Book Gang

Rachel Hochhauser joins us to discuss her debut novel, Lady Tremaine, a reimagining of Cinderella told from the perspective of its most misunderstood figure. This week, we're stepping back into a story we think we know, and turning it inside out. Rachel Hochhauser joins us to talk about her debut novel, Lady Tremaine, a bold and lyrical reimagining of Cinderella told from the perspective of its most misunderstood figure. Together, we explore what it means to reclaim a villain, the power structures embedded in fairy tales, and the quiet, often invisible labor of women navigating survival in a world that offers them very little protection. This conversation is full of trivia, with fascinating tidbits about falcons to reimagining the hinges of one of our favorite fairy tales. In this fascinating conversation, we explore: 📚 From Puzzle Maker to Published Debut: Rachel walks us through her emotional journey to publication — from manuscript to agent to book deal — and reflects on the realities of the debut journey, while celebrating how her two unique jobs intertwine. Don't worry, we DO talk about her jigsaw puzzle process! 📚 Rewriting a Villain's Origin Story: Rachel shares the first spark behind telling Cinderella from Lady Tremaine's perspective and the challenge of reshaping a fixed fairy tale into something historically grounded, emotionally layered, and narratively new. 📚 Crafting Voice, Research, and Power We explore the lyrical rhythm of her prose, the fascinating research behind the scenes with the falcon, and how the rivalry between Etheldreda and the Queen allowed her to examine power, motherhood, and structural limits placed on women in a way that she's excited to share with the next generation of readers. 📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with 31 Fairy Tale Retellings, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!   Meet Rachel Hochhauser Rachel Hochhauser is a writer and co-founder of Piecework, a cult-favorite puzzle brand. Raised in Santa Barbara, she studied at New York University and earned her master's in fiction from the University of Southern California. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two daughters. Lady Tremaine is her debut novel and available on store shelves on March 3rd.   Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 31 Fairy Tale Retellings to Enchant Your Reading Life The Best Books I Read in 2025 (Full List) Join the March Book Club 3/26 at 8 PM ET (The Mad Wife) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser Returning to Magical Realism with Eowyn Ivey (Podcast Episode) Circe by Madeline Miller The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Rachel Hochhauser on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Aisha Hassan discusses her debut novel, When the Fireflies Dance, a moving family saga set in Lahore and the research inspired by real stories of bonded labor. In this week's episode of Book Gang, I'm excited to share my conversation with debut novelist Aisha Hassan about her first novel, When the Fireflies Dance. This moving family saga is set in Lahore and draws on real-life stories of bonded labor in Pakistan's brick kilns. The narrative follows one family's struggle for survival, dignity, and hope after the loss of their son. During our discussion, we explore Aisha's journey to publication, the intricate construction of her novel, and the important responsibility of addressing social injustices through fiction. In this informative conversation, we explore: 📚 A Steady Road to Publication: Aisha reflects on the early spark for the novel, her process of finding an agent, and what the reality of a debut journey looked like behind the scenes, including the quieter, less glamorous parts of bringing a first book into the world. 📚 Building Lahore on the Page: We talk about her early visits to brick kilns, the environmental realities of red dust and smoke that shape the novel's atmosphere, and how she constructed a world where ecological harm and economic injustice are ever-present forces. 📚 Family, Memory, and Revelation: A death in the family shadows every chapter. Aisha explains her decision to reveal trauma in fragments, the symbolism of the fireflies in her story, and what she hopes readers understand about bonded labor after turning the final page.   📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with 41 Family Drama Books to Escape Your Real Life, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit! Meet Aisha Hassan Aisha Hassan is an award-winning writer living and working in London. A graduate of the University of Oxford's prestigious Creative Writing Master's programme and a Curtis Brown Creative alumna, Aisha's play Pickled Mangoes was performed at Soho Theatre, and her poetry has appeared in Under the Radar and Campus magazines. WHEN THE FIREFLIES DANCE is her debut novel and has been longlisted for the Bridport Novel Award and Hachette's Mo Siewcharran Prize, and shortlisted for the London Writers Award. As a child, she lived in Lahore, Pakistan. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 41 Family Drama Books to Escape Real Life Join the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) When the Fireflies Dance by Aisha Hassan (KINDLE UNLIMITED) The Whalebone Theater by Joanna Quinn White Mughals by William Dalrymple The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini The Bee Keeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali A Splintering Dur e Aziz Amna A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Aisha Hassan on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Debut author Lauren Morrow joins us to discuss Little Movements, a sharp, funny, and deeply perceptive literary novel set in the world of professional dance.Lauren Morrow joins Book Gang to discuss her satirical novel, Little Movements, which follows Layla, a Black choreographer navigating a fragile marriage, a long-delayed hope of motherhood, and a career-defining opportunity at a prestigious arts institution.When Layla relocates alone to create a new piece from the ground up, she finds herself confronting not just the physical demands of dance but the subtler pressures of tokenization, institutional expectations, and who gets to define what her work "means."Drawing from Morrow's background in dance and arts publicity, Little Movements offers an insider's view of how cultural organizations frame progress, how money shapes artistic freedom, and how women—especially Black women—are often asked to carry symbolic weight they never volunteered for.In this fascinating conversation, we explore:📚 From MFA to debut novel: Lauren takes us back to the earliest seed of Little Movements, how her time at the Helen Zell Writers' Program shaped the book, and what her path to publication looked like once the manuscript was complete. We also talk candidly about celebrating the "yes" and what it really entails to debut with a literary novel.📚 Writing the politics of art: We dig into the behind-the-scenes realities of the dance world as a Black woman, including institutional language, and the quiet pressure placed on artists to make their work "say something," for others.📚 Capturing movement on a page: Lauren shares how she approached putting dance on the page, given its inherent visual and kinetic qualities. We discuss the techniques she used in her prose to make readers feel the movement on the page, even if they haven't danced themselves.