Guest host Allison Pataki interviews New York Times bestselling co-authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan about their wildly successful new novel Mad Honey. The two talk about the serendipitous origins of their partnership (it involves a dream and an impulsive Tweet), how they managed to split writing duties and weave their chapters together so seamlessly (despite their conflicting planning styles), and the themes they loved exploring–secrets, shame, and the complex lives of women. They...
Jan 06, 2023•30 min•Season 15Ep. 94
Zibby interviews repeat MDHTTRB guest Lynn Steger Strong about Flight, a powerful and propulsive new novel about a family and the resentment, financial tension, heartache, and love they experience on the first Christmas without their matriarch. Lynn discusses the themes she most enjoyed exploring in this project–family, shame, parenthood, middle age, and grief. She also shares the personal losses that inspired her to write this story, the details of her next project (an explosive story set in Fl...
Jan 05, 2023•29 min•Season 15Ep. 93
Guest host Julianna Goldman interviews acclaimed singer-songwriter Rhett Miller (frontman for the Old 97s!) about The Baby-Changing Station, a hilarious new picture book about a sibling rivalry and a magical baby-changing station that can exchange little brothers for very cool gadgets! Rhett reveals the inspiration behind the book, sharing his own sibling rivalry anecdotes and parenting philosophies (dads can change diapers, too!!). He also talks about his 30-year rock band career, his partnersh...
Jan 04, 2023•26 min•Season 15Ep. 92
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author, attorney, advocate, and Undisclosed podcast host Rabia Chaudry to discuss her mouthwatering and deeply thoughtful new book Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family. Rabia reveals the inspiration behind this project and shares the intimate stories of her food and weight journey, from chewing on frozen sticks of butter as a baby to eating in secret to finally getting gastric sleeve surgery. She also talks about her divorce, mode...
Jan 03, 2023•25 min•Season 15Ep. 91
Guest host Allison Pataki interviews award-winning UCLA professor Cassie Holmes about her enlightening and joyful new guide Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most. Cassie discusses her groundbreaking research on time and explains the undeniable benefits of designing purposeful schedules and maximizing joyful and meaningful activities. She also teaches us how to turn tedious activities into worthwhile ones (like bundling errands with an audiobook!)...
Jan 02, 2023•28 min•Season 15Ep. 90
Guest host Alisha Fernandez Miranda speaks to Pantsuit Politics podcast co-hosts Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers about their compelling and thoughtful new book Now What?: How to Move Forward When We’re Divided (About Basically Everything). Sarah and Beth talk about our society’s current political polarization and how they have navigated political differences in their marriage and challenging conversations with their Gen-Z children. They also share their friendship and podcast origin stori...
Jan 01, 2023•39 min•Season 15Ep. 89
Guest host Julianna Goldman interviews former bank executive, career coach, and debut author Jamie Fiore Higgins about her riveting and revelatory new memoir Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs. Jamie describes her 18-year banking career, detailing the abuse she endured as she ascended the ranks (like being mooed at for using the lactation room) and the slow unraveling of her character and morals. She also talks about life after quitting–from identity crises and full-ti...
Dec 31, 2022•32 min•Season 15Ep. 87
Guest host Allison Pataki speaks to renowned grief expert and neuroscientist Mary-Frances O’Connor, who combines trailblazing neuroimaging work and field research, and beautiful storytelling in her new book The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss. Mary-Frances discusses the myth of the five stages of grieving (it’s not linear or finite!) and the fascinating brain science behind grief and grieving (from love bonding to uncharacteristic bursts of anger to beli...
Dec 31, 2022•26 min•Season 15Ep. 88
Zibby is joined by bestselling author Becca Day to discuss her two new psychological thrillers The Girl Behind the Gates and All Her Little Lies. Becca describes her lifelong love of murder mysteries, the theater company she founded and sold, and what it's like balancing writing and parenting. She also talks about the YouTube channel she created to support writers and the mentorship program she is launching in March to help aspiring crime and thriller authors (inspired by her own invaluable ment...
Dec 30, 2022•19 min•Season 15Ep. 86
Zibby speaks to USA Today bestselling author and repeat MDHTTRB guest Sonali Dev about The Vibrant Years, a sparkling new novel about three generations of Indian American women navigating dating apps, secrets, and ambition. Sonali describes her wonderful publishing experience as the inaugural pick for Mindy’s Book Studio (Mindy Kaling’s innovative new imprint!), and the two talk about the book’s most memorable elements–its humor, dynamic female characters, immigration narratives, and the myth of...
