Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby sits down with acclaimed author Angie Kim to discuss her latest sensation, Happiness Falls. Angie reveals the inspiration behind her riveting tale, touching on her personal experiences as an immigrant. She highlights her involvement with I-ASC, an organization that aids nonspeaking individuals. She also recalls her personal journey into fiction writing, providing invaluable advice for aspiring authors. Her insights into character development and the power of authentic storytelling offer a refreshing perspective.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48U3KdZShare, 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.

Iconic Spice Girl, songwriter, and author Geri Halliwell-Horner joins Zibby to discuss her book, ROSIE FROST & THE FALCON QUEEN. Geri shares insights into her writing process and the inspiration behind her work. She also touches on grief, storytelling as a means of escape, and the value of staying true to oneself and finding purpose in service to others.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3LUc7MHShare, 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.

Beloved stand-up comedian Gary Gulman joins Zibby to discuss his witty and poignant memoir, Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ‘80s. Gary reveals the inspiration behind this book: a major depressive episode at age 46 and a move back to his childhood home. He describes his turbulent mental health journey, his awkward moments from kindergarten to twelfth grade, and his love of laughter and comedy (which turned out to be the best antidepressant!). Finally, he shares his best advice for aspiring writers. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3LWqiAVShare, 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 Jamaican poet and memoirist Safiya Sinclair about How to Say Babylon, a dazzling and powerful book about the author’s struggle to break free of her father’s oppression as part of her rigid Rastafarian upbringing. Safiya describes how her mother and her profound love of books and learning got her through a brutal childhood. She also talks about the mentor who betrayed her; her journey of healing and forgiveness; the novel she is working on; and the Jamaican books she is reading and loving.  Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3RT6faDShare, 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 New York Times bestselling author Tara Conklin to discuss Community Board, a bittersweet, laugh-out-loud novel about a brokenhearted woman who goes back home to be cared for by her parents…only to find that they’re gone and she’ll have to lean on her community instead. Tara reveals that writing this novel was her quarantine escape, which explains the themes of isolation, fear, and social anxiety. She also talks about her unhealthy obsession with the Nextdoor app (and how that manifests in the novel), the next book she’s working on, and what her life is like beyond all the writing!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48HTPZ5Share, 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.

Guest host Julie Chavez interviews author William Dameron about The Way Life Should Be, a tender and warm novel about two husbands enjoying their second-chance marriage after coming out…until their nearly-adult children descend upon their new seaside cottage. William reveals that this novel began as a memoir, sharing the details that stem from his own life (like the cottage rules!). He also talks about the chaotic messiness of blended families, his recent open-heart surgery, and his day job in cyber security. Finally, he shares his best advice for aspiring and first-time authors. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/45gkLMCShare, 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 J. Ryan Stradal about Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, a heartfelt, gratifying, multi-generational story about a couple from two very different restaurant families in rustic Minnesota. J. Ryan talks about his and his partner’s struggles with infertility and his decision to incorporate the intense, painful journey in this novel. He also talks about his fascinating character-development process, the books he’s reading, juggling writing as a stay-at-home dad, and how his late mom continues to inspire his stories. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48u8R4qShare, 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 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See to discuss Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, a meticulously researched and mesmerizing story inspired by the true love, life, and friendships of a woman physician in 15th-century China. Lisa describes how she conducted her research during the pandemic, her fascinating writing process, and the importance of female friendships in the book and her life. She also reveals where her love of writing and history came from and what it’s like to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3F3LFg1Share, 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 New York Times bestselling author Etaf Rum about Evil Eye, a striking exploration of the expectations of a Palestinian-American woman, inter-generational trauma, and the ways our unresolved pasts affect our presents. Etaf shares how a lack of Palestinian-American representation on bookshelves inspired her to write fiction that pulls from her own experiences. She also talks about juggling writing, teaching, and motherhood; her experiences with impostor syndrome and depression during COVID; and her bookstore in North Carolina!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3PZhs7UShare, 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.

National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin joins Zibby to discuss The Favor, a wise and warmhearted story of two very different women who make an unexpected connection when one carries a baby for the other. Adele describes how her own fertility struggles and surrogacy journey inspired this story and then discusses the topics she enjoyed exploring, from unconventional female friendships to vintage clothing. She also talks about her background in children’s books, shares her best advice for aspiring writers, and reveals what book she's currently reading. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/46dMMFEShare, 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.