Zibby is joined by the former deputy editor of Vanity Fair Dana Brown to talk about his debut memoir, Dilettante. The two discuss what they miss about the heyday of print magazines, the crazy true story of how Dana got his start at Condé Nast, and how working for the magazine helped him find where he belonged. Dana and Zibby also connect over the summer their times at VF overlapped and Dana shares what he's currently reading.
New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne joins Zibby to talk about her latest romance novel, Made in Manhattan. The two discuss how Lauren began her writing career by finding time to write steamy novels while working at her corporate job, when she decided to weave New York City into her stories, and her best advice for authors when building their websites. Lauren also tells Zibby about her own love story with her husband and the ways in which the both support one another.
"I gave myself permission through the book to explore the questions I would've been terrified to ask in real life. I think that's the gift of writing." Zibby is joined by Lauren McBrayer to discuss her first adult novel, Like a House on Fire, which was already a Belletrist Book Club pick. The two also talk about how Lauren's initial desire to write a memoir metamorphosed into her writing the story of her future which inspired her to leave her marriage and come out as a lesbian. Lauren also shares how the two main characters came to her fully formed exactly three years before the book's pub date, the moment she knew she needed to make changes in her life in order to find happiness, and why she decided to make the shift from YA to adult fiction.
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.
Zibby is joined by author and illustrator Mike White (along with two other special guests) to discuss his Mellybean series. Mike shares the story of how he adopted his real-life dog, Melly, and how she inspires him to be more optimistic and outgoing every day. The four also talk about the person who inspired Mike to get into illustration and storytelling, how working on the series helps him work through his mental illnesses, and where the series could go next.
New York Times bestselling author Christina Geist returns to talk with Zibby about her latest picture book, Buddy's New Buddy. The two discuss the story of how Christina first began writing books for children, how long she wants to follow Buddy and Lady, and where her illustrator leaves Easter eggs for sharp-eyed readers throughout all three books. Christina also shares the two recent times she felt insecure in new situations and how they inspired her to have more compassion for young kids.
Bestselling author Lian Dolan returns to talk with Zibby about her latest novel, Lost and Found in Paris, which she has been working on-and-off on for nine years. The two discuss the undercurrents of grief in the story, which was inspired by the loss of Lian's own parents, as well as which major plot twist really happened to one of Lian's friends. Lian also shares what the last twenty years have been like working with her sisters on their show, "Satellite Sisters," which books and newsletters she is reading right now, and how Zibby's "SexTok" podcast has inspired elements of her upcoming novel.
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.
Author of Eliza Starts a Rumor Jane L. Rosen returns to the podcast to talk with Zibby about her latest novel, A Shoe Story. The two discuss which elements of the story were inspired by real moments from Jane's own family history, what her personal relationship with shoes is like, and how her neighbor inspired one of the book's characters. Jane also shares which project she's working on next and why it is one that is very important to her.
Journalist, co-founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat, and First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid joins Zibby to discuss her book, Secrets of the Sprakkar, and all of the outstanding women who have inspired it. Eliza shares some of the commendable Icelandic policies that have advanced gender equality in the nation, as well as how she approaches her own role as First Lady as a feminist and an immigrant. The two also talk about the process of how this book came to be, what it has been like to tour with a book about gender equality in the United States at this time, and a few funny stories about her husband as a father rather than a president.
Zibby is joined by the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters, Amanda Eyre Ward, to discuss her latest novel, The Lifeguards. Amanda shares her unique style of drafting which involves a number of colored index cards and a big board in her garden shed and reveals the illustrious group chat she belongs to. The two also talk about the epiphany Amanda had about her own writing after reading her friend Andrew Sean Greer's book Less, which famous author taught her the trick to crafting a good thriller, and why having one of her books picked for Reese's Book Club meant so much to her.
"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.
Zibby is joined by author Jennifer E. Smith to discuss her latest adult novel, The Unsinkable Greta James, as well as her first picture book, The Creature of Habit. Jennifer shares why she always tries to capture fleeting moments in her fiction and how the loss of her mentor helped her to better capture the grief of losing a loved one. The two also talk about where the inspiration for The Creature of Habit came from and which of her projects are being adapted for the screen.
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.
"Writing is ninety-nine percent perspiration and one percent inspiration." Zibby is joined by bestselling novelist Monica Ali to discuss her first book in ten years, Love Marriage. Monica shares how this book initially started as two separate stories that she ultimately intertwined, as well as the amount of research she conducted to make the medical elements of this novel seem as realistic as possible. The two also talk about how this story is all about sex (albeit in a non-Fifty Shades of Grey way), why Monica has a lot of sympathy for the book's sometimes annoying mother-in-law, and what it has been like for Monica to write the TV adaption of this project.
The New York Times bestselling author of Three Women and Animal Lisa Taddeo returns to talk with Zibby about her latest book, Ghost Lover, a collection of short stories. The two discuss how they both use language to describe their grief to those who may have not experienced as much loss as they have, why Lisa wanted these stories to all focus on women and love without a male perspective, and what she does to make her writing literary but accessible. Lisa also shares which stages of development each of the adaptations of her books are currently in.
"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!
Editorial Director of Amazon Books, Sarah Gelman, returns to share the Amazon Book Review's top ten books of the year so far. Sarah explains that the team of expert editors doesn't pick these books based on sales data but rather, they assemble a list of books they all love and want to share with Amazon customers who may not find them anywhere else. Sarah also tells Zibby about her new book club, Sarah Selects, which listeners can check out and sign up for here!
"I'm a firm believer that the issue isn't whether or not your opportunities come. The issue is whether you're ready when your opportunity comes." CNN anchor Zain Asher joins Zibby to talk about her memoir, Where the Children Take Us, which documents her family's tragedy and triumphs. The two discuss why Zain wrote this book to honor her mother who raised her and her three siblings after her dad died in a car accident, which life lessons shaped her work ethic, and how her family grappled with race throughout the different phases of their lives.
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author and co-creator of Friends & Fiction Patti Callahan to talk about her two novels, Surviving Savannah and Once Upon a Wardrobe. The two discuss how Once Upon a Wardrobe grew out of the research Patti conducted for her 2018 book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, why her books read so visually, and how she finds ways to weave her experience as a nurse into her stories. Patti also shares how she had heard the story of the SS Pulaski five years before she decided to write Surviving Savannah, as well as what project she's working on next.
