Zibby is joined by photographer Mary Ellen Bartley to talk about her work, most notably her "Reading" series. The two share the story of when they connected, how Mary constructs her images, and where fans can purchase her work. For book lovers who want to see her amazing images in person, she has a show from May 20th to June 20th at The Drawing Room in East Hampton, NY. More info here.
"You always have to look for the silver lining. That's sort of the purpose of my book and the telling of my journey." Zibby is joined by award-winning actress from hit shows like ER and The Good Wife, Julianna Margulies, to talk about her memoir, Sunshine Girl, which is now out in paperback. The two discuss the importance of working through difficult relationships with your parents as adults, the best pieces of advice Julianna's editor offered her, and what her mother thought of the book.
Actress Evangeline Lilly returns to talk about her latest addition to the Squickerwonkers series, The Demise of Lorna the Lazy. Evangeline tells Zibby about how although she has created a series that is a dark twist on Dr. Seuss' books, she herself is not a fan of dark stories. The two also discuss their respective work ethics, why Evangeline has such difficulty writing a memoir despite having 35 years of journals, and what she believes is the most important impact storytelling can have on young children.
New York Magazine columnist and author of Apron Anxiety Alyssa Shelasky returns to talk with Zibby about her latest memoir, This Might Be Too Personal. The two discuss misconceptions about writers' lives, when Alyssa realized her work was famous, and her two remaining regrets after writing this book.
Zibby is joined by children's book editor and author of the Fancy Nancy series, Jane O'Connor, to talk about her latest picture book, Good Job, George! The two connect over their shared editor and discuss how Jane's granddaughter inspired her new series, why there may be a crossover between her George and Nancy stories, and the variety of projects she is working on next.
"Don't put definitions or parameters on what you think the world should be like because it's going to blow your mind." Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling novelist Sarah McCoy to talk about her latest novel, Mustique Island, which was just named an Amazon Best Book of Literature and Fiction for May. The two discuss how Sarah stumbled upon Mustique's scandalous history, the drama that unfolded when she scheduled a trip to the island in March 2020 (as well as which famous writer offered her encouraging advice afterward), and what she included in the story to pay homage to her Puerto Rican and Caribbean heritage.
Sharon Gless, the Emmy Award-winning star of hit shows like Cagney & Lacey and Burn Notice, joins Zibby to discuss her memoir, Apparently There Were Complaints, which took her seven years to complete. Sharon unpacks some of the stories she shares in the book about her grandmother and tells Zibby about how the two reconnected through a medium. The two also talk about how Sharon's body has changed throughout her career, why she made the decision to not have children, and how she largely wrote this memoir using notes from her friend about all of the stories she has told through the years.
Zibby is joined by Jean Chen Ho to talk about her debut novel, Fiona and Jane, which started when Jean began weaving together short stories about the same pair of Asian American friends. The two discuss Jean's daily writing process, as well as why she's now less daunted to complete her upcoming standalone novel and the research she's currently conducting for it. Jean also shares what inspired her to create this book's piano instructor storyline and casually mentions that she's completing her PhD in literature and creative writing at USC.
Author of For the Love of Books and founder of Juniper Books Thatcher Wine returns to talk with Zibby about his latest book, The Twelve Monotasks, which encourages readers to ditch their multitasking habits. The two discuss the finer points of what it means to monotask, how Zibby has incorporated it into her work ethic, and which chapters of this book have received the most positive feedback from readers. Thatcher also shares how he learned the power of monotasking firsthand as he battled cancer and why the pandemic actually helped companies like his.
Zibby is once again joined by New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation Emily Henry to talk about her latest novel, Book Lovers, which follows two characters from the publishing world. The two marvel over the magic of finding the right book at the right time and Zibby shares what happened when she went back to review those very books later in life. They also discuss what inspired Emily's Instagram presence, how she manages fan interactions with such popular books, and which real-life relationships helped her to create such a strong sister dynamic despite only having brothers.
