Killing the Tea

This week, I talk with Erin Crosby Eckstine about her debut Southern Gothic, Junie. She shares how the book developed across years of writing, the importance of portraying enslaved characters with full humanity rather than stereotypes, and why she crafted Junie as a flawed, emotionally real teenager navigating a world she can't yet fully understand. Erin also explains Gothic and Southern Gothic traditions, the role of ghostly elements like Minnie, the influence of literature within the story, and how intergenerational family history shaped both the novel and her own life.Follow Erin on:InstagramTikTok Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Audra McElyea returns to talk about her new locked-room, cancel-culture thriller Not Good People, a twisty ensemble mystery set in a blizzard-stranded Blue Ridge Mountain castle. Audra shares how a decades-old British play inspired her to blend popcorn-thriller pacing with a deeper moral reckoning, how she crafted eleven interconnected characters through actor-based mannerisms, and why the story's escalating secrets force readers to examine not just the cast—but themselves. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we think are good discussion starters for book clubs!Books We Talked AboutKate's PicksBlood Over Bright Haven by M.L. WangDominion by Addie E. CitchensMy Husband by Maud VenturaProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirAllegedly by Tiffany D JacksonGare's PicksKeep it In the Family by John MarrsBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoHis & Hers by Alice FeeneyAmerican Psycho by Bret Easton EllisSteph's PicksWitchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady HendrixNone of This is True by Lisa JewellSisters of the Lost Nation by Nick MedinaDon't Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKannaAll the Sinners Bleed by S.A. CosbyThe Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Wen-Yi Lee about her adult fantasy debut When They Burned the Butterfly—a fierce, Sapphic story of rage, inheritance, and transformation set in post-colonial Singapore. She shares how her homecoming to Singapore shaped this deeply personal book, how real history and mythology intertwined to form her world of fire magic and girl gangs, and why female rage and found family remain at the heart of her storytelling. We also dive into her creative process, from “chasing the shiny thing” when writing to reimagining real-life places and histories that have since disappeared. If you love Jade City, The Poppy War, or any fantasy that blazes with feminist fury, you will love When They Burned the Butterfly! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I got to chat with bestselling author Nic Stone to talk about her adult debut thriller, Boom Town—a gritty, sexy, and socially sharp story set in Atlanta's iconic strip-club scene. Nic opens up about her path from YA to adult fiction, the inspiration behind Boom Town (and why she wrote it before anyone else could), and how she approached portraying sex work, power, and autonomy with authenticity and respect. We also discuss banned books, Atlanta's strip club culture, Nic's dad's unforgettable reaction to the audiobook, and the sheer joy of writing complex, powerful Black women. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Steph and I got chat with Kirsten Miller about her newest novel The Women of Wild Hill. She shares the evolution of her writing process, and the inspirations behind her sharp, witchy, and deeply human stories.She dives into her love of flawed “unlikable” women, and her view of witchcraft as a metaphor for women's power and connection to nature. She unpacks how setting, character, and “vibe” shape her work; how hope underpins even her darkest stories; and how The Women of Wild Hill extends the feminist universe begun in The Change, spanning generations of women using their power against patriarchy.We also discuss the cultural resurgence of witch narratives, the importance of honoring women's sacrifices throughout history, audiobook narration with January LaVoy, and the enduring magic of storytelling as both art and act of resistance.Women of Wild Hill Synopsis Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Halley is back and she shares her experiences at NoirCon, I share my new obsession with Scream With Me, a non-fiction book that draws parallels between popular horror movies from 1968-1980 and feminism, and then we must dive into the monstrous men who star in and/or create some of said films. Because how could we not end up talking about that??We also do a brief bit on Lily Allen's new album West End Girl, Kayla Nicole's Halloween clapback, and the continuing conflict of Ms. Swift. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Cate Holahan about her new thriller The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. She shares the real life case that inspired the kidnapping structure, how anxiety fuels her best ideas, and how she approached writing an AI tech guru.The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold SynopsisAlice Ingold has been kidnapped. Call the police. Alert the media. You can't play this game without all the pieces.Beautiful, blond, and immensely privileged, Alice Ingold is the perfect victim for a true-crime obsessed culture--and for a masked duo with a singular purpose. Instead of a demand for ransom, her captors have a riddle, and they're inviting the entire country to solve it.No one is more invested in the search than Alice's parents: Catherine, a socialite with obscene generational wealth, and Brian, a visionary AI tech guru. But while Brian turns to machines to solve the problem, Catherine tries to crowdsource the solution, stopping at nothing to bring her daughter home. And America isn't just watching the story unfold...it's playing along. The nationwide scavenger hunt for Alice is on.As an increasingly desperate Catherine strives to understand each new clue, a complex picture of the crime develops. Soon, everyone will see the kidnapping of Alice Ingold for what it is--and Alice won't be the only one who will need saving. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Pelumi Olatinpo about his new poetry collection Manifest Destiny. He shares how and why he created a new type of poetry, what inspired him to write about Manifest Destiny and the way it echoes throughout history, and the power of bearing witness.Manifest Destiny SynopsisAmerica turns 250 in 2026. In MANIFEST DESTINY, Pelumi Olatinpo delivers an essential examination of what we've been, what we are, and what we might become.This isn't a traditional book. It's a new form entirely—159 “sonetas” that compress centuries into seconds, each one exactly sixty words. Think of them as diagnostic tools, or prayers, or evidence. Olatinpo's innovation makes complex history feel like music in your bones.Olatinpo writes with the authority of someone who has lived the contradictions he interrogates: arriving undocumented at fifteen, becoming a citizen twenty-two years later. This second book after the acclaimed Poeta moves through four sections—from intimate love through historical memory to prophetic witness—each soneta a small revelation.“All men are created equal, some more equal than others.”“In Lagos, you damn the bled, or join the dead.”“I've loved you with the darkest and brightest blues / Of every ocean.”The journey spans continents and centuries, connecting Gaza to Gettysburg, colonial Nigeria to contemporary Chicago. Code-switching between biblical prophecy, constitutional language, and Nigerian Pidgin, Olatinpo reveals patterns we've been trained not to see.Extensive endnotes turn every reference into a teaching moment. The final piece appears on the book's endpaper—making it impossible to close without confronting the question: who remembers?For readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me, Claudia Rankine's Citizen, and anyone seeking to understand America at this crucial moment.Essential reading for the 250th anniversary. A book that transcends genre to become necessary equipment for our time. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite recommendations for spooky season!Kate's PicksNo Road Home by John FramThe Getaway by Lamar GilesThe Buffalo Hunter HunterThe Macabre by Kosoko JacksonJackal by Erin E. AdamsGare's PicksNightwatcher by Daphne WolsoncroftPlease See Us by Caitlin MullenThe Sundown Motel by Simone St. JamesKeep This For Me by Jennifer FawcettSteph's PicksLook Closer by David EllisAlmost Surely Dead by Amina AkhtarPlay Nice by Rachel HarrisonSlewfoot by BromHow to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society.The Bone Thief SynopsisIn the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears.As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried.  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare and I talk with THE Lucinda Berry about her new audiobook This Is a Safe Space!  We dive into her inspiration for this story, how writing for audio changes her process, and how she balances twists and trauma.This Is A Safe Space SynopsisJenna, who runs a successful private therapy practice, still struggles with trust issues of her own. She's made a promise to stop snooping in her husband Colten's phone, but sometimes she can't help herself. One night, she discovers a troubling exchange between him and his cousin Bodie, who's one of his closest friends. A dancer from a bachelor party they both recently attended is threatening Bodie, claiming they crossed a line sexually and that she'll expose the truth to his family if she doesn't get what she wants. They don't know much about this woman, or how far she's willing to go. But Jenna might.Lexus Chardonnay, the stage name of the dancer from the party, is one you don't forget. And Jenna's heard it before—from one of her clients.Kaitlyn is a medical school student who dances on weekends to put herself through school. Jenna's been her therapist for years, except she hasn't seen her for three months. Not since Kaitlyn stopped showing up for treatment, without explanation. As Jenna begins to listen back to their past sessions, desperate for answers, a more complicated picture emerges, and she must decide who to trust as her career and her family hang in the balance. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I'm chatting with a new co-host, Erin Ashley! She shares her interest in memoirs about musicians, how she came to love them as a music journalist, and the fiction she's been trying to read more of this year.Follow Erin here on InstagramAnd subscribe to her Substack for posts and interviews! Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Nekesa Afia about her new historical-contemporary mystery As Long As You're Mine. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fascination with the past, and how her present and past characters are up against similar power imbalances.As Long As You're Mine SynopsisProfessional ballerina Thea Ross's world shatters when her screen-legend father commits suicide, leaving behind a shocking confession to a decades-old murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Thea teams up with a relentless journalist, following a trail of clues that leads her back to the glittering yet treacherous world of 1930s Hollywood.There, she discovers the story of Lorelei Davies, a struggling actress willing to endure anything for her family's sake. As Thea peels back the layers of Lorelei's life—her dreams, fears, and dangerous secrets—the connection between Lorelei's past and Thea's present challenges everything she believes about her family history. But as she untangles all the lies, she comes to know herself more truly than ever before.As Thea navigates the glamorous facade of Old Hollywood, she must decide whether uncovering the truth about her father is worth sacrificing the life she planned—and whether some secrets are better left buried in Hollywood's golden age.  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Steph and I chat with Sagit Schwartz about her new thriller The Underdog! We dive into her inspiration for the story, what she loved about writing crazed fan Norma, and how Sagit and I successfully recorded an audiobook thousands of miles apart from each other!The Underdog SynopsisWhen Liz, an aspiring director stuck working as a chaperone for a reality TV music show, picks up a new contestant from a psychiatric hospital, dubbed “The Singing Patient” by fans online, things take an unexpected turn. The contestant disappears at the airport, and Liz finds herself under police suspicion, accused of helping the woman flee in exchange for money.Across the country, Norma, an obsessive viewer of The Underdog, is captivated by one contestant's story. Feeling an intense connection, she travels to Los Angeles to watch the show filmed live and meet her.As the mystery deepens and the investigation into the missing contestant intensifies, the shocking murder of The Singing Patient's husband leads Liz and Norma into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. With each twist and turn, Liz discovers that Norma is not your average fan—but someone far more dangerous. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

