book called The Times Machine! Like me, you probably adored her first as Winnie! (My daughter knows her from “Project MC2” on Netflix.) Among other great acting roles and becoming a parent, Danica started McKellar Math. She developed her own math theorem, spoke before the congressional committee in 2007 about why kids' math scores are far behind those in other countries, and how we should really start in middle school targeting kids for math. Now she has written ten different math books (all of which have terrific titles). She's a total star and her passion has helped so many kids and families get through the stress of learning math together.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Newman is the author of the fantastic book How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful, Super-Important Skills to Learn before You're Grown Up. She's the etiquette columnist at Real Simple magazine and the editor of the James Beard Award-winning nonprofit kids' cooking magazine ChopChop. I'm so glad Catherine was inspired to write this book because it's an amazing way to get kids comfortable with basic skills from table-setting to apologizing and help them feel independent while doing it. I followed Catherine's advice to get the book and just leave it somewhere accessible for everyone in the family - they'll be inclined to read this practical, fun, graphic novel-esque book. It's a favorite in my house!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the most fun laughing and talking with Kevin Kwan who is the author of Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, the international best-selling novels and almost unprecedented single-author trifecta. The film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians became Hollywood's highest-grossing romantic comedy in over a decade. His latest book is called Sex and Vanity. Kevin and I talked about his upbringing in Singapore and Texas, satirizing social codes and outlandish snobbery, being a lifelong observer, and his funny and terrific advice to authors: "don't be afraid to really take a chance and let your freak flag fly" because you never know what'll happen when you just write from your own place of authenticity.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I adored interviewing J. Courtney Sullivan about her latest book Friends and Strangers, which comes out today! She is a New York Times best-selling author and her newest novel has been on every most-anticipated list and best-book-of-the-summer list there basically is for 2020. I felt like Courtney was in my brain when I was reading - it took me back to being a new mom. We talked about her book's central and intricate dynamic between a babysitter and a new parent, what it means to have a safety net, and what we envision as marriage and raising children and the nuances we learn along the way about what those things *really* look like.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerry Kletter is a critically acclaimed author who also has an extensive background in theater and has appeared in film, television, and on stage. I loved talking to her about her most recent book and first adult novel, East Coast Girls. We went deep about the central theme of shared trauma that appears in her work: how does an author's experiences impact what they want to write about and how they shape their characters? How do you excavate your true self and dismantle dysfunctional coping mechanisms? How can writers give words to experience so that other people feel seen and validated? How can we adapt to give people room to grow? I think you'll really enjoy Kerry's insights.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonnie Tsui’s mom actually reached out to me after seeing me on and suggested I interview her daughter! Turns out, Bonnie wrote a fantastic, thought-provoking book recently called Why We Swim, a perfect book for these summer months. Part-memoir and part-investigative journalism, Why We Swim will make anyone long for the blood-pressure-lowering effects of staying underwater. Bonnie is a native New Yorker, Harvard University graduate where she rowed crew and snowboarded, a frequent contributor to The New York Times and California Sunday magazine, a live storyteller, author, and surfer. Bonnie's parents met in a swimming pool in Hong Kong, which is just so fitting. Her book is absolutely fascinating - a personal, cultural, scientific, and journalistic exploration of the human relationship with water and swimming. Bonnie explained how we're wired to respond to water and the psychological benefits of being around and in water for our mental health. I think you'll want to take a swim after listening. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am such a HUGE fan of Glennon Doyle’s. I loved her book Untamed and could relate to so many parts of it. Talking to Glennon and hearing her soulful advice was just second to none! An activist and thought leader, parent, wife, and inspired writer, Glennon is the author of #1 New York Times bestseller Untamed, a Reese's Book Club selection, Love Warrior, an Oprah's Book Club selection, and the New York Times bestseller Carry on, Warrior. Glennon founded Together Rising, a non-profit that “transforms collective heartbreak into effective action.” I felt like I was bordering on obsequiousness in this episode as I gushed and gushed, but I truly loved talking to Glennon about following her heart, remarriage, kids, and role modeling. Funny enough, the day after I interviewed her and discussed her marriage to Olympic soccer champion, I interviewed another member of the US Olympic soccer team. None of it helped with the backyard soccer I attempted with my kids, but all of it inspired me in many, many ways!