Poet, journalist, and artist Melissa Bond joins Zibby to talk about her debut memoir, Blood Orange Night . The two talk about Melissa's pathological insomnia which spiraled into a dangerous addiction to her sleeping pills, how this experience affected her as a creator, a wife, and a mother, and what she wishes more people would know about the side effects of certain prescription drugs. Melissa shares an update on how she's doing since the book ended and what project she is working on next. Purch...
Oct 10, 2022•24 min•Season 14Ep. 74
Zibby is joined by bestselling novelist Jennifer Close to discuss her latest book, Marrying the Ketchups , which was inspired by a number of things, including her time as a waitress in Chicago. Jennifer shares the original seed of inspiration for the story and the world events that expanded its scope. The two also talk about Jennifer's inspiring career trajectory, what they've each learned about the publishing industry that they never knew as outsiders, and which books Jennifer is currently read...
Oct 09, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 73
National Geographic staff writer Jordan Salama joins Zibby to talk about his first book, Every Day The River Changes , which he originally started writing during his first trip to Colombia in 2016. The two discuss some of Jordan's most recent and popular stories for Nat Geo and the New York Times , what he learned from travel writing during the Covid lockdown, and how he hopes this book will challenge readers to reconsider stereotypes about other countries and their people. Jordan also shares ho...
Oct 08, 2022•29 min•Season 14Ep. 72
Zibby is joined by international bestseller Stephanie Wrobel to discuss her latest novel, This Might Hurt , which grew out of her fascination with cults and those who join them. The two joke about how Stephanie believes the topics she searches for her novels have placed her on the FBI watchlist, what is on her career wishlist, and the changes she would like to see made in the publishing industry. Stephanie also shares her greatest fear as a novelist and how her writing habits have changed while ...
Oct 07, 2022•19 min•Season 14Ep. 71
Emmy Award-winning talk show host and NAACP Image Award-winning actress Tamera Mowry-Housley joins Zibby to talk about her new memoir, You Should Sit Down For This . The two discuss why Tamera wanted the memoir to feel as inviting to readers as possible, how her parents raised her and her siblings to always be prepared for what life could throw at them—whether it was participating in a beauty pageant, hosting The Real , or knowing when it was time to make her next career change—and her surefire ...
Oct 06, 2022•27 min•Season 14Ep. 70
Zibby is joined by New York Times journalist and memoirist Sopan Deb to talk about his debut novel, Keya Das's Second Act . Sopan shares the actual details from his life that inspired the story, why he wanted to shift the focus away from his family story after publishing his 2020 memoir, Missing Translations , and how he manages to write for the Times as well as for a handful of personal projects without getting overwhelmed. The two also discuss why Sopan doesn't outline his books and his best a...
Oct 05, 2022•26 min•Season 14Ep. 69
Broadway and film star Idina Menzel and teacher and author Cara Mentzel join Zibby to discuss their new picture book, Loud Mouse . The three talk about the inspiration for the story, how Idina and Cara managed to reconnect during the pandemic after busy schedules kept them apart, and the best lessons the sisters have learned from one another that they want to pass down to their readers. Idina and Cara also share the premise for their next book together and their tips for reconnecting with your l...
Oct 04, 2022•28 min•Season 14Ep. 68
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling novelist Tom Perrotta to talk about his latest novel, Tracy Flick Can't Win , which is something of a sequel to his 1998 hit, Election . Tom explains how this story took shape first as a novel about the character Vito Falcone, then as a response to the way the world has changed since we first met Tracy Flick (who was made famous by the Reese Witherspoon in the Oscar-nominated adaption of the book), and then finally as an ensemble novel to showcase To...
Oct 03, 2022•27 min•Season 14Ep. 68
Writer, literary critic, and host of the podcast Missing Pages Bethanne Patrick flips her role to join Zibby as a podcast guest. The two talk about how Bethanne became an acclaimed literary insider, why the original tone of her podcast shifted once she and her showrunner realized they wanted to go even deeper into their stories, and who inspired her to become such a big reader. Bethanne also tells Zibby about her experience with double depression, which she discusses further in her upcoming memo...
Oct 02, 2022•32 min•Season 14Ep. 66
Zibby is joined by her longtime sound editors Steve Ejbick and Ryan MacNeill to offer listeners a glimpse behind the making of Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books . The three discuss how they have grown and changed with the podcast, from Zibby's growth as an interviewer to Ryan's ability to find when the episode starts in every audio file and Steve's reading habits. They also do the math on how many episodes they have all worked on and how many hours of audio that all comes out to. Subscribe to Z...
Oct 02, 2022•19 min•Season 14Ep. 65
#1 New York Times bestseller Emily Giffin returns to talk with Zibby about her eleventh novel, Meant to Be , which was inspired in part by John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's tragic love story. Emily shares why she wanted to return to the nineties for this book, where she continues to find inspiration for each new story (hint: it starts with thinking of her fans), and why she's such a sucker for love stories. The two also discuss how to cultivate an audience with authenticity and ...
Oct 01, 2022•29 min•Season 14Ep. 64
Former CBS News correspondent and guest host Julianna Goldman interviews NBC News and Today Show meteorologist Dylan Dreyer about her Misty the Cloud picture book series. Dylan shares the original idea that inspired her to create Misty, how she incorporates real weather facts into each story, and what it is like working at the Today Show . Julianna and Dylan also talk about the importance of introducing young girls to STEM subjects and what she's been reading recently. Purchase on Amazon or Book...
Sep 30, 2022•27 min•Season 14Ep. 63
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig to talk about her latest novel, The Lost Summers of Newport , which she wrote with her fellow bestsellers, Beatriz Williams and Karen White. Lauren explains how the trio crafts their historical fiction, when she decided to make the shift from practicing law to writing full-time, and how the pandemic affected her daily routine. The two also talk about how Lauren first fell in love with writing historical romances and the multiple ...
Sep 29, 2022•28 min•Season 14Ep. 62
Listen to former CBS News correspondent Julianna Goldman's first Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books interview as she talks with author Allison Gilbert about her latest book, Listen, World! , which she co-wrote with Julia Scheeres. Allison shares how she first discovered the book's subject, columnist Elsie Robinson, the shortcomings of history curriculums around the country when it comes to teaching about women, and some of the most inspiring stories from Elsie's life. Julianna and Allison also d...
Sep 28, 2022•34 min•Season 14Ep. 61
"I love to use my work as a way to rectify my ignorances." Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr joins Zibby to talk about Cloud Cuckoo Land , which is out in paperback today! The two discuss the piece of often forgotten history that inspired one-third of this story, how the pandemic and our current political climate impacted Anthony's reading and writing, and why he wanted to depict the power of storytelling. Zibby also asks Anthony about the experiences depicted in his 2007 memoir, Four ...
Sep 27, 2022•30 min•Season 14Ep. 60
Zibby is joined by the writing duo behind Cassidy Lucas, Julia Fierro and Caeli Wolfson Widger, to talk about their second book, The Last Party . Julia and Caeli share how they met through Julia's Craigslist listing for a writing group, the ways in which working as partners has strengthened their skills, and what's happening next for Cassidy Lucas and both writers individually. Julia and Caeli also tell Zibby all about the birthday party camping trip that inspired them to set this book in Topang...
Sep 26, 2022•26 min•Season 14Ep. 59
Listen to Zibby Books author Alisha Fernandez Miranda's first Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books interview as she talks with bestselling author Sally Koslow about her latest novel, The Real Mrs. Tobias . Sally shares how she was inspired by her relationships with her own mother-in-law and daughters-in-law and wanted to capture those dynamics in a multi-generational family. Sally and Alisha also discuss why Sally made the switch from a lifelong career as a magazine editor to a novelist, what she ...
Sep 25, 2022•29 min•Season 14Ep. 58
Zibby is joined by publisher and poet Jonathan Galassi to talk about his latest novel, School Days , which follows students at an all-boys boarding school through graduation and into their lives as adults. The two discuss Jonathan's use of sexuality as a common thread through the characters' development, the importance of loyalty in this story and the real-life atmosphere it was inspired by, and why he believes very few people are naturally great writers. Jonathan also shares how he found his wa...
Sep 24, 2022•20 min•Season 14Ep. 57
Entrepreneur, author, and musician Nabil Ayers joins Zibby to discuss his debut memoir, My Life in the Sunshine , which tells the story of his unique family structure and how he met his father, jazz artist Roy Ayers, when he was 35. The two talk about Nabil's mother and his reactions to the decisions she made that ultimately shaped his life, his relationship with Judaism, and how Zibby accidentally shared this book's cover before Nabil did. Nabil also shares how he found his way to writing later...
Sep 23, 2022•26 min•Season 14Ep. 56
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author, poet, and professor Erika L. Sánchez to talk about her memoir, Crying in the Bathroom . Erika shares how she first fell in love with poetry and writing, the ways in which her rebellion against cultural and religious norms has shaped her work, and why she decided to start this memoir by sharing intimate details about her body. The two also discuss what Erika is reading right now and which form of writing she's returning to with her next projec...
