Totally Booked with Zibby

Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction, New York Times bestselling author Tana French joins Zibby to discuss THE HUNTER, a spellbinding novel set in the Irish countryside about a retired Chicago detective and a local teenager whose estranged father’s return disrupts their lives. Tana describes the delicate balance of relationships and the looming threat of revenge in her book, weaving in themes of resilience, moral ambiguity, and the allure of buried treasure. Then, she discusses her unexpected journey to becoming a writer, her creative process (and how it is informed by her background in acting), and her eclectic reading habits, from classic Westerns to historical romance.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Tmv8uaShare, 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.

Trigger warning: domestic violence.Emmy Award-winning television host, veteran journalist, and bestselling author Tamron Hall joins Zibby to discuss WATCH WHERE THEY HIDE, an edge-of-your-seat thriller featuring journalist Jordan Manning as she delves into the case of a missing mother. Tamron analyzes her complex protagonist and then shares the personal experiences that inspired elements of the novel, from news reporting and gender disparities in journalism to the sinister aspect of online gaming and her sister’s tragic experience with domestic violence. Finally, she shares her best advice for aspiring authors. (P.S. You can use code JORDANMANNING for 15% on Bookshop.org!)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3TCabN8Share, 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 speaks to one of her greatest literary role models, #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen, about AFTER ANNIE, a breathtakingly beautiful novel about family, friendship, and the power of love to transcend loss—and a Zibby’s Book Club pick! They delve into the core themes of the book: grief, resilience, and the intricacies of familial and friend relationships, all of which Anna has drawn from her own experiences and observations. Finally, Anna reflects on her writing process, the challenges of publication, the unpredictability of the literary world, and the importance of perseverance.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48QDfoOShare, 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.

Renowned grief therapist (and future Zibby Books author!) Claire Bidwell Smith comes back on the podcast, this time to discuss CONSCIOUS GRIEVING: A Transformative Approach to Healing from Loss. As she and Zibby delve into the book's core themes, Claire shares her personal journey of loss—having lost both her parents at a young age—and how it led to a career in grief counseling. She also shares insights on the grieving process, touches on its misconceptions, and offers practical advice and encouragement for those facing it. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4cd5EYLShare, 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 is joined by award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and translator Katya Apekina to discuss MOTHER DOLL, a spellbinding, hallucinatory, and very funny novel about four generations of mothers and daughters and the inherited trauma cast by Russian history. Katya describes her novel’s protagonist, Zhenia, a young woman navigating pregnancy and a complex relationship in LA, and the strange phone call she receives from a medium channeling her dead great-grandmother, a Russian revolutionary. She delves into themes of ancestral trauma, grief, relationships, abortion, and creative process, touching on her own experiences and inspirations. Finally, she shares her best advice for aspiring authors.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3wYDq3SShare, 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.

Debut author Dara Levan joins Zibby to discuss IT COULD BE WORSE, a visceral and moving novel about a woman who discovers something devastating in the piano bench of her childhood home and starts to question if the people who should love her the most, her parents, have done more harm than healing. Dara delves into the inspiration behind the story and the themes of narcissistic abuse, resilience, and the pursuit of self-acceptance. She also describes her creative process (she wrote this novel in 15 weeks!) and the integration of speech pathology into the storyline, inspired by her past as a speech therapist. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4ccIP7SShare, 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 speaks with Chelsey Goodan, a highly sought-after academic tutor and mentor, about her fresh, unexpected, and empowering new guide, UNDERESTIMATED: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, which has been endorsed by Oprah’s Book Club and Hello Sunshine! Chelsey shares insights from her sixteen years of working with teenage girls from underrepresented communities, emphasizing the deep trust she’s built with her students. She discusses the importance of radical honesty, holding space for emotions, and empowering teenage girls to assert their truth. Finally, she offers valuable advice for parents and caregivers.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3uWHh10Share, 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.

In this special episode (a live event at Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica!), Diana Nyad, the renowned marathon swimmer who, at age 60, swam more than 100 miles from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage, chats with Teddy Schwarzman, the President and CEO of Black Bear Pictures and producer of the Netflix movie Nyad. (Oh, and Teddy is Zibby’s brother!)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.

Debut author Lottie Hazell joins Zibby to discuss PIGLET, a stylish and razor-sharp examination of women’s complicated relationship with food and the messes life makes for us. Lottie delves into the main thematic elements of her book: appetite, aspiration, and the role of food in the protagonist’s life during her pre-wedding crisis. She also talks about her creative process and food writing (which she masters in this novel!) and then describes her dual pursuits in creative writing and game design. Finally, she shares her best advice for aspiring authors!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48RybAmShare, 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 romance writer Kennedy Ryan joins Zibby to discuss her heart-searing, sensual, and life-affirming new novel, THIS COULD BE US. Kennedy talks about her protagonist, Soledad, who is on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment after facing betrayal. She delves into the themes of feminism, sisterhood, and the complexities of modern womanhood. Finally, she sheds light on her personal connection to the portrayal of autism in the book, drawing from her own experiences as an advocate and parent of an autistic son.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Vf4xSiShare, 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.