Friends & Fiction

Welcome to our Summer Season Finale! Who better to spend it with than beach-reads royalty, Queen of Nantucket Island, total rockstar author, and dear friend of the show, Elin Hilderbrand?!After publishing her first work in Seventeen Magazine in 1991 while a senior at Johns Hopkins University, Elin worked in publishing for a bit, attended the Iowa Writers Workshop, earned her MFA, and never looked back, publishing her first novel, THE BEACH CLUB, in 2000. Her 2019 novel, SUMMER OF '69 was her first novel to debut at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. She has said that her Summer 2024 book will be her swan song. We are eager to hear what comes next, and to talk to her all about her new podcast Books Beach and Beyond with Tim Ehrenberg, as well as her latest instant #1 NYT bestselling phenomenon, her 29th novel, THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND which Little, Brown published on June 13th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Reteling of Mythology is having a moment! Ron Block and Patti Callahan Henry host a deep conversation about re-imagining ancient myths in the new book, Horses of Fire with authors Ashlee Cowles & Danielle Stinson, who write as A.D. Rhine. Their own friendship history and their deep passion for myths and storytelling combine in this fascinating episode for everyone who loves storytelling.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What a summer treat we have in store on this episode! First, we welcome author Steven Rowley, the author of one of the F&F community’s most buzzed about books of all time. For a double-dip of summer fun, we will also meet up with the best-friend writing pair, Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke! Steven Rowley is the New York Times bestselling author of LILY AND THE OCTOPUS, a Washington Post Notable Book of 2016, THE EDITOR, an NPR Best Book of 2019, and THE GUNCLE, winner of 2021’s Thurber Prize for American Humor. His fiction has been published in twenty languages and all of his books are in development for feature film or television adaptation. He joins us from his home in Palm Springs to discuss his latest instant NYT bestseller, June’s TODAY Show Read With Jenna Book Club pick, THE CELEBRANTS (Putnam, May 30). Liz & Lisa have been best friends for more than three decades. They’ve co-authored eight novels, including the Amazon Charts bestseller, THE GOOD WIDOW. In addition to writing books, they created the podcast, We Fight So You Don’t Have to: Lessons from a Thirty-Year Friendship, and appear monthly on a San Diego news station to share their favorite book club picks. They join us from their homes in San Diego to discuss their latest book, FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE (Alcove Press, July 11).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Ron Block is joined by Mary Kay Andrews to talk with author Christopher Swann about his newest release in the Faulkner Family series, Never Back Down. This stand-alone focuses on Suzie Faulkner, continuing her high-powered and thrilling cat and mouse game with Finn, her family's arch enemy. It was great to hear about the origin stories, the research, how Christopher keeps the tension high, and how scenes are choreographed for the page!!! A must-hear episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you ready to play the Feud? Survey says…YES! We are all in for big summer-camp-style family fun on this episode as the Fab Four gather to celebrate the launch of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS. F&F’s Managing Director Meg Walker steps in to play game show host, leading Kristy, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel & Patti Callahan Henry in a rousing game of Family Feud featuring all questions about summer camp in an homage to Kristy’s fictional Camp Holly Springs, the setting of her brand-new novel which just hit stores from Gallery Books. The crew also talks to Kristy in depth about THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS and we learn all about her inspirations and research for her tenth novel. Tune in for all the fun and games—and to learn why perennial #1 bestseller Emily Henry says “put this book in your beach bag immediately!” Who are we to argue with an author who dominates the bestseller list week after week and clearly knows a perfect beach read when she sees one?! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK: We love highlighting debut novels, and this week's guest has written a fantastic one! Ron Block and Meg Walker are joined by Alex Hay, author of the much anticipated novel, The Housekeepers. Sarah Penner said: “Rollicking fun and entirely original... Anyone who relishes a good party gone wrong will devour this.” Alex is a delight to talk with and learning his process and his path to publication was the source of great laughter. A don't miss book and podcast episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fresh on the heels of a hot holiday weekend we welcome Marie Bostwick and Terah Shelton Harris to the show to hear about two new books you just must stuff into your beach bags this summer. And we will have a special guest host — bestselling novelist John Searles — filling in for Kristin!Marie Bostwick is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen uplifting works of historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Drawing on her lifelong love of quilting and her unshakable belief in the power of sisterhood, Marie’s popular COBBLED COURT QUILT series has been embraced across the globe by quilters and non-sewers alike. Marie’s novel, THE SECOND SISTER was adapted into the 2018 Hallmark Hall of Fame feature film Christmas Everlasting starring Patti LaBelle. Marie lives in Washington state and joins us from the road on book tour to discuss her latest novel ESME CAHILL FAILS SPECTACULARLY (William Morrow, May 30).Terah Shelton Harris is the Deputy Director of Alabama’s Dothan Houston County Library system, and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Women’s Health, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and more. As a librarian, Terah has written and received over a half-million dollars in grants and she is most proud of her Wifi-in-the-Park project which provides free Wifi to over 200 acres of Westgate Park. Originally from Illinois, Terah is a world traveler who has visited over 40 countries across six continents, and she joins us from her home in Alabama to discuss her debut novel, ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH (Sourcebooks, July 4). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK: Ron Block is joined by Meg Walker for a conversation with Christine Pride and Jo Piazza. This writing powerhouse duo are the authors of You Were Always Mine which is the follow-up to their best-selling GMA pick, We Are Not Like Them, We discussed so many interesting aspects of writing with a partner, how race and class are viewed in the world and how important books are to building empathy and understanding. A fascinating episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode will have your beach bags overflowing with sparkling summer reads as we welcome FOUR authors to the show. Meet Annabel Monaghan and Megan Miranda on the main show and the writing duo of Mary Hollis Huddleston and Asher Fogle Paul on the After Show.Annabel Monaghan is the author of IndieNext and LibraryReads pick NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT as well as two young adult novels and a collection of humorous columns. She joins us from her home in Rye, NY, to discuss her highly anticipated follow-up novel, SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER (Putnam, June 6), which Elin Hilderbrand called “utterly charming” and Fiona Davis dubbed “the love story of the summer." Megan Miranda is the New York Times bestselling author of seven works of psychological suspense, including THE LAST HOUSE GUEST, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, as well as several books for young adults. She joins us from her home in North Carolina to discuss her latest instant bestseller, THE ONLY SURVIVORS (S&S / Marysue Rucci Books, April 11), which was a Book of the Month, IndieNext, and LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection.Mary Hollis Huddleston is a high-end event planner in Nashville and runs the lifestyle platform Mrs. Southern Social. Asher Fogle Paul is a New York-based entertainment journalist who has written for Good Housekeeping, Us Weekly, and People. Together they co-wrote the 2021 rom-com about the glamorous, ruthless world of high-end Southern weddings, WITHOUT A HITCH. They’ll join us on the Aftershow to discuss their follow-up, PIECE OF CAKE (Harper Muse, June 20).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WRITERS' BLOCK Mary Kay Andrews and Ron Block are joined by NYT Bestselling Autho, Curtis Sittenfeld about her newest, Romantic Comedy, which was the April 2023 Pick for Reese's Book Club! A fascinating look behind the scenes of a Saturday Night Live type show thorugh the eyes of a female comedy writer. Our conversation focuses on this Rom-Com but also the complicated assumptions within modern relationships. A great dive into a great book! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.