Totally Booked with Zibby

"I gave myself permission through the book to explore the questions I would've been terrified to ask in real life. I think that's the gift of writing." Zibby is joined by Lauren McBrayer to discuss her first adult novel, Like a House on Fire, which was already a Belletrist Book Club pick. The two also talk about how Lauren's initial desire to write a memoir metamorphosed into her writing the story of her future which inspired her to leave her marriage and come out as a lesbian. Lauren also shares how the two main characters came to her fully formed exactly three years before the book's pub date, the moment she knew she needed to make changes in her life in order to find happiness, and why she decided to make the shift from YA to adult fiction.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uOgAblBookshop: https://bit.ly/3IBBL6nSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby is joined by award-winning author Judy Goldman to talk about her latest memoir, Child, which she didn't feel ready to write until her eighties. Judy shares how she processed and portrayed the sensitive nature of her personal history growing up in the segregated Jim Crow South, as well as why she felt called to write this memoir in the first place. The two discuss the benefits of launching a writing career later in life, what Judy hopes readers don't take away from this story, and the significance of her upcoming project.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uK40d7Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3aBB1BxSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York Times bestselling author Christina Geist returns to talk with Zibby about her latest picture book, Buddy's New Buddy. The two discuss the story of how Christina first began writing books for children, how long she wants to follow Buddy and Lady, and where her illustrator leaves Easter eggs for sharp-eyed readers throughout all three books. Christina also shares the two recent times she felt insecure in new situations and how they inspired her to have more compassion for young kids.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IuMu2cBookshop: https://bit.ly/3yRiUjhSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby is joined by author and illustrator Mike White (along with two other special guests) to discuss his Mellybean series. Mike shares the story of how he adopted his real-life dog, Melly, and how she inspires him to be more optimistic and outgoing every day. The four also talk about the person who inspired Mike to get into illustration and storytelling, how working on the series helps him work through his mental illnesses, and where the series could go next.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nXiT8hBookshop: https://bit.ly/3bYSwvLSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling author Lian Dolan returns to talk with Zibby about her latest novel, Lost and Found in Paris, which she has been working on-and-off on for nine years. The two discuss the undercurrents of grief in the story, which was inspired by the loss of Lian's own parents, as well as which major plot twist really happened to one of Lian's friends. Lian also shares what the last twenty years have been like working with her sisters on their show, "Satellite Sisters," which books and newsletters she is reading right now, and how Zibby's "SexTok" podcast has inspired elements of her upcoming novel. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ImE0KABookshop: https://bit.ly/3nNObyhSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby is joined by author and editor Meghan O'Rourke to discuss her latest book, The Invisible Kingdom, which took her nearly a decade to write. The two talk about the three major problems with medicine that have made it so hard to diagnose chronic illnesses, particularly in women, as well as how Meghan wanted to portray her own invisible illness journey as hopeful without sugarcoating the truth. Meghan also shares how Covid has impacted the ways in which our culture approaches chronic illness, her experience as an editor at The New Yorker and Slate, and what project she's looking forward to working on next.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nP0DhqBookshop: https://bit.ly/3IoIY9ySubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author of Eliza Starts a Rumor Jane L. Rosen returns to the podcast to talk with Zibby about her latest novel, A Shoe Story. The two discuss which elements of the story were inspired by real moments from Jane's own family history, what her personal relationship with shoes is like, and how her neighbor inspired one of the book's characters. Jane also shares which project she's working on next and why it is one that is very important to her.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yS6icTBookshop: https://bit.ly/3uzms8kSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist, co-founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat, and First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid joins Zibby to discuss her book, Secrets of the Sprakkar, and all of the outstanding women who have inspired it. Eliza shares some of the commendable Icelandic policies that have advanced gender equality in the nation, as well as how she approaches her own role as First Lady as a feminist and an immigrant. The two also talk about the process of how this book came to be, what it has been like to tour with a book about gender equality in the United States at this time, and a few funny stories about her husband as a father rather than a president.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Av8wjlBookshop: https://bit.ly/3Az6BdOSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby is joined by the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters, Amanda Eyre Ward, to discuss her latest novel, The Lifeguards. Amanda shares her unique style of drafting (which involves a number of colored index cards and a big board in her garden shed!) and reveals the illustrious group chat she belongs to. The two also talk about the epiphany Amanda had about her own writing after reading her friend Andrew Sean Greer's book, Less, which famous author taught her the trick to crafting a good thriller, and why having one of her books picked for Reese's Book Club meant so much to her.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bUj29MBookshop: https://bit.ly/3nJpiDWSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how old we are, we still all have that little child inside of us." Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, global explorer, activist, and founder of the non-profit Courageous Girls, joins Zibby to talk about her debut memoir, In the Shadow of the Mountain, which was recently optioned for film by Selena Gomez. The two discuss how Silvia got to a place where she could be so open about her experience with childhood sexual violence, as well as why she wants to break the stigma for others who have endured similar traumas. Silvia also shares what she plans to do on tour in her home country of Peru once the book is translated into Spanish.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nFoIXHBookshop: https://bit.ly/3RaFMCmSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here.** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby’s Important People! As a Z.I.P., you’ll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby’s Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.