Sep 22, 2022•19 min•Season 14Ep. 55
Listen to Allison Pataki's first Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books interview as she talks with Lynda Loigman about her latest book, The Matchmaker's Gift , which was inspired in part by her "bonus daughter" who stayed with her family during the pandemic. The two discuss how Lynda developed her characters by thinking about them so regularly that they became real to her, why she wanted to include a touch of magic in the story, and who in Lynda's life serves as inspiration for her next book. Purch...
Sep 21, 2022•28 min•Season 14Ep. 54
This is part two of a double episode! Neil deGrasse Tyson is a genius. Truly. An astrophysicist whose family pushed him to follow his dreams of being an athlete when really he wanted to study the universe, Dr. Tyson has become a cult celebrity, regularly stopped on the street to talk selfies with his adoring fans. You know how some people just get it?! You know they hold all the secrets as if carrying around a fragile tray across a room that the rest of us have to stand on tiptoes to see. Dr. Ty...
Sep 20, 2022•22 min•Season 14Ep. 53
This is part one of a double episode! Neil deGrasse Tyson is a genius. Truly. An astrophysicist whose family pushed him to follow his dreams of being an athlete when really he wanted to study the universe, Dr. Tyson has become a cult celebrity, regularly stopped on the street to talk selfies with his adoring fans. You know how some people just get it?! You know they hold all the secrets as if carrying around a fragile tray across a room that the rest of us have to stand on tiptoes to see. Dr. Ty...
Sep 20, 2022•28 min•Season 14Ep. 52
Former staff writer at The New York Times Katie Hafner joins Zibby to discuss her debut novel, The Boys , which grew out of a conversation she and her daughter overheard on a vacation years ago. The two talk about Katie's thoughts on her own twist ending, why she wanted to work with a smaller publisher, and her love story with her late husband. Katie also shares why she warns writers to be careful when writing memoirs and why it was so freeing, as a journalist and non-fiction author, to make up ...
Sep 19, 2022•23 min•Season 14Ep. 51
Writer and historian Nishant Batsha joins Zibby to talk about his debut novel, Mother Ocean Father Nation , which he wrote in tandem with his dissertation on Indian indentured labor in Trinidad and Fiji. Nishant shares how he wrote four different books and pulled parts from each before combining them all and arriving at the story that was eventually published. The two also discuss the advice Nishant received from other writers with PhDs that shaped his career trajectory, how he found his way to ...
Sep 18, 2022•19 min•Season 14Ep. 50
Zibby is joined by teacher and debut memoirist Leah Witman Moore to talk about her new book, Loving You Big , which tells the story of how Leah found her voice as a mother to children with disabilities. The two discuss when Leah managed to write during her busy days, which things she wishes society better understood about those with disabilities, and the moment in her classroom when she realized she had to tell this story. Leah also shares what she's read most recently and her favorite depiction...
Sep 17, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 49
Zibby is joined by the founder and CEO of Copper Books, Allison Trowbridge, to discuss her new company and her book, Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning . The two talk about the experiences Allison and her family went through that inspired her to write an epistolary memoir to a fictional friend and how her struggles have inspired her to make positive changes in the world. Allison also shares why she started Copper Books as a social media platform dedicated to authors and r...
Sep 16, 2022•30 min•Season 14Ep. 48
Zibby was joined by Lauren Billings, one half of the internationally bestselling writing duo Christina Lauren, for a Bookcation conversation with The Gloss Book Club. The two talked about how Lauren and her writing partner Christina Hobbs began working together, how they feel about the way others tend to view romance novels, and what she likes to read in her spare time. Lauren also shares what the two are currently working on and why she loves working with a co-author. Subscribe to Zibby's weekl...
Sep 15, 2022•32 min•Season 14Ep. 47
Candice Carty-Williams, the bestselling author of Queenie , joins Zibby to talk about her latest novel, People Person , which follows five half-siblings and their larger-than-life father. The two discuss how the writing process for this book differed from writing Queenie , the impact Covid had on Candice's work and her personal life, and how being shy affects her interactions with fans. Candice also shares how she started writing through working in the publishing industry and why she currently l...
Sep 14, 2022•23 min•Season 14Ep. 46
New York Times bestselling author Jenny Mollen talks with Zibby about her new cookbook, Dictator Lunches , which grew out of the popular Instagram where she shares the lunches she prepares for her children. The two discuss their kids' eating habits, hacks to make lunches more interesting without making them more complicated, and why food is Jenny's love language. Jenny also shares the main ways working on a cookbook differed from working on her memoirs and novel, and what she'd consider writing ...
Sep 13, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 45