Bonus Episode!!  In this first episode of my new Continuing Ed series, MacKenzie Green joins me to talk about a non-fiction book she convinced me to read: Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American RacismThe book covers the way America chose to "educate" both Native and Black children, but for Indigenous People's Day, we chose to focus on how Indigenous children were treated and taught as our country built its education system.We cover how Thomas Jefferson's Doctrine of Destiny laid the groundwork for the belief in Manifest Destiny, and how Manifest Destiny lead to white people believing that Black and Indigenous populations were inferior and savage, groups of people to be "civilized" by an army of good white Lady Bountiful teachers.Make sure you go support MacKenzie's Substack here !And follow her on Instagram here ! Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with John Fugelsang about his new book Separation of Church and Hate! He shares why he's passionate about taking back the religion of his parents from the way it has been used as a cloak for hate, how it's near impossible to find a quality in Donald Trump that aligns with Jesus' teachings, and ways to lead Christian Nationalists to arguing with God/scripture instead of yourself.Separation of Church and Hate SynopsisTold with Fugelsang's trademark blend of radical honesty, relevant humor, and deep political and religious knowledge, Separation of Church and Hate is the book every American today needs. It is a return to civility, a rallying cry for compassion and clarity, and a reclamation of the values and truths we hold dear, for anyone who was raised Christian but has become disillusioned with organized religion; for Democrats, progressives, liberals, and moderates who are tired of the right wing pretending to own Christianity; for atheists, agnostics, and any one of any faith who's sick of the fundamentalists using religion as a cloaking device for hate; for everyone who's realized you don't necessarily need organized religion to be a good person.For over two centuries, the United States constitution has given us the right to live in a society where church and state exist independently, and without conflict. So why is it that, suddenly, Christianity is being co-opted by far-right groups, politicians, friends, and family members to justify oppressive and unequal policies? And how do we fight back against those acting—literally—in bad faith? In this informative, perspective-shifting guide, Fugelsang takes readers through common talking points and arguments—God condemns abortion, gay marriage is a sin, guns are an ordained right, and more—and exposes their hypocrisy and overall inaccuracy through scripture, philosophy, and plain old common sense.Separation of Church and Hate, a new and critical book from comedian and TV and radio host John Fugelsang—who himself is the child of a former Catholic nun and Franciscan brother—finally offers the answers. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

Halley Sutton is back! I can't even begin to tell you every topic we talked about, because we basically caught up with each others' lives while also talking about some books, movies and TV shows. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare and I got to talk with Jennifer Fawcett about her serial killer thriller Keep This For Me! We dive into her inspiration for the story, how she was drawn to writing about the aftermath of a serial killer's actions, and how grief and trauma effect families for generations.Keep This For Me SynopsisOne hot August night in 1993, a young couple go to a party. When their car breaks down, they are picked up by a truck driver who attacks the man and abducts the woman. She is never seen again.That woman was Fiona Green's mother.When the trucker, Eddie Ward, is caught, a mass grave of bodies is discovered in his backyard but Fiona's mother isn't there. Thirty years later, on his prison deathbed, Ward insists that he didn't kill her, so Fiona finds herself back in the small town where her mother disappeared. Fighting demons of her own, she's shocked when history repeats itself: another woman, another roadside breakdown, and another disappearance. Only this time the primary suspect is Jason Ward, Eddie's son. Desperate, Fiona hunts down answers, unaware that she is being drawn into a dangerous trap.With Jennifer Fawcett's signature “suspenseful and immersive” (Library Journal) prose, Keep This for Me is a fresh, spellbinding exploration of what we unwillingly inherit from our parents and how one random act can send ripples years into the future. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with C.I. Jerez about her emotional and empowering novel At the Island's Edge. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how she explored PTSD, and why she chose to write about a single mom who served in the army.At the Island's Edge SynopsisAn Iraq War veteran returns to Puerto Rico to reconnect with―and confront―the past in a heart-wrenching novel about duty, motherhood, and the healing power of home. As a combat medic, Lina LaSalle went to Iraq to save the lives of fellow soldiers. But when her convoy is attacked, she must set aside her identity as a healer and take a life herself.Although she is honored as a hero when she returns to the US, Lina cannot find her footing. She is stricken with PTSD and unsure of how to support her young son, Teó, a little boy with Tourette's. As her attempts to self-medicate become harder to hide, Lina realizes she must do the toughest thing yet: ask for help.She retreats to her parents' house in Puerto Rico, where Teó thrives under her family's care. Lina finds kinship, too―with a cousin whose dreams were also shattered by the war and with a handsome and caring veteran who sought refuge on the island and runs a neighborhood bar.But amid the magic of the island are secrets and years of misunderstandings that could erode the very stability she's fighting for. Hope lies on the horizon, but can she keep her gaze steady? Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, we have some chaotic dog interruptions, I recorded int he dark because I couldn't even with the light, AND we broke a record and talked about more than 30 books in one episode!! Enjoy the chaos that is Gare, Steph and my 10 Before the End episode.Kate's  10 Before the EndWhat We Leave Behind by Wanda Morrishttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/250326a1-6252-41eb-8fbd-318b3903b56cCamp Damascus by Chuck Tinglehttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3e324bb5-9f00-4258-817b-00c69ad824f7The Midnight Knock by John Framhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/46ce3210-0707-4b1d-89b7-0c573c72aca8When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-Yi Leehttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e294b55a-9bf5-42cd-a8c2-88aa2f65c91bBoom Town by Nic Stonehttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/81091a8c-97c2-4037-aaaf-666230289df8The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwoodhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3aaf1dab-83a2-4089-9345-680455651355James by Percival Everetthttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cd626fd8-11de-458a-a71a-4b1c64c86ff1Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burtonhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/cda69bb3-94a7-4b17-82ef-3036a098d7cdBeautyland by Marie-Helene Bertinohttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a5d8c362-9ccc-4bfa-869c-44c8847b17efI, Medusa by Ayana Grayhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e2c48dc1-1ee0-4904-9b6e-d53e3f23712b Gare's 10 Before the EndForget You Saw Her Noelle W Ihlihttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bbd97b5b-38b0-4982-bb5d-60fcee5a243cHaven't Killed In Years by Amy K. Greenhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/70c6f0b5-c572-4689-b5e5-880199ce497cWe Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewerhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/49154c03-2e3c-4b00-b63f-1d6a7ef61fdbWatch Us Fall by Christina Kovachttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/25a51cf8-34f3-41d5-aefa-f4ff20d1159cWith Friends Like These by Alissa Leehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224004584-with-friends-like-these?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=9sa6BhhMqr&rank=1The Fix by Mia Sheridanhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7642f03d-53ab-441d-bfc2-c435fde870a1Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashinohttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/03c6a590-d537-4566-8bb2-0147089b467dIf I Go Missing by Leslie Wolfehttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4a5751dd-ce3d-4d23-b7e5-21d8c95028b4The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolishttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/345b587e-4541-496e-91d6-9738a1e5534aThe Haunting by Natasha Prestonhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2ebce8b2-c94b-489f-87a4-bcff8591d1d8 Steph's  10 Before the EndThe Adults by Alison Espachhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b9ebc09a-4c52-4a56-a833-b25b38572ac8The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Jacksonhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1d352936-217c-4d99-a0a3-8e5167d6c7cfBreakneck Bay by Faith Gardnerhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/886205bb-7647-4a28-b688-71c275927c32Still True by Maggie Ginsburghttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b2973ace-7b9a-47c8-9bde-faf6b87874e3Heartbroke by Chelsea Biekerhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/9ee3902f-6e65-4e7e-992d-cf742c3938efIs This A Cry For Help by Emily Austinhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/868d3c84-e887-4075-adea-460a26d5eb79Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryellhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7fe84956-aabb-4e62-9fbb-66813da5b7c5This Girl's a Killer by Emma C. Wellshttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/ad549123-76a8-442c-a809-789048a5902aLove You to Death by Christina Dotsonhttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4ffd068e-b2da-4108-9e79-409aff0c9a9cThe Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cookehttps://app.thestorygraph.com/books/bb8fdd23-aaa5-4103-8972-427720e99382 Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Alma Katsu about her new horror novel Fiend. We dive into her inspiration for the story, what draws her to horror, and how she crafted this insidious family.**Every tech issue that could happen did happen, so there's a somewhat rough cut when we had to switch platforms.Fiend by Alma Katsu SynopsisImagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they've always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They're blessed.At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris's most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora's job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn't get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I dive into how I went from listening to audiobooks, to wanting to edit audiobooks, to co-narrating and editing my first audiobook over the course of like six months!Hear how narrating and producing The Underdog came together with Sagit Schwartz, what surprised me about narrating, and how sentimental I am that I recorded it in my neighborhood library. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their second in their Sanchez & Heron series The Grave Artists. We dive into how they create a Serial Killer 2.0, the positive and negative uses of technology, and how they write together.The Grave Artist SynopsisA wedding reception is coming to a close in the Hollywood Hills when the blissful day is shattered by the death of one of the newlyweds. Though the incident appears to be an accident, Homeland Security Investigations agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner, security expert Jake Heron, discover that the tragedy is the third in a series of similar deaths and conclude something far more sinister is at play.The two uncover chilling evidence pointing to a serial killer who has taken evil to the next level. Dubbed the Honeymoon Killer, this man isn't interested in his victims but in creating his own macabre masterpiece from their graves--focused on the survivors and reveling in their grief. And now his dark obsession has turned to Carmen and Jake...The Honeymoon Killer has decided they are the perfect next target. Take one out and delight as the other crumbles. Time is running out as a deadly game between predator and prey begins. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we are excited about on our Fall TBRs!Books We Talked AboutThe Reformatory by Tananarive DueSalt Bones by Jennifer GivhanKeep This for Me by Jennifer FawcettThe Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten MillerCursed Daughters by Oyinkan BraithwaiteThe Hitchhikers by Chevy StevensThe Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchAlchemy of Secrets by Stephanie GarberThe Intruder by Freida McFaddenThrough Our Teeth by Pamela N. HarrisThe Haunting of Room 904 by Erica T. WurthThe Bone Thief by Vanessa LillieLife and Death and Giants by Bob Rinaldi Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with L.S. Stratton about her newest thriller In Deadly Company! We dive into how she wanted to write a fun, bingey thriller, how she used the meta approach of a movie being made about the past timeline, and how she crafted the very corrupt, very welathy family in the middle of it all.In Deadly Company SynopsisAs the assistant of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Nicole Underwood has plenty of tasks on her to-do list—one of which is the blowout birthday celebration for her nightmare, one-percenter boss, Xander Chambers. But when the party ends in chaos and murder and Nicole is one of the survivors, suspicion—from the investigators to the media—lands on her. Was she the reason for all the bloodshed?A year after those deadly events, Nicole tries to set the public record straight by agreeing to consult on a feature film based on her story. However, on the set in LA, she's sidelined by inappropriate casting and persistent, bizarre script changes, while also haunted by the events of that party weekend with visions of her now-deceased boss. It seems clearing her name isn't so simple when the question of guilt or innocence is...complicated. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Steph and I talk about fiction books that taught us about different subjects!Books We Talked AboutPlay Nice by Rachel HarrisonEloquent Rage by Brittney CooperWordslut by Amanda MontellHood Feminism by Mikki KendallThe Great Mann by Kyra Davis LurieFrancine's Spectacular Crash and Burn Renee SwindleYou Know Her by Meagan JennettThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliWhat Comes After by Joanne TompkinsBlood Sisters by Vanessa LillieThe Whistler by Nick MedinaDo What Godmother Says by Shelley StrattonHarlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher MurrayThe Reformatory by Tananarive DueMy Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed NewsonThe Great Believers by Rebecca MakkaiThe Yellow Wife by Sadeqa JohnsonThe House of Eve by Sadeqa JohnsonTake My Hand by Dolen Perkins-ValdezHappy Land by Dolen Perkins-ValdezThe Foundling by Ann LearyThe Manor of Dreams by Christina Li Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Penny Zang about her debut novel Doll Parts! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the importance of music throughout, and the ways Sylvia Plath's life and writing influenced Doll Parts.Doll Parts SynopsisSome stories refuse to stay buried.For best friends Nikki and Sadie, college was supposed to be a fresh start, a way to blast Courtney Love from car speakers and leave their youth behind. But along with sadness-obsessed girls and intrusive professors, a dark story plagues their small all-women's school: the Sylvia Club, a campus legend surrounding the deaths of multiple Sylvia Plath-adoring students, all written off as suicides. Aspiring writer Nikki finds herself drawn to the tragic tales, so much so that dead girls begin to haunt her dark imagination. As she digs deeper, Nikki soon suspects there's much more to the story - a suspicion that will lead to a tragedy of its own, one that will tear her and Sadie apart.It's been nearly twenty years since Sadie last saw her estranged friend. Now, Nikki is dead, and when Sadie ends up pregnant by Nikki's grieving husband not long after the funeral, she finds herself stepping into her ex-best friend's seemingly perfect life. But the longer Sadie lives in Nikki's eerily preserved home, the more she sees her appear and soon, she's convinced that Nikki is sending her clues from beyond the grave. Because it seems Nikki never stopped looking for answers about what happened to the girls of the Sylvia Club, and she may have been its latest victim. Told in a dual timeline, Doll Parts is a provocative and irresistible debut, at once an exploration of the dark chasms that break apart friendships, an ode to the aching beauty of girlhood, and a sharp portrayal of grief that can physically haunt you.  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about some of our favorite books we read in August!Books We Talked AboutMy Husband by Maud VenturaToo Old for This by Samantha DowningDon't Forget to Write by Sarah Goodman-ConfinoHappy Land by Dolen Perkins-ValdezThe Locked Ward by Sarah PekkanenKnife River by Justine ChampineDominion by Addie CitchensEveryone is Lying to You by Jo PiazzaEverything is Tuberculosis by John GreenThe Trad Wife's Secret by Liane Child Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Rebecca McKanna with Steph Lauer IN PERSON about Rebecca's book Don't Forget the Girl. We dive into how a short story collection inspired the book, how she got to know her characters, and why she chose the ending she chose.Don't Forget the Girl SynopsisWe never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers. Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby's best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby's memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crimes. The friends, estranged in the wake of Abby's disappearance, and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments, must reunite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to Blue's murders.Tense and introspective, Don't Forget the Girl is an astonishing debut thriller that mines the complexities of friendship and the secrets between us that we may take to the grave.  