Claim OwnershipThe Bookshop Podcast
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Mandy Jackson-Beverly is a confessed bibliophile who believes independent bookshops are the gems of communities and authors are the rock stars of the literary world. As an author and book reviewer for the New York Journal of Books, Mandy profoundly understands and appreciates what it takes to write a book and present it to readers. She is instinctively curious and enjoys connecting with her guests. Learn more at mandyjacksonbeverly.com and thebookshoppodcast.com. And remember to subscribe to the show and rate and review! Music created by Brian Beverly.
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Send us a text On this episode, I chat with author Tova Mirvis about her novel, We Would Never, a psychological exploration inspired by a real murder case she discovered on Facebook. Mirvis reveals how true crime reporting always left her hungry for the human story beneath the headlines, and how she carefully crafted characters who start as a typical family with typical problems before spiraling into darkness. Having written a memoir about leaving Orthodox Judaism and her marriage, Mervis b...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with James Anderson, co-owner of Saturn Press with his with Diedre. The humble greeting card might seem like a relic in our digital age, but as James reveals, these tactile treasures carry meaning far beyond their paper boundaries. James shares how Saturn Press creates distinctive cards using vintage presses from the 1940s-60s, explaining that the very constraints of letterpress technology drive a creativity that digital perfection cannot replicate...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with author Kendra Elliot about her new novel, Her First Mistake. Kendra Elliot has sold thirteen million books, hit the Wall Street Journal top ten bestseller list more than a dozen times, and is a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier award. She is an International Thriller Writers' finalist and a Romantic Times finalist. She grew up in the lush and rainy Pacific Northwest. Synopsis of Her First Mistake: Thirteen years ago, Assemblyman...
Send us a text Hi, and welcome to this episode of The Bookshop Podcast! Step into the vibrant literary heart of Mexico with the San Miguel Writers Conference, where cultural exchange and creative inspiration meet in one of the world's most beautiful cities. Susan Page, founder and president, alongside executive director Jodi Pincus, unveil the magic behind this extraordinary gathering that transforms writers and readers alike. This unique tricultural and bilingual event bridges the literary ...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Barbara Boyle about her memoir, Pinch Me. After decades crafting commercials and campaigns for global giants like Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, Barbara was drawn to a completely different path. Her story begins with a magical honeymoon visit to the Piedmont region of Italy, where, gazing over terracotta rooftops with morning coffee in hand, she felt an undeniable pull: "I need to live here." That feeling—equal parts recognition and...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Lucy Yu, founder and owner of Yu & Me Books. Trained as a chemical engineer, her life took an unexpected turn during the pandemic when grief from losing a close friend led to deep reflection about her purpose. "I'm here on earth to do art and foster love," she realized, and from this epiphany, You and Me Books was born—the first female Asian American-owned bookstore in New York City's historic Manhattan Chinatown. Yu's vision of cre...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Danielle Teller about how her creative journey defies conventional wisdom about career paths. From Yale-trained pulmonologist studying lung disease to acclaimed novelist, her story demonstrates how life's unexpected turns might lead us exactly where we're meant to be. "I was a huge bookworm when I was a kid, but I was too chicken to actually write," Teller says. She explains how her fears centered on financial insecurity and feeling she lacked stor...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Amanda Friss, the founder of Parentheses Books, which is nestled in the heart of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Parentheses Books is more than just a bookstore—it’s a space for community, curiosity, and connection. Since opening its doors, the shop has become a vibrant gathering place for readers of all kinds, offering a carefully curated selection of titles and a welcoming atmosphere that invites exploration. Parentheses Books The Bookshop: A ...
Send us a text This episode is sponsored by Saturn Press! Hey indie bookshops! Did you know that greeting cards are a fantastic way for bookshops to boost sales? Saturn Press creates beautiful, handcrafted letterpress cards that customers love to purchase alongside books, helping bookshops grow and thrive. As a thank you for tuning in to The Bookshop Podcast, Saturn Press is offering indie bookshops 10% off your first order! Just use the code BOOKSHOP10 at checkout and discover how adding car...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Paddy Screech, a co-owner of Word on the Water. Paddy shares the story of London's famous floating bookshop, housed in a 1920s Dutch barge moored along Regent's Canal in King's Cross, London. Paddy takes us from his early days as a literature-loving boy in an agricultural school to his unlikely friendship with a "trampy-looking man with a fabulous mad collie cross dog" that would change his life forever. When these two bibliophiles partnered w...
