My 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide is live! The guide contains 45 recent and upcoming releases plus new titles in book series, fiction/nonfiction pairings, stellar mystery series and some anticipated spring and summer releases. All of these will make great reads for this winter and many are books you won’t see many other places; I strive to find those under-the-radar gems. If you are interested, fill out the Google form and submit a tip of your choosing.

Episodes

Dec. 1, 2023

Kristyn Kusek Lewis - Book Recommendations for Gift Giving

Kristyn Kusek Lewis recommends books for gift giving this holiday.

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 28, 2023

Kelly Hooker - Standout Debut Novels

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about standout debut novels.

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 21, 2023

Mackenzie Funk - THE HANK SHOW

In this interview, I chat with Mackenzie Funk about The Hank Show, how he first learned about Hank Asher and then decided to write about him, how our personal data is accumulated and used today and how it all began, his research, the initial way that this data collection was put to use, and much mo…

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 17, 2023

Amanda Peters - THE BERRY PICKERS

In this interview, I chat with Amanda Peters about The Berry Pickers, how she decided to write this story, writing in first person, choosing who would narrate the story, writing a character study, the Barnes and Noble Discover Prize and other accolades, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 14, 2023

Celeste Connally - ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD

In this interview, I chat with Celeste Connally about Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, her new pseudonym and how she selected it, writing historical books instead of contemporary, what it was like for women to live in the Regency Era, setting the stage for a new series, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 10, 2023

Jen Golbeck and Stacey Colino - THE PUREST BOND

In this interview, I chat with Jen Golbeck and Stacey Colino about The Purest Bond, how they came to write this book together, the physical, cognitive, emotional and social benefits of owning a dog, the gorilla basketball video on YouTube, creating the Golden Ratio, the science behind the human/dog…

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 7, 2023

Elizabeth Crook - THE MADSTONE

In this interview, I chat with Elizabeth Crook about The Madstone, Texas during Reconstruction, how she wanted to write another book with Benjamin Shreve as a central character, the definition of a madstone and how she chose that as her title, her personal connection to the cover, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 3, 2023

Kelly Hooker - Our Favorite Books of July - September 2023

In this episode, Kelly Hooker and I chat about our favorite books that published in July through September 2023.

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 2, 2023

Victoria Wood - Founder, BiblioLifestyle

In this Behind the Scenes interview, Victoria Wood and I chat about BiblioLifestyle, how and why she launched her website and her newsletter, creating her podcast and reading guides, how her Epigraph Festival works, why she DNFs, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 31, 2023

Tess Gerritsen - THE SPY COAST

In this interview, I chat with Tess Gerritsen about The Spy Coast, how she came up with the idea for this one, making it into a series, writing as a pantser, her title and cover, including the foreign locales that she loves best, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 30, 2023

Matt Singer - OPPOSABLE THUMBS

In this interview, I chat with Matt Singer about Opposable Thumbs, writing about Siskel & Ebert, how the two were trailblazers and the legacy they left, where the show can be watched today, whether it is best to read a book before or after watching the screen adaptation, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 25, 2023

Laurence Leamer - HITCHCOCK'S BLONDES

In this interview, I chat with Laurence Leamer about Hitchcock's Blondes, why he decided to write this book, his research, interviewing Eva Marie Saint and Kim Novak, the upcoming screen adaptation of Capote's Women, what surprised him the most when writing this one, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 22, 2023

Meg Kissinger - WHILE YOU WERE OUT

In this interview, I chat with Meg Kissinger about While You Were Out, why she decided to write this book, how the health care system often fails those with mental illness, what surprised her the most when writing this memoir, living with parents who have mental illnesses, her title and its signifi…

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 20, 2023

Greg Glasgow and Kathryn Mayer - DISNEYLAND ON THE MOUNTAIN

In this interview, I chat with Greg Glasgow and Kathryn Mayer about Disneyland on the Mountain , how they learned about Mineral King and decided to write about it, Walt Disney's vision for a ski resort, putting the Mineral Ki...

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 17, 2023

Interview with Ritu Mukerji - MURDER BY DEGREES

In this interview, Ritu Mukerji and I discuss Murder by Degrees , how this is a start to a new mystery series, the title and cover, incorporating the medical practices of the late 1800s, creating a strong sense of place and t...

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 11, 2023

Interview with Julia Kelly - A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL

In this interview, Julia Kelly and I discuss A Traitor in Whitehall, writing an historical mystery, choosing the books her character loves to read, setting a story in the Churchill War Rooms, the inspiration for Evelyne's early years, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 6, 2023

Interview with Hugh Howey - WOOL

In this interview, Hugh Howey and I discuss Wool, the series' origin story, his unique publishing journey including self-publishing and then publishing deals with Simon and Schuster and subsequently Mariner, his involvement with Silo - the Apple+ TV adaptation of the Wool trilogy, the incredible su…

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 5, 2023

Interview with Laura Rossi - Founder, Laura Rossi Public Relations

In this Behind the Scenes interview, Laura Rossi and I chat about her roles in the literary world, how she got started in the book world, launching her own PR firm, her work as a podcast producer, her favorite and least favorite thing about her job, including the audiobook in a book's publishing da…

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 3, 2023

Interview with Daniel Sweren-Becker - KILL SHOW

In this interview, Daniel Sweren-Becker and I discuss Kill Show, examining the true crime industry and what goes into making that type of show, how real life tragedies are turned into entertainment, using a transcript format to tell this story, examining the unintended consequences of people's acti…

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 29, 2023

Interview with Denene Millner - ONE BLOOD

In this interview, Denene Millner and I discuss One Blood, her own adoption story and why she wanted to write about adoption, her children's book imprint and why she created it, the character she identifies with the most, her stunning cover, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 26, 2023

Interview with S.J. Bennett - MURDER MOST ROYAL

In this interview, S.J. Bennett and I discuss Murder Most Royal, setting a book in Norfolk, her fabulous website, writing about the queen even though Sophia is not a royalist, how varied her book covers are in different countries, what surprised her the most when writing this one, rewilding, the ro…

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 22, 2023

Interview with John Scalzi - STARTER VILLAIN

In this interview, John Scalzi and I discuss Starter Villain, infusing humor into his stories, including talking animals in this book, building on the tropes already existing in certain genres, the importance of book titles, his research, how his role as a film critic influenced Starter Villain, an…

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 19, 2023

Interview with Cara Hunter - MURDER IN THE FAMILY

In this interview, Cara Hunter and I discuss Murder in the Family, writing in a multi-media format, the various issues true crime raises and how her book explores those issues, her writing process, how her book went viral on BookTok, and much more.

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 15, 2023

Interview with Tracey Lange - THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN

In this interview, Tracey Lange and I discuss The Connellys of County Down, her interest in reading and writing about family dynamics, the hardest character to write in this book, reader reactions, the title and cover, the fairy tale woven into the story, Geraldine's character, and much more.

Listen to the Episode