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare, Steph and I share short, bingey books we highly recommend!Books We Talked AboutEveryone Is Lying to You – Joe PiazzaThe Favorite Girl – Monica AryaThe Mad Wife - Meagan ChurchThe Grave Artist – Isabella Maldonado & Jeffrey DeaverHappy Land – Dolen Perkins-ValdezBath Haus – P.J. VernonShort & BingeyEverything Is Tuberculosis – John GreenThe Trap – Catherine Ryan HowardThe Locked Door – Freida McFaddenLiars – Sarah MangusoThe Retreat – Krysten RitterI Did It for You – Amy EngelLula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books – Kirsten MillerBlack Sheep – Rachel HarrisonThe Woods Are Waiting – Katherine Green Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Kaila Yu about her memoir Fetishization: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty.  We dive into her experience growing up amidst yellow fever, how her self image was affected, and how she learned to love and accept herself.Fetishization: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty SynopsisNo one fetishized Kaila Yu more than she fetishized herself. As a young girl, she dreamt of beauty. But none of the beautiful women on television looked like her. In the late '90s and early 2000s Asian women were often reduced to overtly sexual and submissive caricatures—the geishas of the book-turned-film Memoirs of a Geisha; the lewd twins, Fook Mi and Fook Yu, in Austin Powers in Goldmember; Papillon Soo Soo's sex worker character in the cult Vietnam War movie Full Metal Jacket; and pin-up goddess Sung-Hi Lee. Meanwhile, the "girls next door" were always white. Within that narrow framework, Kaila internalized a painful conclusion: The only way someone who looked like her could have value or be considered beautiful and desirable was to sexualize herself.Blending vulnerable stories from Yu's life with incisive cultural critique and history, Fetishized is a memoir-in-essays exploring feminism, beauty, yellow fever, and the roles pop culture and colonialism played in shaping pervasive and destructive stereotypes about Asian women and their bodies. Yu reflects on the women in media who influenced her, the legacy of U.S. occupation in shaping Western perceptions of Asian women, her own experiences in the pinup and import modeling industry, auditioning for TV and film roles that perpetuated dehumanizing stereotypes, and touring the world with her band in revealing outfits. She recounts altering her body to conform to Western beauty standards, allowing men to treat her like a sex object, and the emotional toll and trauma of losing her sense of self in the pursuit of the image she thought the world wanted.  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Zoe B. Wallbrook about her hilariously funny and suspenseful mystery novel History Lessons. We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she incorporated misogynoir and how she injected so much humor.History Lessons SynopsisA college history professor must solve her superstar colleague's murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.The rising star of Harrison University's anthropology department was never one of Daphne's favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn't prevent Sam's killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get.Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam's murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus.This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare shares all the ins and outs of Ethel Cain's dark, haunting album Preacher's Daughter!Check out the album here. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I chat with Leigh Dunlap about her darkly comical debut thriller Bless Your Heart. We dive into her inspiration for the story, how her screenwriting background influenced her novel writing process, and how her relationship with her son formed the story.Bless Your Heart SynopsisAnderson Tupper, a member of one of Atlanta's richest families, has been murdered in the dugout of the Little League field where he was a volunteer coach, and it's up to Detective Shay Claypool, a single mother from the other side of town, to find his killer.With the exclusive area of Buckhead threatening to secede from the city of Atlanta and take its tax revenue with it, Shay is under pressure to solve the murder of one of Buckhead's own. Accustomed to handling drug dealers and prostitutes, she must now contend with an even more sinister the Buckhead Betties, the insufferably entitled women of Georgia's most affluent zip code. One of them might be a murderer, but who? Is it the old-money queen of Buckhead? The mysterious new girl in town? The drug dealing trophy wife?It seems secrets and lies are as plentiful as luxury handbags in Atlanta and everyone's guilty of something. Shay's investigation will make her examine her own prejudices and discover that, as women and mothers, she might not be that different from the Betties after all. And if she isn't careful, they just might take her down with them. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Samantha Downing about her snarky new thriller Too Old for This. We dive into her inspiration for the story, her favorite parts about writing Lottie, and how she chooses memorable names for her characters.Too Old for This SynopsisLottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.  