Every so often, a new author tackles the work of expanding a classic novel to expand its reach. Even more rarely, they succeed beautifully. This week’s book, Adventures of Mary Jane is just such a rare gem. Mary Jane's author, Hope Jahren, is a scientist (a geochemist, no less) who decided to write the story of Mary Jane, a character that haunted her from th ... Show More
Oct 22
Bonnie Garmus and the Unique World of Peck & Peck
Bonnie Garmus’ follow up to GMA Book Club Pick Lessons in Chemistry, called Peck & Peck, is a wild and funny foray into the world of poetry. Compulsively readable with unforgettable characters, the novel centers around Batter, a poetry editor who ends up at a world renown poetry ... Show More
42m 58s
Oct 15
Yiyun Li and the Music of Writing
When we visited with Ann Patchett a few months ago, she talked almost non stop about Yiyun Li’s newest, MUSIC AGAINST THE NIGHT, which she called “close the perfect novel”. We went right home and read it and booked Yiyun for her earliest availability, because she was right. Yiyun ... Show More
40m 9s
Sep 2020
Bestselling Jane Green's Advice to Writers
Author and host, Bianca Marais, chats with the delightful international bestselling author, Jane Green, about her twenty-five year career in publishing. Jane gives insight with regards to rejection letters, bidding wars, bestselling novels, a writer's brand, when it's time to cha ... Show More
30m 6s
Jun 2025
Ep. 228 - Jane Johnson on how her editing experience made her a better author
Jane Johnson is a novelist, historian, and publisher. She is the UK publisher of many bestselling authors, including George R.R. Martin. She has written for both adults and children, including the bestselling novels The Tenth Gift and The Salt Road. Her latest book is Secrets of ... Show More
1h 4m
Jun 2024
To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapters 1-8
Welcome back to a new series of discussions on another beloved novel, this time on one of the best American novels ever written. In this episode, we talk about Harper Lee’s use of voice in telling the story (and why it’s somewhat similar to Jane Austen), the importance of the cha ... Show More
1h 11m
Sep 2023
Talking to Stephen King and September Books to Check Out
<p>Stephen King’s new novel, “Holly,” is his sixth book to feature the private investigator Holly Gibney, who made her debut as a mousy side character in the 2014 novel “Mr. Mercedes” and has become more complicated and interesting with each subsequent appearance. King appears on ... Show More
38m 48s
Oct 2025
Childhood Mythology & the Greatest Medieval Epic
For a new season of this podcast, Tsh Oxenreider is talking with people about two books that changed them: one from childhood, one from adulthood. Who better to start with than her own daughter, Tatum?* the Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan* Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine ... Show More
33m 17s
Sep 2020
How an Editor Acquires a Manuscript
Author and host, Bianca Marais, takes you behind the scenes of publishing as she chats with editor, Kerri Kolen, about how editors acquire manuscripts; what the acquisition process looks like; how interminable the wait for news is; as well as how advances are calculated, how roya ... Show More
36m 1s
Aug 2025
All the (More!) Books! August 29, 2025
This week, Vanessa recommends two books set in academia: a sapphic work of gothic meta fiction and a story about a fixer and the one problem she just can't fix. Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and never miss a book. Sign up for the weekly New Boo ... Show More
13m 1s
Jun 2021
Interview with Emiko Jean, author of Tokyo Ever After
On today's episode, Jill is joined by author Emiko Jean to discuss her new book Tokyo Ever After. The pair discuss the importance of writing a character she wanted to see growing up, the interesting nuances of the Imperial Family of Japan, and stories from Emiko's time working wi ... Show More
23m 58s