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with These 21 Books About Ballet Took Me Back to the Barre to reserve now to celebrate the arts! Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!Meet Lauren MorrowLauren Morrow studied dance and creative writing at Connecticut College and earned an MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan's Helen Zell Writers' Program. She was a Kimbilio Fellow, an Aspen Words Emerging Writer Fellow, and the recipient of two Hopwood Awards, among other prizes. Her writing has appeared in Ploughshares and The South Carolina Review. She worked in publicity at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and is now a publicity manager at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books. Originally from St. Louis, she lives in Brooklyn. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: These 21 Books About Ballet Took Me Back to the BarreJoin the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Little Movements by Lauren MorrowJunie by Erin Crosby EckstineAlvin Ailey's RevelationsDance Theater of HarlemAiley IINaima CosterHeads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-SpiresBefore You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle EvansLuster by Raven LeilaniCome and Get It by Kiley ReidJames by Percival EverettErasure by Percival EverettAmerican FictionThe Spectacular by Fiona DavisThe Bright Years by Sarah DamoffSarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast InterviewThe Feath3r TheoryBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Lauren Morrow on Instagram or Her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Nancy Johnson joins us to discuss People of Means, our February Book Club selection for Black History Month, a powerful, moving dual-timeline novel.Nancy Johnson joins Book Gang to discuss her richly layered second novel, which explores race, class, ambition, and resistance in 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago, offering readers a perfectly baked reading experience for Black History Month.In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Nancy reflects on writing a novel that spans decades—from the Jim Crow South and the Fisk University protest movement to the corporate corridors of the early 1990s and the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict. We talk about generational inheritance, the pressures of Black excellence, and the quiet, everyday decisions that shape history just as much as headline-making acts of protest.Nancy also shares what it was like to speak at Fisk University, a moment that mirrors the heart of People of Means, and how beginning her fiction career later in life shaped both her confidence and her creative freedom. From navigating second-novel pressure to crafting two distinct voices for Freda and Tulip, this conversation offers insight into both the craft of writing and the moral questions at the center of the book.In this enlightening conversation, we explore:📚 Privilege, "Black excellence," and the cost of being exceptional: Through Freda and Tulip, People of Means interrogates the idea of excellence as both inheritance and burden. Nancy unpacks how upward mobility creates opportunity while also setting expectations that can be overwhelming.📚 Dual timelines as moral mirrors:  Spanning 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago, the novel places two women of means at pivotal historical moments—the Fisk University protests during Jim Crow and the Rodney King and Latasha Harlins aftermath. Nancy shares how she differentiated Freda's and Tulip's voices while maintaining an emotional throughline.📚 Everyday resistance and the responsibility of those with "means": Rather than centering grand acts of activism, People of Means asks what responsibility looks like in daily life—at work, within families, and in moments where silence feels safer than speaking up.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list: 29 Dual-Timeline Novels that use this as the heart of their story structure. I am including my all-time favorites and a few new releases I can't wait to read. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!Meet Nancy JohnsonA native of Chicago's South Side, Nancy Johnson worked for more than a decade as an Emmy-nominated, award-winning television journalist at CBS and ABC affiliates nationwide.Her second novel, People of Means, published by William Morrow/HarperCollins, was named one of PEOPLE Magazine's Most Anticipated Books of 2025, with praise from NPR, Real Simple, Southern Living, Woman's World, and more.Her debut novel, The Kindest Lie, was a New York Times Editors' Choice and received widespread critical acclaim. A graduate of Northwestern University and UNC–Chapel Hill, Nancy lives in downtown Chicago, where she works as a director of brand journalism and storytelling for a major healthcare nonprofit.Mentioned in this episode:Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you'd like to keep the conversation going, you're invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on February 26 at 8 PM ET, where we'll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%.Download Today's TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 29 Dual-Timeline Books to Read NowJoin the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)People of Means by Nancy JohnsonThe Kindest Lie by Nancy JohnsonFisk University SpeechDiane NashThe Vanishing Half by Brit BennettBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Nancy Johnson on Instagram or Her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Journalist Christine Kuehn joins us to discuss Family of Spies and her gripping emotional reckoning with her family’s shocking personal ties to Nazi espionage.The book begins in 1994, when a single letter from a historian pierces Kuehn’s quiet suburban life, revealing a secret she never suspected. Kuehn discovered that members of her own family were Nazi intelligence agents. What follows is a thirty-year investigation that pulls from FBI files, government and family archives, photographs, correspondence, and interviews.In today's Book Gang conversation, Kuehn reflects on reporting on her own lineage, the ethical and emotional stakes of uncovering a truth that implicates the people who raised her, and how she structured the book across dual timelines to hold both the global history and her personal reckoning.This episode airs the week of National Holocaust Remembrance Day. This moment calls us to remember not only the victims of Nazi violence, but also the systems, enablers, and silences that allowed it to spread. Christine now uses her research to support Jewish organizations, which you will hear about in today's conversation as we unbox the past together.In this emotional conversation, we explore:📚 A letter that rewrote a life: Christine walks us through the 1994 moment that sent her on a decades-long quest for truth. We talk about disbelief, denial, and what it feels like to realize your family story is not the one you were told.📚 Investigating your own inheritance: Drawing on her background as a journalist, Christine explains how her research methods evolved as new archives opened and technology advanced, how she assessed unreliable or conflicting memories, and what it was like to work alongside her husband while racing against her father’s dementia.📚 Espionage hidden in plain sight: We unpack the book’s most chilling revelations. Nazi agents embedded in 1930s Hawaii, social fronts built on glamour and charm, and how everyday excess eventually drew the FBI’s attention.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: This week’s companion book list features 22 Books About Spies that include both fiction and nonfiction titles to give Christine's book a landing place. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Christine KuehnChristine Kuehn was cocooned in the sanctity of a quiet suburban life when, in 1994, a letter from a historian pierced that bubble, sending her on a thirty-year quest to uncover a horrendous family secret kept hidden for half a century. Following a career in journalism, public relations, and nonprofits, Christine now lives in Maryland with her husband, close to their three grown children. Family of Spies is her debut book. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: 22 Books About Spies to Read NowJoin the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)People of Means by Nancy JohnsonMilo Todd is Reclaiming Trans History (The Lilac People)Family of Spies by Christine KuhnBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoTable for Two by Amor TowlesFrozen River by Ariel LawhonAt Dawn We Slept by Gordon W. PrangeShirley Temple in HawaiiRoyal HawaiianThe World’s 30 Greatest Women Spies by Kurt D. SingerBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Christine Kuehn on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Lior Torenberg unpacks her debut Just Watch Me, a darkly funny livestream novel that exposes the cost of performing pain online, and our hunger to watch.Debut author Lior Torenberg joins us to talk about Just Watch Me, a bold, internet-shaped novel that unfolds over seven days of nonstop livestreaming. Together, we dig into what it means to write fiction rooted in our current digital moment, and why stories about performance feel so urgent right now.We talk about Torenberg’s path from initial concept to publication, the realities of debuting with a formally inventive novel, and the creative risks of building a narrative around livestream chats, audience participation, and escalating dares. She also walks us through the choice to compress the story into a single week, and how that story structure intensifies both tension and intimacy.In this fun conversation, we explore:📚 Writing inside internet culture: Lior discusses the creative risks of anchoring a debut novel so firmly in 2020s livestream culture, why she wasn’t afraid of the book “dating” itself, and how she captured the chaos of livestream chats—misspellings, slang, trolls, and all—while keeping the story readable and propulsive.📚 Performance, pain, and the cost of being seen: We unpack the escalating hot pepper challenges, Dell’s physical vulnerability, and the darker questions the book raises about what audiences are willing to watch (and what creators are willing to endure) when financial survival depends on strangers.📚 Loneliness, debt, and the gig-economy cliff edge: Beneath the dark humor and inventive form, Just Watch Me is a deeply human story about grief, medical debt, and the feast-or-famine reality of online survival. Lior reflects on how she wanted readers to feel about Dell by the end—and what the novel reveals about our collective longing to be noticed.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: This week’s companion list features 43 Debut Books of 2026, including every upcoming release currently on my radar (plus future podcast guests) so you can start reserving library holds and building your TBR early. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Lior TorenbergLior Torenberg’s work has been published by One Story, MAYDAY, the Poetry Society of New York, and others. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and is a graduate of the Lighthouse Writers Workshop’s Book Project. Just Watch Me is her first novel. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: These Debut Books of 2026 Should Not Be MissedJoin the January Book Club 1/29 at 8 PM ET (Eleanore of Avignon)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozierJust Watch Me by Lior TorenbergNYC Hot Sauce ExpoTTYL Series by Lauren MyracleMargot’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi ThorpeHot OnesBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Lior Torenberg on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Elizabeth DeLozier joins us to discuss Eleanore of Avignon, our January Book Club pick, and her bold debut, shaped by plague, medicine, and female power.In this free conversation, Elizabeth DeLozier takes us behind the scenes of Eleanore of Avignon—a richly researched historical novel set during the Black Death, written during the modern pandemic that reshaped how many of us think about illness, fear, and survival.Elizabeth shares how long it took to bring this ambitious debut from first idea to finished book, what it was like to pitch such a high-stakes story as a first novel, and how her background in medicine deeply informed the way she wrote Eleanore’s work as a healer and midwife. We also talk about writing outside of traditional MFA pathways, balancing historical plausibility with emotionally resonant characters, and what surprised her most while researching 14th-century Avignon.Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you’d like to keep the conversation going, you’re invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on January 29 at 8 PM ET, where we’ll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%. In this fascinating conversation, we explore:📚 Writing a big, ambitious debut: From outlining and pitching to finding an agent and selling the book, Elizabeth walks us through the long road to publication and what she learned along the way.📚 Medicine, midwifery, and historical research: How Elizabeth’s medical background shaped Eleanore’s role as a healer, the realities of early medical practices, and the most astonishing details she uncovered while researching the period. 📚 Plague stories then and now: The eerie parallels between 1347 and the present day, why readers keep returning to historical plague narratives, and how Eleanore of Avignon sits in conversation with books like Hamnet.📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with 18 Unforgettable Midwife Books, perfect for readers who want to explore these themes further. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Elizabeth DeLozierElizabeth DeLozier holds a BA in Spanish literature, a BS in biological anthropology, and a doctorate in physical therapy. A practicing pelvic floor physical therapist, avid traveler, animal lover, and history nerd, she lives in Southern California with her husband, twin sons, and rescue dogs. Eleanore of Avignon is her debut novel, and her sophomore novel, The Whitechapel Full Moon Society, will be published in 2026.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 18 Unforgettable Midwife BooksJoin the January Book Club 1/29 at 8 PM ET (Eleanore of Avignon)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozierabookoliveThe Great Mortality by John KellyStation ElevenA Distant Mirror by Barbara TuchmanHamnetHamnet by Maggie O’FarrellThe God of the Woods by Liz MooreTaylor Swift - The End of an EraThe White Chapel Full Moon Society by Elizabeth DeLozierBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Elizabeth DeLozier on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter 