When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie's past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can't have that.But getting away with murder is hard enough when you're young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her… Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Steph and I talk about books with memorable characters who we will never forget!Books We've Been ReadingYou Belong HereDon't Forget the GirlRecursionDoll PartsHoney and SpiceDo What Godmother SaysBooks with Memorable CharactersJunieRemarkably Bright CreaturesDissolutionThe Paper PalaceAn Inconvenient WomanNone of This is True Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Cobie LaJeanne about her pitch-black thriller Blood in the Cradle. We dive into her inspiration for the story, how the book developed over time, and what it was like creating a detective with synesthesia!Blood in the Cradle SynopsisWhen decorated detective Chloe Van Belle receives a call about a severed limb in a fountain, she dreads returning to Encounters, a renowned angel-worshipping church tied to her dark childhood wounds. She's further shocked to learn six-year-old Lillian vanished [from the congregation] without being reported.Chloe's half-sister Rosie, a devout believer engaged to the reverend's son, remains unwavering that everything unfolds according to divine will, refusing to see the evil in front of her.An eerie search leads to Lillian's body tucked in a cradle with a vintage watch, linking the crime to a similar murder twenty years ago. The gruesome scene triggers Chloe's morbid fascination with death, making her visual-gustatory synesthesia, which gives murder a literal sweet taste, harder to hide. With Chloe's nightmares and half-memories resurfacing, she engages in a macabre game of cat and mouse with the killer.As casualties grow and evidence points to the highest levels of the church leadership, Chloe must protect Rosie and her team—but is it from a monster or herself? Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about new-to-us authors we discovered and love!Books We Talked AboutThe Book of AccidentsThe Babysitter LivesThe Killer on the RoadUnlikely AnimalsHistory LessonsWhat Lies Between UsBehind Every Good ManLove You to DeathDeeper Than the DeadThis Violent Heart Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare and I talk with Clèmence Michallon about her new thriller Our Last Resort. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fresh take on a locked room thriller, and how she crafted a believable cult.Our Last Resort SynopsisInnocence doesn't bail you out; it just makes you easier to trap.Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other's sentences, they've grown apart in recent years after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Now, at the luxe resort, they are ready to reconnect between dips in the pool and hikes on spectacular desert trails. It all feels like paradise—until the dead body of a beautiful young woman who was vacationing at the Ara with her powerful, much older husband is discovered.When the local police arrive and suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, their dramatic escape, and the scandal that followed. Frida's belief in Gabriel's innocence never wavered at the time, but now even she can't ignore the evidence mounting against him.Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and poses the question: how well do we ever really know those we love? Multi-layered, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon's latest suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Halley Sutton and I chat with Melanie Anagnos about her new noir Nightswimming. We dive into her love for 70s culture, how reading noir shaped Nightswimming, and the future for the trilogy.Nightswimming SynopsisPaterson, New Jersey, 1979: Jamie Palmieri is an up-and-coming patrol officer, three years out of the academy and frustrated with his slow rise to detective. That all changes one frigid night in January, when a double homicide at a local bar leaves the owner and a young woman dead. In the wake of the Rubin "Hurricane" Carter proceedings and the city's lingering distrust for the police, Jamie is told to expect a "no one saw a thing" investigation. But as Jamie traces a series of small leads, he's sent on a path where the tables turn suddenly - with the still-unknown killer now stalking Jamie and the people he's closest to.A classic police procedural charged with the social turbulence of the 1970s.Check out Melanie's Substack here Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Christina Dotson about her voice-y thriller loosely inspired by Thelma & Louise. She shares how she created Kayla and Zorie's friendship, why she set the story in the south, and what she loves about writing "unlikeable" characters.Love You to Death SynopsisWhen two best friends' hobby of crashing weddings takes a deadly turn, they're forced to embark on a road trip of survival in this addictive thriller.How well do we really know our friends?As the only Black women at an antebellum-themed wedding, Kayla and Zorie should've known this heist was doomed from the start. They should never have come, but when their financial situation became dire, they agreed to hit one last wedding.Jaded and cynical Kayla has spent the last decade trying to fix her life since an angsty teen prank led to her arrest. Now, with her housekeeping job at a subpar hotel and her disappointing, Cinderella-esque relationship with her dad and obnoxious stepsister, she hates the life she's built. Her only bright spots are her best friend, Zorie, and their favorite weekend pastime of crashing weddings to steal the money and pawn the gifts. But what started as a lark has evolved into a greedy obsession, making each wedding haul riskier than the last.While trying to avoid the angry bride and groom, Kayla and Zorie's getaway takes a gruesome turn and suddenly the “Wedding Crash Killers” are national news. The best friends are forced to hit the road to dodge the authorities, but their escape plan leaves behind a bloody trail of destruction from Georgia all the way to the bayou. As past grudges resurface, Kayla realizes that the best friend she thought she knew is more dangerous than she could ever have realized.Sharp, unpredictable, and madcap from start to finish, Love You to Death is the most fun—and deadly—road trip you'll ever take. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Halley Sutton and I catch up about where we are with our writing processes (spoiler: I am focusing more on building Bookwild than writing).Halley shares a new approach to writing that has worked for her that she found on TikTok.Halley also shares some insights into the traditional publishing industry and we discuss the appeal of self publishing. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Cebo Campbell and MacKenzie Green about Cebo's speculative novel Sky Full of Elephants. We dive into his inspiration for the story, how he chose Charlie and Sidney as the characters to lead the story, and get a few details into the production of the Sky Full of Elephants movie!Sky Full of Elephants Synopsisn this exquisite speculative novel set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as they journey across a truly "post-racial" America in search of answers. One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charles Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he's now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn't even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old who watched her white mother and step-family drown themselves in the lake behind their house. Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across America headed for Alabama, where Sidney believes she may still have some family left. But neither Sidney or Charlie is prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it. When they enter the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, Cebo Campbell's astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.Follow Cebo hereFollow MacKenzie here  Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Steph and I talk about some our favorite books outside the thriller genre, since we've both been expanding our genres a little.Books We Talked AboutProject Hail MaryThe Road to Tender HeartsSky Full of ElephantsPS You're the WorstThe Three Lives of Cate KayThe Seven O'Clock ClubAn Academy for LiarsShy GirlThings Don't Break On Their OwnThe Book Club for Troublesome Women Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with M.M. Deluca about her new thriller The Divorce Party! We dive into why she wanted to write a thriller with some humor, how her trip to Vegas inspired the story, and the way well developed characters with complete character arcs improve thrillers.The Divorce Party SynopsisSavannah, Daisy, and Zoe haven't spoken in almost twenty years, since the night that changed everything. But when an unexpected invitation arrives from Evie, the ruthless queen bee of their college clique, they have no choice but to reunite in Las Vegas for her lavish divorce party.Savannah, now a glamorous Vegas dancer, has spent years running from a past that refuses to stay buried. Daisy, a burned-out substitute teacher drowning in debt, is desperate for a second shot at the excitement she missed. Zoe, a respected paediatrician, has built a life of perfection. But perfection comes at a cost, and the cracks are starting to show.As the drinks flow and old resentments resurface, it becomes clear that Evie's invitation isn't just about celebrating her freedom. And when the weekend takes a deadly turn, the friends must confront their past to survive the present… Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

Last year, Sabrina Thatcher (aka Olivia Day Wallce) and Lori Brand shared their experiences at ThrillerFest, and this year, since I got to go for the first time, we all get back together to discuss Thrillerfest 2025! Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talked with Kaira Rouda about her new thriller Jill Is Not Happy. We dive into how her own road trip inspired the story, what Kaira loves about writing domestic thrillers, and the likeable unlikeability of Jill.Jill is Not Happy SynopsisSome secrets keep a couple together.If you ask Jill Tingley, she'll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they've grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect.Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He's only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter's sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He's filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what.But he doesn't realize what else Jill is hiding.So begins a cat-and-mouse road trip as a cunning wife—think Ripley in yoga pants—and a reluctant husband match wits and drive each other to the edge. But everything will be fine. Jill still loves Jack and believes he's the only one for her. She'll do anything to keep him. Anything. She always has. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I shared a quick ThrillerFest Recap (more to come on that front), and then Gare and Steph and I shared some of our favorite iconically blue and yellow covered thrillers!Books We Talked AboutNo Road HomeKeep it in the FamilyBelieve Me NowWhen No One is WatchingThe PactDaughter of MineNot a Happy FamilyWhat Have You DoneDarling Girls Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Rob Hart about the second book in his Assassins Anonymous Series The Medusa Protocol. We dive into the inspiration for the title, how he crafts action without letting his main characters kill anyone, and plans for the third book in the series.The Medusa Protocol SynopsisWhen Astrid, known in her assassin days as Azrael, stopped showing up to Assassins Anonymous, the group assumed her past had caught up with her. Only her sponsor Mark, formerly the deadliest killer in the world, holds out hope that she's okay. Then, during a meeting, the group gets a sign, or rather, a pizza delivery. Is there another psychopath out there who actually likes olives on their pizza, or is Astrid trying to send Mark a message?Meanwhile, Astrid wakes up in the cell of a black site prison, on a remote island. A doctor subjects her to mysterious experiments, plumbing the depths of her memory and looking for a vital clue from her past. She'll do anything to escape, except…killing anyone. Hmm. Turns out it's not easy to blow this joint without blowing anything, or anyone up. Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I was lucky enough to go to Chicago with Steph to see Julie Clark in conversation with Mary Kubica about her new thriller The Ghostwriter!! If you haven't seen the sprayed edges already, you need to. We had so much fun at the event, but also had the best time recording our first IRL episode! The reading gods smiled down on me and now specific fiction books work for me in audio form, so we decided to share some of our favorite audiobooks!Books We Talked AboutFinding Me by Viola DavisThis American Woman by Zarna GargCue the Sun! by Emily NussbaumGirl on Girl by Sophie GilbertThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliDon't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall KarpThe Good Sister Sally HepworthAllegedly Tiffany D. Jackson Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian