On today's episode, Adam & Jill chat with George Saunders, bestselling authors and one of TIME's 100 most influential people in the world. George is renowned for his collections of short stories and his first full length novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, recently debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. George explained where the idea for this novel came from, why Lincoln remains such an important character even today, how the incredible audiobook came to be and why absurdity fits so...
Apr 03, 2017•41 min
April is right around the corner which means it's time for Adam and Jill to talk about all of the forthcoming books they are excited in read! Books mentioned in this episode: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by JK Rowling, read by Eddie Redmayne The Secrets of My Life by Caitlyn Jenner If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio Burntown by Jennifer MacMahon Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann Every Body Yoga by Jessamyn Stanley Marlena by Julie Bunton Geekerella by Ashley Poston When You Find ...
Mar 30, 2017•34 min
On today's episode, Adam is left all by his lonesome for a sleep-deprived introduction where he talks about a local theater production he saw the night before and begs you to give us a 5-star rating before getting into the actual important part of the show, an interview with the awesome Brad Ricca. Brad is the author of Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, the incredible true story of Grace Humiston, America's first ever District Attorney, as well as Super Boys, the story behind the creation of Superman. Adam ...
Mar 27, 2017•40 min
Take a trip back through time with today's episode where Adam and Jill discuss some of their favorite historical fiction picks! We not only help give a definition of what makes a book historical fiction, but we also discuss multiple timeline novels and "time slip" historical fiction. Books mentioned in this episode: American Girl series Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory The Captive Queen by Alison Weir The King's Obsession by Alison Weir Underground Railro...
Mar 23, 2017•46 min
On today’s episode Jill returns from jury duty and regales us with an exciting recap of sitting in a room for three days. Our heroes then discuss St. Patrick’s Day excitement (even though the holiday has come and gone). The main portion of this episode is a conversation Adam had with children’s author and illustrator Elise Parsley who is known for her bestselling “If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don’t! series of gorgeous picture books. Elise shares her background in design as w...
Mar 20, 2017•35 min
100 episodes! That's a big round number. On this, our first episode in the triple digits, Jill and Adam chat with Barry Lyga, best selling author of harrowing Young Adult books including I Hunt Killers and Boy Toy. His latest novel, BANG, comes out on April 18th. This heartbreaking novel tells the story of Sebastian who, at the age of 4, accidentally shoots and kills his infant daughter with his father's gun. Ten years later, Sebastian is still grappling with this tragedy and doesn't know how to...
Mar 16, 2017•36 min
On today’s episode, Adam sits down with author and advice columnist Carol Weston. Carol’s new book, Speed of Life, comes out in April and she chats with Adam about how the book came to be, dealing with emotional loss as a teenager and what it’s like providing advice to teens for most of her life. They also discuss the autobiographical nature of Speed of Life, Carol’s writing process and much more! Episode was recorded in January 2017 during ALA Midwinter conference in Atlanta, GA Say Hello! Find...
Mar 13, 2017•30 min
For college basketball fans, this month is the time for March Madness but we decided to switch it up by doing an episode titled March Sadness. These are the books that make us cry, sob, weep, bawl .... you get the picture. Basically, these are the books that make us FEEL ALL THE FEELS. Share your own favorite tearjerkers by emailing us at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com or find us on Twitter at @ProBookNerds Books Mentioned In This Episode Speed of Life by Carol Weston The Time Traveler's Wi...
Mar 09, 2017•40 min
on today's episode, Adam sits down with Newbery Medal winner and bestseller Kwame Alexander. Kwame was in town promoting his latest book, The Playbook, which is a set of rules for children to use to be successful in life. Kwame and Adam chatted about the power of poetry and their shared background surrounded by books as well as Kwame's international literacy programs. Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @ProBookNerds. Email us directly at professionalboo...
Mar 06, 2017•29 min
It's a new month! That means it's time to talk about all the forthcoming books we are excited to read. Together, Adam and Jill have a mix of young adult and adult fiction, non-fiction, and everything in between! Let us know your March picks by emailing us at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com or find us on Twitter @ProBookNerds Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi (book 2 of The Star-Touched Queen series) Hunted by Meagan S...
Mar 02, 2017•26 min
On today's episode Adam and Jill are celebrating the upcoming launch of the latest Big Library Read event by chatting with Kate McDermott, author of Art of the Pie, which was selected as the eBook readers around the world will be reading at the same time starting March 16th as part of the largest digital book club on earth. Kate shared how she got started baking and how she makes her living in the world of Pie. We have been craving sweets ever since so apologies in advance if you do as well. You...
Feb 27, 2017•32 min
The Academy Awards are this weekend and five of this year's Best Picture nominees are based on books! As book and movie lovers, Adam and Jill decided it would be fun to discuss books that were adapted into films that became Best Picture nominees. We also look ahead to upcoming films and make our predictions for what will be future Oscar contenders. Tweet your own Page to Screen pics to use @ProBookNerds and email us at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com Books Mentioned In This Episode: Hidden F...
Feb 23, 2017•51 min
On today's episode, Adam sits down with Elizabeth Kostova, #1 bestselling author of The Historian and The Swan Thieves. Elizabeth has a new book coming out April 11 called The Shadow Land and so she was in Atlanta for the American Library Association Midwinter meetings where she spoke with Adam about her love of Eastern Europe, the research process for her books and, of course, Dracula! Elizabeth has a rich history with libraries as well and shared some wonderful insight into the writing process...
Feb 21, 2017•31 min
Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology was released last week and we decided to celebrate by discussing other books that deal with mythology and lore! Books Mentioned In This Episode Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan The Gracekeepers by Kristy Loan American Gods by Neil Gaiman Red Rising series by Pierce Brown Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier The Odyssey by Homer The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas The Song of Achilles...
Feb 16, 2017•43 min
On today's episode, Adam interviews Jen Calonita in Atlanta during the American Library Association Midwinter meetings. Jen has gone from being an editor at a teen entertainment magazine where she interviewed celebrities backstage to creating her own stories from her life experiences. Now, she's building magical worlds of her own through the Fairy Tale Reform School series. Adam and Jen chat about how she came to be an author and how Disney has been the through line of her career that led to the...
Feb 13, 2017•26 min
On this episode, Zoraida Cordova once again graces us with her wonderful presence to offer up some of her favorite recent romance reads. Zoraida is currently writing on a warm, tropical island (seriously look at her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoraidasolo/) but took some time out of her busy schedule to tell about the Romance books she thinks everyone should check out. She also gave a few non-romance picks as well. You can find the books Zoraida has written here: https://www.overdrive.c...
Feb 09, 2017•39 min
Several of our co-workers absolutely adore Penny Reid and her Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series and suggested we interview her. After speaking with her for half an hour, Penny now has two new fans in both Adam and Jill. Penny is the first self-published author to be on the Professional Book Nerds podcast and she's an incredibly successful self-published author at that, so along with taking us through her writing process she also explains all the work that goes into being a self-pu...
Feb 06, 2017•45 min
On the 88th episode of the pod, Jill and Adam read through a few listener emails and offer book recommendations based on what you, the listener, has been reading. If you'd like some recommendations just email professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com with what you're reading or follow us on Twitter! We then dive into all the big books coming out in February and have a mini excitement-panic attack over how amazing the audiobook of Lincoln in the Bardo is going to be. All books discussed can be found be...
Feb 02, 2017•34 min
In today's episode we hear the first of several interviews Adam did authors at the American Library Association Midwinter Meetings. Adam sat down with Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko, which comes out on February 7th. Min shared her experiences as an immigrant writer, writing about a separate group of immigrants as well as walked us through her writing and extensive research process. Min spent 13 years writing her first novel, Free Food for Millionaires, so she knows about determination and has s...
Jan 30, 2017•29 min
Adam's back from ALA Midwinter and brought with him the big list of 2017 Youth Media Award Winners and a whole bunch of advanced reader copies that the whole OverDrive office is excited to read. Books mentioned in this episode Quiet Until The Thaw by Alexandra Fuller The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe March: Book Three by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Hammer of Thor by Rick Rio...
Jan 26, 2017•27 min
Adam is in Atlanta for ALA Midwinter this week and left Jill all alone with a microphone mwahahahaha (j/k). So in this very off the cuff episode, Jill talks about all the ways you can keep track of the books you read and also goes over the books she has read thus far in 2017 as well as what she's currently reading (and listening to because audiobooks totally count). Books Mentioned In This Episode: Miss You by kate Eberlen The Magdalan Girls by V.S. Alexander The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fishe...
Jan 23, 2017•31 min
If you like Gilmore Girls: Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham Eat Like a Gilmore Wild by Cheryl Strayed The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up by Marie Kondo If you like (guilty pleasure) reality shows: I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain by Courtney Robertson (trashy tell-all from former Bachelor contestant) Andy Cohen’s books (dishes about Real Housewives) Life on the Ramona Coaster by Ramona Singer Turning The Tables by Teresa Guidici You've Got To ...
Jan 19, 2017•40 min
In today's episode Jill & Adam talk to debut author Samuel Parker about his first novel Purgatory Road. He discusses his inspirations as a writer include Stephen King and why he choose Vegas as a setting. Jill and Adam also have a quick chat about their times in Vegas, some Broadway shows and they remember Alan Rickman because... he's amazing. You can borrow Purgatory Road from you library by clicking this link: https://www.overdrive.com/media/2839929/purgatory-road Say Hello! Find OverDrive...
Jan 16, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Like most book nerds, we love the website Book Riot and their annual Read Harder Challenge. But sometimes it's hard to know where to find titles that fit the categories if they are a little outside of your reading comfort zone so we decided to offer some suggestions throughout the year. First up, we are tackling the LGBTQ+ Romance, Collection of Stories by a Woman, Books Written by an Immigrant or with an Immigration Theme, Sports, and Travel Memoir. Bonus: We have a new email address (professio...
Jan 12, 2017•46 min
Today's episode features an interview with world-renowned romance writer, Robyn Carr. Robyn recently received the Romance Writer's of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award and is best known for for her Virgin River Series. In this interview, Adam and Robyn discuss her recent novel, What We Find, as well as the craft of writing. Robyn is extremely prolific and discusses the diligence it takes to continuously provide new books for her readers. She also shares her thought process as she w...
Jan 09, 2017•27 min
Books Mentioned in this Episode: The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova Hunger by Roxane Gay Pachinko by Min Jin Lee The American War by Omar El Akkad Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman How to Hygge by Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson Mission Impawsible by Krista Davis The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day The Wanderers by Meg Howrey The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories about Facing the Unknown Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders A Separation 4321 Paul Au...
Jan 05, 2017•34 min
On this very special episode of the podcast, Adam interviews Jill because she wrote a memoir title Running with a Police Escort and it's now available on OverDrive and everywhere you buy your books! Jill chats about how she decided to write her first book while also providing insight for potential authors on how she found a publisher. We've had a number of listeners ask us how authors juggle full-time jobs while also writing and Jill explains how she was able to handle this task personally. Adam...
Jan 02, 2017•35 min
On the last episode of 2016, Jill and Adam discuss the books coming out in January that they can't wait to read. The books discussed come from an overdrive.com list that you can look through and sample titles right here: https://www.overdrive.com/collections/22345/january-2017-new-releases-and-must-reads Books discussed on this episode: Difficult Women by Roxane Gay Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry Little Deaths by Emma Flint My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Corett...
Dec 29, 2016•36 min
It's the last week of 2016 and for this final Monday of the year, Adam and Jill are back with another author interview! This time they spoke with Fleur McDonald, an Australian author known for her rural fiction. If the holidays gifted you with a new eReader, iPad, tablet, etc., be sure to check out your public library's OverDrive.com site to see what eBooks and audiobooks you can get through them! Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email...
Dec 26, 2016•27 min
In today's episode, Adam speaks with debut novelist Kathryn Barker, author of the award winning In the Skin of a Monster. Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@overdrive.com Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through ...
Dec 22, 2016•31 min
