Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author Ross Gay about THE BOOK OF MORE DELIGHTS, a charming collection of miniature essays as quirky, engaging, and wryly humorous as his previous book of delights. Ross describes how his project of writing an essay every day for a year about things that delight him has evolved, and then he and Zibby chat about the joy found in daily assignments and the significance of the writing process in understanding questions about sorrow and joy. Finally, Ross reveals what he is working on now. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48OydtEShare, 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 welcomes journalist Susannah Breslin to discuss DATA BABY, a provocative and poignant memoir about her experiences as a “lab rat” in a lifelong psychological study and her pursuit to reclaim autonomy as an adult. Susannah describes the preschool experiment her parents enrolled her in, which followed over 120 kids for thirty years, aiming to predict their future based on early childhood observations. She reflects on her awareness of the study and her views on the stability of personality traits. She also talks about her whirlwind marriage, battle with breast cancer, the impact of the experiment on her identity, and the emotional challenge of putting it all into words.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3tXPm57Share, 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.

Writer Megan Nix joins Zibby to discuss REMEDIES FOR SORROW, a compulsively readable memoir and urgent call to action about a hidden risk to pregnant women: the congenital cytomegalovirus. Megan shares the story of discovering her daughter’s microcephaly at thirty-six weeks pregnant, and the subsequent challenges of raising a baby with CMV (against the dramatic landscape of Sitka, Alaska, where her husband is a salmon fisherman). The conversation delves into her advocacy work, the lack of awareness about CMV, and the importance of universal screening for newborns and support for affected families. She also discusses the writing process and the challenge of finding a publisher.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3u7ZZ5bShare, 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 psychologist, podcaster, and her friend (!!), Dr. Aliza Pressman, about THE 5 PRINCIPLES OF PARENTING, a powerful, data-backed parenting guide that is brimming with warmth and wisdom. Aliza elaborates on the five essential principles she distilled from decades of research (relationship, reflection, regulation, rules, and repair), emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and letting go of being the perfect parent. She provides fascinating insights into the science behind effective parenting and then shares her best advice for aspiring authors. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3u3iszQShare, 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 New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel about FAMILY FAMILY, a propulsive, funny, and strikingly tender novel about a famous actress and adoptive mother who finds herself in trouble when she criticizes the new movie she’s in.. because of its negative portrayal of adoption. Laurie explains why she is motivated to challenge prevailing adoption narratives and why it is so important to represent all kinds of adoptive families. She and Zibby also talk about the book's social media and cancel culture aspects, and then Laurie reflects on her writing journey (it all started with Shakespeare). She also shares her book recommendations and best advice for aspiring writers.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4b04r6NShare, 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 celebrity dancer and TV personality Allison Holker Boss to discuss her and her late husband Stephen “tWitch” Boss’s first picture book, KEEP DANCING THROUGH, a heartfelt celebration of family and positive affirmation. Allison emphasizes the importance of affirmations in her family and then delves into her decision to release this book during an incredibly difficult time, pointing out how proud her husband would be. She and Zibby reflect on resilience and the challenge of going through trauma in real time on social media. Finally, they talk about their favorite books, parenting, and dance (including Allison’s role as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance”!)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/47CsOVfShare, 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 Jessica Saunders joins Zibby to discuss LOVE, ME, a deliciously readable second-chance romance about Rachel Miller, a lawyer and married mom of two, whose life takes an unexpected turn when letters and photos of her and her high school boyfriend, now a famous actor, are published in a tabloid. Jessica reveals that the inspiration for this story came from a family member whose ex married someone famous. She also talks about her own background as a lawyer and her writing journey, and then the two discuss first loves, loss, motherhood, balancing family life, and the excitement of this book being out in the world! Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/47Mn3UOShare, 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.

Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, author, TV personality, and co-host of the popular podcast For Crying Out Loud, speaks to Zibby about DRUNK-ISH, the hilariously candid and refreshingly honest account of her break-up with alcohol. Stefanie shares what it was like to quit drinking fourteen years ago, after the shock of putting her family in danger and immediately reevaluating her relationship with alcohol. She also talks about mommy wine culture, the use of humor in her writing as a way to navigate uncomfortable truths, and the positive impact her honesty and vulnerability have had.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3OcbzD7Share, 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 writer and runner Jacqueline Alnes to discuss THE FRUIT CURE, a spellbinding and unforgettable journey through the world of fruitarianism and a powerful critique of our healthcare system and wellness culture. Jacqueline shares her college experience as a Division One runner and the abrupt onset of mysterious neurological symptoms that led her to explore unconventional wellness practices. She talks about her fascination with fruitarianism (have you heard of the 30 bananas a day diet?), her eventual diagnosis, and the impact of this experience on her relationship with running, food, herself, and others. Finally, she reflects on her writing process, her current life teaching university classes, and the potential for future writing projects. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4aZiZn8Share, 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.

Peabody Award-winning journalist Michele Norris joins Zibby to discuss OUR HIDDEN CONVERSATIONS, a transformative, candid, and unsettling book on race and identity in America, unearthed through her decade-long work at The Race Card Project, which asks people to distill their thoughts on race in just six words. Michele describes her book's unique, scrapbook-like feel (it has stories, essays, and photographs collected over three decades) and then explains how the six-word stories are just a starting point for important conversations on race. She also touches on her personal experiences with race and the impact of storytelling and ends with her best advice for aspiring authors. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3S2L5VNShare, 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.