We read a total of 443 books and are excited to share twenty-five of our favorite titles from our 2025 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for your best reading year yet.We read a total of 443 books and are excited to share twenty-five of our favorite titles from our 2025 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for your best reading year yet.We invite you to browse our book lists featuring 25 of our favorites. Patrons will receive a printable checklist with today's book titles and some of our honorable mentions.Mentioned in this episode:SUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!Meet Our Upcoming Book Gang Guests (Winter Season Announcement)The 2026 Book Club (12 Selections & How to Join)Larry’s Top 25 Books of 2025 (Including Honorable Mentions)Amy’s Top 25 Books of 2025 (FULL LIST)Connect With Us:Connect with Larry on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation)

Head to the Arctic with Nathaniel Ian Miller and discover the true story that inspired his debut, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, for our final episode of 2025.For our final episode of 2025, we’re bringing forward a beloved conversation from the Book Gang archives with debut novelist Nathaniel Ian Miller, discussing his magical winter read, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, and the enduring pull of a great winter story with found-family themes. This episode originally aired for patrons in 2023, and it felt like the perfect moment to share it more widely, along with some gentle reflections from this year, including YOUR best book club book of the year.In this funny conversation, we discuss:📚 Writing at the edge of the world: How Nathaniel’s participation in the Arctic Circle Expeditionary Program—partly born out of the very real cost barriers of research—became foundational to this charming book’s atmosphere and authenticity.📚 The freedom of a “fictional memoir”: Why Sven’s story demanded a looser, more intimate form, how his character surprised Nathaniel as the novel evolved, and why this mid-thirties coming-of-age story feels as expansive as the frozen landscape itself.📚 How real historical events anchored the characters and scenes in this story: From writing morally complex moments that challenged the author’s own convictions to rethinking the historical role of women in polar narratives, Nathaniel unpacks the layered choices that give Sven’s world its depth.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's celebration of winter reads- 25 Impeccable Winter Books to Savor by the Firelight. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Nathaniel Ian MillerNathaniel Ian Miller is the author of the critically acclaimed debut novel The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and translated into five languages. A former journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Montana, he now lives with his family on a farm in Vermont. The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven and Red Dog Farm, his second novel, are both available on store shelves now.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: 25 Impeccable Winter Books To Savor By the Firelight2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Brick For Your PhoneHamnet Movie TrailerHow to Read a Book by Monica WoodThe Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller Mosquitoland by David Arnold NYT ReviewSundays with Writers: Mosquitoland by David ArnoldLondon Seance Society by Sarah Penner Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner The Birthday Boys by Dame Beryl BainbridgeExpeditionary program at Arctic CircleSalomon AndreeThe Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter Refiners Fire by Mark Helprin Power of One by Bryce Courtenay Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan Office Space FlairWanny WoldstadSvalbard’s DaughtersJohn Franklin’s Canadian expeditionBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Nathaniel Ian Miller on Instagram or his WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Get ahead of 2026’s biggest releases this year. We highlight ten must-read backlist books from authors with upcoming titles, so you have your best library day.What could be better than a discussion on 2026’s biggest releases? We wanted to do something fun (and genuinely helpful) to help you plan next year's TBR. Today, Jessica Bearak is back, and she’s bringing her idea to pair readers with books we don’t want slipping through the cracks. We’ve gathered ten brilliant backlist titles from authors with major books arriving next year, so you can reserve your library holds, fill your Kindle, and feel delightfully ahead of the curve before celebrating their next book. Think of it as your literary pre-game for the year ahead.In this fun conversation, we discuss:📚 A literary pre-game you can actually use: Jessica and I kick things off with the ten major 2026 releases we’ve got our eyes on—so you can start plotting your reading year long before the hype machine starts spinning.📚 Backlist gems to read while you wait: We pair each upcoming title with a backlist book you can grab right now at your library or favorite bookstore, giving you something delicious to dive into while you count down to release day.📚What the buzzy lists missed: We close by chatting about the standout books we think deserved more end-of-year attention—because great reads don’t always make the roundups, and we’re here to fix that.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's new book guide! 47 Fresh 2026 Book Releases to Reserve Now. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Jessica BearakJessica is a lifelong book lover who embarked on her literary journey at three, immersing herself in childhood classics like “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Phantom Tollbooth.” Jessica actively participates in two in-person book clubs and regularly engages in many online discussions. She has been an invaluable member of the MomAdvice Book Club.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the December Book Club TONIGHT at 8 PM ET (James by Percival Everett)NEW BOOK LIST: 47 Fresh 2026 Book Releases to Reserve NowOnce and Again by Rebecca Serle Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle Friends Are For by Wade Rouse Magic Season by Wade Rouse A Day in the Life of a Book Publicist (Kathleen Carter Episode)Off the Record by Sara Goodman-Confino Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman-Confino Score by Kennedy Ryan Reel by Kennedy Ryan The Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon: Inclusive Narratives with Heart (Kennedy Ryan Episode)Orson Welles Voodoo MacbethDog Person by Camille Pagán The Spectacular Life Lessons from Books About Road Trips with Colleen Oakley (Podcast with Colleen Oakley)A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce CameronStunning Books About Bookstores (Book List)Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagán Meg Shaffer Interview (The Wishing Game)The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer How Braving a Literary Seminar Shaped The Last Story with Meg Shaffer (Interview with Meg Shaffer)The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer Cozy Fantasy Books to Lower Your Stress Levels (Book List)Five by Ilona Bannister All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline A Piece of the World by Christine Baker Kline 35 Books About Twins That Double the Drama (Book List)Christina’s World paintingLiberty