Zibby is joined by child star of Little House on the Prairie Melissa Gilbert to discuss her latest memoir, Back to the Prairie, which focuses largely on her experience creating her dream home in the Catskills. The two talk about how Melissa faced and overcame her chronic pain, when she and her husband decided to dive all in on living a more rustic lifestyle, and what she loves most about being a grandmother. Melissa also shares how her life differs from popular misconceptions about celebrities as well as what she hopes to write next.
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.
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.
"Toni Morrison said if there's a book that you want to read, write it. That's exactly what has happened here." Zibby is joined by Grammy Award-winning member of Destiny's Child Kelly Rowland and educator Jessica McKay to discuss their new picture book, Always with You, Always with Me. The writing duo share how they became friends by bonding over their shared experiences as working mothers as well as how their dynamic created the basis for this story. They also talk with Zibby about leaving magic traces for their kids while they're gone, the misconceptions that come with being a mother who happens to be famous, and why they hope this book will ease some elements of mommy guilt. Check out Zibby's book recommendations for all types of moms to celebrate Mother's Day!
Zibby is joined by the star of Dirty Dancing and other hit films Jennifer Grey to talk about her debut memoir, Out of the Corner, which she says writing was one of the best experiences of her life. The two discuss how Jennifer came to terms with her anxiety as well as with her chronic pain, what it was like for her to recall long-buried memories, and how her relationship with her family has evolved throughout her life and career. Jennifer also shares some of the kind things her daughter told her after reading (and annotating) the book.
Emmy-winning TV host and New York Times bestselling author Daphne Oz joins Zibby to discuss her new cookbook, Eat Your Heart Out, which took five years to complete. The two talk about why Daphne wanted to create recipes without gluten or refined sugar that are still enjoyable to eat and she even shares some of her favorites. Zibby and Daphne also connect over their fashion choices, their relationships with WW past and present, and their desire to eat cleaner without sacrificing the adventures food can offer. Check out Daphne's website here, which is one of Zibby's favorite places to shop!
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author of The Lazy Genius Way and host of The Lazy Genius podcast Kendra Adachi to talk about her latest project, The Lazy Genius Kitchen. Kendra shares how she applied her thirteen-step Lazy Genius method to offer the top five things you need to do when making decisions about your kitchen. The two also discuss a few of the ways Kendra has applied her teachings in her own home, why her strategies are designed to make the experiences of cooking and eating more fun, and what are some of the new additions to her growing Lazy Genius empire. Check out Zibby's episode on The Lazy Genius podcast here.
Author of Touch and Costalegre Courtney Maum returns to the podcast for a third time to talk with Zibby about her highly anticipated debut memoir, The Year of the Horses, which was just picked by Amazon as a Best Book of May. Courtney shares which parts of the book were the hardest for her to write and how her general demeanor has changed since her return to horseback riding. The two also discuss how to be there for someone who doesn't know how to ask for the help they need, the impact her insomnia has had on her life, and why she's looking forward to having a boring summer.
"I think the beauty of uncertainty is infinite possibility. When you don't know what's next, anything can be next." Wildly popular Peloton instructor and host of the Fitness Flipped Podcast Tunde Oyeneyin joins Zibby to celebrate the pub day for her debut memoir, Speak. Tunde shares how she knew from her very first cycling class that it was going to change her life, as well as how that vision merged with her lifelong love of teaching. The two also talk about what Speak is an acronym for, why Tunde still shows up and gives her classes her all even when she doesn't feel her best, and the impact she hopes her vulnerability will have on readers.
Zibby is joined by literary icon and bestselling author of The Artist's Way Julia Cameron to talk about her latest guide for artists, Seeking Wisdom. The two talk about which experiences inspired Julia to write a book about asking for guidance, her advice on how to avoid distractions while writing, and what her close friends do to help keep her grounded. Julia also shares how she applies the tools offered in her books in her own creative life and what she is working on next.
