Entrepreneur, author, and musician Nabil Ayers joins Zibby to discuss his debut memoir, My Life in the Sunshine, which tells the story of his unique family structure and how he met his father, jazz artist Roy Ayers, when he was 35. The two talk about Nabil's mother and his reactions to the decisions she made that ultimately shaped his life, his relationship with Judaism, and how Zibby accidentally shared this book's cover before Nabil did. Nabil also shares how he found his way to writing later in life and how his wife pushed him to finally share this story.
Leah Witman Moore, LOVING YOU BIG
Zibby is joined by teacher and debut memoirist Leah Witman Moore to talk about her new book, Loving You Big, which tells the story of how Leah found her voice as a mother to children with disabilities. The two discuss when Leah managed to write during her busy days, which things she wishes society better understood about those with disabilities, and the moment in her classroom when she realized she had to tell this story. Leah also shares what she's read most recently and her favorite depiction of families with disabilities in the media.
Allison Trowbridge, TWENTY-TWO
Zibby is joined by the founder and CEO of Copper Books, Allison Trowbridge, to discuss her new company and her book, Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning. The two talk about the experiences Allison and her family went through that inspired her to write an epistolary memoir to a fictional friend and how her struggles have inspired her to make positive changes in the world. Allison also shares why she started Copper Books as a social media platform dedicated to authors and readers. Download it on the App Store today to find live events, book discussions, and so much more!
Chloé Cooper Jones, EASY BEAUTY
"I'm human like anybody else. I'm susceptible to all these bad narratives that I both internalize about myself or can turn on other people." Pulitzer Prize finalist, professor, and author Chloé Cooper Jones joins Zibby to talk about her memoir, Easy Beauty, which documents her global exploration and life with a disability. The two discuss misconceptions about motherhood, how Chloé dismantled the weight of society's judgment of those with disabilities, and her love of Roger Federer. Chloé also shares what her relationship with her son looks like today and how she's handled criticism from those who still choose to disrespect disabled mothers.
Emily Maloney, COST OF LIVING
Zibby is joined by author Emily Maloney to talk about her book of personal essays, Cost of Living, which grew out of a piece that is featured in the Best American Essays compilation. The two discuss the current state of healthcare in America, as well as what Emily sees as the industry's potential future. Emily also shares her 15-year process of publishing this book, at which stage she decided to incorporate anecdotes about her parents, and what she is working on next.
Liz Scheier, NEVER SIMPLE
Zibby is joined by editor and author Liz Scheier to discuss her debut memoir, Never Simple, which details the complex relationship she had with her mother. The two talk about the steps Liz took to paint as full of a picture of her mother as she could, when she found the time to write while raising two kids under two, and how her experience as an editor helped her as a writer. Liz also shares what she's learned about parent-child relationships overall, her thoughts on elder care after arranging as much security as she could for her mother towards the end of her life, and which parts of her story she decided not to share in the book.
Kate Swenson, FOREVER BOY
Creator of the blog and Facebook group Finding Cooper's Voice, Kate Swenson, joins Zibby to talk about her first book, Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy. The two discuss why Kate felt comfortable sharing more personal information in this book than she does on her blog, how her family dynamic has evolved over the last eleven years, and how she manages to keep such a sunny disposition. Kate also shares how Covid impacted Cooper and his treatment, as well as her favorite parts of the Facebook community she has created.
Judy Goldman, CHILD
Zibby is joined by award-winning author Judy Goldman to talk about her latest memoir, Child, which she didn't feel ready to write until her eighties. Judy shares how she processed and portrayed the sensitive nature of her personal history growing up in the segregated Jim Crow South, as well as why she felt called to write this memoir in the first place. The two discuss the benefits of launching a writing career later in life, what Judy hopes readers don't take away from this story, and the significance of her upcoming project.
Meghan O'Rourke, THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM
Zibby is joined by author and editor Meghan O'Rourke to discuss her latest book, The Invisible Kingdom, which took her nearly a decade to write. The two talk about the three major problems with medicine that have made it so hard to diagnose chronic illnesses, particularly in women, as well as how Meghan wanted to portray her own invisible illness journey as hopeful without sugarcoating the truth. Meghan also shares how Covid has impacted the ways in which our culture approaches chronic illness, her experience as an editor at The New Yorker and Slate, and what project she's looking forward to working on next.
Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN
"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how old we are, we still all have that little child inside of us." Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, global explorer, activist, and founder of the non-profit Courageous Girls, joins Zibby to talk about her debut memoir, In the Shadow of the Mountain, which was recently optioned for film by Selena Gomez. The two discuss how Silvia got to a place where she could be so open about her experience with childhood sexual violence, as well as why she wants to break the stigma for others who have endured similar traumas. Silvia also shares what she plans to do on tour in her home country of Peru once the book is translated into Spanish.
