Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby speaks with debut author Lauren Aliza Green about THE WORLD AFTER ALICE, a gorgeous and gripping story of two estranged families brought together to celebrate an unexpected wedding. Twelve years after the stunning loss of sixteen-year-old Alice, her brother Benji and her best friend Morgan are getting married—unearthing secrets and reopening deep, painful wounds. Lauren discusses the novel’s exploration of grief, loss, and the lasting impact of suicide, particularly on teenagers. She shares her inspiration for the story, rooted in the rising mental health crisis, and then describes her writing process (including some unconventional habits), her love of Russian literature, and her next project—a modern-day adaptation of King Lear.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3LVghntShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 interviews author Talia Carner about THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO, a spellbinding and impeccably researched historical novel of ingenuity and courage, love and loss, spanning postwar France when Israeli agents roamed the countryside to rescue hidden Jewish orphans—to the 1969 escape of the Israeli naval boats of Cherbourg, France. Talia describes her writing process and inspiration for this novel, including a French road sign and interviews with Israeli Navy officers. She also talks about the antisemitic attacks on her work, her focus on moral dilemmas, and the support she’s received from the Jewish community amid these challenges. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4dzksB3Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 chats with bestselling Israeli author Noa Yedlin about STOCKHOLM, a refreshing, ingeniously plotted dark comedy about a tight-knit circle of seniors who attempt to hide the death of one of their best friends so he can win the Nobel Prize for Economics. Noa delves into the novel’s themes of friendship, success, egos, aging, and mortality. She reflects on her writing career, from journalism to fiction, and then offers advice to aspiring authors.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3WT4RqsShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 Canadian author Catherine Mack joins Zibby to discuss EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES, an irresistibly clever and hilarious series starring Eleanor Dash, a bestselling author whose Italian book tour turns into a real-life murder mystery when the man her protagonist is based on claims someone is trying to kill him—just as she decides to kill him off her series. Catherine discusses her writing career and publishing experiences, her love for including humorous footnotes (which she uses to brilliantly break the fourth wall in this novel), the challenge of blending genres, and the experience of adapting her novel for television.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Yy6OtyShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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.

French documentary film director, journalist, and bestselling author Colombe Schneck joins Zibby to discuss SWIMMING IN PARIS, the Natalie Portman Book Club Pick and a brilliantly written, searingly intimate piece of biographical fiction about a woman experiencing all of life: friendships, love, sex, abortion, and swimming. Colombe shares why she finally felt compelled to write about her abortion in a burst of raw emotion after decades of silence. She also touches on the trauma carried by her Holocaust-survivor parents, the realities of growing up in a liberal Parisian environment, the death of a close childhood friend, a painful breakup, and the solace she found in swimming.  Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/46BbMrsShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 chats with author Anastasia Zadeik about THE OTHER SIDE OF NOTHING, a riveting and redemptive portrayal of two suicidal young adults who meet in a psychiatric facility and escape on a cross-country journey—and their two mothers, who set out to find them. Anastasia emphasizes her intent to portray mental illness realistically, resisting the urge to sensationalize or simplify it. She shares that she drew from personal experiences, including her own struggles with depression and those of her family members, and then she and Zibby discuss the challenges faced by parents of children with mental health issues and the societal stigmas around them. Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 chats with memoirist and podcast host Glynnis MacNicol about I’M MOSTLY HERE TO ENJOY MYSELF, an intimate, powerful, jubilant, and triumphant travelog about the radically pleasurable time she spent in Paris after spending the height of the pandemic entirely alone in her NYC apartment. Glynnis describes her five weeks abroad, reflecting on the liberation and joy she rediscovered. She touches on her book’s themes: food, friendship, and physical intimacy—and challenges the societal expectations surrounding middle-aged women.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4duGJQhShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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.

Award-winning casting director Jen Rudin joins Zibby to discuss CONFESSIONS OF A CASTING DIRECTOR, an invaluable guide to breaking into film, TV, theater, and even YouTube, with advice from actors, agents, and other entertainment industry professionals. Jen reveals her childhood dream of acting and her eventual transition to a career behind the cameras. She describes the qualities needed to excel in casting, the joy of discovering new talent, and the challenges of entering and surviving in this industry. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3yt2SQeShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 Clare Mackintosh joins Zibby to discuss I PROMISE IT WON’T ALWAYS HURT LIKE THIS, a deeply honest and compassionate memoir about the unfathomable grief she navigated after the loss of her five-week-old son and the solace and hope she slowly began to feel. Clare reflects on her journey through grief, sharing insights on how it evolved over time, and then describes the memoir writing process, which was painful and unlocked unresolved emotions. Then, she touches on her career as a bestselling thriller author, her transition from police officer to writer, and the impact of grief on her life and work. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Yt5MiCShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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 interviews award-winning Pakistani American author Hena Khan about DRAWING DEENA, a nuanced and quietly powerful middle-grade novel about a young artist determined to manage her anxiety, help her parents, and forge her own creative path. Hena delves into Deena's stresses, from her difficulty finding her artistic style to her parents’ arguments and financial concerns. She also shares talks about THE DOOR IS OPEN, the warm-hearted collection of interconnected stories she recently edited that celebrates the diversity of South Asian experiences in a local community center. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4dxAI5rShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** 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.