Dec 30, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 85
Zibby interviews writing coach and bestselling author Amy Wallen about her irreverent, witty, and beautifully illustrated new guidebook How To Write a Novel in 20 Pies: Sweet and Savory Tips for the Writing Life. Amy describes her book’s journey–from wanting to comfort and encourage aspiring writers to incorporating delicious pie recipes to partnering with a brilliant and whimsical illustrator. She also talks about her previous books (they involve MoonPies, malaria, and digging up graves), tease...
Dec 29, 2022•27 min•Season 15Ep. 84
Zibby speaks to life coach and bestselling author Steph Jagger about her thoughtful and staggeringly beautiful new memoir Everything Left to Remember: My Mother, Our Memories, and a Journey Through the Rocky Mountains. Steph describes the incredible road trip she took with her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s; her and her family’s journey from unconscious denial to conscious grieving; and all the beautiful things she has learned about herself in the meantime. She also talks about her love...
Dec 29, 2022•31 min•Season 15Ep. 83
Guest host Alisha Fernandez Miranda is joined by national bestselling author Jonathan Escoffery to discuss If I Survive You, a spectacular debut collection of stories about a Jamaican immigrant family in Miami that is blazing with wit, heart, and humor (and was longlisted for the National Book Award!). Jonathan describes his central character Trelawny, who navigates homelessness, racism, bad luck, and several hilarious jobs; his decision to write individual stories in different narrative modes; ...
Dec 28, 2022•33 min•Season 15Ep. 82
Zibby speaks to comedian, co-creator and co-star of the hit series Catastrophe , and New York Times bestselling author Rob Delaney about his harrowing and brave new memoir A Heart That Works (a New Yorker and USA Today Best Book of 2022) . Rob shares the intimate details of his story–his son Henry’s brain tumor and death, his brother-in-law’s suicide, and his profound grief and desire to share it on paper. He also talks about his demanding acting career, learning to balance work and family, the ...
Dec 28, 2022•22 min•Season 15Ep. 81
Zibby speaks to Beautiful Writers Podcast host and New York Times bestselling author Linda Sivertsen about her new book Beautiful Writers: A Journey of Big Dreams and Messy Manuscripts–with Tricks of the Trade from Bestselling Authors. Linda describes the inspiration behind the book and her decision to weave her personal story with the advice of brilliant authors. She also talks about her stint in celebrity dog-walking, her tree-saving mission, the book ideas that came to her in dreams, the deta...
Dec 27, 2022•27 min•Season 15Ep. 79
Guest host Allison Pataki interviews Elyssa Friedland about The Most Likely Club , an endearing and hilarious new novel about four life-long friends who haven't (yet) lived up to their sparkling high school yearbook superlatives. Elyssa talks about growing up in the 90s (and weaving her nostalgia into the story), the challenges of parenting and motherhood that she and her characters navigate daily, and the importance of friendship in her life and book. She also delves into each of her unique fem...
Dec 27, 2022•30 min•Season 15Ep. 80
Zibby is joined by Jenny Blake, co-creator of Google’s acclaimed Career Guru coaching program and award-winning author of Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business. Jenny talks about the power of heart-based businesses and outlines several powerful entrepreneurial techniques, such as designing intentional calendars with dedicated free time, delegating the tasks that drain us, automating the processes that frustrate us, and identifying our productivity golden hours. She and Zibby also disc...
Dec 26, 2022•30 min•Season 15Ep. 77
Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen about Other Birds, a whimsical and poetic new novel about 18-year-old Zoey Hennessey, the South Carolina island apartment she inherits, and the quirky and enigmatic neighbors she meets. Sarah talks about the bestselling debut that launched her career and the earth-shattering events that interrupted it, from a sudden cancer diagnosis to the deaths of her mother and sister just a few days apart. She describes how grief and trau...
Dec 26, 2022•31 min•Season 15Ep. 78
Zibby speaks to New York Times opinion columnist and author Jessica Grose about her fierce and timely new book Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood . Jessica shares the details of her complicated pregnancy, her thoughts on unrealistic parenting expectations and this country’s systemic constraints on mothers (like a complete lack of perinatal mental health care), and her suggestions on how to fix all of this (they include affordable childcare and normalizing asking...
Dec 25, 2022•27 min•Season 15Ep. 75
Zibby interviews bestselling author Wade Rouse (whose pen name Viola Shipman honors his grandmother) about his latest novels, The Edge of Summer and A Wish For Winter. Wade describes each book and the people who inspired them–his incredible grandmother, who put books in his hands and supported him as he grew up gay in the Missouri Ozarks, and his fiercely protective brother, whom he lost at a young age. He also talks about his journey to becoming an author, shares his sincerest advice for aspiri...