Send us a text This episode is sponsored by Saturn Press! Hey indie bookshops! Did you know that greeting cards are a fantastic way for bookshops to boost sales? Saturn Press creates beautiful, handcrafted letterpress cards that customers love to purchase alongside books, helping bookshops grow and thrive. As a thank you for tuning in to The Bookshop Podcast, Saturn Press is offering indie bookshops 10% off your first order! Just use the code BOOKSHOP10 at checkout and discover how adding car...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with historian Peniel E. Joseph about his latest book, Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution. Joseph's storytelling prowess brings James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jn., President Kennedy, and Bobbie Kennedy to vibrant life, not as static icons but as complex humans navigating treacherous terrain. Particularly fascinating is Joseph's exploration of the forgotten women who shaped the movement—Gloria Richardson, Lorr...
Send us a text This episode is sponsored by Saturn Press! Hey indie bookshops! Did you know that greeting cards are a fantastic way for bookshops to boost sales? Saturn Press creates beautiful, handcrafted letterpress cards that customers love to purchase alongside books, helping bookshops grow and thrive. As a thank you for tuning in to The Bookshop Podcast, Saturn Press is offering indie bookshops 10% off your first order! Just use the code BOOKSHOP10 at checkout and discover how adding car...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with book publicist Megan Beatie about book publicity in a revealing conversation about the art and science of literary promotion. Drawing on over 25 years of experience working with authors ranging from Linda Ronstadt to Tess Gerritsen, Megan shares how the publishing landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation since she began her career. She explains the crucial difference between publicity (earned media) and marketing (paid media), and why auth...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Jen Lemberger, co-owner of Chaucer's Books. Nestled in Santa Barbara's Loreto Plaza sits a literary institution fifty-one years in the making. Chaucer's Books, now under the stewardship of Jen Lemberger and Greg Feitt, stands as a testament to the enduring power of independent bookstores in our communities. Jen's career started in health research and social epidemiology. She worked with organizations like Direct Relief before pursuing a master's ...
Send us a text What happens behind the scenes before a book reaches your hands? John Warren pulls back the curtain on modern publishing in this fascinating conversation that travels from his unexpected entry into the industry to where books are headed in our AI-driven future. Warren's publishing journey began in 1992 when a Mexican publisher hired him to research the US market for Spanish-language books. Three decades later, he's directing the Graduate Program in Publishing at George Washing...
Send us a text In this episode, I’m chatting with Vinny Browne from Charlie Byrne's Bookshop in the heart of Galway City, Ireland. At Charlie Byrne’s, you can explore their labyrinthine maze of over 100,000 books: new, second-hand, bargain, and antiquarian. Vinny takes us behind the scenes of this beloved institution, revealing how its organic growth mirrors the evolution of Irish literary culture itself. "Books have a continuous life," he explains, describing the shop's mission ...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Tom Muckian about Roe River Books, a thriving independent bookshop in Dundalk, Ireland. The name itself carries a powerful story of resistance. Tom deliberately named his shop after the world's shortest river as a symbolic counterpoint to Amazon, the world's longest. "I want to be the polar opposite of what Amazon represents," he explains. "I want to be about people and community and recommending books, not algorithms." Most compelling is Tom...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Lucy Caldwell about contemporary Irish literature's vibrant yet complex landscape, her latest novel, These Days, and profound philosophical insights. Growing up in Belfast during the Troubles in a "mixed marriage" family—Protestant father, Catholic mother—Caldwell developed a unique perspective that informs her award-winning writing. Lucy describes writing during the pandemic and experiencing "a portal between worlds" as she researched the Bli...
Send us a text In this episode, I chat with Aina Marti, founder of Heloise Press, who shares her journey from academia to independent publishing and how she's created a home for contemporary female voices from around the world. • From academic roots studying Spanish and English literature to completing a PhD in comparative literature • How reading Rachel Cusk's Arlington Park became an epiphany moment that inspired her to start a publishing company • The clear vision behind Heloise Press: pu...
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