Dolen Perkins-Valdez, the New York Times bestselling author of Wench , joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel, Take My Hand, which grapples with the painful history of eugenics and coerced sterilization in America. Dolen shares what inspired her to write a fictionalized version of what happened to the Relf sisters, what she hopes the story will add to the current conversation surrounding reproductive rights, and what her writing process has looked like since the pandemic. The two also talk abou...
Aug 13, 2022•23 min•Season 14Ep. 14
Actor Josh Peck joins Zibby to talk about his memoir, Happy People Are Annoying. The two connect over growing up with Jewish mothers and how that impacted their relationships with food. Josh also shares why he wanted to write a memoir at this time in his life, what made him decide to be so frank with the behind-the-scenes facts he shared, and whether or not there was anything he regretted putting in. Watch Josh in 13: The Musical , out today on Netflix! Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: ht...
Aug 12, 2022•21 min•Season 14Ep. 13
Zibby is joined by bestselling and award-winning author Nina LaCour to talk about her debut adult novel, Yerba Buena . Nina shares how she started the book while she was still an undergraduate, her experience working in bookstores, and her favorite way a reader has described her book. The two also discuss why Nina decided to pause her podcast, "Keeping a Notebook," and what she's working on next. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A6wUr4 Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3JFRmlL Sub...
Aug 11, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 12
Zibby is joined by author Emily Maloney to talk about her book of personal essays, Cost of Living , which grew out of a piece that is featured in the Best American Essays compilation. The two discuss the current state of healthcare in America, as well as what Emily sees as the industry's potential future. Emily also shares her 15-year process of publishing this book, at which stage she decided to incorporate anecdotes about her parents, and what she is working on next. Purchase on Amazon or Book...
Aug 10, 2022•24 min•Season 14Ep. 11
Author Kim Fay joins Zibby to discuss her latest historical novel, Love & Saffron , which was an instant national bestseller. The two talk about the relationships that inspired the friendship at the center of the story, which family memories helped Kim set the scenes, and how the pandemic helped her write the book quickly. Kim also shares why she wanted the novel to revolve around food and how she likes to practice self-care. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JDlHBg Bo...
Aug 09, 2022•24 min•Season 14Ep. 10
"It's a reference book for kids to get ideas as to how they can make the world a kinder place." Journalist Michelle Figueroa joins Zibby to discuss Good News Movement and its corresponding book, A Good Thing Happened Today. Michelle explains why she decided to start a news organization focused on sharing exclusively good news and the importance of packaging these stories for young kids. Send in your own good news to @GoodNews_Movement on Instagram! Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: https:/...
Aug 08, 2022•18 min•Season 14Ep. 7
Zibby is joined by Sean Williams to talk both about his picture book Girl Dad as well as his organization, The Dad Gang. Sean shares The Dad Gang's mission to shatter stereotypes about Black fatherhood, how their non-profit wing empowers fathers around the country, and where the company is expanding next. The two also discuss how Sean's close relationship with his daughters inspired his new children's book and the main message he hopes other fathers talk away from it. Check out @TheDadGang on In...
Aug 08, 2022•24 min•Season 14Ep. 8
Star of HGTV's Home Town Erin Napier joins Zibby and her husband Kyle to discuss her picture book, The Lantern House. Erin explains why she's not joined by her husband and co-star Ben and shares why she was set on working with her illustrator and friend, Adam Trest, on this children's book. The three also talk about the house flipping projects that get Erin the most excited, what she's currently reading, and how she and Ben found their way into house flipping in the first place. Shop Erin and Be...
Aug 08, 2022•31 min•Season 14Ep. 9
Kerry Docherty joins Zibby to talk about her new picture book Somewhere, Right Now, which was inspired by the range of emotions we all felt during the Covid lockdown. The two discuss Kerry's background in mindfulness and how she wove her teachings into the book, as well as why she decided to shift from her own small business to help her family start Faherty Brand which is one of Zibby's favorite brands. Kerry also shares the significance of her role as Chief Impact Officer at the company and the...
Aug 08, 2022•23 min•Season 14Ep. 6
Zibby is joined by editor and author Richard Roper to discuss his latest novel, When We Were Young , which was inspired by a real trip he took with his friends. The two talk about his intentional journey to becoming an editor and his accidental journey to becoming an author, as well as which books he currently works on at Headline Publishers in the UK. Richard also shares which author is his greatest inspiration, why he decided to structure the novel from two points of view observing the same mo...
