Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby interviews acclaimed journalist and human rights activist Goldie Taylor about her harrowing and profoundly moving new memoir The Love You Save, in which she shares the unimaginable cruelties she faced as a child and the books that ultimately saved her. Goldie shares some of those heartbreaking, traumatic moments, admitting they were painful to revisit but gave her immense compassion for her younger self. Goldie also talks about finding solace and hope in books, overcoming her shame, and ultimately creating a life she is proud of. Finally, she talks about her wonderful children and what it was like to share her story with them. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3I9G8FVSubscribe 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 screenwriter and debut author Rachel Koller Croft about Stone Cold Fox, a riveting, provocative, and twisty new thriller about an ambitious woman who, after a lifetime of conning alongside her mother, wants to put her dark past behind her and marry New York’s hottest and wealthiest bachelor. Zibby and Rachel analyze the incredible protagonist Bea, who is wickedly intelligent, observant, and powerful (but also a bit of a liar). Then, Rachel talks about her fascinating career – from selling luxury floral arrangements to seeing her script and original songs on screen (you can watch Torn Hearts on Amazon Prime – it is the “country horror musical movie” of Rache’s dreams!) to finally publishing this novel. (And, soon after this conversation, Deadline announced that Stone Cold Fox is being adapted for TV, and Rachel will pen the series!!)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3IxdM9XSubscribe 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 debut author Gothataone Moeng about Call and Response: Stories, a beautiful and sharply observed collection of short stories about women, young and old, grappling with modern life in postcolonial Botswana, where elements of traditional life still remain. Gothataone talks about the themes she enjoyed exploring – love, relationships, familial duty, and self-sacrifice – all of which speak to the universal experience of womanhood. She also shares her writing journey, from growing up in Botswana and trying to write a book at the age of 14 to pursuing an MFA in the US and finding a publisher mid-pandemic while back in her Botswanian village! Oh, and she ululates – which you definitely don’t want to miss!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3K9mQTDSubscribe 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.

Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author (and one of Zibby's childhood author idols!!) Lois Lowry joins Zibby to discuss The Windeby Puzzle: History and Story, an evocative tale of a boy and a girl battling to survive during the Iron Age, inspired by the true discovery of the 2,000-year-old Windeby bog body in Germany. Lois talks about her fascination with the discovered body, which scientists determined was a thirteen-year-old girl and then a sixteen-year-old boy, hence her two protagonists and the dual narrative she so masterfully weaves together. Lois also shares the fascinating details of her life – from a childhood of international moves, new schools, and crippling shyness, to getting married and having four children before the age of 26, to finally getting her writing published. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3xpsoC0Subscribe 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 acclaimed writer and poet Tiffany McDaniel about On The Savage Side, a harrowing novel about twin sisters who fear for their lives as their friends begin to disappear from their rural Ohio town, inspired by the real unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six. Tiffany describes how her own upbringing in a Southern Ohio town plagued by drug addiction inspired the environment her protagonists live in, and shares what it was like to research the real Chillicothe crimes and find that one of the murdered women was her classmate. She also discusses an essential dichotomy in her book – the savage vs. the beautiful sides of life – and shares how she personally connects with the latter. (Oh, and did you know that she writes all her books by hand?!)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3E7CJG6Subscribe 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 author-editors Margot Kahn and Kelly McMasters about Wanting: Women Writing About Desire, an intimate, daring, and impassioned collection of essays by award-winning and emerging female writers, such as Joanna Rakoff, Lisa Taddeo, Tara Conklin, and Michelle Wildgen (a Zibby Books author!!). The three discuss the origins of this project, the unique experience of editing and compiling an anthology, and the particular essays that Zibby cannot stop thinking about, from Joanna Rakoff’s breathtaking encounter with an old love to Michelle Wildgen’s mouthwatering descriptions of bread and cheese!(Oops! Zibby accidentally says that our April retreat is in Nashville -- it's actually in Charleston! And we would love it if you joined us. Visit zibbymag.com/zibby-retreats to get your weekend pass!)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3xlN1yESubscribe 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 Annie Cathryn joins Zibby to discuss The Friendship Breakup, a warm and witty “mom-com” about neighborhood mom Fallon Monroe, the friends that inexplicably dump her, a Mexican fiesta that goes epically wrong, and a 20-year-old letter that changes everything. Cathryn reveals the story is inspired by her own friendship breakup, and then the two discuss the theme of identity, and the guilt mothers face when wanting to be more than just moms. Cathryn also talks about her long publishing journey, her next book, and her podcast Soulful Series, where she interviews non-fiction and memoir writers. (She just interviewed Zibby Books author Alisha Fernandez Miranda! Go listen!!). Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3DYv1hCSubscribe 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 writer, former professor, and repeat MDHTTRB guest Priscilla Gilman about The Critic’s Daughter: A Memoir, an exquisite and wrenching portrait of her unique relationship with her father, the esteemed, brilliant, but deeply troubled theater critic and Yale drama professor Richard Gilman, and the deep wound that her parents’ divorce left her with. Priscilla talks about her father’s depression (which competed with his utterly magical, devoted, childlike side), and how becoming the designated caretaker at age 10 forced her to soldier on through dissapointment, trauma, and loss for years. She also talks about the incredible emotional toll of remembering her childhood and putting it all on paper. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3K1vkwaSubscribe 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 bestselling author Pico Iyer about The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise, a mesmerizing account of over fifty years of world travels and the hopeful search for a paradise on earth. Pico discusses the pandemic, and how the constant reminder of death illuminated what was actually important in our lives, and then describes his close relationship with the Dalai Lama, whom he admires for his profound respect for others. He also talks about his love of travel, writing, bookstores (which he beautifully calls hospitals for the soul), and reading a great book on his sun-facing terrace in Japan. Finally, he shares what his next book is about – monks and the beauty of their stillness. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3E0pQ0NSubscribe 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 a special in-person interview (LA edition!), Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author and repeat MDHTTRB guest Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt about Good Night, Sister, a beautiful and gentle bedtime story that celebrates the power and comfort of sisterhood (and stuffed animals). Katherine reveals she wrote the book as a tribute to her younger sister Christina, who was bolder and braver than she was growing up. Katherine talks about how different the publishing process is for picture books (she has also written three self-help books!), and how much better-equipped she is to write one now that she has children and understands their preferences. She also shares her passion for animal rescue and her best advice for aspiring children’s authors. (Oh, and reporter Mary McNamara observed the interview and wrote about it in an incredible LA Times article!!)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3HQIFViSubscribe 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.