Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby speaks to award-winning author and repeat MDHTTRB guest Rachel Beanland about The House is on Fire, a propulsive work of historical fiction about a fire that ravaged a theater mid-performance and forever entwined the lives of four very different Americans: a young stagehand, a society widow, an enslaved woman, and a blacksmith. Rachel talks about her meticulous research of the real 1811 Richmond fire and her use of fiction to fill in the gaps in the historical records and create a gripping narrative. She also talks about what it was like to write this book mid-pandemic, her ultimate goal of giving a voice to those who were rarely written about, and the books she has read recently and loved. Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3KnyeK6Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3KfygDKSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby is joined by writer and podcaster Laura Tremaine to discuss her latest book The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs, an adult friendship book filled with honest confessions, wisdom, and wit. Laura discusses the different types of friends (from the “battle buddy” to the “obsessive”) and then describes her personal experiences with friendship, from making her deepest friendships in her tiny Oklahoma hometown to feeling completely lonely after moving to LA to finally learning how to evaluate and nurture her smaller friendship circle. She also talks about her podcast, 10 Things To Tell You, and shares her best advice for aspiring authors. Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/413vfNGPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3KxGs3CSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby interviews author Ella Berman about her second novel, Before We Were Innocent, a haunting and dazzling page-turner about three teenage best friends and the fateful summer trip to Greece that ends with one of them dying and the other two being blamed for it. Ella discusses a theme she loved exploring: the simultaneous power and vulnerability of youth and female friendships. She also talks about her life before publishing her books (it involves Sony Music and selling vintage clothes), the success of her mid-pandemic debut (The Comeback), the book she is working on now, and what she loves to do when she's not writing!Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/415uN18Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/43aj17wSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby speaks to debut author Tiffany Clarke-Harrison about Blue Hour, a raw and transcendent novel about a Black Japanese woman struggling with infertility and questioning if she should even bring another Black child into the world, especially after her photography student is a victim of police brutality. Tiffany discusses the themes she explored so beautifully: grief, motherhood, marriage, resilience, art, race, and violence, admitting that it was, at times, a grueling experience. She also shares how writing made its way into her life, how a professor’s advice and an unexpected multiple sclerosis diagnosis encouraged her to finally get published, and how thrilled she is to share this moment with her children. Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3UbtpIgPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3zFr9znSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby is joined by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and book club founder Amerie to discuss You Will Do Great Things, a magical picture book about a young boy’s imagination and the unexplored worlds it takes him to. Amerie talks about her lifelong love of books, from a childhood spent at the military base library, to stacking shelves at Georgetown, to reading Harry Potter on her tour bus. Then, she describes how she got into writing (and became obsessed with it), how her son inspired her to write this book, and why diverse representation is so important in children’s literature. Finally, she introduces us to Amerie’s Book Club. (By the way, her April pick is If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery, who has been on MDHTTRB!!)Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3GjkLSoPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/40Ohd2DSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby interviews author Alice Robb about Don’t Think Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet, a profound and passionately-researched interrogation of the ballet world, inspired by the grueling years she spent at the most elite ballet school in the country. Alice describes what it was like to dedicate her childhood and adolescence to dance, her former and current challenges with body image, and her views on patriarchy in ballet culture. She also talks about how wonderful it was reconnecting with old classmates and including their stories in her memoir. Finally, she shares her best advice for aspiring authors. Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3ZKcYUEPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/410hEXvSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby Books author alert!!! Award-winning author Mary Otis joins Zibby to discuss Burst, a propulsive and utterly arresting new novel that explores Charlotte and Viva’s unconventional, fractious mother-daughter relationship, along with generational addiction, artistic ambition, and the power of forgiveness. Mary reveals the inspiration for this story and explains how she developed her complex, complicated protagonists. She also shares a bit of her own story, from growing up with four older siblings and moving to LA to taking a transformative writing class and embarking on an incredible literary journey. You can meet Mary on her book tour this month! Visit www.zibbybooks.com/marys-launch to find a book event near you!! Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3ZDKZG2Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3ztdJXkSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode (a live event at City Winery!), Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Jill Santopolo about Stars in an Italian Sky, a shimmering, heartfelt story of two star-crossed lovers in post-World War II Italy and, generations later, a New York City love story that will uncover a long-buried family secret. Jill reveals the inspiration behind this story, her strategy for writing a dual timeline, and the topics she loved exploring: fashion and love through the ages (and across socioeconomic classes). She also talks about her incredibly successful 2017 debut novel The Light We Lost (which was a Reese’s Book Club Pick!), and the book she is working on now.Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/432DT0wPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3U0gskxSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James B. Stewart about Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy, a jaw-dropping and explosive Succession-esque account of the fight for power at Paramount Global. James describes billionaire media mogul Sumner Redstone’s questionable behavior (and fashion sense) and his fascinating, fraught relationship with his daughter and successor, Shari. Then, he shares the details of his own career (from lawyer to award-winning journalist), his hobbies, his experience working with his co-author Rachel Abrams, and his best advice for aspiring writers.Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3K1EMOgPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3KqM1RiSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Debut author Madelaine Lucas joins Zibby to discuss Thirst for Salt, a mesmerizing, sensuous, and lyrical novel about a woman’s long-ago holiday affair with a man 18 years her senior and, many years later, her reckoning with the choices she made. Madelaine talks about her unique editorial and stylistic choices, gorgeous cover, and the decision to explore a fascinating trope: relationships with significant age gaps. She also talks about her childhood, her funk-rock musician father, her love of music, her MFA experience, and the books she has read recently and loved. Purchase on Zibby's Bookshop: http://bit.ly/3KkNqZuPurchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3ziobALSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.