Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

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What happens when storytelling becomes a way to keep someone's memory alive? Today on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by literary fantasy author Tiffany Chu to discuss The Constellation of Forgotten Things, a grief memoir told through short stories. Tiffany began writing the book with Ren, a teenage boy she and her family were in the process of adopting when he passed away. Through stories exploring grief, loss and the memories that keep love alive, Tiffany hopes readers will find connection and feel a little less alone in their own experiences.

Episode Highlights:

• The deeply personal story behind The Constellation of Forgotten Things and writing the book with Ren, the teenage son Tiffany was in the process of adopting when he passed away.
• Exploring grief and healing through storytelling
• Caring for memories as a way to keep love alive
• Rediscovering the importance of community and allowing ourselves to need others
• How books help us experience different perspectives and understand one another
• Finding the extraordinary in seemingly ordinary people
• How Tiffany makes room for reading and writing in her everyday life

Connect with Tiffany:

• Instagram
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Jane Austen books
• Charles Dickens books
• Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• Maggie O’Farrell books
• Ann Patchett books
• Piranesi by Susanna Clark
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Flight

• Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Lee
• The Buried Giant / Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Linghun by Ai Jiang

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

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Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Do you love a good literary mystery with a touch of the supernatural? This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by Kathleen Carr Foster, author ofThe Jewel of Corlivo, for a conversation about storytelling, historical research, and her journey to becoming a published novelist. Kathleen shares what went into creating the world of her debut novel, what she's learned about herself through writing, and why sometimes the hardest part is simply getting started.

Episode Highlights:

• Kathleen's decision to leave the corporate world and pursue writing.
• The inspiration behind The Jewel of Corlivo and the historical research that brought its setting to life.
• Why research can sometimes become a form of procrastination.
• Learning to embrace criticism and discovering the joy of writing a book that others enjoy.
• Why your first draft doesn't need to be perfect—you just need to start.
• The importance of reading contemporary fiction and understanding today's publishing landscape.
• Three literary mysteries with a supernatural twist in Kathleen's Book Flight.

Connect with Kathleen:

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Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
• The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

Book Flight

• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
• The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
• Possession by A.S. Byatt

Dessert Pairing

• The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton by Jennifer N. Brown

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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What was childhood like before screens, constant supervision, and endless distractions? In this episode of Bookish Flights, I'm joined by Meghan Cox Gurdon, longtime Wall Street Journal book critic and author of Free Range Girl, a memoir about her unconventional childhood in rural Maine during the 1970s. We talk about the process of writing a memoir, the freedom of growing up in a different era, and what we can learn from looking back at our own stories. We also discuss her previous book, The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction, exploring the challenges of deep reading in today's distracted world and the importance of reading aloud to foster connection and a lifelong love of books.

Episode Highlights:

• Meghan's experience writing a memoir and why she encourages everyone to write down their memories
• Growing up in rural Maine without modern conveniences and how childhood has changed
• What Meghan learned about herself and the importance of extending grace to the people we love
• Why deep reading has become increasingly difficult, even for devoted readers
• The power of reading aloud and how it helps children develop a love of literature
• How reading aloud is even being used to help socialize traumatized animals at the ASPCA (and why dogs aren't picky about their literature!)
• Meghan's childhood reading habits and why she still considers herself an indiscriminate reader
• A Book Flight featuring memoirs written with tenderness of heart and a deep appreciation for those we love

Connect with Meghan:

• Website
• Instagram

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
• The Aeneid by Virgil
• Reading Magic by Mem Fox
• Edith Wharton books
• A Perfect Coincidence by Jim Rasenberger
• The Watch Tower by Elizabeth Harrower
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
• True Grit by Charles Portis
• Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Book Flight

• Growing Up by Russell Baker
• Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Want to be a guest on more podcasts? After more than 250 interviews on Bookish Flights, I've seen what makes a podcast guest stand out and what can make a pitch fall flat.

In this solo episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of podcast hosting to share a few things I wish more potential guests knew. From getting a host's attention to making the most of your interview once it airs, there are some things you might not have considered!

Whether you're an author hoping to reach more readers or an entrepreneur looking to grow your audience, you'll want to tune in before sending your next pitch.

Ready to start pitching yourself to podcasts?

I created Pitch Perfect, a self-paced workbook to help authors, entrepreneurs and creatives navigate the podcast pitching process and put what they've learned into action.

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Today on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by contemporary romance author Deborah Clack to talk about her journey from high school history teacher to published novelist. Deborah shares how she always viewed the world through the lens of storytelling, the steep learning curve of becoming an author, and the rejection she faced along the way. We also talk about making time for ourselves as moms, finding hope in difficult seasons, and her Shelter & Sky series, including her newest novel, After We Fall.

Episode Highlights:

• Growing up with a love of storytelling
• Going from teaching history to writing romance
• Believing in your stories while still learning the craft
• Navigating rejection and the road to publication
• Making time for creativity and letting go of mom guilt
• Writing about grief, hope, and learning to live again
• Why the Shelter & Sky books can stand alone, but are even better read in order
• A Book Flight featuring three dramatic, emotional romances

Connect with Deborah:

• Instagram
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Lynne Gentry books
• Becky Wade books
• The Water Keeper by Charles Martin
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
• John Le Carre books
• Lynn H. Blackburn books

Book Flight

• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
• Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
• Long Way Gone by Charles Martin

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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What happens when you step outside your comfort zone and make room for something new? Courtney Walsh joins the BFF Book Club to talk about her novel Brighter Than Before and the courage it takes to get out of your own way, build meaningful connections, and remember just how strong you really are.

Episode Highlights:

• Getting outside your comfort zone (even when you’d really rather stay home!)
• Finding friendship and community as an adult and making friends when you’re constantly on the move
• Why the smallest everyday interactions can make such a difference
• The value of spending time alone and getting into your own head
• Why female friendships can be so difficult—and so important—to find as an adult
• The courage it takes to start over and Cclebrating the bravery and strength of women

Connect with Courtney:

• Instagram
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📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - The Brunswick with Callie Murray

🗓️ Nov 3rd | 🕓 5 pm PST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST

After her seemingly perfect life falls apart, Claire takes a leap of faith into a fresh start in Chicago, discovering friendship, purpose, and the possibility of a brighter future along the way. Register Here.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Crafting Sweet Escapes and Swoony Fiction with Courtney Walsh (E153)
• Ashley Poston books
• Katherine Center books
• As Luck Would Have It by Courtney Walsh (Pre-order for 03/02/27 pub date)
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Harry Potter - Full-Cast Audio by J.K. Rowling

Book Flight

• Becky Wade books
• Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane
• The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

Dessert Pairing

• Spies, Lies and Alibis by Natalie Walters

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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In this episode of Bookish Flights, I’m joined by national bestselling and award-winning author Katherine Reay to talk about her latest novel, The Undercover Bookshop. We chat about life on a Montana ranch, writing spy novels, the fascinating true history behind her fiction, and why sometimes the facts are far more unbelievable than anything she could make up. Katherine also brings us a Book Flight of Classic British Mysteries.

Episode Highlights:

• Life on a Montana ranch and finding creativity in the quiet
• How moving gave Katherine a chance to recalibrate her life and routines
• Writing spy novels—and why she says she would “crumble like an old biscuit” as a real spy
• The roles women played during the Cold War
• Digging into the true history behind The Undercover Bookshop
• Choosing fact over fiction when the real story is already unbelievable
• The luxury of sneaking in an hour of reading during the day
• Katherine’s Book Flight of Classic British Mysteries

Connect with Katherine:

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• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay
• The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay
• The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
• What’s Didn’t The Ask Evans by Agatha Christie
• John Le Carre books
• Frederick Forsyth books
• Daniel Silva books
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Book Flight

• A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tay
• Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
• The Murder of Roger Ackroydby Agatha Christie

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Today, I’m joined by bestselling author Annie Barrows to talk about her journey from editor to author, why she loves writing for children, and her Stella & Marigold series, including the newest book, Past and Presents. We also talk about the joy of getting lost in a story, writing with the reader in mind, and, of course, I couldn’t let Annie go without asking about one of my favorites, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Episode Highlights:

• Annie’s journey from editor to author and the moment she realized the writers were having more fun
• Why she loves writing for children and believes kids are “the most interesting people on earth”
• The Stella & Marigold series and writing stories that entertain and respect young readers
• Why Annie believes a writer’s first loyalty should be to the reader
• The pleasure of slowing down with a book and how reading can make us better writers
• The joy of stepping outside yourself and living in someone else’s world through a story
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and why Annie believes the book continues to connect so deeply with readers

Connect with Annie:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
• The Best of Iggy for Annie Barrows (series for boys)
• Like by Annie Barrows
• The Magic Half by Annie Barrows
• Indigo’s Star by Hilary Kay

Book Flight

• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (Middle Grade)
• Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Klan, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Picture book)
• Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Fairy tale - early chapter book, read aloud)

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Today’s episode features Alex Alexander, author of Are We Friends Yet: How to Deepen Your Relationships and Create the Community You Need and host of the Friendship IRL podcast. Alex and I talk about writing her first book, what surprised her about the process, and her experience navigating self-publishing versus traditional publishing. We also explore the ideas at the heart of her work: how reframing the way we think about friendship can make connection feel much more accessible. Her book flight features books about friendship and connection.

Episode Highlights:

• How Friendship IRL and Are We Friends Yet? complement each other
• What surprised Alex most about writing her first book
• Self-publishing versus traditional publishing
• Why continuing to “put in the reps” matters as a writer
• Reframing what friendship and community can look like
• Simple ways to connect with the people already in our lives
• How sharing something as simple as a favorite book can build connection

Connect with Alex:

• Instagram
• Website
• Friendship IRL Podcast

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Good Friends by Priya Vulchi

Book Flight

• Modern Friendship by Anna Goldfarb
• How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong
• The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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This week, I’m joined by Zibby Owens—bestselling author, host of Totally Booked with Zibby, and founder of Zibby Media—to talk about her new memoir, Between Chapters. We talk about motherhood, reinvention, the emotions that come with telling your own story, and what she discovered looking back over a decade of her life. After interviewing more than 2,300 authors herself, Zibby also shares what all of those conversations have taught her about people, stories, and books.

Episode Highlights:

• How reflecting on a decade of her life became Between Chapters
• The uncertainty of not always knowing when one chapter is ending and another is beginning
• Real-life motherhood and the messy moments that come with it
• What writing this memoir helped Zibby learn about herself
• Why we don’t need to compare our hard things to someone else’s
• What she has learned from interviewing more than 2,300 authors
• Building a life and career around books, stories, and connection
• And, of course, how she manages to find time to read!
• Zibby’s Book Flight: Memoirs from debut authors coming out this fall, each centered around overcoming something.

Connect with Zibby:

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Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Slow Motion by Dani Shapiro
• The Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain (Pub date 01/12/27)

Book Flight

• Downhill by Juana Libedinsky
• Tell Me About Joy by Kara Kavensky
• Desire Feeds the Feast by Tarajia Morell (Pub date 11/03/26)

Dessert Pairing

• Between Chapters by Zibby Owens

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Today’s episode features Gordon Jack, author of Poppy Montgomery Gets Even. After 30 years as a high school librarian and writing two young adult novels, Gordon is turning his attention to adult fiction with a cozy mystery featuring an unforgettable octogenarian crime fighter. He talks about how his years surrounded by books shaped him as a writer, finding humor in complicated characters, and bringing two generations experiencing loneliness together on the page. His Book Flight features funny books that influenced his own writing and sense of humor.

Episode Highlights

• On the natural pairing of librarians and writers: “You are in a world of books and surrounded by them.”
• How rereading taught Gordon to notice “the craft of a sentence and word choice”
• Why “the most important thing about being a writer is that you are interesting to yourself”
• Finding humor in the fact that “people are complicated and have faults”
• Why Gordon considers himself “more a tinkerer than a creator”
• Exploring loneliness among young men and older adults and bringing those generations together through fiction

Connect with Gordon:

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• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
• Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie
• Sheila Grau books
• Transcription by Ben Lerner
• Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
• Country People by Daniel Mason
• Nest of Tongues by Randy Ribay

Book Flight

• Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse
• Today Will Be Different by Marie Semple
• CivilWarland in Bad Decline by George Saunders

Dessert Pairing

• Birds of America by Lorrie Moore

Episode Sponsor - The Future Lab with Lee Schneider

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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New York Times bestselling author Penn Cole joins me to celebrate Burn of the Everflame, the fourth book in her Kindred’s Curse Saga. We talk about her journey from self-publishing to hybrid publishing, building her community one reader at a time, and the growing influence readers have on the publishing landscape. Penn also shares what it takes to write both sides of romantasy well, how fantasy creates space for political and social commentary, and why she stood behind her work when traditional publishing came calling.

Episode Highlights:

• Penn’s lifelong love of reading and writing
• Building a community one reader at a time
• How readers are influencing the publishing landscape
• Penn’s journey from indie to hybrid publishing
• Writing both the romance and fantasy sides of romantasy well
• Finding fresh ways to approach the romance formula
• Using fantasy to explore political and social issues
• Why writers should take their time before publishing
• Her Book Flight includes books that gave her “lightbulb moments” in her own writing

Connect with Penn:

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• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Lore of the Wilds / Heir of the Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana

Book Flight

• Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
• Children of the Star by Sylvia Engdahl
• Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Suzanne Valenti

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Today’s guest is Hank Phillipi Ryan, the USA Today bestselling author of seventeen thrillers, including the Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning All This Could Be Yours. A true powerhouse in the mystery and suspense world, she won every major award in the genre and has captivated readers around the globe with her twist-filled novels. Before becoming one of today’s most celebrated thriller writers, Hank spent decades as an award-winning investigative reporter in Boston, earning an incredible 37 Emmy Awards for journalists that changed lives and even helped shaped new laws. Today, we’re celebrating her latest thriller, Mother Daughter Sister Stranger. Her book flight includes timeless novels she has re-read many times in the crime genre.

Episode Highlights:

• Hank’s 40-year career as a reporter and investigative journalist—and how it shaped her as a storyteller
• Making the career leap from reporting true crime to writing fictional crime
• Why learning to make something up was one of the biggest challenges of becoming a novelist
• The idea of a “you never know day”and staying open to the unexpected
• What Hank has learned from years of interviewing other writers
• How different people can experience the exact same family history and remember it completely differently
• The family secrets, perspectives and questions of truth at the heart of Mother, Daughter, Sister, Stranger
• Why Hank says she still learns something every single day she writes
• The power of watching fictional characters triumph—and how their victories can give readers hope, too

Connect with Hank:

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Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Prime Time by Hank Phillipi Ryan
• Nancy Drew novels by Carolyn Keene
• Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Ngiao Marsh books
• Josephine Tey books
• Dorothy Sayers books
• Bookish Flights Narrative Non-Fiction List
• Winter’s Tale by Mark Halprin
• You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
• The Unknown by Riley Sager

Book Flight

• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• The Stand by Stephen King

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Andre Hardy, a former NFL player turned writer and author of the debut crime novel Tear the City Down. Set in San Diego against the high-stakes world of professional football, the novel draws on Andre’s own experiences in the NFL while exploring the darker sides of the sport and the city. We also talk about his path to writing, the role of jazz throughout the Coltrane series, and the experiences that shaped his storytelling.

Episode Highlights

• Andre’s journey from professional football to writing and what led him to put his own NFL experiences on the page
• Looking beyond the glitz & glamour of professional football to the physical toll on players, particularly their bodies and brains
• Exploring the contrasts of San Diego and what lies beneath the beautiful version of the city most people see
• Why Andre believes writing about books challenges us to slow down, think more deeply, and examine what we believe
• The influence of John Coltrane & how pairing the novels with Coltrane’s music creates a bigger, broader experience for readers
• Andre’s book flight of atmospheric mysteries and thrillers, including stories featuring male protagonists navigating fatherhood and relationships with their daughters

Connect with Andre:

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Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Edgar Allen Poe books
• The Blue Flame by George Pelecanos
• Record Lows by CJ Green
• James McBride books
• Percival Everett books
• Middle Passage by Charles Johnson
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Darktown by Thomas Mullen
• Ghalen by Walter Mosley

Book Flight

• Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
• Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke
• She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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In today’s BFF Book Club episode, I’m chatting with romantic suspense author Natalie Walters about our August pick, Spies, Lies, and Alibis. Natalie takes us behind the scenes of this Mr. & Mrs. Smith-inspired story and shares how she found her way to romantic suspense, what makes an idea worthy of becoming a novel, and why authenticity matters even in a story filled with spies, secrets, and high-stakes situations.

Episode Highlights:

• How Natalie found her way into writing romantic suspense and the inspiration behind Spies, Lies, and Alibis.
• Why “not every idea is a story and not every story idea works,” and how she determines which ideas are worth pursuing.
• Her desire to create stories that feel authentic and believable, even when the circumstances are larger than life.
• Why “there has to be a cost to the decisions a character makes, one way or the other.”
• Balancing suspense, romance, and humor to create the kind of escape that makes readers think, “That was so fun, let’s do it again.”
• Trusting readers to fill in the“Not every idea is a story and not every story idea works.”

Connect with Natalie:

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📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - Brighter Than Before with Courtney Walsh

🗓️ Sep 29th | 🕓 5 pm PST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST

After her seemingly perfect life falls apart, Claire takes a leap of faith into a fresh start in Chicago, discovering friendship, purpose, and the possibility of a brighter future along the way. Register Here.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• For the Write Reasons by Marybeth Whelan
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
• The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen

Book Flight

• The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
• The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
• The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Jessica Guerrieri, an award-winning novelist and essayist whose literary fiction explores the complexities of motherhood, identity, family, and the ways our past continues to shape us. She is the author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, winner of the 2023 Maurice Prize for Fiction, and her newest novel, Both Can Be True. Beyond her fiction, Jessica is a passionate voice in essays on sobriety and mental health communities. Her book flight includes books that explore alcoholism and addiction.

Episode Highlights:

• How writing became a form of escapism for Jessica as a new mom and in early sobriety
• Giving ourselves permission to have an identity outside of motherhood
• Sobriety, identity, and figuring out what comes next in recovery
• How alcohol can numb both the difficult and joyful parts of life
• Why reaching for our phones and doomscrolling doesn't actually give us the recharge we're looking for
• Writing complex women and allowing two conflicting truths to exist at once
• Why Jessica wants to write book club fiction that creates feelings, opinions, and conversations
• The intimacy of reading and how books allow us to experience someone else's life from the safety of our own
• A book flight exploring alcoholism, addiction, motherhood, and family dynamics

Connect with Jessica:

• Instagram
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
• Nothing Hurt and Everything Was Beautiful by Ben Reeves

Book Flight

• Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri
• The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (also The Burning Side)
• The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Send us Fan Mail

In today’s episode, I am chatting with Alli Dyer. Alli was born in Tennessee and raised in the mountains of Virginia. Alli is the author of Strange Folk and her latest novel, Night Songs. For the last decade, she worked in the entertainment and book publishing, bringing a unique perspective to the stories she tells.

We dive into Night Songs and the inspiration behind its story of family legacy, music, and discovering where we come from. Alli shares how growing up in the mountains of Virginia shaped her writing and why sensory details are so important when bringing a setting to life. We also talk about the stories that expand our understanding of the world and the special place audiobooks hold in Alli’s reading and writing life.

Episode Highlights:

• The childhood fantasy of discovering there is something special hidden in your family history
• How place, memory, and sensory details find their way into fiction
• Writing about family legacy and the stories we inherit
• Alli’s love of audiobooks and how listening influences her storytelling
• The books that have expanded her understanding of the world
• Her book flight includes audiobooks that have influenced her writing and storytelling

Connect with Alli:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Coal Miner’s Daughterby Loretta Lynn & George Vescey
• The Real Americans by Rachel Kuong
• Heart Food album - Judee Sill
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
• The Witches by Roald Dahl
• The Children by Melissa Albert
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Book Flight

• Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood
• The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
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Send us Fan Mail

Today's episode features Thao Thai, bestselling author of Banyan Moon. She joins us to discuss her latest novel, The Seekers of Deer Creek, a captivating story of two estranged sisters whose search for a lost painting uncovers long-buried family secrets stretching across generations and continents.

In our conversation, we explore the many ways art preserves history and memory, the fascinating world of art conservation, and what it truly means to be an artist. Thao shares how her travels inspired the settings in the novel, why creativity is essential even in the busiest seasons of life, and how motherhood has shaped her writing. We also discuss the joy of reading physical books, the importance of making space for creativity, and why everyone has an inner artist waiting to be discovered.

Episode Highlights

• The inspiration behind The Seekers of Deer Creek
• Why art is one of history's greatest storytellers
• The unseen work of preserving paintings and cultural artifacts
• Vietnamese identity and artistic legacy
• Balancing motherhood and a creative career
• The value of reading physical books
• Why everyone should embrace their inner artist
• Thao's book flight includes books about art and artists

Connect with Thao:

• Instagram
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
• All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley
• Sula by Toni Morrison
• Clutch by Emily Nemens

Book Flight

• Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
• Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress
• Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
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Send us Fan Mail

This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by New York Times bestselling author Rhys Bowen to discuss her latest novel, The Castle in the Glen. We explore the inspiration behind the story, why the Isle of Skye was the perfect setting, and how Rhys layers mysteries "like peeling away the layers of an onion."

Rhys also shares why she always travels to every location she writes about, how switching between her beloved mystery series and standalone novels keeps her creatively energized, and why returning to longtime characters feels like attending a high school reunion with old friends. Rhys’ book flight includes dual-timeline novels.

Episode Highlights:

• The inspiration behind The Castle in the Glen and writing a novel in another author's voice
• Why the Isle of Skye became the perfect setting
• How traveling to each setting shapes her storytelling
• The differences between writing standalone novels and a long-running series
• Why revisiting recurring characters feels like reconnecting with old friends
• Why she believes she'll always have more stories than she can write

Connect with Rhys:

• Website
• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Tony Hillerman books
• Agatha Christie books
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bowen
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

Book Flight

• The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley
• The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes
• Homecoming by Kate Morton

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
• Website

Send us Fan Mail

This week on Bookish Flights, internationally bestselling author Anna Johnston of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife and she returns to discuss her heartfelt new novel, When Lemons Give You Life. Inspired by her years working in aged care, Anna shares why she loves writing older characters who remind us that every stage of life still has purpose, dignity, and the capacity for joy.

Episode Highlights:

• The inspiration behind When Lemons Give You Life and why she calls it "an antidote to despair"
• Writing Lisa's character from her own experience of receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis
• The misconceptions surrounding ADHD in women and why she hopes readers feel seen
• Researching the unique challenges older LGBTQ+ adults can face in aged care
• Why cooking can become its own love language and a powerful way to care for others
• How stories help us build empathy and compassion—especially for older generations
• Anna's book flight features 3 memoirs

Connect with Anna:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North / The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Book Flight

• Don’t Buy What I’m Selling by Lu Chekowsky
• Imogen in Waiting by Lindsay Bartels
• The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

This episode is sponsored by Baker Book House, they brought a sweet, summer contemporary book flight. Enjoy 30% off and free shipping on any books ordered directly through their website.

• Bookmarked for Love by Sarah Monzon
• In a Word, Yes by Kit Tosello
• Almost by Design by Jenny Erlingsson

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website