Zibby is joined by the co-founder of Zibby Books, Leigh Newman, to celebrate the pub day of her new short story collection, Nobody Gets Out Alive. The two discuss Leigh's childhood growing up in Alaska and which memories with her parents and friends influenced elements of her stories. They also talk about the differences between writing memoirs and fiction, how Leigh got her start in the publishing industry, and what makes their publishing home so special.
Michael Lewis, author of bestsellers such as Moneyball, The Big Short, and The Blind Side, joins Zibby to talk about his latest book, The Premonition, which is now out in paperback. The two discuss some of the people in the book who predicted the potential catastrophe Covid has become and why their insights were ultimately unable to protect us. He shares the connection the book has to his Pushkin podcast, Against the Rules, which other crises like the pandemic could have been prevented with the proper communication, and why we often treat experts with such skepticism even when they offer life-saving information. Michael also talks about his late daughter, Dixie, and how his life has changed since her tragic death.
Laura Nicole Diamond joins to discuss her 2015 bestselling novel, Shelter Us, and how it changed her life. Laura tells Zibby about how she made the jump from working as a civil rights lawyer who wrote in private to a novelist, as well as what she did to hold herself to the commitment of writing a novel. Laura also shares how the inclusion of a Guatemalan character in the novel led her family to foster a young Guatemalan refugee seeking asylum, what she learned from her experience volunteering with the houseless community in LA, and why she's currently working on a memoir.
"I'm having more fun in my fifties than I have ever had before in my life. I'm very aware now that I'm not somebody who fits in, and that's fine. In fact, I love it." New York Times bestselling author Jane Green returns to talk about her first biographical novel, Sister Stardust, which centers around the life of socialite Talitha Getty. The two talk about how Jane originally found her way into Talitha's world, what projects her research may spin off into next, and which parts of her own coming-of-age story she infused into her protagonist. Jane also shares how her life has changed since she hit 50 and which decisions she made to help her feel most like her authentic self.
Bonnie Garmus joins Zibby to talk about her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, which has already been optioned for Apple TV by Brie Larson and is this month's GMA Book Club pick. Bonnie shares how the process of selling this book differed drastically from her previous novel (which was rejected ninety-eight times), where she learned the chemistry included in the story, and what moment in her professional history inspired her to write the first chapter of this project. The two also chat about how cooking is a form of chemistry and what Bonnie is reading right now.
Author of Godshot Chelsea Bieker joins Zibby to talk about her latest book, Heartbroke, which is a collection of short stories all set in California's Central Valley where she grew up. The two discuss one story, in particular, that was partially inspired by Chelsea's tumultuous childhood and troubled relationship with her mother. She also shares how she's been working on these stories for nearly a decade as she procrastinated other work, what her writing process looks like after having two children of her own, and the new novel she's working on next.
"I love strong women, so that's what I write." Author and host of the Debut Spotlight podcast Rachel Barenbaum returns to talk about her latest novel, Atomic Anna, an intergenerational time-travel story. Rachel shares why the 1986 Chernobyl disaster has long been a source of inspiration for her, how she manages to write so visually, and what moral questions she believes more people should ponder especially after the past two years of Covid.
Zibby is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan to discuss her latest novel, The Candy House, which is linked to her 2010 bestseller, A Visit from the Goon Squad. The two talk about Jennifer's journey to becoming a successful writer and how she's glad in some ways that she wasn't famous sooner. Jennifer also shares what her writing process looks like, the experience that changed the course of her career path, and how to tell if you are cut out to be a writer.
Broadway superstar Kristin Chenoweth joins Zibby to talk about her new picture book, What Will I Do with My Love Today?, which was inspired in part by her beloved dog, Thunder. The two discuss why Kristin decided to incorporate heavy themes like loss, adoption, and perseverance in the face of adversity, as well as how the pandemic played a role in the story. Kristin also shares her favorite passage and the responsibility artists have to put their work out into the world.
Debut novelist Jessamine Chan joins Zibby to discuss her book, The School for Good Mothers, which is now a Read with Jenna pick and an instant New York Times best-seller. Jessamine shares which parts of the book changed when she became a mother herself, the shocking research she conducted into family separation that inspired elements of the story, and how her physical isolation while writing bled into her work.
Editor-at-Large at People Magazine and host of the PEOPLE Every Day podcast Janine Rubenstein joins Zibby to talk about her career and her current book recommendations. Janine shares how she started her career as an editorial assistant helping to select People's book picks and has since made her way around the entire People ecosystem. She also tells Zibby what it's like interviewing celebrities on red carpets and for the podcast, as well as how celebrity culture has shifted in some ways since the pandemic. Make sure to listen for Janine's top three recommendations at the moment!
"I feel like I'm still adding selves and identity. It's not a process that stops. You don't stop growing and sit in a rocking chair." Zibby is joined by Stephanie Gangi to talk about her latest novel, Carry the Dog. The two discuss why it is so important to center stories around older women that feel honest, the influence Stephanie's relationships and personal life have had on her fiction, and what she is looking forward to from life in her 60s.
Zibby is joined by author, essayist, and columnist Jennifer Haupt to discuss her latest novel, Come As You Are. Jennifer shares what happened when she decided she wanted to write a book in her mid-forties, which questions she can answer for younger moms now that her kids are grown up, and how she launched her successful Psychology Today column. Jennifer and Zibby also discuss their anthologies and how they both helped to raise money for bookstores during the early days of the pandemic.
"I think that that's what moms are superheroes at, is getting through the day. Even in your not-best-self moment, you can still be a light to someone else even when you don't think you are." Zibby is joined by best friends Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer, better known to many as Cat and Nat, to discuss their new book, Cat and Nat's Mom Secrets. The three chat about the importance of finding humor in every day (especially over the past two years), what it was like to cancel so many of their live shows due to the pandemic as well as how they've tended to their community in the meantime, and which projects they're dreaming up next.
Kevin and Danielle Jonas join Zibby to talk about their first picture book, There's a Rock Concert in My Bedroom, which was inspired by their two daughters. The three discuss their similar dinnertime rituals, why Kevin and Danielle love working together so much, and how they approach their daughters' growing interest in music. Kevin also shares the small token he takes on stage every night to remind him of his family, and what Alena and Valentina think of their dad being a Jonas Brother.
Educator, journalist, and author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation Jessica Lahey joins Zibby to discuss her books and the parenting advice they provide. As someone who has recovered from a substance abuse disorder, Jessica shares how parents can change their attitude around drinking to help minimize the risk of addiction in their kid's future. She also tells Zibby about why research-based nonfiction is her favorite topic to both read and write, how the responses to The Gift of Failure helped her write The Addiction Inoculation, and what led her and her friend KJ Dell'Antonia to start their podcast #AmWriting.
Debut novelist Sara Freeman joins Zibby to talk about her book, Tides, and why she was interested in writing psychological literature about sibling dynamics. Sara shares what it was like to spend so much time with the novel's protagonist, how her childhood as the child of a news correspondent left her feeling a little detached from the idea of what makes a home, and which books she's currently reading now.
New York Times bestselling author Kate Baer joins Zibby to talk about her accidental collection of erasure poetry, I Hope This Finds You Well, which takes messages she's received online and turns them into powerful verses. The two discuss their shared experiences as mothers of four, as well as some of the specific emotions and traumas that that entails. Kate also tells Zibby about how this book came as a surprise, when she realized she was a poet, and what it's like to have some of her writing read back to her.
Zibby is joined by the founder of She ROARs Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr to talk about her first book, I Am Because We Are, which combines a memoir of her life with an autobiography of her late mother, Dora Akunyili. Chidiogo shares moments from her family history and from her mother's tenure as a revered director-general of Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control that shaped her worldview as well as her empowering work ethic. She also tells Zibby about how her senses of intuition and spiritual guidance have grown stronger since working on this project and why she wants to use this strength to help other women grow.
"The greatest thing about having written a book is knowing that you have written one. It has emboldened me in many parts of my life in thinking, 'Well, if I can do this, maybe I can do something else.'" Actor John Cho joins Zibby to discuss his debut middle-grade novel, Troublemaker, which was inspired by his own life. John shares how his memories of the Rodney King Riots feel resonant today, the universal emotions of growing up and trying to find ways to feel like an adult when you're still a child, and what his anxiety has looked like following the uptick in anti-Asian violence over the past few years. On a lighter note, John tells Zibby what he hopes younger readers will take away from this story and what he's looking to do with it next.