Street by Heather Marshall Looking for Jane by Heather MarshallThe Jane Collective All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher Ask for JaneThe JanesEleanor of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier With Love From Harlem by ReShonda Tate The Queen of Sugar Hill by ReShonda Tate Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Sarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast InterviewThe Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Jessica on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Join the 2026 MomAdvice Book Club to explore 12 handpicked novels, enjoy lively author chats, and celebrate a year of stories that inspire and delight.Get ready to kick off another unforgettable reading year with the 2026 MomAdvice Book Club. In this episode, I’m unveiling my twelve handpicked selections—an extraordinary lineup of novels that challenge perspective and remind us what it means to live bravely and wholeheartedly.I read widely and intentionally all year so that every MomAdvice pick feels worthy of your time, your library holds, your gift lists, and your precious reading hours. Announcing the selections early means you can gather copies however is easiest for you. Shop the library, used shops, holiday gifting, or straight from your favorite indie bookshop this year.To discover this year's selections, you can head to today's post, which includes all the details, including the recommended format, the reading mood of the novel, and pacing information. Each description also offers the accompanying reader experience for each book.I've also uploaded a podcast that goes through each of these books for those of you who prefer an audio experience with some behind-the-scenes details. Please join me on this reading adventure!This year, your participation in the book club directly supports the podcast and sustains a space where readers can connect deeply over stories that genuinely matter. Thank you for choosing this space to invest in. I never take it for granted!Connect With Us:Join the 2026 Book ClubMake a One-Time Donation to My Show (SO, SO GRATEFUL THIS YEAR!!)Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Marisa Kashino turns being new to publishing into a superpower, revealing her surprising journey from first draft to the darkly funny thriller, Best Offer Wins.Being brand-new to publishing turned out to be this author's secret weapon in landing her book deal. This week on Book Gang, we’re stepping into the ruthless, dream-chasing world of real estate with Marisa Kashino, journalist and author of Best Offer Wins. She shares how the freedom from expectations fueled her thriller's creativity and story structure, how her query journey unfolded with unexpected serendipity, and why stepping into fiction opened doors she never imagined… including an adaptation already in the works.In this heartwarming and hilarious conversation, we discuss:📚 From Reporting to Satire – Marisa shares how years of covering bidding wars, desperate buyers, and high-stakes real estate inspired her darkly funny take on ambition. Writing as Margo allowed Marisa to channel humor, frustration, and sharp social commentary she could never express out loud through Margot's antics.📚 Subtle Social Commentary – Margot's Asian American identity informs elements of this story, and Marisa shares personal experiences that have shaped these plot elements that informed Margo’s choices, her humor, and the unexpected ways readers may connect with her story.📚 A Secret Project Turns Big – Marisa kept her novel under wraps until she secured an agent, and now it’s heading toward an adaptation with 20th TV, Hulu, and Greta Lee attached. She talks about the thrill of sharing this milestone, how her family reacted, and the joy of seeing a private creative project reach the world.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion book list: 23 Dark Comedy Books That Embrace the Absurd. Patrons will receive printable checklists to take on their next visit to the library!Meet Marisa KashinoMarisa Kashino spent 17 years as a journalist, most recently at The Washington Post, and wrote long-form features and oversaw home design coverage at Washingtonian Magazine. She grew up near Seattle and earned her degree in journalism and political science from the University of Washington. Marisa lives in the DC area with her husband, two dogs, and two cats. Best Offer Wins is her first novel.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the November Book Club TONIGHT at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW BOOK LIST: 23 Dark Comedy Books That Embrace The AbsurdBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoThe Writer’s CenterThe Shit No One Tells You About WritingYellowface by R. F. KuangBad Summer People by Emma RosenblumBeefAustin Taylor - Notes on Infinity Podcast InterviewLean In by Sheryl SandburgGreta LeeAllegra Goodman - Isola Podcast InterviewBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Marisa Kashino on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Discover the writing hack that Emma Pattee uncovered with a creativity coach, which helped her debut novel, Tilt, transition from her Google Drive to publication.Emma Pattee, climate journalist and fiction writer, joins the Book Gang podcast to discuss her heartpounding debut novel, Tilt. In Tilt, we follow a pregnant woman through a single, intense day as an earthquake hits Portland, where Pattee blends the chaos of the city with the intimate messiness of her marriage and motherhood journey.In our virtual walk with Emma through Portland, we explore:📚 How ADHD and journalism shaped her craft– Emma discusses how a creativity coach helped unlock a new writing system that helped her finally move a project off her Google Drive into a finished book. We discuss the heavy and rarely discussed weight of unfinished projects as creatives.📚 Reporting meets fiction – As a climate journalist, Emma discusses her research-heavy novel that involved interviews with geologists, seismic engineers, and first responders, worked off real destruction maps and city-planning data, then translated it into the book we hold in our hands now.📚 Survival, motherhood & climate anxiety intertwined – Tilt uses the impending "Big One" earthquake as a metaphor for Annie's journey to motherhood, where Emma discusses her stream-of-consciousness voice that keeps the reader inside one woman's daylong survival trek and how it intertwines with Emma's personal fears and discoveries.📚 Bonus Book List – These 23 eco fiction books will have you looking at the world in a whole new way. Marvel at our remarkable connection to nature through this incredible stack. Patrons will receive a printable checklist to take on your next library trip.Meet Emma PatteeEmma Pattee is a climate journalist and fiction writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and more. In 2021, she coined the term "Climate Shadow" to describe an individual's potential impact on climate change. Her debut novel, Tilt, is a National Bestseller, NYT Editor's Choice, and recognized by NPR, Time, Vogue, and Bustle as one of the best books of the year. She lives in Portland, Oregon.