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mary Morris is the author of the new, critically acclaimed travel memoir All the Way to the Tigers. She is an award-winning author and has written three story collections, four travel memoirs, and five novels. She also teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence. Mary and I talked about how an accident halted her regular state of constant motion, spurred her on to deep self-exploration, and created this brilliant memoir. Her skating incident even served as a roadmap to helping her cope with the pandemic pause. Mary has an exceptional zest for life that's clear in our conversation and her writing. Find out if she ever makes it to the tigers!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carlos Whittaker is the author of three books, Moment Maker: You Can Live Your Life or It Will Live You, Kill the Spider, and most recently, Enter Wild: Exchange a Mild and Mundane Faith for Life with an Uncontainable God. Carlos's wife calls him "a hope dealer" (listen to learn what that means!). Carlos has been a recording artist signed to a major label, a social media maven, and now spends the majority of his time writing books and speaking on stages around the world. His first speaking engagement happened just two weeks after he decided to leave his music career behind when he was invited to speak at the White House for President Obama's Easter Prayer Breakfast. I think you'll love hearing Carlos's story as much as I did. By the end I accomplished my goal of being allowed to use his friends-only nickname: Los!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan Burton's memoir, Empty, is one of my favorite recent books. I'm really excited to share our conversation which we had at the beginning of the pandemic. Now it feels like a lifetime ago! Susan is an editor at This American Life on where the episodes she has produced include "Ten Sessions," "Five Women," and "Tell Me I'm Fat.” Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Slate, The New Yorker, and others. Empty is the story of Susan’s secret eating disorders, both anorexia and binge eating disorder, that defined her adolescence and adulthood. We talked about her book becoming both a confession about the painful secrets she had been living with and sharing her story as a means of recovery and connection. Our interview was the first one she had done and she meaningfully shed light on habits and compulsions, how we hide our turmoil, and the road to sharing ourselves with the people closest to us. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julie Clark's latest book, The Last Fight, was powerful and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. I loved talking to Julie about her suspenseful book centered around two women who are desperate to escape their lives for very different reasons. We discussed the feeling of powerlessness that I think we can all relate to in some way, how Julie writes characters that have agency and are resourceful, her personal story cancer story and what it means to be afraid but make a new plan and move forward, and more.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marian Keyes is one of the most successful Irish novelists of all time. She has written fourteen novels that have all been bestsellers with 30 million books sold in 33 languages around the world. I loved talking to her about the impetus for transitioning to a career in writing at thirty, addiction and recovery, the self we present to the world versus what's really going on beneath the surface, and creating nuanced and layered characters readers can identify with. Her latest book, Grown Ups, touches on all the issues and more! ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kara Kinney Cartwright is the author of Just Don't Be an Assh*le: A Surprisingly Necessary Guide to Being a Good Guy, which is a frank and very funny guidebook designed to help teach younger men how to have positive interactions, make good decisions, and recognize when they're "being jerkfaces.” This book was Kara's way of sending her kids out into the world to navigate school, friends, and family without being a you-know-what. I think this should be required reading for teenagers ... and maybe some adults who missed the memo! (I may be giving a few anonymously as gifts!)** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela DiTerlizzi is the author of The Magical Yet. She is a mom, wife, and author who delights in writing rhythmic, charming picture books to be enjoyed and shared by both parents and children alike - including my family! Your "yet" is something that's always with you when you're down about the things you can't do or dreams that haven't come true to cheerlead you through those moments and remind you to shift from the mindset of "I don't know how to do this" to "I don't know how to do this yet." My seven-year-old thinks the book is inspiring, as do I. It's a timely reminder about a timeless mindset to help us keep going!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zaina Arafat is the debut author of You Exist Too Much: A Novel, an anticipated book for June 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle, Lit Hub and so many others. She is a Palestinian American writer, teacher, and editor whose stories and essays have appeared in a number of top publications. It was fantastic to interview Zaina through the Center for Fiction during part of their Inside and Out 2020 Pride event series. Her writing is beautiful, and I had an amazing time talking with her about the autobiographical reflections in her novel, identity, challenging stereotypes, family approval, and love.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samantha Harvey is an acclaimed novelist whose most recent book, a genre-bending memoir called The Shapeless Unease: A Year of Not Sleeping, just came out to rave reviews. For anyone who has ever experienced a sleepless night (perhaps all of us these days), this book mirrors the emotions that surface in the dead of night. The form followed the content as Samantha navigated her issues, delving into losses and traumas from her past. We talked about her thoughts about writing, not sleeping, and the writing process itself: that it's like dreaming, and also an expression of love that requires you to open your heart. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had such a nice talk with author Mia Birdsong, who wrote How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community. Mia is a pathfinder, community curator, and storyteller who steadily engages the leadership and wisdom of people experiencing injustice to chart new visions of American life. In her work on guaranteed income as senior fellow at the Economic Security Project, she tapped into the voices and visions of low-income people to reimagine the American social contract, which she focused on in her TED talk. Mia and I talked about her work around social justice, the human need for interdependence, and what exclusion from practicing the American dream looks like. How We Show Up is powerful, as is our conversation, and I hope you take away as much from it as I did. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Munson is the author of Willa's Grove, her debut novel. She's also the author of This Is Not the Story You Think It Is...: A Season of Unlikely Happiness, which is a memoir based on her New York Times Modern Love essay which was so popular it actually crashed The New York Times website. We talked about coming to crossroads moments in life and how her characters in Willa's Grove react to them, the nuances of female friendship, her writer's retreat and foundation, and the importance of perseverance for writers.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the chance to interview Liz Moore over Zoom and Instagram Live to discuss Long Bright River, which is Liz's best-selling novel and a GMA Book Club pick. It's the story of two sisters who grow up adjacent to Kensington in Philadelphia which is a neighborhood that's been particularly hard hit by the opioid crisis. As adults, they become estranged: the older sister is a police officer and the younger sister is suffering from opioid addiction. Liz and I talked about how her book was inspired by her own family history, genetic predisposition, and systemic failures in our country that have contributed to the insidiousness of addiction. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is a bit of a departure from my typical author interviews. I'm talking to two of the most important people at Goodreads, which many of you fellow book lovers already know about. It's a giant site for book recommendations where you can follow your friends' picks. Danny Feekes is the editorial director at Goodreads and Suzanne Skyvara is the VP of marketing and editorial. They're both terrific, entertaining, and have the inside scoop about what is popular on Goodreads for this summer — and what their own picks are, and more! You’ll have to listen to hear how we ended up discussing naked yoga. Who knew?! ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the best conversation with Natalie Jenner who is a debut author of The Jane Austen Society. Her historical fiction depicts eight extremely different people at the end of World War II who are all dealing with trauma and loss in different ways, and bond over an unknown shared love of Jane Austen. It’s based on an account of the actual formation of the first Jane Austen Society during World War II. Her book is transportive, and you can feel how inspired she was writing it. Plus, her own life story about opening a bookstore with her husband before finding out he was sick gives a unique perspective on hope. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Esther Safran Foer. She is the author of the beautiful memoir called I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir, which she wrote to explore her family's history, preserve their names, and share the past with her children, grandchildren and their grandchildren. We talked about how optimism and resilience are entwined with survival and overcoming unspeakable darkness, the task of self-reflection and the liberation of opening up about tragedy, plus how to keep memories. I hope you get as much out of our conversation as I did.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adrienne Bankert is the author of Your Hidden Superpower: The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable at Work and Connects You with Anyone. She is also an Emmy Award-winning journalist and currently serves as a New York-based national correspondent for ABC News. Her book is incredibly compelling, as was our conversation. Adrienne and I talked about embedding kindness into our identity and harnessing it as a universal language, what it means to be yourself and show people your gifts, and attracting the kind of career and relationships in your life that you want and need.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Quiban Whitesell greets millions of Los Angeles viewers daily each morning as Fox 11's meteorologist, and wrote an amazing memoir called You Can't Do It Alone: A Widow's Journey Through Loss, Grief and Life After. It is heartfelt and inspiring, and also a supportive roadmap for readers facing their own hardships. Maria and I talked about her love story with her late husband Sean, parenting through grief, the catharsis of writing and conversation, and how important it is for people going through grief to build a village of support.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donna Hemans is the amazing, Jamaican-born author of award-winning novel River Woman and most recently, Tea by the Sea. Her short has been featured in Caribbean Writer, Witness and other publications and anthologies. Tea by the Sea is a heartbreaking and inspiring story about a young mother whose baby was taken from her at birth and we talked all about how she pieced this novel together, that her biggest takeaway from her MFA program was learning how a reader understands your story, and the process of writing and evoking emotions that you haven't experienced yourself. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I loved interviewing Maria Russo. She is the former children's books editor of The New York Times Book Review, and she and co-author Pamela Paul wrote How to Raise a Reader, which is right up my alley. It was just great to talk about someone who is equally passionate about reading and teaching children to cultivate a lifelong love of reading. Maria talks about how the difficult part is ensuring children have access to a lot of different and diverse books and that's where parents can really take action, how important librarians are, and how reading is the ultimate way for us to reflect and connect.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm re-releasing my conversation with legendary writer, award-winning novelist, and professor Jamaica Kincaid. Jamaica is most recently the author of children’s book Party, illustrated by Ricardo Cortés. She has written nearly a dozen books, was a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine for over twenty years, and teaches in both the English and African and African American Studies Departments at Harvard University. I was honored to speak to her last year about her esteemed body of work. One of the interesting pieces for me as I revisit this episode is Jamaica talking about how Party is adventurous and beautifully illustrated - as well as a layered interpretation of white privilege through the eyes of the young characters in a coming-of-age story.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm re-releasing my episode with Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes, which I was honored to record with her a number of months ago. She is an award-winning and best-selling author of many books including her most recent, Black Brother, Black Brother. She is such a rock star, and you'll hear more about her impressive background in our episode. We talked a lot about her books, which combine historical fiction and uplifting narrative while exploring challenging themes like colorism and prejudice. One of the most powerful things she said was about what her grandmother taught her: "Everybody is related. Everybody is kin. This whole idea that color would be a determining factor for someone to discriminate against you has got to stop." I couldn't think of a better message to share right now.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six weeks ago, I interviewed Dr. Casandra Henriquez ("Coach Cass”) for my Instagram Live show. We had a great time talking about her children's book, Princess Zara's Birthday Tradition. My almost-7-year-old daughter is a huge fan of Princess Zara’s! I was able to include Princess Zara's Birthday Tradition in an article I wrote for The Washington Post where I did a roundup of some really great children's books that have come out recently. This week I invited Coach Cass to come on my podcast to have an open, honest discussion about race, the Black Lives Matter movement, and what she thinks everyone can do to help. It was raw, emotional, intimate, and inspiring. I hope you’ll listen and agree. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To amplify voices of color, I'm re-releasing my episode with Glory Edim which we recorded in person earlier this year. Glory is the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a Brooklyn-based book club and online community that celebrates the uniqueness of black literature and sisterhood. She originally started this platform on social media as a way to discuss black women writers, non-binary writers and writers of color and to create conversations about what it means to be a black woman in the world. As her platform grew, Glory organized the first-ever Well-Read Black Girl literary festival and became the editor of the anthology Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Stories, Discovering Ourselves. She is a role model of mine and what she shares about the importance of bringing black authors to all readers, her love of independent booksellers, and the value of direct contact and discussion is important. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had such a nice conversation with Brad Montague. It felt so easy getting to know him; he's just an all-around awesome guy. Brad's latest book is called Becoming Better Grownups: Rediscovering What Matters and Remembering How to Fly. He also developed the award-winning series Kid President. Brad goes around the country talking to teachers and educators and everybody else helping us all rediscover something we lost as children. His book was inspired by listening to kids talk about what they think it looks like to be a "good grownup.” It’s a lesson we all need to hear, especially now. Our conversation about what adults are missing and how to find it again will give you some really good insights and tools to get through the darkest hours.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Gray Streeter is an award-winning columnist and pop culture critic for The Palm Beach Post where she has worked since 2002. She wrote a beautiful book about being a widow called Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title. Her story is emotional, honest, and focuses on the small and very human things we notice and feel while mourning. I loved hearing from Leslie about how every person's experience with loss is different so there's no template for this type of book, how race and religion factor into her personal narrative, and finding moments of comic-relief in grief helped her process and tell her story.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victoria James is the author of Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier, her coming-of-age story in the wine world. Victoria has worked in restaurants since she was thirteen and was certified as a sommelier when she was twenty-one. She was Food & Wine's Sommelier of the Year in 2018 and has appeared on both Forbes and Zagat's "30 Under 30" lists. She's worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York City and is currently a partner and beverage director at Cote, a Michelin-starred hotspot, and cofounder of Wine Empowered, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to diversify the hospitality industry by offering tuition-free wine classes to women and minorities. I loved talking to Victoria about how hospitality has represented so much to her - irreplaceable community and culture, but also sexism and disciminartion - and how she can use her story to help other people navigate the restaurant industry.  ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the best time doing an Instagram Live with Wally Lamb who is the author of six New York Times best-selling novels: I’ll Take You There, We Are Water, Wishin’ and Hopin’, The Hour I First Believed, I Know This Much is True, and She’s Come Undone. I Know This Much is True and She’s Come Undone were both selected for Oprah’s Book Club. Lamb also edited Couldn’t Keep It to Myself and I’ll Fly Away, two volumes of essays from students in his writing workshop at York Correctional Institution which is a women’s prison in Connecticut where he has been a volunteer facilitator for the past seventeen years. I Know This Much is True was first published in 1998, and has now been turned into an HBO original limited series which just aired. Wally and I talked about what drew him to write these characters originally, his curiosity about and research into mental illness, and being part of a fifteen year project to turn his writing into film.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was absolutely thrilled to interview Jeanine Cummins for my virtual book club. When American Dirt came out, it was an Oprah's book club pick, landed on the best-seller list, was optioned by Clint Eastwood…. and yet caused an enormous controversy, one that caused Jeanine to cancel her book tour and all events due to death threats and more. I wrote an article defending her work and a novelists’s right to create fictitious worlds. I felt compelled to write it because of how much I adored story. How much it moved me. How beautifully written and powerful it was. Just like a good book should be. After months of speculation about her feelings, I could finally speak to her directly about what happened and the unheard story about her writing the book itself. We spoke more about the important part —the book, her relationship with her dad and her devastating loss of him—than the controversy, but it was all relevant, inspiring and informative. Jeanine is a passionate advocate for borderlands migrants and is matching donations up to $100K until July 31st for anyone who wants to give here. I hope you’ll find our discussion as moving as I did. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I loved my conversation with Lily King which I did via Instagram Live in conjunction with the Montclair Literary Festival. Lily's latest novel, Writers & Lovers, was so good that it kept me up late two nights in a row, which is very rare for me. Lily is the author of five best-selling, award-winning novels. Writers & Lovers has been the Read with Jenna book pick, a New York Times best seller, and on everybody's list of what book you need to be reading. We talked about so many of the little gems in the book about the pressure on authors to write the next great American novel; rejection, perseverance, and writing rituals; and balancing writing with raising children,** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mary Beth Keane's most recent novel, Ask Again, Yes, is a New York Times best-seller and The Tonight Show Summer Reads Pick. She has authored two other books, was named one of the National Book Foundation's "5 Under 35," and was awarded a John Simon Guggenheim fellowship for fiction writing. Mary Beth and I talked about the moving moving themes in her novel: forgiveness and sacrifice, depression and masking fear, and how we protect ourselves and the people we love. Centered around two neighboring families in a New York City suburb in the 1970s, I've heard her describe Ask Again, Yes as Romeo and Juliet, if the families had to hang out forever. It's a must-read!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I met Kristy Woodson Harvey last summer at Author's Night for the East Hampton Library, but I interviewed her virtually to talk about her latest book, Feels Like Falling. She has a seriously impressive bio (phi beta kappa!!) which includes authoring many books, some of which have also been optioned for film. Feels Like Falling, about a seemingly unlikely friendship, is funny, relevant, and a book people can really escape into. Kristy and I talked about book tours, her writing schedule, and her advice to aspiring authors. As she says, the creative part of writing is what lights us up and keeps us coming back to it, but treat it as a business because that part of it is what allows us to be able to do this as a career. ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nina Renata Aron recently published a beautiful, gritty, and un-put-down-able memoir called Good Morning, Destroyer of Men's Souls. Nina is a features editor at Full Stop, an online literary magazine and her work has appeared in The New Republic, The Rumpus, The Millions, and elsewhere. Nina calls her book a literary memoir about codependency - and while it is really an intense look at love and addiction, she encapsulated the universal appeal of her book during our conversation, which is broadly about the expectations that women place on themselves and that have been placed upon them culturally and how much of themselves to give in love - in motherhood, in family, in romance.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the privilege of interviewing the legendary author Judith Viorst as part of the Women on the Move three-part series from the Streicker Center at Temple Emanu-El. Judith is basically who I want to be when I grow up. She has been a prolific writer for decades and just doesn't stop and is amazing. She wrote Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in 1972, which has sold over two million copies and of course has become a movie from Disney. Recently, she has also written many books for adults about each decade, books from your thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties, up until now. She wrote Nearing Ninety, which is a fantastic book of poems, thoughts, and reflections. I loved our conversation and Judith's insights about paying attention to the world you're in - no matter what age you are! ** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phyllis Grant is an IACP finalist for Personal Essays/Memoir Writing and a three-time Saveur Food Blog Award finalist for her blog, Dash and Bella. Her latest book is Everything Is Under Control: A Memoir with Recipes. She has cooked in world-renowned restaurants, including Nobu, Michael's, and Bouley. Her essays and recipes have been published in a dozen anthologies and cookbooks, including Best Food Writing in both 2015 and 2016, and her work has been widely featured in everything from The New York Times to Food25. Her memoir is beautifully written and uniquely structured, tracing her appetites, desires, passions, challenges. I loved our conversation - especially Phyllis's hope that this book gives people confidence to play in the kitchen. She says the best learning comes from stepping back from recipes and getting creative with what you have in your kitchen! How perfect is that insight right now? (I’ve made her cottage cheese pancake recipe three times now in quarantine - with yogurt instead - and it’s AMAZING.)** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had a blast interviewing Meena Harris. Meena is the author of Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea which is based on her aunt and mom, Senator Kamala Harris and Maya Harris, who campaigned to change the playground outside their building when they were kids. She's also the founder and CEO of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, which supports women everywhere and the critical work that's being done for women's rights. My kids and I loved her children's book - and the online activity book component is an amazing way to engage with your family! Meena and I chatted about creating children's literature that highlights girls in the world going after their big ideas, how to ingrain in people that activism starts small, and the importance of self-affirmation and the universal message that women are phenomenal. Check out the merch on the phenomenalwoman.com site. My daughter is obsessed with the Phenomenal Girl green, cozy sweatshirt!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I did an Instagram Live with Susan Choi, which was so much fun. Susan's first novel, The Foreign Student, won the Asian-American Literary Award for Fiction. Her second novel, American Woman, was a finalist for the 2004 Pulitzer Prize. Her third novel, A Person of Interest, was a finalist for the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award. In 2010 she was named the inaugural recipient of the PEN/W.G. Sebald Award. Her fourth novel, My Education, received a 2014 Lammy Award. Her fifth novel, Trust Exercise, came out in April 2019 and is the one we talked about the most. It won the 2019 National Book Award for Fiction. Susan and I also talked about quarantine hair secrets, our agreement that the world students live in today is more complicated than the one we grew up in, and that different secrets to writing a book sometimes feel just like learning to parent different children.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I interviewed Emily Henry, author of Beach Read, which has been on every most-anticipated summer read list there is! Emily writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. Her novel follows a romance writer who has stopped believing in love after uncovering some secrets that derail what she knew about her family. Emily and I talked about writing as a way of coping with things we fear, grabbing hold of happiness, and her wonderful insights into the literary world’s genre stereotypes. Enjoy listening to our conversation!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the best time interviewing David Baldacci at seven thirty in the morning on the publication day for his latest novel, Walk the Wire. David is a best-selling author. His first novel was Absolute Power in 1996. The feature film adaptation that followed with Clint Eastwood as its director and star was just one of the many film adaptations of his forty novels that he's written for adults. All have been national and international best sellers. David and I talked about how pub dates are exciting even after experiencing so many of them, his advice to aspiring writers that they need to find subject matter that they have a lot if interest in instead of writing about something they think will be popular, and the wonderful foundation he and his wife started, Wish You Well, which aims to eradicate adult illiteracy in the US.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Hankin is the debut author Happy & You Know It, a darkly humorous novel set on New York's Upper East Side about a struggling musician who takes a gig as a playgroup entertainer and the clique of moms she comes to know. No one is as perfect as they seem. Laura is also an artist and performer herself. The viral videos that she creates and stars in with her comedy duo, Feminarchy, have been featured in NowThis, The New York Times, and Funny or Die. I don’t know why, but we recorded this episode so long ago (I think in December!!) and joked about what could possibly happen between then and now. Who ever would have imagined?!!? We had a fun conversation about the Upper East Side setting, female friendships, how we judge and label people before we know them, and the in-depth backstories that made her characters so detailed.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact [email protected].) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.