Book of the Month Live

Powerful corporate executive by day and successful novelist by night. Jillian Medoff really does do it all. In this episode, Jillian shares how talking to random strangers on the train and sitting in on courtroom trials helped her write her fifth novel, When We Were Bright and Beautiful.  When We Were Bright and Beautiful tells the story of the Quinns—a wealthy but dysfunctional family living in Manhattan's glittering Upper East Side. When Cassie Quinn’s brother Billy is arrested for sexual assault, she wants to do everything in her power to protect him, even if that means exposing her own deep, dark secrets to the world.   Get When We Were Bright and Beautiful at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

It’s not everyday that authors go from being top-notch lawyers to writing novels about swingers. But Taylor Hahn is not your average author. On today’s episode Taylor discusses her debut novel, The Lifestyle, which is already sparking some spicy conversations all over the internet. Taylor talks about how difficult it was to write the perfect sex scene, why you shouldn’t have just one fake ID, and how pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones can lead to some really great stories.   The Lifestyle is about Georgina Wagman, a woman who seemingly has it all—a wonderful marriage, a job that she loves, and great friends. But when she walks in on her husband Nathan cheating on her with a junior associate, Georgina has a moment of crisis. To help save her marriage, she decides that she and Nathan are going to become swingers. Can this new lifestyle help Georgina and Nathan reconnect on an even deeper level? Get The Lifestyle at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com 

Jennifer Hillier, the author of the gripping thriller 'Things We Do in the Dark,' dives into the dark side of creativity in this engaging discussion. She reveals how her unique writing process helps her create complex characters and suspenseful plots. Hillier shares insights on the psychological themes of mother-daughter dynamics and the influence of true crime on her work. Plus, she reflects on writing during the pandemic and the personal experiences that shape her narratives. Could we all be capable of murder? Tune in to find out!

Written by Book of the Month author Elyssa Friedland. Author website: http://www.elyssafriedland.com/   New members can get Elyssa Friedland’s novel, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.   Here’s the brief: No one wanted to see the psychic. Not initially. But it was a bachelorette party. How could we say no to the bride? Everyone played along at first, cracking jokes and taking sips of champagne. But as soon as the psychic entered our hotel suite, everyone at the party felt the energy shift. Suddenly, we couldn't wait to hear what the psychic would say. Of course, none of us realized that the words she was about to utter would change lives forever.  

Written by Book of the Month author Hannah Orenstein.  Author website: http://hannahorenstein.com/    New members can get Hannah Orenstein’s novel, Head Over Heels, at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.   Here’s the brief: No one wanted to see the psychic. Not initially. But it was a bachelorette party. How could we say no to the bride? Everyone played along at first, cracking jokes and taking sips of champagne. But as soon as the psychic entered our hotel suite, everyone at the party felt the energy shift. Suddenly, we couldn't wait to hear what the psychic would say. Of course, none of us realized that the words she was about to utter would change lives forever.  

Written by Book of the Month author Chloe Gong.    Author website: https://thechloegong.com/    New members can get Chloe Gong’s novel, These Violent Delights, at bookofthemonth.com for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.   Here’s the brief:   No one wanted to see the psychic. Not initially. But it was a bachelorette party. How could we say no to the bride? Everyone played along at first, cracking jokes and taking sips of champagne. But as soon as the psychic entered our hotel suite, everyone at the party felt the energy shift. Suddenly, we couldn't wait to hear what the psychic would say. Of course, none of us realized that the words she was about to utter would change lives forever.  

She is an expert in all things adorable, a BOTM 3peat author, and can give you the inside scoop on what makes a great kiss. In this episode, Katherine Center talks about her newest novel, The Bodyguard. She also speaks to how the pandemic drove her to write her lightest novel yet, how really good fiction novels trick us into believing they’re real, and what it means to “eat” a book.    The Bodyguard is about Hannah, an Executive Protection Agent hired to protect the very famous actor Jack Stapleton from a stalker. But when Jack’s mom gets sick and he comes home to Texas, he wants to keep his stalker—and need for a bodyguard—a secret from his family. So, Hannah enters into the role of fake girlfriend of Jack. In this witty romance the real question is whose heart needs protecting?   Get The Bodyguard at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.    Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com 

After listening to today’s episode, Blake Crouch will have you questioning everything. Are the biggest global corporations run solely by AI? Could gene modification make it so we can all run a 4-minute mile? Is Blake really writing fiction, or are his books actually just futures that haven’t become realities…yet? Our 3peat author is here today to blow our minds and talk about his new novel Upgrade.    Upgrade tells the story of Logan Ramsey, the son of an ambitious geneticist whose goal of improving upon nature instead killed hundreds of millions in the Great Starvation. This novel explores the pros and cons of gene editing and shows readers that sometimes evolution can be a real downgrade if you’re not careful.    Get Upgrade at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.    Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

If you could live in any video game, what would it be? Or are we actually living in one giant simulation already? We’re here to answer these questions and more with author Gabrielle Zevin. She talks about her above-average Mario Kart skills, her constant fight against reviews that describe her book as “lovely” and “charming,” and how we all need a little more play time in our lives.  Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a moving story of friendship and art-making that will make you nostalgic for your favorite childhood video games. It follows two characters, Sam and Sadie, who bonded while playing video games together as young kids. When they meet again as university students, they start building a video game together, which becomes incredibly successful and wrenches them into a life of unexpected fame. This book will make you feel all the feels, guaranteed. Get Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com

Written by Jocelyn Kender.   Browse great reads at bookofthemonth.com and new members can get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.     Here’s the brief:   “The date had been on their respective calendars for months–travel booked, conferences declined, childcare arranged. And now that they were all gathered back on campus, together for the first time in over a decade, it was almost impossible to believe this was what was happening. They sat uncomfortably in the small room, eyes darting around as if no one could decide who was good, who was bad, and, most importantly, who had done the thing.”