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the November Book Club 11/21 at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW BOOK LIST: 23 Eco Fiction Books You'll LoveNEW: 32-Page November Reading Guide & FULLY BOOKED Patron ShowTilt by Emma PatteeHillary RettigAlison Larkin - Home of the American Circus Podcast EpisodeDucks, Newburyport by Lucy EllmannThe Truth About Portland’s Brick Schools Is Scarier Than FictionDr. Katherine HayhoeBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Emma Pattee on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Discover Pagebound, the social reading app by Lucy Zhao & Jennifer Dobak. Learn how to gamify your reading life from quests to forums in today's beginner chat.Ever wish Goodreads had a heart or deeply desired a buddy read for every book in your book stack? It exists. This week, we're stepping inside Pagebound, the new social reading app built by readers for readers, with co-founders Lucy Zhao and Jennifer Dobak.This week's "building block" podcast episode is designed to deepen your reading life and provide a behind-the-scenes look at tools you can use to enhance it. Discover how these two women built a no-AI, reader-first platform that's reimagining how we connect through stories online.In this enlightening conversation, we discuss:📚 The Origin Story: Learn how Lucy Zhao and Jennifer Dobak transformed their shared love of reading into a bold tech venture built from scratch. From late-night coding sessions to their first "scrappy" testers, they share what it really takes to launch a reader-first social platform in an industry long dominated by giants.📚 A Human-Centered Platform: Learn how Pagebound's no-AI promise and book-by-book forum model create genuine connections instead of algorithmic noise. The founders explain why every title deserves its own conversation and how thoughtful design shaped the community from day one.📚 Gamifying the Reading Life: Explore how Pagebound is transforming the way we engage with our books through clever, joy-filled features like reading quests and milestone interactions that encourage active community membership, bringing a sense of adventure back to your reading life.Meet the GuestsLucy Zhao grew up as a cheeky kid, always carrying a book. She studied creative writing and business at the University of Michigan and has spent the last decade leading tech startups and launching products. Her favorite authors include James McBride, Maggie Nelson, and Jonathan Franzen. She lives with her toy aussiedoodle, Libby, and loves ice-cold watermelon slices.Jennifer Dobak studied Economics, French, and Italian at the University of Notre Dame before becoming a software engineer. When she's not coding, she's hanging out at her local indie bookstore. Her favorite authors include Lauren Groff, Mona Awad, and V.E. Schwab. She's a lifelong writer herself and is currently chasing her dream of finishing her own novel.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the November Book Club 11/21 at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW: 32-Page November Reading Guide & FULLY BOOKED Patron ShowPageboundFollow Book Gang on Pagebound (let's be friends!)Building Block Episode ICYMI: How the Storygraph App Can EnhanceBuilding Block Episode ICYMI: Get the Most Out of the Libby App (Podcast With the Libby Team)Building Block Episode ICYMI: Improve Your Reading Focus & Memory (Hacks for Readers With ADHD)Building Block Episode ICYMI: The Best Reading Hacks for Chronic PainPhantasma by Kaylie SmithEnchantra by Kaylie SmithThe Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett1984 by George OrwellA Crash Course in Gothic Fiction with Erin Crosby EckstineBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Pagebound on Instagram or their WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Take a crash course in Gothic fiction with Junie author Erin Crosby Eckstine as we trace the genre's origins, evolution, and enduring allure.Erin returns to Book Gang to share what surprised her most about debut life and what she's learned about balancing writing, book promotion, and an ever-growing TikTok community. Then, we dive deep into the eerie, elegant world of Gothic literature — where decaying mansions, stormy moors, and family secrets reflect the darkness within.If you've ever wondered what makes a book Gothic, how the genre evolved from the 18th century to the present day, or how writers can utilize Gothic techniques to explore contemporary fears, this episode is your guided tour through the creeping shadows, courtesy of a former English teacher.In this illuminating conversation, we discuss:📚 Debut Surprises: What Erin learned from releasing Junie and how this political moment is impacting visibility, sales, and future book deals for BIPOC authors like her.📚 A Gothic 101 Deep Dive: Erin breaks down the key elements of Gothic fiction, from its origins in 18th-century England to how modern writers are reimagining it today.📚 Erin's Top 5 Gothic Fiction Recommendations: Erin shares her top five picks for your books that include modern Gothic fiction that continue to illuminate today's anxieties — about identity, race, power, and belonging — through atmosphere and suspense.Meet Erin Crosby EckstineErin Crosby Eckstine is an author of speculative historical fiction. Her debut novel, Junie, was selected for the Good Morning America book club. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Eckstine grew up between the South and Los Angeles before moving to New York City to attend Barnard College. She earned a master's in secondary English education from Stanford University and taught high school English for six years. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their cats. 📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's TWO companion reading guides to continue your Gothic education: 11 Classic Gothic Novels That Started It All and 30 Modern Gothic Novels That Keep the Candle Burning. Patrons will receive printable checklists to take on their next visit to the library!Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the November Book Club 11/21 at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW BOOK LIST: 11 Classic Gothic Novels That Started It AllNEW BOOK LIST: 30 Modern Gothic Novels That Keep the Candle BurningJunie by Erin Crosby EckstineHow Family History & Legacy Shaped Junie (Erin Crosby Eckstine's First Episode on Book Gang)Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëThe Secret History by Donna TarttThe Odyssey by HomerWuthering Heights by Emily BrontëThe Lives of the BrontësTo Walk Invisible The Brontë SistersKanopy appShirley by Charlotte BrontëVilette by Charlotte BrontëThe Lilac People by Milo ToddBrickBeloved by Toni MorrisonWilliam FaulknerMexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-GarciaThe Hacienda by Isabel CañasThe House of the Spirits by Isabel AllendeWhy Is The New "Wuthering Heights" Movie Stirring Controversy?SaltburnWe Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley JacksonOur Share of the Night by Mariana EnriquezBleak House by Charles Dickens Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Erin Crosby Eckstine on Instagram or their WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Go behind the scenes with Bindery Books to discover their innovative publishing process, where tastemakers reshape how diverse books are made and sold.In this week's episode, we sit down with Matt Kaye, cofounder and CEO of Bindery Books, to explore how his multifaceted career—from traditional publishing to Amazon to Patreon—shaped a bold new model for the book world.Matt shares how the company identifies and empowers their carefully selected Tastemakers who curate, acquire, and co-develop books, offering listeners a rare, inside look at how these partnerships work from manuscript to marketing. Discover how the company tackles its small business challenges and the heartwarming pride that infuses many of its published works, including a project that's even captured the attention of celebrities.In this enlightening conversation, we discuss:📚 From Publishing to Patreon: Matt Kaye shares his unique publishing background and how he merged the best of all his past work experiences in tech and publishing to inspire Bindery's distinctive hybrid model that leverages influencers into the role of tastemakers.