Aug 07, 2022•22 min•Season 14Ep. 5
Bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow joins Zibby to talk about her latest novel, Cherish Farrah, which was Belletrist and BookClubs' April pick . Bethany shares why she wanted to challenge white supremacist notions by creating a character like Farrah, as well as why she loves to write social horror. The two also discuss why Bethany jokes about being a contrarian, how she writes her books for group consumption, and Zibby reads Langston Hughes' poem "Warning" which Bethany chose as the book's dedi...
Aug 06, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 4
Zibby is joined by Amanda Bestor-Siegal to talk about her debut novel, The Caretakers , which was inspired in part by her experience as an au pair in Paris. The two discuss the social politics of being an au pair, why Amanda chose to tell the story from the six female characters' perspectives, and the main things she took away from her MFA. Amanda also shares how the loss of her mother inspired her to travel to Paris in the first place, and what the TV adaption of this novel will likely look lik...
Aug 05, 2022•30 min•Season 14Ep. 3
Zibby is joined by Amelia Morris to talk about her first novel, Wildcat , which was inspired in part by a fight with her own mother and the desire to call out unrealistic expectations placed on mothers. The two discuss how Amelia got her start with her Bon Appétempt blog and food memoir despite always wanting to write fiction, as well as how her husband helped her find time to craft this project during the pandemic. Amelia also shares what she is working on next and how Normal People and Fleabag...
Aug 04, 2022•23 min•Season 14Ep. 2
Writer and book critic John Searles joins Zibby to discuss his latest novel, Her Last Affair . The two talk about John's path to becoming a writer which involved being the first in his family to attend college and working at Cosmopolitan for 23 years as the books editor, the deputy editor, and the editor-at-large. John also shares how losing his father, his sister, and his apartment in a recent fire inspired him to weave elements of grief into this novel and why he was opposed to weddings until ...
Aug 03, 2022•29 min•Season 14Ep. 1
Zibby is joined by investor, innovator, and founder of a number of companies Alan Patricof to talk about his memoir, No Red Lights . Alan tells Zibby about his plans to live until 114 and how his desire to continue trying new things regardless of his age led him to found Primetime Partner which invests in companies that target the over-sixty population. The two also discuss what inspired Alan to write about his wife's battle with Alzheimer's, the role women play in venture capitalism, and the tw...
Aug 02, 2022•32 min•Season 13Ep. 100
Award-winning journalist Carley Fortune joins Zibby to discuss her debut novel, Every Summer After , which is already a New York Times , USA Today , and #1 Canadian national bestseller. The two talk about how the novel was inspired in part by Carley's love for the tiny town of Barry's Bay as well as her time growing up there. Carley also shares how finding her diaries from adolescence informed the story and how writing this book during Covid helped her reclaim her creativity. Purchase on Amazon ...
Aug 01, 2022•25 min•Season 13Ep. 99
Nutritional therapist Sumner Brooks and dietitian nutritionist Amee Severson join Zibby to talk about their book, How to Raise an Intuitive Eater . The three dive into conversations about dismantling diet culture, their favorite methods of implementing intuitive eating habits in their own homes, and what to do if you think your child may be veering into an eating disorder. Sumner and Amee also share the importance of parenting yourself and trusting that your children will know what is best for t...
Jul 31, 2022•34 min•Season 13Ep. 97
Zibby is joined by wellness consultant and childhood friend Julie Wilcox to talk about her new book, The Win-Win Diet . Julie shares how her experience as an Olympic-aspiring gymnast led her down the path of nutrition studies and creating recipes that offer more than just basic sustenance. The two also discuss how to create a sustainable plant-based diet, Julie's experience writing this book during Covid, and some of her creative self-marketing strategies. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon:...
Jul 31, 2022•31 min•Season 13Ep. 95
Zibby is joined by Dr. Katie Takayasu to discuss her book, Plants First: A Physician's Guide to Wellness Through a Plant-Forward Diet , which was inspired by her own food journey. The two talk about how Dr. Katie's experiences in college, medical school, and her residency led her to a plant-forward diet, and how her family approaches food in their home. Dr. Katie also shares why she advises avoiding foods that cause inflammation, her takeaways from dealing with insomnia, and where listeners can ...
Jul 31, 2022•26 min•Season 13Ep. 96
Harvard-trained psychiatrist and professional chef Dr. Uma Naidoo joins Zibby to talk about her book, This Is Your Brain on Food , which offers a way to approach food as medicine. Uma shares what she's doing to grow the field of nutritional psychiatry and why she's against telling patients to restrict themselves in their diets. The two also discuss how the awareness around the gut-brain connection has been around since the days of Hippocrates, as well as which food facts have blown her mind. Pur...
Jul 31, 2022•20 min•Season 13Ep. 98
Ann Leary, New York Times bestselling author of The Good House , joins Zibby to talk about her latest novel, The Foundling , which was inspired in part by her own family's story. Ann shares what she learned about eugenics in order to write the book, as well as how moving around a lot as a young girl has helped her as a writer. The two also discuss the story's metaphorical suitcase, the history of asylums and who resided in them, and who Ann fashioned each of her three protagonists after. Purchas...
Jul 30, 2022•30 min•Season 13Ep. 94
Zibby is joined by author and professor Grant Ginder to discuss his latest novel, Let's Not Do That Again . Grant explains how his experiences in politics have shaped how he approaches storytelling, as well as which four books he brought on a three-day vacation. The two also talk about their similar writing habits, what Grant has enjoyed the most throughout the ten years he has taught expository writing, and what project he's in the early stages of working on next. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop...
Jul 29, 2022•23 min•Season 13Ep. 93
Award-winning journalist and author of Summer Darlings Brooke Lea Foster joins Zibby to talk about her latest novel, On Gin Lane . The two discuss the real historical event that inspired this novel, what Brooke finds so magical about the summertime, and why she's so excited about her next book. Find more details about Brooke's summer writing contest on the new Moms Don't Have Time To site . Enter by August 15th for a chance to win a lunch with Brooke and Zibby in the Hamptons and more! Purchase ...
Jul 28, 2022•25 min•Season 13Ep. 92
Former editor of Motherlode and author of the instant New York Times bestseller and Reese's Book Club Pick, The Chicken Sisters , KJ Dell'Antonia returns to discuss her latest novel, In Her Boots . KJ and Zibby talk about the exciting new episodes coming up on her #AmWriting podcast, the effect her book How to be a Happier Parent has had on her own parenting, and what she finds hardest about writing. KJ also shares how she is prepping for an upcoming speech on the importance of reading whatever ...
Jul 27, 2022•30 min•Season 13Ep. 91
Zibby is joined by editor and author Liz Scheier to discuss her debut memoir, Never Simple , which details the complex relationship she had with her mother. The two talk about the steps Liz took to paint as full of a picture of her mother as she could, when she found the time to write while raising two kids under two, and how her experience as an editor helped her as a writer. Liz also shares what she's learned about parent-child relationships overall, her thoughts on elder care after arranging ...
Jul 26, 2022•28 min•Season 13Ep. 90
Andrea Yaryura Clark joins Zibby to talk about her debut novel, On a Night of a Thousand Stars , which focuses on the history of Argentina's Dirty War. The two discuss how the book grew out of a fascination with the children of those who had been disappeared in the 1970s and 80s, as well as how the project originally began as a documentary about those she interviewed. Andrea also shares why she wrote the two timelines as two separate books, who she would cast to play her protagonist in a movie, ...
Jul 25, 2022•24 min•Season 13Ep. 89
Zibby is joined by Syed Masood to talk about his debut adult novel, Bad Muslim Discount. Syed shares how he used to craft long email letters to his now-wife and how her support was what inspired him to pursue writing seriously. The two also discuss how the idea for this novel grew from the aftermath of the 2016 election, what Syed found terrifying about his arranged marriage, and why his writing style might not be the most efficient. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zqkaL...
Jul 24, 2022•22 min•Season 13Ep. 88
#1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel, I Must Betray You . Ruta explains why she was drawn to tell Romania's under-discussed history, what she found as she began to conduct her research, and how she carries on with her daily life while writing about such heavy subjects. The two also talk about how to write good historical fiction and what Ruta is working on next. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3z2HbTu Bookshop: https://...
Jul 23, 2022•31 min•Season 13Ep. 87
Zibby is joined by author Gina Sorell to talk about her second novel, The Wise Women , which was named a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice. The two discuss how listening to Zibby's podcast helped her feel more connected to her writing during the pandemic, why she made the shift from acting to writing, and the ways in which her experience with this book differs from her first. Gina also shares how she hopes readers will connect with all of the book's protagonists and whether or not she'l...
Jul 22, 2022•26 min•Season 13Ep. 86
Zibby is joined by writer, director, and professor Julia May Jonas to discuss her debut novel, Vladimir . The two talk about how the pandemic shifted Julia's trajectory from theater to fiction, as well as the conversation about aging and female desire that lit the spark in her to write this story. Julia also shares how observing her husband write novels helped her craft hers, the gendered power structures and expectations she tries to push back against, and how her next book will differ from thi...
Jul 21, 2022•28 min•Season 13Ep. 85
