I'd Rather Be Reading

Welcome to the season 10 finale, friends! What a great season it has been, with so much more in store in the forthcoming season 11. Today on the show we’re talking about a topic close to my heart as I look to undertake this project this year: getting signed to a literary agent and getting signed to a book deal. I realize this is a podcast for readers, but I also realize that many of you are writers, and maybe you’ve been feeling the nudge too to write that book, whether fiction or nonfiction, that you just can’t get out of your head. The process of getting a book deal is totally overwhelming, but thankfully now we have Lucinda Halpern’s Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author, which walks you step-by-step through the cumbersome process in a way that is easy to understand, digestible, and, most importantly, doable! If you have that idea tugging and gnawing at you, listeners, and it just won’t go away, it’s time to write that book, whatever that book is, and here’s your sign. Lucinda’s book walks us all the way through how to do it; this mystifying process isn’t shrouded in complexity anymore, and through her six-step method you’ll close the book able to write a query letter that gets an agent’s attention, build an effective marketing platform, and go on to write the book you’re meant to write. In today’s conversation we talk about whether the process of finding a literary agent is different for fiction and nonfiction writers, red flags to look out for when choosing an agent, whether an agent is absolutely necessary to land a book deal and impart a boost of confidence for all of you, like me, who think maybe you aren’t good enough or ready to do this. Guess what? You are!   Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author by Lucinda Halpern   Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout by Cal Newport

There is no better person to close out March and Women’s History Month on I’d Rather Be Reading than Sarah Ditum, author of the new book Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s, which came out on January 23. Through the lens of nine of the biggest female celebrities of the 2000s—Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Kim Kardashian, Chyna (the professional wrestler), and Jennifer Aniston, Sarah’s book and this conversation takes a look back at how, well, toxic it was to be a female celebrity in the aughts. As we talk about on the show, with different celebrity magazines picking apart women’s bodies and using women as punching bags, that gave permission for regular people like all of us permission to do the same, and—as Sarah acutely points out—do that not the least of which to ourselves. If you were young and female and coming into your own during this time period as I was, it was not easy, and I’m sure it was the same if you were young and male, too. Celebrity culture in the early aughts was an amalgamation of celebrity sex tapes, tabloids fed by paparazzi willing to do anything to get the shot, Perez Hilton and the internet on its worst behavior, rampant fat-shaming and slut-shaming, and revenge porn. This was the time before all of this was completely unacceptable—sure, it was frowned upon (sometimes), but not unacceptable like it is today, or at least like it is inching towards today. And perhaps no one was treated worse in all of the aforementioned regards than the female celebrity, in a decade where a female celebrity in crisis was the absolute center of attention. Three of the nine women profiled in Sarah’s book—Aaliyah, Amy Winehouse, and Chyna—didn’t survive until present day. This era really was toxic and proof that we can and should always do better in the way we treat women. I’m thankful to Sarah for writing this book and for being here today.   Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s by Sarah Ditum + check this book out about the power of women working together: Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power by Brooke Baldwin

Well, we started our Women in Power series for Women’s History Month with a legendary editor-in-chief and we’re going to end the series with one, too. Today on the show I have Kate Betts, former editor-in-chief at Harper’s Bazaar, a longtime colleague of Anna Wintour’s at Vogue, and the author of one of my all-time favorite memoirs, My Paris Dream: An Education in Style, Slang, and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine. In addition to My Paris Dream, Kate also wrote the book Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style and reveals in our chat today that she’s working on a third book, which I will devour when it comes out. I first interacted with Kate when I interviewed her for an oral history piece I did in Vanity Fair on Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s wedding dress back in 2021—I love that piece, and I’ll link it below. Of course, I’d known of Kate and her work for 25 years prior to us speaking three years ago. After graduating from Princeton, one of Kate’s first big roles was at Fairchild Publications’ European office in Paris, a period of her career that she calls essential to her development as a fashion journalist. Kate was a features writer for the Paris bureau of Fairchild, overseeing fashion coverage for Women’s Wear Daily, W, and M magazines. In this role, she also helped launch W Europe. After two years, she became the bureau chief, and in 1991, she left Paris and Fairchild for New York City and Conde Nast, where she took over as fashion news director at Vogue. She created Vogue’s Index section, and in 1999 took over as editor-in-chief at Harper’s Bazaar. In a testament to Kate’s ferocity, three days after starting at Bazaar, she gave birth to her first child. Kate was a new mom, and the youngest editor ever at America’s oldest fashion magazine. She hired two writers I adore, Bret Easton Ellis and Lynn Hirschberg, and after leaving Bazaar in 2001, Kate freelanced for The New York Times, specifically its Styles section. In 2004, she became the editor of Time’s Style and Design section, and she remains a contributing editor there still today. In addition to freelancing and writing books (as if that’s not enough!), she reports on fashion for CNN, and today we talk about her formative career experiences, her books, what she’d tell her younger self, and she leaves us with incredible book recommendations to add to our “To Be Read” pile.   By Kate Betts: My Paris Dream: An Education in Style, Slang, and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style   “25 Years Later, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Wedding Dress Still Stuns,” written by me for Vanity Fair and featuring Kate as a source   + Kate’s picks Devotion by Dani Shapiro A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick Ideas of Heaven: A Ring of Stories by Joan Silber The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Mary Karr collection   + more picks from me! Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

I have with me the remarkable Kaitlin Menza, another contemporary of mine who has just done so much, it’s baffling. Kaitlin is another journalist whose byline has literally been everywhere you can think of: The Cut. InStyle. Conde Nast Traveler. Elle. Town & Country. Vogue. Marie Claire. Esquire. Business of Home. Rolling Stone. The Hollywood Reporter. Architectural Digest. Cosmopolitan. The New York Times. The Guardian. Time. Vanity Fair. Popular Mechanics. Have to say, I wasn’t expecting that last one, but it’s true! Kaitlin prides herself on sharing the stories of women, whether it’s celebrities you’ve heard of like Paris Hilton, or women sharing personal stories about life events they’ve been through, like the plaintiff in the largest-ever revenge porn case or a mom who was addicted to opiates. She’s spoken to politicians, like the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress, Lauren Underwood. Her stories are famously heavy hitting, like how the number of women in prison is up 1,260 percent in a generation. Now a freelance writer, Kaitlin has also edited for T: The New York Times Style Magazine, House Beautiful, Refinery29, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Business of Home, and Publisher’s Weekly, and she has been on staff at Teen Vogue, Glamour, and Seventeen, and while at the latter, wrote the first American cover stories featuring Zendaya, Kylie Jenner, and Harry Styles. Again—just an absolute dynamo. She has multiple columns now that she writes—“How I Travel” and “How We Pulled It Off” for Conde Nast Traveler, a column at Business of Home, as well as writing extensively about weddings for New York Magazine’s The Cut, which you know I am wildly obsessed with. Speaking of obsessed, Kaitlin was one of the first royal family podcasters—of which I am now one—and was one of the two original hosts of the hit show Royally Obsessed, which led to television appearances on Good Morning America, 20/20, and MSNBC, as well as in Argentina, the Philippines, Canada, and the U.K. After 13 years in New York City, Kaitlin relocated to Taipei, Taiwan in 2022, and we talk about that experience on the show, including how she manages doing business in New York City from all the way across the globe, while also being a new mom. This is actually a level of Superwoman that I didn’t know existed. How Kaitlin is able to get it all done, and done so well, is really, truly incredible. I can’t wait for you to get to know her.   Kaitlin Menza’s portfolio “How I Travel” for Conde Nast Traveler “How We Pulled It Off” for Conde Nast Traveler “Shop Talk” for Business of Home “The Wedding Files” for New York Magazine’s The Cut   + it’s leave you with four today! Celia Rivenbark collection Gabby Bernstein collection Nedra Glover Tawwab collection Barbie: The World Tour by Margot Robbie and Andrew Mukamal

How often is it that you write an essay so oft-quoted and ubiquitous that you define an entire generation by a single color? Today’s guest, Veronique Hyland, did just that, but what could perhaps be called her signature piece isn’t all that she has to offer—and not even close. She is fashion features director at Elle and is also the author of the fantastic 2022 book Dress Code: Unlocking Fashion from the New Look to Millennial Pink. Dress Code is an essay collection centered around the fashion industry, from its history to its importance, why we wear what we wear, and why it matters. The book covers whether gender differentiated fashion will go out of style forever, the appeal of the “French girl” aesthetic, how social media has warped our sense of self-presentation, and so many more thoughtful and interesting takes and perspectives. In addition to her work with Elle and her book, Veronique has also written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Conde Nast Traveler, W, New York Magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar, and she was an absolute delight to speak to.   By Véronique Hyland: “Why Is Millennial Pink Suddenly So Popular?” Work with Elle Dress Code: Unlocking Fashion from the New Look to Millennial Pink “Jennifer Lopez Is Standing in Her Power” “Mariah Carey Is Here to Un-Cancel Christmas” “Dolly Parton May Look Artificial, But She’s Totally Real” Véronique also recommends the work of Kennedy Frazer, Holly Brubach, Anne Hollander, Annie Dillard, and Jenny Odell   + three more incredible books for you to add to your shelf via my recommendation! The Discomfort Zone: How to Get What You Want By Living Fearlessly by Elle U.K. editor-in-chief Farrah Storr The Body Book: Feed, Move, Understand, and Love Your Amazing Body by Cameron Diaz Get the F— Out of the Sun: Routines, Products, Tips and Insider Secrets from 100+ of the World’s Best Skincare Gurus by Lauryn Bosstick

My two main niches in both my life and my work are books (but you already knew that) and the royal family. You may not know this about me—or maybe you do—but my main specialty coverage area in my work is the royals, and boy, has it been one hell of a ride in the British royal family this year, especially with one Kate Middleton as of late. One of the best royal correspondents in the game is our guest today, Vanity Fair’s Erin Vanderhoof, who is deeply talented and someone I consider to be the gold standard in royal reporting. In addition to covering the royal family, she also covers culture, books, and music for Vanity Fair, and she and fellow royal expert Katie Nicholl co-host the podcast “Dynasty” about the royal family, which I love. Yet another podcast I need more episodes from! Erin’s reporting on the royals has been featured on Today, NBC News, BBC’s Newsnight, CBS Sunday Mornings, and CNN, where, randomly, Erin and I appeared together on a 5 a.m. segment the day after the Queen died talking about her passing. I enjoyed hearing about Erin’s entry point into covering the royals, hearing about her favorite royal family books, and, interestingly, about her past jobs as a teacher and a butcher. Royal reporting is a very interesting beat, and Erin is the leader of the pack.   Erin’s work at Vanity Fair “Dynasty” podcast Katie Nicholl’s books Tina Brown’s books   + I love leaving you with three! The Royals by Kitty Kelley The entire Kate Andersen Brower collection The News Sorority: Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Christiane Amanpour—and the Triumph of Women in TV News by Sheila Weller

I know we are still in the thick of March and Women’s History Month and that our Women in Power series has introduced (or reintroduced) you to some phenomenal female writers, but I wanted to take a moment and pay homage to some of my favorite male writers too, because I have many. You can’t go wrong with any of these picks, and I’ll link them all below. Women are worthy of being celebrated, but so are men—and good books are always worthy of being celebrated. I hope you are enjoying the Women in Power series! The Call to Serve: The Life of An American President, George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham Truman by David McCullough Malcolm Gladwell collection Michael Lewis collection Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self Help that Actually Works by Dan Harris Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action and Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us and The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel Pink Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Principles by Ray Dalio Tribes by Seth Godin Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Arthur Brooks (and Oprah Winfrey) Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, and Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip and Dan Heath The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person by David Brooks Adam Grant collection Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Dr. Vivek Murthy

When InStyle’s cover for “The Confidence Issue” came out, I tore through Mattie Kahn’s cover profile on Sharon Stone. Listeners, this is a fantastic article, but when it comes to Mattie Kahn’s writing, that’s just what one comes to expect when it comes to her. Mattie is one of the most published writers today, and after working full-time at outlets like Elle and Glamour, she’s now a full-time freelance writer and has written for literally every publication you can dream of: Vogue, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Conde Nast Traveler, Time, The Atlantic, Town & Country, New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Seventeen, I could go on and on. Today Mattie and I talk about the secrets to a good celebrity interview, what she wishes she knew before going freelance, how telling stories of powerful women and girls is a running theme throughout her work, and about her first book, Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America’s Revolutions, which came out in June 2023. The book is about teenage girls involved in activist work and, as the book description reads, is “the untold story of the people who have helped spark America’s most transformative social movements throughout history: teenage girls.” Mattie is a Harvard graduate and, in addition to all of the publications she writes for and her book, she also has a Substack called “Things I Ask My Mother.” Mattie Kahn is very deservedly one of my Women in Power.   By Mattie Kahn: Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America’s Revolutions “Sharon Stone Has Found Her Limit” for InStyle “Things I Ask My Mother” Substack   + another day of extra picks by female authors! Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too) by Gretchen Rubin Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History by Maureen Orth

Our Women in Power series for Women’s History Month rolls on—today’s guest is Lesley Jane Seymour, who has been editor-in-chief of four different magazines, something that is just not done. That is legends only stuff right there. I feel extra connected to her because she was editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, the magazine where I now work, from 2001 to 2006. She was also editor-in-chief of Redbook, YM, and More, and before taking on her role as an editor-in-chief worked at Women’s Wear Daily, Vogue, and Glamour, so she has certainly cut a wide swath in this industry. Lesley was another icon of magazines who was very much present for what I call the golden age of magazines, and as we’ll talk about in the show, I think a cornerstone of her story is resilience. In 2016, Meredith Corporation, which owned More, her last editor-in-chief role, announced it was closing the magazine. Lesley went back to school, receiving a master’s degree in sustainability from Columbia. In 2018, she founded Covey Club, an online community for professional women, specifically over 40, that resembled More’s demographic. Lesley calls Covey Club “a meeting place for lifelong learners,” and it continues to thrive today. Lesley maintains it’s never too late to be all that you want to be, and, in addition to all of her work with Covey Club, she hosts the podcast “Reinvent Yourself”; she has really taken what others might wallow in and has turned this into purpose-driven work. She is also the author of two books, On the Edge: 100 Years of Vogue and I Wish My Parents Understood, and she has appeared on every major television news show you can think of from Today to Good Morning America to Hardball to MSNBC and CNN. I can’t wait for you to get to know her. By Lesley Jane Seymour: “The Joys of Losing Your Job in the Digital Age” On the Edge: 100 Years of Vogue I Wish My Parents Understood CoveyClub   + Read: Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read | Watch: Society of the Snow on Netflix, out now   + more great books: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric Going There by Katie Couric I’ve Been Thinking…: Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life by Maria Shriver Ten Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Went Out into the Real World by Maria Shriver “The Sunday Paper” by Maria Shriver

We are going to close this week with such a fun conversation with one of my favorite writers and editors, the spectacular Andrea Lavinthal! Andrea is People magazine’s style and beauty director, which is just as wide of a swath as you think it would be. Andrea has 20 years’ experience as a writer, editor, and content creator, and she has been with People specifically since 2012. In her role, she regularly appears on shows like Today, Good Morning America, and Access, as well as podcasts and radio programs; for one beautiful slice of time, she co-hosted one of my personal favorite podcasts, “People in the ‘90s,” which I beg on today’s episode for her to bring back. Prior to her time at People, Andrea worked for Cosmopolitan, Us Weekly, and SiriusXM, and she has also written three books. Consider this your permission to sit back, take a breather, and enjoy this incredibly entertaining conversation with Andrea.   By Andrea Lavinthal: Work from People People in the ‘90s podcast The Hookup Handbook: A Single Girl’s Guide to Living It Up Friend or Frenemy?: A Guide to the Friends You Need and the Ones You Don’t Your So-Called Life: A Guide to Boys, Body Issues, and Other Big Girl Drama You Thought You Would Have Figured Out by Now   + our “Leave You with Three” picks for today! Daring Greatly by Dr. Brene Brown Three Women by Lisa Taddeo Rebecca Traister’s entire collection The Cut