📚 The Tastemaker Model: Discover how Bindery curates its diverse lineup of Tastemakers, their roles in involving fans in the publishing process, and the commissions available for each book sale.📚 A New Author Experience: Matt discusses why writers are thriving under this partnership model, from fairer royalties to hands-on creative collaboration and nimble, audience-first publicity cycles.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Instead of our usual companion list, I'm pointing you directly to Bindery Books this week as a thank you for their participation on today's show! Browse their catalog of offerings and meet the incredible tastemakers shaping each story.Meet Matt KayeMatt started his career as a book marketer in publishing (Avalon, Wiley, FSG). After earning a Columbia Business School MBA, he joined the Amazon Books team, where he held several tech roles, including VP of Growth at the seed-stage startup Inkshares, Head of Growth and Engagement at Trulia, and, most recently, Head of Product, Design, and Research at Patreon. Matt now serves as cofounder and CEO of Bindery Books.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptHow the Storygraph App Can Enhance Your Reading Life (Podcast With the CEO)Get the Most Out of the Libby App (Podcast With the Libby Team)Join the October Book Club TONIGHT at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)Bindery BooksHolly Kennedy - The Sideways Life of Denny Vos episodeThe Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly KennedyAudiobraryThe Unmapping by Denise S. RobbinsOf Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara TrueloveBindery's PitchfestThis is Not a Test by Courtney SummersRecipes for an Unexpected Afterlife by Deston J MundenMeg's TearoomDeston MundenBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Bindery Books on Instagram or their WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter 

Debut novelist Olivia Muenter joins Book Gang to discuss her hit debut, Such a Bad Influence, and the dark side of online fame in her real and imagined worlds.What happens when your child becomes famous? In Such a Bad Influence, Olivia Muenter pulls back the curtain on the innocent early days of a fictional family's online moment that went viral, to later reveal the insidious nature of the influencer era when fame and fortune find them.A self-described "recovering influencer," Olivia shares how her debut became a sharp, emotional page-turner and the ways her work as an influencer tied into her more complicated truths in this mixed media thriller.In this revealing conversation, we discuss:📚 Unlearning the Influencer Mindset – Olivia shares what it really means to be a "recovering influencer," the habits that were hardest to break, and how her social media past shaped her storytelling voice.📚 Choosing an Independent Path with Quirk Books – Olivia shares why partnering with a boutique publisher was the right fit for her debut, from the creative freedom it offered to the close-knit collaboration that helped Such a Bad Influence find its perfect audience.📚 The Hidden Cost of Kid Influencing – Olivia discusses the unsettling realities of children growing up online to create family content and explores how she used her unsent newsletters to craft a mixed media experience for readers, illustrating the struggles long after the cameras stop rolling.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's fun companion book, 18 influencer books that are as unputdownable as your favorite feed.  Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to take on their next visit to the library.Meet Olivia MuenterOlivia Muenter is a writer, reader, and the co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast. Her first novel, Such A Bad Influence was an instant USA Today Best Seller. Her second novel, Little One, will be published in 2026.A former fashion & beauty editor and freelance writer, Olivia's work has been published in Glamour, Byrdie, Bustle, Brides, Health.com, Philadelphia Magazine, and more. You can find her most personal writing via her weekly newsletter, where she shares about her life, her work, and everything in between.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 18 Page-Turning Influencer BooksJoin the October Book Club on 10/24 at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)Such a Bad Influence by Olivia MuenterBad On Paper PodcastLittle One by Olivia MuenterShark Heart by Emily HabeckHow Shark Heart Transformed Emily Habeck and Her ReadersBad InfluenceImprove Your Reading Memory and FocusI'm Glad My Mom Died by Jenette McCurdyBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Olivia Muenter on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Ashley Jordan joins Book Gang to share her LitUp Fellowship journey to launch her debut, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood, and how fanfiction paved her path.Ashley Jordan, a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, joins us this week to share the story behind her sparkling debut Once Upon a Time in Dollywood—a romance that pairs laugh-out-loud humor with deeply emotional storytelling.In this light conversation, we discuss:📚 From Fanfic to Fellowship – Ashley reflects on how writing The Walking Dead fanfiction taught her the building blocks of writing and how that experience led her to being named a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, complete with her dream mentorship and a writer's retreat that transformed her creative process.📚 Rewriting the Narrative for Black Women – Through her protagonist Eve, a playwright determined to tell Black women's stories that aren't defined by pain, Ashley explores how joy, ambition, and love can coexist with realism. We discuss why expanding the lens on representation in romance matters now more than ever.📚 Dollywood, Therapy, and the Soft Boyfriend We Deserve – Ashley shares how setting the story in Dollywood allowed her to capture the magic of Southern charm, how she approached writing therapy with nuance and heart, and why she wanted Jamie—a self-described "cinnamon roll" love interest—to reflect a gentler kind of masculinity in today's romance landscape.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's juicy companion book list filled with the best books about theater to step behind the curtain with these compelling stories of complex lives, both on and off the stage. Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to take on their next visit to the library.Meet Ashley JordanAshley Jordan is a millennial from Atlanta by way of Brooklyn. She attended Spelman College, earning a degree in Psychology and a lifelong appreciation for women's stories. By day, she works in public health, and by night, she's a devoted writer—ever since penning her first short story in second grade.When Ashley isn't writing or working, she's likely at a Beyoncé concert, rewatching Mad Men, or passionately debating basketball. In 2023, she became a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, an experience that helped shape her journey to publishing Once Upon a Time in Dollywood.