Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby interviews playwright, screenwriter, Emmy Award-winning journalist, and author Byron Lane about Big Gay Wedding, a hilarious, quirky, and unashamedly proud novel about a conservative mom (who runs a small-town rescue ranch for misfit animals) and her gay son (who wants to get married at the farm). Byron shares his coming out story (and how it inspired bits of this novel); his journey with testicular cancer; his experience working as actress Carrie Fischer’s assistant; and the perks of being married to author Steven Rowley.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3s2W5sUShare, 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.

Sara Shepard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series, speaks to guest host Julie Chavez about Penny Draws a Best Friend, a humorous and heartfelt middle-grade series about Penny, a fifth grader who is navigating friendships, finding her people, and lots of worries. Sara reveals she was just like Penny growing up and shares stories of her anxiety, then and now. She also talks about her lifelong love of doodling, which her Pretty Little Liars editors noticed and encouraged her to use in children’s books! Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3rZFTbSShare, 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 weekend re-release, Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author and literary legend Dave Eggers about We Became Jaguars, a breathtaking picture book about a child and a grandmother who transform into jaguars and journey into the undiscovered world of nature. Dave describes the ins and outs of the publishing process, how he began writing picture books, and the Young Editors Project, which allows young children to help workshop picture books before they’re published. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3OzynfHShare, 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 weekend re-release, Zibby speaks to Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen about Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting, a bighearted book of wisdom, wit, and insight, celebrating the love and joy of being a grandmother. Anna Quindlen talks to Zibby about all the wonderful things grandmothers have time to do and shares the parts of grandmotherhood that often go unspoken.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3QB4heqShare, 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 children’s book author Julia Cook joins Zibby to discuss Herman Jiggle, Just Be You, a heartwarming tale about overcoming insecurities and learning to accept and love oneself. Julia shares how she came to publish 140 books–it all started when she couldn’t quite figure out how to teach children! She also discusses her most memorable books; the mistakes she’s made in a couple of them; recent trends in anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation for children and adolescents; and her best parenting (and just life) advice.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3YtzGRGShare, 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 debut author Emi Nietfeld about Acceptance, a gripping, page-turning, and darkly humorous memoir about a life that took her from homelessness and foster care to Harvard and Google. Emi describes the chaos that ensued after her parents’ divorce–from her mother’s compulsive hoarding to her own mental health crisis and hospitalization. She also shares what it was like when her father came out as trans in the early 2000s in a very religious family (Emi was a state bible champion!). Finally, she discusses the absurdities of the college admissions process, the culture shock she experienced at Harvard, and her hopes of starting a family soon!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/43WrTwUShare, 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 comedy writing duo Alli Frank and Asha Youmans about The Better Half, a charming, laugh-out-loud funny book about a woman who has reached her personal and professional pinnacle and then… gets pregnant! Alli and Asha share their mission of exploring challenging subjects through a lens of humor and joy. They also talk about their partnership with Mindy’s Book Studio (Mindy Kaling’s new publishing house!) and their lovely writing support group, the Tall Poppy Writers. Finally, they play the question game with Julie (“When was the last time you got unreasonably upset?"). Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3DO0FOwShare, 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 award-winning investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Clifford about The Farewell Tour, a shimmering and heartbreakingly authentic country-music saga about one woman achieving stardom in a world dominated by men. Stephanie describes her unforgettable protagonist (who was inspired by her grandmother!) and the fascinating research she conducted to get it all right – from studying a farmer’s journal from 1910 to speaking to several doctors about vocal cord polyps. She also talks about her career in journalism, gaining the courage to transition to fiction, her go-to authors, and how her next book is coming along. Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3QqrH63Share, 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 debut author Courtney Sender about In Other Lifetimes, All I’ve Lost Comes Back to Me, a wise, fierce, and lyrical collection of stories about the longings and loneliness of love. Courtney reveals how her own experiences with heartbreak have inspired her writing and how they infiltrate her characters in this book. She also describes her path to writing (it’s tied to Divinity School, a longing for love, and her grandmother) and then shares which story in this collection foreshadows her next book, which she is working on now.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3DGjm6yShare, 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 weekend re-release, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books, Kristin Hannah, joins Zibby to discuss The Four Winds, a powerful American epic about love, heroism, and hope, set during the Great Depression. Kristin talks with Zibby about her iterative writing process, a mother's unconditional love, and the importance of female friendships.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3DFjzqKShare, 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.