Today I'm talking with novelist Shawn Smucker in our series "lighten up about pop culture," about the books that have shaped us and what's influencing us now. He shares some of his favorite books and authors and what music he listens to while writing, and you guys I got a total scoop. Shawn revealed the title of his next book and what it's about, for the first time ever, to me on this very podcast. However, an addendum to that: I'm going to pull back the curtain on this here podcastery a bit and tell you that because of scheduling wonkiness with some of the guests for this series, Shawn and I recorded this approximately 47 years ago but I'm just now releasing it. Which is why I would never make a good reporter, on account of my lack of timeliness. Hey guys I got a big scoop for you that I kept to myself! The good news is his next book comes out in June and is available for preorder, so go check it out, but first, listen in and lighten up!

Links from the Show

• Shawn and Maile's podcast, The Stories Between Us
• Shawn's latest: Light from Distant Stars
• These Nameless Things
• Shawn's YA books: The Day the Angels Fell and The Edge of Over There
• Pachinko
• Night Tiger
• Children of Blood and Bone
• Trail of Lightning
• Good Omens
• Empathy for the Devil