Dec 25, 2022•35 min•Season 15Ep. 76
Guest host Alisha Fernandez Miranda interviews debut author Sarah Zachrich Jeng about The Other Me, a mind-bending speculative thriller about a Chicago-based artist who suddenly finds herself living an alternate life in her Michigan hometown. Sarah talks about her brief career as a rockstar, her fan-fiction gateway into the writing world, and her character-development process. She also describes her publishing journey (it all started on Twitter’s Pitch Wars!), her tricks for balancing writing, p...
Dec 24, 2022•22 min•Season 15Ep. 73
Guest host Julianna Goldman interviews New York Times bestselling author and CEO of Whole30 Melissa Urban about The Book of Boundaries: Set the Limits That Will Set You Free. Melissa reveals the inspiration behind the book, her thoughts on technology and “doomscrolling,” and the actual definition of a boundary. Then, she shares her best advice (with real-life scenarios and actionable tips!) on how to set boundaries at work and with family. Finally, the two discuss current social movements (like ...
Dec 24, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 74
Zibby interviews art historian and debut author Joanna Margaret about The Bequest, a richly atmospheric thriller about an American Ph.D. student who moves to Scotland and finds herself embroiled in a 450-year-old mystery. Joanna talks about her own trajectory from Ph.D. student to archival historian and writer (this book is based on a 16th-century Italian letter she decoded herself!), her experience as Joyce Carol Oates’ MFA student, and the challenge of writing such a complex story. The two als...
Dec 23, 2022•21 min•Season 15Ep. 72
Zibby interviews Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Lydia Millet about Dinosaurs, a witty new novel about a heartbroken man who walks from New York to Arizona and finds himself living next to a glass-walled house through which he can closely observe his neighbors. Lydia talks about her protagonist Gil’s voyeurism, loneliness, wry sense of humor, and unique friendships. She also discusses the inspiration behind this story, her journey to becoming a writer (from short-lived dreams of ...
Dec 23, 2022•26 min•Season 15Ep. 71
Guest host Julianna Goldman interviews dog researcher and New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Horowitz about The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves , a keenly observed and highly illuminating scientific memoir about her puppy Quid’s first year of life. Alexandra talks about a dog's extraordinary birthing and olfactory abilities, the most influential moments in a puppy’s life, and her relationship with Quid (it wasn’t love at first sight!). Finally, she describes her path to be...
Dec 22, 2022•27 min•Season 15Ep. 69
Zibby speaks to Cin Fabré about her electrifying debut memoir Wolf Hustle: A Black Woman on Wall Street. Cin describes her ambitious journey to becoming a stockbroker (she started at age 19?!), the unrelenting harassment she suffered in the workplace, and her hopes that her book will promote financial literacy and normalize conversations about money (especially among women!). She also shares the details of a potential film adaptation, her new adventure living with her family in Europe, and her f...
Dec 22, 2022•26 min•Season 15Ep. 70
Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Lauren Belfer about Ashton Hall, a moody mystery about an American mom and her neurodivergent son and the summer they spend caring for a relative and unearthing the dark, buried secrets of an English manor house. Lauren talks about her character’s neurodiversity (an element rarely portrayed in fiction) and the important themes she explores in the book–marriage, infidelity, and the financial prison that often confines stay-at-home moms. Finally, ...
Dec 21, 2022•26 min•Season 15Ep. 67
Zibby is joined by critically acclaimed artist and bestselling author Maira Kalman to discuss Women Holding Things, an extraordinary visual meditation on women and the objects they carry in their hands, hearts, and minds. Maira explains the origin of this project and analyzes many of its paintings, anecdotes, and themes (including motherhood, the constraints of time, and the inevitability of death). Finally, she describes her artistic process (it involves classical music and falling in love with...
Dec 21, 2022•23 min•Season 15Ep. 68
Zibby is joined by British actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste (from “Queenpins,” “The Good Place,” “Killing Eve,” and more!) to discuss her two beautiful and uplifting picture books (and love letters to her inner child): Little Black Girl: Oh, the Things You Can Do! and Little Black Boy: Oh, the Things You Will Do! Kirby describes her book publishing experience, the themes that inspired her (community-building, Black female empowerment, and Black male joy), and the significant reason behind the sligh...
Dec 20, 2022•25 min•Season 15Ep. 65
Zibby speaks to author Amy Fusselman about The Mean$ , a breezy and hysterical new novel about a stay-at-home Manhattan mom who is hell-bent on purchasing a Hamptons house (or shipping container, if necessary!). Amy talks about the inspiration behind the story, her fascinating protagonist (Shelly Means–disgruntled, enraged, and deep in capitalist delusion), and the themes she enjoyed exploring–wealth, desire, and the value of a mom’s unpaid labor. She also describes her journey to becoming an au...
Dec 20, 2022•28 min•Season 15Ep. 66