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 22 Incredible Books About TheaterJoin the October Book Club on 10/24 at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley JordanLemonadeCelebrating Only One-Bed Moments in Romance (Sarah Adler Podcast)LitUpJasmine GuilloryBolu BabalolaTilt by Emma PatteeKennedy RyanTia WilliamsThe Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon: Inclusive Narratives with HeartEmily HenryRegina BlackAugust Lane by Regina BlackNikki PayneDanielle JacksonMeryl Wilsner  Beverly JenkinsBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Ashley Jordan on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Meagan Church unpacks the hidden lives of women in her chilling novel, The Mad Wife, as we explore the history of hysteria in women's health diagnoses.If you loved Meagan Church’s historical fiction, you’ll be captivated by the bold turn she takes in The Mad Wife, her third novel. Rooted in the untold medical stories of women’s lives, this book lulls readers into the familiar rhythms of mid-century domesticity, before flipping the script with a shocking plot twist.In our revealing conversation, we explore:Building a Vivid 1950s World – From S&H stamps to molded salads, how Meagan nailed the texture of the era, weaving ordinary domestic details into a setting that feels both authentic and unsettling.From History to Suspense – Why Meagan pivoted from a traditional historical fiction lens in her earlier novels to the creeping tension of domestic suspense, and how she made the genre shift feel authentic to her writing process. We discuss the bravery required for this project and how she felt haunted, both in real life and on the page, as she told Lulu's story.The Medical History of “Hysteria” – What her chilling research revealed about diagnoses like hysteria, prescriptions like Miltown, and procedures like lobotomy and ECT that shaped women’s lives in disturbing ways.📚 As a bonus for listeners, don’t miss this week’s companion list: Books With Good Plot Twists That Will Make Your Jaw Drop. Patrons will also receive today’s printable checklist to take on their next visit to the library.Meet Meagan ChurchMeagan Church is the Southern indie bestselling author of The Girls We Sent Away, The Last Carolina Girl , and The Mad Wife, this month's Barnes & Noble Book fiction pick. She writes to tell grounded stories that explore the complexity of human nature. Her historical fiction chronicles the plight and fight of unheard voices of the past. After receiving a B.A. in English from Indiana University, Meagan built a career as a storyteller and freelance writer for brands, blogs, and organizations. She is an adjunct professor for Drexel University’s MFA in Creative Writing program, helping authors tell their own stories through editing, coaching, and workshops. A Midwesterner by birth, she now lives in North Carolina with her high school sweetheart, three children, and a plethora of pets.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptUPDATED BOOK LIST: Books With Good Plot TwistsJoin the October Book Club on 10/24 at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)The Last Carolina Girl by Meagan ChurchThe Girls We Sent Away by Meagan ChurchThe Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchThe Best Book Club Books to Spark ConversationSaints for All Occasions by J. Courtney SullivanOn Writing by Stephen KingFinding Grace by Loretta RothschildDonut Dollies of VietnamThe Women by Kristin HannahWeymouth Center for the Arts & HumanitiesMegan’s Jello InstagramHow to Make Glow in the Dark JELL-OMiltownMother’s Little HelperUnwell Women by Elinor CleghornThe Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathTerah Shelton HarrisBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation in any amount- I am grateful!)Connect with Meagan Church on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Curious about indie publishing? Physician Paria Hassouri shares her debut journey to publish Harvesting Rosewater, centering a woman's midlife awakening.If you’ve ever been interested in the independent publishing process, you’re not alone. Today’s revealing conversation with Paria Hassouri, a pediatrician, whose debut, Harvesting Rosewater, recently hit bookstores, takes readers inside her remarkable publishing process. Discover how Paria balances medicine and storytelling in today's under-the-radar debut feature, which centers on a physician's midlife awakening that I guarantee you will not be able to put down.In our illuminating conversation, we explore:Independent Publishing Adventures- Paria opens up about her unique indie publishing path, sharing how she navigated editing, securing book blurbs, and the creative freedom that comes with going her own way—plus the surprises that made the process both challenging and rewarding.Uncovering Autofiction Elements From Paria's Life- Drawing on her own childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, Paria shares personal memories and reflections from this challenging period in her young life in her story. She shares how blending real-life experiences with fiction has allowed her to explore her own identity, belonging, and what she hopes readers will take away from her book.The Women's Life Freedom Movement- We explore how themes of women’s rights and resistance shaped this story, offering readers deeper insight into lives under restrictive systems and the tragedy that sparked the movement.📚 As a bonus for listeners, don't miss this week's companion list: Compelling Books About Doctors Every Reader Should Read. Explore 24 novels on practicing medicine, from historical fiction to romance - there is a little something for every kind of reader. Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to bring on their next visit to the library.Meet Paria HassouriParia Hassouri is an author and pediatrician whose essays have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Huffington Post. Her memoir, Found in Transition: A Mother's Evolution During Her Child's Gender Change, was published in 2020. She has shared stories on stage with Expressing Motherhood, taught writing and advocacy classes at UCLA, and been featured widely for her work. A proud Iranian-American and mother of three, she lives in Los Angeles, where she continues to provide gender-affirming care for trans and gender-diverse youth.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 24 Compelling Books About Doctors Every Reader Should ReadJoin the September Book Club Chat TONIGHT (Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood)Harvesting Rosewater by Paria HassouriFound in Transition by Paria HassouriSlanting Towards the Sea bu Lidija HiljeThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliPenitence by Kristin KovalSandwich by Catherine NewmanAll Fours by Miranda JulyCutting for Stone by Abraham VergheseWhat Could Be Saved by Liese O’Halloran SchwarzThe Kite Runner by Khaled HosseiniA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled HosseiniBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores! Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Paria Hassouri on Instagram, TikTok, or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter