Listen to Zibby Books author Alisha Fernandez Miranda's first Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books interview as she talks with bestselling author Sally Koslow about her latest novel, The Real Mrs. Tobias. Sally shares how she was inspired by her relationships with her own mother-in-law and daughters-in-law and wanted to capture those dynamics in a multi-generational family. Sally and Alisha also discuss why Sally made the switch from a lifelong career as a magazine editor to a novelist, what she learned when she became a grandmother, and how the publishing industry has changed from her first book to now.
Zibby is joined by publisher and poet Jonathan Galassi to talk about his latest novel, School Days, which follows students at an all-boys boarding school through graduation and into their lives as adults. The two discuss Jonathan's use of sexuality as a common thread through the characters' development, the importance of loyalty in this story and the real-life atmosphere it was inspired by, and why he believes very few people are naturally great writers. Jonathan also shares how he found his way into publishing and what he is reading right now.
Entrepreneur, author, and musician Nabil Ayers joins Zibby to discuss his debut memoir, My Life in the Sunshine, which tells the story of his unique family structure and how he met his father, jazz artist Roy Ayers, when he was 35. The two talk about Nabil's mother and his reactions to the decisions she made that ultimately shaped his life, his relationship with Judaism, and how Zibby accidentally shared this book's cover before Nabil did. Nabil also shares how he found his way to writing later in life and how his wife pushed him to finally share this story.
Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author, poet, and professor Erika L. Sánchez to talk about her memoir, Crying in the Bathroom. Erika shares how she first fell in love with poetry and writing, the ways in which her rebellion against cultural and religious norms has shaped her work, and why she decided to start this memoir by sharing intimate details about her body. The two also discuss what Erika is reading right now and which form of writing she's returning to with her next project.
Listen to Allison Pataki's first Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books interview as she talks with Lynda Loigman about her latest book, The Matchmaker's Gift, which was inspired in part by her "bonus daughter" who stayed with her family during the pandemic. The two discuss how Lynda developed her characters by thinking about them so regularly that they became real to her, why she wanted to include a touch of magic in the story, and who in Lynda's life serves as inspiration for her next book.
**This is part two of a double episode.** Neil deGrasse Tyson is a genius. Truly. An astrophysicist whose family pushed him to follow his dreams of being an athlete when really he wanted to study the universe, Dr. Tyson has become a cult celebrity, regularly stopped on the street to talk selfies with his adoring fans. You know how some people just get it?! You know they hold all the secrets as if carrying around a fragile tray across a room that the rest of us have to stand on tiptoes to see. Dr. Tyson literally knows the meaning of life and translates everything from race and disability to dogs and daytime in his show-stopping, must-read book.
That’s why Zibby spent two episodes with Dr. Tyson. This is the first/second of the series discussing his new book, Starry Messenger.
**This is part one of a double episode.** Neil deGrasse Tyson is a genius. Truly. An astrophysicist whose family pushed him to follow his dreams of being an athlete when really he wanted to study the universe, Dr. Tyson has become a cult celebrity, regularly stopped on the street to talk selfies with his adoring fans. You know how some people just get it?! You know they hold all the secrets as if carrying around a fragile tray across a room that the rest of us have to stand on tiptoes to see. Dr. Tyson literally knows the meaning of life and translates everything from race and disability to dogs and daytime in his show-stopping, must-read book.
That’s why Zibby spent two episodes with Dr. Tyson. This is the first/second of the series discussing his new book, Starry Messenger.
Former staff writer at The New York Times Katie Hafner joins Zibby to discuss her debut novel, The Boys, which grew out of a conversation she and her daughter overheard on a vacation years ago. The two talk about Katie's thoughts on her own twist ending, why she wanted to work with a smaller publisher, and her love story with her late husband. Katie also shares why she warns writers to be careful when writing memoirs and why it was so freeing, as a journalist and non-fiction author, to make up her own set of facts.
Writer and historian Nishant Batsha joins Zibby to talk about his debut novel, Mother Ocean Father Nation, which he wrote in tandem with his dissertation on Indian indentured labor in Trinidad and Fiji. Nishant shares how he wrote four different books and pulled parts from each before combining them all and arriving at the story that was eventually published. The two also discuss the advice Nishant received from other writers with PhDs that shaped his career trajectory, how he found his way to academia after a medical emergency in his late teens, and the history at the center of his next book, A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart.
Zibby is joined by teacher and debut memoirist Leah Witman Moore to talk about her new book, Loving You Big, which tells the story of how Leah found her voice as a mother to children with disabilities. The two discuss when Leah managed to write during her busy days, which things she wishes society better understood about those with disabilities, and the moment in her classroom when she realized she had to tell this story. Leah also shares what she's read most recently and her favorite depiction of families with disabilities in the media.
Zibby is joined by the founder and CEO of Copper Books, Allison Trowbridge, to discuss her new company and her book, Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning. The two talk about the experiences Allison and her family went through that inspired her to write an epistolary memoir to a fictional friend and how her struggles have inspired her to make positive changes in the world. Allison also shares why she started Copper Books as a social media platform dedicated to authors and readers. Download it on the App Store today to find live events, book discussions, and so much more!
Zibby was joined by Lauren Billings, one half of the internationally bestselling writing duo Christina Lauren, for a Bookcation conversation with The Gloss Book Club. The two talked about how Lauren and her writing partner Christina Hobbs began working together, how they feel about the way others tend to view romance novels, and what she likes to read in her spare time. Lauren also shares what the two are currently working on and why she loves working with a co-author.
Candice Carty-Williams, the bestselling author of Queenie, joins Zibby to talk about her latest novel, People Person, which follows five half-siblings and their larger-than-life father. The two discuss how the writing process for this book differed from writing Queenie, the impact Covid had on Candice's work and her personal life, and how being shy affects her interactions with fans. Candice also shares how she started writing through working in the publishing industry and why she currently loves reading poetry.
New York Times bestselling author Jenny Mollen returns to talk with Zibby about her new cookbook, Dictator Lunches, which grew out of the popular Instagram where she shares the lunches she prepares for her children. The two discuss their kids' eating habits, hacks to make lunches more interesting without making them more complicated, and why food is Jenny's love language. Jenny also shared the main ways working on a cookbook differed from working on her memoirs and novel, and what she'd consider writing next.
Zibby is joined by the writing duo behind Cassidy Lucas, Julia Fierro and Caeli Wolfson Widger, to talk about their second book, The Last Party. Julia and Caeli share how they met through Julia's Craigslist listing for a writing group, the ways in which working as partners has strengthened their skills, and what's happening next for Cassidy Lucas and both writers individually. Julia and Caeli also tell Zibby all about the birthday party camping trip that inspired them to set this book in Topanga Canyon.