Ark Books in Copenhagen is a non-profit, volunteer-run, International Bookstore. It’s the place to find books published in English, and although they specialize in fiction, those interested in poetry and theory, especially critical theory, will not leave disappointed.Ever wondered how a volunteer-run, non-profit bookstore operates and thrives in the bustling city of Copenhagen? Join us in conversation with Frida Hammershøy from Ark Books, a unique bookstore specializing in books published in English. Frida unravels the history of Ark Books, crafted by four women a decade ago, and its evolution into a vibrant community hub uniting a diverse team of 15-20 passionate volunteers.We also get a peek into Frida's personal reading preferences and discuss the nuances of translating literary discussions from Danish to English. Prepare yourself for a heartening tale of literature, community, and dedication - a testament to the power of shared passion.Ark BooksThe Summer Book, Tove JanssonThe Moomins, Tove JanssonSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Ready for a deep dive into the world of writing and publishing? Join me as I chat with author Paul Vidich who traded his corporate media suit for a writer's pen. We'll traverse through his personal anecdotes revealing the inspiration behind his latest novel, Beirut Station.  Vidich shares the artistic process behind the book's cover design and we discuss Erroll Morris's newest documentary, The Pigeon Tunnel. In the same breath, we gear up to navigate the labyrinth of ethical dilemmas in cultures and organizations. Are you a fan of espionage novels? Well, buckle up as we decipher the moral grey areas and high-stress environments faced by the characters in Beirut Station. The conversation extends to the complexities of the publishing industry, reminding us of the crucial role that indie bookshops play for authors and readers alike. Paul VidichThe Pigeon Tunnel,  Errol MorrisWormwood, Errol MorrisBeirut Station: Two Lives of a Spy, Paul Vidich Los Alamos, Joseph KanonThe Peacock And The Sparrow, I. S. BerryThe Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia HighsmithRebecca, Daphne Du MaurierWuthering Heights, Emily BronteSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Ever wondered how someone can transition from lawyering to managing an independent bookstore? Meet Jen Bird, the co-founder of Athena Books located in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. As a former lawyer, her unique journey to entrepreneurship promises not only to inspire but also to challenge your perception about career change. She shares how her passion for reading, primarily to her children, became the foundation for this incredible venture, with the bookstore's name and its meaning being an interesting twist to their story.Athena Books isn't just a bookshop, it is a collaborative, women-focused space with a mission to advance reading culture and community engagement. Jen takes us through her strategic approach to book curation targeted at her community's needs and the pivotal role of organizations like the American Booksellers Association in her success story. Hear from her perspective the evolution of bookselling, the importance of creating an accessible and inclusive environment, and how Athena Books is navigating this dynamic industry.Step into the world of Athena Books, a haven for diverse age groups and book genres. Find out what book genres are making the rounds in Old Greenwich and get a scoop on the attractions around for the perfect bookish getaway. If you're passionate about independent bookstores, community building, or you're just in for a good story, this episode is your ticket!Athena BooksShe Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man’s World, Jennifer PalmieriDemon Copperhead, Barbara KingsolverTom Lake, Ann PatchettGoing Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, Michael Lewis What You Are Looking For Is In The Library, Michiko AoyamaThe Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder, David GrannSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Imagine having an indie bookstore all to yourself for an entire night. Join me in this episode as I chat with fellow book lover and  Bookstagrammer, Dr. Stefanie Caeners, a Literary Studies lecturer who had just that experience. We talk about indie bookshops,  books we love, Edinburgh, and reading. Stefanie's journey is a fascinating one. From discovering her love for Southern California at the tender age of 16, choosing an office job over college, to her apprenticeship in the media business, and finally, her transition into studying literature, it's a story worth hearing. Stefanie's passion for British literature will captivate you, as will her insights on the topic of her PhD thesis and the freedom she found in studying something she adored.Dr. Sefanie CaenersStefanie on InstagramThe Wishing Game, Meg ShafferBooks by Stephen KingA Quiet Life, Ethan JoellaYellowface, Rebecca F. KuangFarrell Covington and the Limits of Style, Paul RudnickJames FahyThe Displacements, Bruce HolsingerThe House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ KluneDays at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi YagisawaJames Fahy The Bookshop PodcastPaul Rudnick the Bookshop PodcastTJ Klune The Bookshop Podcast Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode I chat with illustrator and author, Rachel Ignotofsky about blending illustration and education, crayons, women in STEM, and her latest book, What's Inside A Caterpillar Cocoon? Rachel Ignotofsky is a New York Times Best Selling author and illustrator, based in California. She grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of Star Trek and pudding and graduated from Tyler School of Art in 2011 with a BFA in Graphic Design.  