Tiffanie Drayton, BLACK AMERICAN REFUGEE
Zibby is joined by journalist and author Tiffanie Drayton to talk about her first book, Black American Refugee, which grew out of one of her popular New York Times articles. The two discuss how Tiffanie decided to portray the narcissistic abuse she endured from her ex-husband in the same way she portrayed the narcissistic abuse of living in America, as well as what it was like to reflect on some of her painful memories. Tiffanie also offers a less than ideal follow-up to the end of her story and offers an inspiring call to arms for those who have been maligned by our government.
Zibby Owens, BOOKENDS
"This whole experience has taught me that my people are all over the place." In a special episode, Zibby is interviewed by New York Times bestseller and friend Allison Pataki to celebrate the release of Zibby's debut memoir, Bookends!!! Zibby shares why she likes to be so open about her emotions both online and in this book, what she has taken away from losing multiple loved ones, and how she might not have ever ended up where she is if she had never written an article for Seventeen in 1992. She also tells Allison who she thinks would play her in a movie and why she values the community she has cultivated so much. Want to know which books Zibby mentions in Bookends? Click here to check out her list!
Sheleana Aiyana, BECOMING THE ONE
Writer, spiritual counselor, and founder of Rising Woman Sheleana Aiyana joins Zibby to talk about her first book, Becoming the One, which takes readers through one of her self-discovery programs. The two discuss some of the traumas Sheleana faced early on and how she managed to work through them, as well as when she knew she was destined to help other women find themselves. Sheleana also shares why the process of writing this book was so grueling and how working on herself allowed her to find her husband who helped her through her self-doubts.
Doree Shafrir & Kate Spencer, THANKS FOR WAITING and A NEW YORK MINUTE
Zibby is joined by the two co-hosts of the Forever35 podcast Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer to talk about their show and respective books. Doree tells Zibby why she wanted to share the lessons she learned as a late-bloomer in her new memoir, Thanks for Waiting, while Kate shares how romance novels saved her after her mom's death which led her to write both her memoir, The Dead Moms Club, and her new novel, In a New York Minute. The three also chat about some of Doree and Kate's favorite podcast guests and what they like most about how their show has evolved.
Mary Laura Philpott, BOMB SHELTER
Mary Laura Philpott returns to discuss her latest memoir, Bomb Shelter, which was selected as an Editor’s Choice by the New York Times Book Review. Mary Laura tells Zibby about her mental spatial awareness and how it informs her sentence structure, the main themes that thread the chapters of this book together, and why she loves discovering art she didn't initially think she would enjoy. Mary Laura also shares what it's like to write a memoir and have strangers connect with it while not necessarily realizing that they don't fully know you.
Qian Julie Wang, BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Zibby moderated a conversation with instant New York Times bestseller Qian Julie Wang about her debut memoir, Beautiful Country, as part of the Streicker Center's Women on the Move author series. The two talked about the self-healing journey Qian Julie had to start before she began writing about her family's immigration story, what it must have looked like to other people as she wrote emotional sections of the book on the subway, and how her parents reacted to the memoir. Qian Julie also shares what she's working on now, both with her writing and her law practice, and how it feels to have something she once kept secret out in the world.
Melissa Harris, ONE POUND, TWELVE OUNCES
Author Melissa Harris joins Zibby to talk about her award-winning memoir, One Pound, Twelve Ounces, which was actually her premature son's weight at birth. The two discuss how the book grew from a blog Melissa wrote to keep family members around the world updated about her son's progress, when she realized she had PTSD from the ninety-five days she spent in the NICU, and what her life with her children looks like now.
Claire Lynch, SMALL
Zibby is joined by professor Claire Lynch to talk about her debut memoir, Small, which she wrote while in lockdown. The two discuss some of the formative experiences Claire and her wife went through on their fertility and subsequent parenthood journey, as well as how she managed to construct a memoir that reads like poetry. Claire also shares what parents expecting twins should do to prepare themselves, why she finds it easier to reveal her emotions in writing rather than face-to-face, and what style of writing she wants to try next.
Kelsey Chittick, SECOND HALF
Comedian, inspirational speaker, and author of The Second Half Kelsey Chittick joins Zibby to discuss her book and how she has rediscovered joy in life following the immense grief of losing her husband. Kelsey recounts the heartbreaking story of how she learned her husband had passed, why she decided to include a section discussing the hopelessness she felt in the immediate aftermath of her loss, and what conversations she wants this book to help start. The two also talk about the importance of staying healthy and why it might be smart to prevent kids from playing collision-based sports too soon.
Kristen Glosserman, IF IT’S NOT RIGHT, GO LEFT
Zibby is joined by personal and business coach Kristen Glosserman to talk about her new book, If It's Not Right, Go Left, which combines memoir with some of Kristen's top advice for readers. The two discuss which life events inspired Kristen to make decisions with the intention to change her life and who has been there to help her along the way. Kristen also shares why her family decided to open their restaurant, Hill Country BBQ, what clients need to know when seeking out a personal life coach, and the most important lesson she learned from Covid while completing this book. Check out Zibby's Good Day DC interview where she recommended Kristen's book here!