Rachel’s career as a scientific communicator started by nurturing her own curiosity. Out of college, she created art and infographics about topics she found interesting and important- with a focus in science literacy. She had many friends starting their careers in teaching, and Rachel wanted to create resources to help them with their lessons. Soon Rachel’s online store was selling her posters to schools, labs and science enthusiasts across the country and her work was scooped up to be featured on the likes of Scientific American, Fast Company, PRI and PBS. Rachel’s art has been embraced by the science community and she has spoken at and partnered with institutions like NASA, The Salk Institute, The San Diego Natural History Museum, The Chicago Field Museum, The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University and many more! Rachel believes when you take the time to organize complex information—and then take the next step to make it beautiful with art — you can reach even the most reluctant learner. Illustration is a powerful tool when it comes to education.  With her first book Women in Science (2016), Rachel used her art to address the growing gender gap in STEM and shed a light on women’s stories. It became an instant success and was on the NY Times Best seller list for over 90 weeks. Since then, Rachel has continued to use her background in graphic design and her skills as a storyteller to make dense information and fun and accessible. Her work is published in over 24 different languages and enjoyed by readers all over the world! She has written more books about women’s history like Women in Sports (2017) and Women in Art (2019). As well as tackling topics like conservation and climate change in her book The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth (2018). She has introduced backyard biology to the youngest readers with What’s Inside a Flower? (2021) which is the first installment of her new picture book series with Random House Kids. Now she is excited to share her newest book The History of the Computer (2022). This book is the first of its kind — a fully illustrated book that spans over 25,000 years of human history and tells the story of our evolving relationship with technology. Rachel sees all of her books as a love note to educators, and is thrilled to see them used in classrooms.Rachel IgnotofskyRachel’s Etsy ShopRachel’s BooksThe Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, Steve BrusatteThe Rise and Reign of the Mammals, Steve Brusatte Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Ever wonder how a small indie bookstore doesn't just survive, but thrive in today's digital age? Meet Sheryl Shurville, the dynamic co-owner of the Chiltern Bookshops; Chorleywood and Gerrards Cross in the UK. Sheryl's fascinating journey from nursing to bookselling is one that will inspire you, as she shares the secrets behind the success of her bookshops. From celebrating Chorleywood Bookshop's 50-year anniversary to discussing the distinct curation of books in her two bookshops, Sheryl's anecdotes are a treat for every book lover. Sheryl gives insight into the extensive school programs and unique services her bookshops offer, including their response to COVID with a pre-ordering system and the creation of the “Gift A Book” donation program. Sheryl's observations of the changing publishing landscape and how her bookshops have managed to evolve, are particularly enlightening. From organizing literary festivals to cheese tastings, her innovation is impressive. Her current reads, her dedication to community engagement, and the passion she pours into her bookshops make this episode an enlightening journey into the world of indie bookselling.Chiltern Bookshops – Chorleywood and Gerrards CrossMaggie O’Farrell BooksBarbara Kingsolver BooksUnlawful Killing, Wendy Joseph KCDavid Mitchell BooksYotam Ottolenghi BooksToni Morrison BooksIan McEwan BooksKatherine Heiny BooksSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Tease your curiosity with Tom Mead, a UK crime fiction author whose passion for golden age mystery authors and locked room mysteries will captivate your attention. Tom unravels the craft of creating an intriguing whodunit, discussing locked room and closed circle mysteries, and the allure of puzzle style mysteries that have fascinated readers for centuries. We then dive into the fascinating intersection of mystery writing and magic. Through Tom's insights, we discover how principles used by magicians can be instrumental in mystery writing. We also take a peep into the golden age of mystery pre-World War II England through Tom's meticulous research process and his use of language. Engage with an author's journey from a first manuscript to a publishing deal, as Tom shares his experiences with The Mysterious Press, an Imprint of Penzler Publishers. This episode is a treat for all mystery lovers, filled with rich insights, captivating anecdotes and a deep dive into the world of locked room mysteries.Tom Mead is a UK crime fiction author specialising in locked-room mysteries. He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Organization. His debut novel, Death And The Conjuror, featured magician-detective Joseph Spector who also appears in his new novel is The Murder Wheel.Tom MeadThe Murder Wheel, Tom MeadDeath And The Conjuror, Tom MeadAgatha ChristieClayton RawsonEllery QueenOtto Penzler on The Bookshop PodcastThe Mysterious BookshopOtto Penzler and Tom Mead InterviewOliver SacksSleight of Mind, Matt CookFuneral in the fog, Edward D. Hoch Borges: Ficciones, Jorge Luis BorgesSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Have you ever pondered the profound impact that writing can have on the processing of grief? Join me as I walk through this journey with award-winning journalist and best-selling ghostwriter, Dina Gachman. Her captivating journey from a horse-loving child writer to an influential scribe is a riveting one. We touch on the fuels of her creativity, and delve into her new book of essays, So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and Other Grave Concerns, which is a deep dive into the varied manifestations of grief.Did you know the loss of a pet could be a child's first encounter with grief? This episode also explores the universal experience of grief as Dina and I share personal anecdotes like the one about Adrian the toad, and how such experiences often serve as poignant life lessons. We also traverse the emotional landscape of grief, the importance of acknowledging it, and the collective guilt that a family may endure due to substance abuse. Tune in to this beautiful conversation that is as heartwarming as it is healing.Dina GachmanSo Sorry for Your Loss, Dina GachmanDavid Poses Interview on The Bookshop PodcastThe Weight of Air, David PosesMargaret Renkl BooksR. Eric Thomas BooksSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Get ready for an unforgettable journey through the captivating life of Catriona Ward, a beloved international best-selling author. Traverse the globe with us as we uncover her unique childhood experiences in various countries and delve into how these experiences shaped her trajectory as a writer. Discover how her stint studying English at the University of Oxford almost doused her passion for writing, and how her love for storytelling eventually rekindled it. The magic of her writing process, where each reading experience becomes fuel for her craft, is sure to leave you spellbound.In this thrilling episode, we also navigate through the eerie episodes of Catriona's teenage years, when she was haunted by an uncanny presence. Unmask the complexities of fear as we discuss how it often carries a sense of shame and embarrassment. Unlock the powerful allure of the horror genre and uncover why Maine's unsettling landscape makes it a prime setting for such tales. Finally, accompany Catriona on her publishing odyssey - from her initial ventures in creative writing to finding an agent, landing a book deal, and penning her second novel. This episode promises to be a fascinating exploration of the writing journey, the allure of horror, and the twists and turns of the publishing world.Looking Glass Sound, Catriona WardDeath of a Bookseller, Alice Slater Mrs. March, Virginia Feito Holly, Stephen KingSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with British author Laura Shepherd-Robinson about her latest novel The Square of Sevens, switching from politics to writing, historical research, and her publishing story.Laura Shepherd-Robinson has a BSc in Politics from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics. She worked in politics for nearly twenty years before re-entering normal life to complete an MA in Creative Writing at City University. She lives in London with her husband, Adrian.Blood & Sugar, her first novel, won the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown and the Specsaver’s Debut Crime Novel award, was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, and a Guardian and Telegraph novel of the year. It was also shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and the Sapere Historical Dagger; the Amazon Publishing/Capital Crime Best Debut Novel; and the Goldsboro Glass Bell; and longlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year.Her second novel, Daughters of Night, was been shortlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year, the Goldsboro Glass Bell, the Capital Crime Fingerprint Historical Novel Award and the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown, longlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and was a Book of the Year in The Times, The Times, and the Guardian.Her third novel, The Square of Sevens, is a Sunday Times bestseller and available from all good bookshops now.Laura Shepherd-RobinsonThe Square of Sevens, Laura Shepherd-RobinsonBlood and Sugar, Laura Shepherd-Robinson (UK Only)Daughters of Night, Laura Shepherd-Robinson (UK Only) We Begin at the End, Chris Whittaker The Winter Spirits – anthology (UK Only) The Lioness of Boston, Emily Franklin Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual For Every American, David Pepper Please Unsubscribe, Thanks! Julio Vincent Gambuto All You Have To Do Is Call, Kerri MaherSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I welcome back journalist and author Katya Cengel. We chat about her new non-fiction memoir, Straitjackets And Lunch Money,  the importance of listening to children's voices, her time in a psychosomatic unit at a children's hospital when she was age ten,  and how depression led her to not eating.Katya Cengel is a freelance writer and author based in California. Her work has appeared in New York Times Magazine, Marie Claire, and the Wall Street Journal among other publications. She has reported from North and Central America, Europe, Asia and Africa and was based in the former Soviet Union for half a decade. She was a features and news writer for the Louisville Courier-Journal from 2003 to 2011.She is the author of Eric Hoffer Academic Press 2023 award winner, Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) 2020 winner and Foreword Indies 2019 winner “From Chernobyl with Love: Reporting from the Ruins of the Soviet Union”; “Exiled: From the Killing Fields of Cambodia to California and Back” and “Bluegrass Baseball: A Year in the Minor League Life”. Her latest book is Straitjackets and Lunch Money.She has been awarded grants from the International Reporting Project, the International Women’s Media Foundation and the International Center for Journalists. Her journalism has been recognized with a Society of Professional Journalists Green Eyeshade Award and a Society for Features Journalism Excellence-in-Features Award.Katya CengelStraitjackets And Lunch Money, Katya CengelSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with Tiffany Smith, owner of Copperfield's Books about computerizing inventory, family, local authors, and books.Copperfield's Books is a family-owned and operated independent bookstore, proud to have served the Spring/Klein and surrounding communities of Texas for nearly 30 years. The store was purchased by the Smiths in 2014, who are also lifelong residents of the Klein community.  Managed by Shawn Smith and his mother-in-law Donna Maxwell, the new Copperfield's family strive to provide quality pre-read and new books, as well as unique gift items, for book lovers of all ages. Copperfield’s BooksDaisy Jones And The Six, Taylor Jenkins ReidLessons in Chemistry, Bonnie GarmusSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with author Matt Mendez about his new novel The Broke Hearts, his attachment to the desert, writing for YA readers, and incorporating multiple forms of writing into one manuscript.Matt Mendez is the author of Barely Missing Everything, his debut novel, and the short story collection Twitching Heart. Barely Missing Everything has been called a “searing portrait of two Mexican-American families” by Publishers Weekly and “accessible and artful” in a stared review by Kirkus. The New York Times says [Mendez] “has an uncanny ability to capture the aimless bluster of young boys posturing at confidence.”  Barely Missing Everything was named a 2019 Best YA Book by Kirkus, Seventeen Magazine, NBC Latino, and Texas Monthly.  It was a Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers Nominee, awarded second place in the International Latino Book Awards, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Land of Enchantment Black Bear Book Award winner.  Like many of his characters Matt grew up in El Paso, Texas and continues to love and live in the Southwest, now in Tucson, Arizona.  He is a military veteran and earned his MFA from the University of Arizona where he has taught creative writing.  Matt is the father of two daughters that he loves fiercely.His new novel, The Broke Hearts, is set for release on October 3rd, 2023.   Matt MendezThe Broke Hearts, Matt MendezThe Graveyard Book, Neil GaimanNeverwhere, Neil GaimanThe Consequences, Manuel MuñozSeven Empty Houses, Samantha SchweblinFever Dream, Samantha SchweblinSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with Natania Jansz co-owner of Sort of Books about what led her to start a publishing company with her partner, Mark Ellingham in 1999, book cover designers, distribution for indie publishers, and author Shehan Karunatilaka's novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida winning the 2022 Booker Prize.Sort of Books is an independent publisher of both original and classic fiction and non-fiction titles. Mark Ellingham and Natania Jansz, creators of the Rough Guide travel series, founded Sort of Books in 1999 mainly to help their friend Chris Stewart launch his debut book Driving Over Lemons which became a surprise UK bestseller, eventually selling more than a million copies. Fired by its success, they have hand-picked three or four titles each year since.In 2022, Sort of Books published Shehan Karunatilaka's novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, which went on to win the 2022 Booker Prize. In short, Sort of Books publish the sort of books they feel proud of. Books you’ll want to discover and re-discover.Sort of BooksThe Seven Moons Of Maali Almeida, Shehan KarunatilakaMaria EdgeworthTove JanssonOn Writing And Failure, Stephen MarcheLadie’s Lunch: And Other Stories, Lore SegalSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with Christina Gerhardt about her new book, Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean, the politics of the climate crisis, poetry of islanders, and the environmental humanities.Christina Gerhardt is Associate Professor at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Senior Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and former Barron Professor of Environment and the Humanities at Princeton University. Her environmental journalism has been published by Grist.org, The Nation, The Progressive, and the Washington Monthly. Christina’s new book, Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean weaves together essays, maps, art, and poetry to show us—and make us see—island nations in a warming world.Synopsis of Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean : Low-lying islands are least responsible for global warming, but they are suffering the brunt of it. This transportive atlas reorients our vantage point to place islands at the center of the story, highlighting Indigenous and Black voices and the work of communities taking action for local and global climate justice. At once serious and playful, well-researched and lavishly designed, Sea Change is a stunning exploration of the climate and our world’s coastlines. Full of immersive storytelling, scientific expertise, and rallying cries from island populations that shout with hope— “We are not drowning! We are fighting!”—this atlas will galvanize readers in the fight against climate change and the choices we all face.Christina Gerhardt is Associate Professor at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Senior Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and former Barron Professor of Environment and the Humanities at Princeton University. Her environmental journalism has been published by Grist.org, The Nation, The Progressive, and the Washington Monthly.Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean, Christina GerhardtCalifornia Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline, Rosanna XiaTell Them, Kathy Jetnil-KijinerHigh Water Line New Jersey, PrincetonThe Heat Will Kill You First: Life And Death On A Scorched Planet, Jeff GoodellClimate First The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration, Jake Bittle    Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with Ahalya Naidu about Trilogy Curated Bookshop & Library which she owns with her partner Meethil Momaya about why they opened a bookshop and library, the importance of books in translation, local authors in Mumbai,  and where to get the best chai in India!Trilogy Curated Bookshop and Library, located in Bandra West, Mumbai, is owned by Ahalya Naidu and Meethil Momaya. The name Trilogy symbolizes a coming together of the writer, the reader, and the book. It’s a warm and cozy place where you can spend hours immersed in highly recommended books and books from small presses. The library is filled with cute little Post-it notes, recommendations, trivia, and reviews by children in the form of drawings and doodles. Trilogy Curated Bookshop and Library is a great place to unwind and find peace of mind amidst the hustle and bustle of Mumbai city.Trilogy Curated Bookshop & Library Scroll Nandita da Cunha, children’s author City Adrift, Naresh Fernandes Paper Moon, Rehana Munir Em and the big Hoom, Jerry Pinto Marginlands, Arati Kumar-Rao Susanna’s Granthapura, Ajai P. MangattuThe Indians: Histories of a Civilization, Edited by GN Devy, Tony Joseph and Ravi Korisettar  Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with Fonda Lee about what prompted her decision to become a serious writer, her innate love and respect for animals, her novella Untethered Sky, and her path from her first finished manuscript to finding an agent and publishing deal.Fonda Lee is the author of the epic fantasy Green Bone Saga, beginning with Jade City,continuing in Jade War, and concluding with Jade Legacy. She is also the author of the science fiction novels Zeroboxer, Exo, and Cross Fire, and two novellas, the Green Bone Saga prequel The Jade Setter of Janloon, and the upcoming Untethered Sky. Fonda is a winner of the World Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, and a four-time winner of the Aurora Award (Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award), as well as a multiple finalist for the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the Oregon Book Award. Her novels have garnered multiple starred reviews and appeared on Best of Year lists from NPR, Barnes & Noble, Syfy Wire, and others. Jade City has been translated into a dozen languages, named to TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time, and optioned for television development.  She has also written acclaimed short fiction and been an instructor at writing workshops including Viable Paradise and Clarion West. Fonda is a former corporate strategist and black belt martial artist who loves action movies and Eggs Benedict. Born and raised in Canada, she currently resides in the Pacific Northwest.Fonda LeeUntethered Sky, Fonda LeeIn The Lives Of Puppets, TJ KluneTOR.COMSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with author Elizabeth L Silver about her new novel The Majority, women in the workplace and motherhood, teaching creative writing, and books.Elizabeth L Silver is the author of The Majority , as well as the memoir, The Tincture of Time: A Memoir of (Medical) Uncertainty , and the novel, The Execution of Noa P. Singleton . Her work has been called “fantastic” by the Washington Post and “masterful” by The Wall Street Journal, has been published in seven languages, and optioned for film.Elizabeth has been featured on PBS NewsHour, while her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, New York Magazine, The Guardian, Harper's Bazaar, McSweeney’s, The Dallas Morning News, Literary Hub, The Rumpus, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, among other publications, and she has been a recipient of residencies at several artist colonies in the United States, France, and Spain, including Ucross Foundation, Ragdale, Byrdcliffe Artist Colony, where she was the recipient of the Patterson Fellowship, A Room of Her Own Foundation, where she was a consultant, and the British Centre for Literary Translation. She has also served as a judge for the PEN Center Literary Awards, UCLA’s James Kirkwood Literary Prize, AWP’s Kurt Brown Prize, twice served as a PEN in the Community Teaching Artist through PEN Center USA, where she curated a program teaching creative writing to prisoners in Lancaster, CA, for cancer patients and survivors with The Benjamin Center, and at a halfway house in Los Angeles; she has also served as a mentor in Fiction for AWP's Writer-to-Writer Program, and taught English as a Second Language in Costa Rica, writing and literature at Drexel University and St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. She currently teaches creative writing with the UCLA Writers Program.A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, the MFA program in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia in England, and Temple University Beasley School of Law, Elizabeth has also worked as an attorney in California and Texas, where she was a judicial clerk for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, worked on death row cases in Texas, and subsequently in civil litigation in Los Angeles. She continues to keep a foot in the law, and her most recent legal (volunteer) work includes working on asylum cases at the Texas-Mexico border and with survivors of domestic violence in Los Angeles.Elizabeth is also the founder and director of Onward Literary Mentoring, a program that connects writers with award-winning and best-selling authors for individual, tailored writing instruction. Elizabeth L Silver The Majority, Elizabeth L Silver On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King The CandySupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with Paulina Porizkova about her book No Filter, The Good, The Bad, And The Beautiful, living in an all-male household, crazy weather, and receiving a call from Maria Shriver.Paulina Porizkova is a Czechoslovak-born writer. A former model, she was the first Central European woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1984. In 1988 she became one of the highest-paid models in the world as the face of Estee Lauder. She has starred in 16 movies and a slew of TV shows as an actress, and she has served as part of the judging panel on Cycle 10 of America’s Next Top Model.  Paulina Porizkova was born in Olomouc in 1965 and grew up in the Moravian town of Prostějov, a city dating back to 1141 in what was, at the time, Czechoslovakia. In 1968, during the wake of the Soviet-led invasion, Paulina’s parents escaped Czechoslovakia and settled in Sweden, leaving her behind with her grandmother. Her mother went back to Czechoslovakia to get her daughter, only to be captured and taken to prison, where, because she was pregnant, was put under house arrest with Paulina and her grandmother and soon-to-be-born brother for three years. Amid media coverage, Paulina, her brother, and her mother were later allowed to enter Sweden. However, the rest of her family remained in Czechoslovakia.  Her debut novel, A Model Summer, was published in 2007, and her memoir, No Filter, The Good, The Bad, And The Beautiful, was published by The Open Field in 2022. No Filter: The Good, The Bad, And The Beautiful, Paulina PorizkovaI've Been Thinking, Maria Shriver Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

In this episode, I chat with author Jenny Xie about her debut novel Holding Pattern, exploring intimacy through cuddling, negative space, and books.Jenny Xie is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree whose debut novel, Holding Pattern, is forthcoming from Riverhead Books in June 2023.Her short fiction has appeared in AGNI, Ninth Letter, Joyland, Adroit Journal, Narrative, The Offing, and the Best of the Net Anthology, among other publications. Her writing on design, travel, and culture has been featured in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy, Them, and Dwell, where she was previously the Executive Editor.Jenny holds degrees from UC Berkeley and Johns Hopkins University and is the grateful recipient of fellowships from Bread Loaf, MacDowell, Yaddo, Kundiman, Aspen Words, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Loghaven, and other organizations.Born in Shanghai and hailing from California, Jenny is currently based in Brooklyn, New York.  JennyXieHolding Pattern, Jenny XieSea Change, Gina ChungDykette, Jenny Fran DavisEsquire magazine article on cuddling by Jenny XieSupport the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links