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This is the how-to book you need right now, the one with “am I ready to query” and “what does my platform need to look like” and “what if no one buys my book” and “what happens if someone buys my book”. We have a great episode, talking about creating this book, writing this book and living this book—because Kate McKean is not only a very experienced agent, she has also lived the answer to all those questions and that's part of what makes it special. Follow: Kate McKean Agents and Books Also find her at agentsandbooks.com And buy this book! Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life#AmReadingKate: Madeleine Roux, A Girl Walks into the Forest (Dark, feminist and rage-y)KJ: Francesca Segal, Welcome to Glorious Tuga (not any of those above things) Alison Espach, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance (somewhere in between)Writers and readers! KJ, here. If you love #AmWriting—and I know you do—and especially if you love the regular segment at the end of most episodes where we talk about what we've been reading, you will also love my weekly #AmReading— find it at kjdellantonia.com or kjda.substack.com or by clicking on my name on Substack, if you do that kind of thing. Your #tbr won't be sorry.Transcript below!EPISODE 453 - TRANSCRIPTKJ Dell'AntoniaWriters and readers, KJ here, if you love Hashtag AmWriting, and I know you do, and especially if you love the regular segment at the end of most episodes where we talk about what we've been reading, you will also love my weekly Hashtag AmReading email. Is it about what I've been reading and loving? It is. And if you like what I write, you'll like what I read. But it is also about everything else I've been hashtag am doing, sleeping, buying clothes and returning them, launching a spelling bee habit, reading other people's weekly emails. Let's just say it's kind of the email about not getting the work done, which I mean that's important too, right? We can't work all the time. It's also free, and I think you'll really like it. So you can find it at kjdellantonia.com or kjda.substack.com or by clicking on my name on Substack, if you do that kind of thing. Or, of course, in the show notes for this podcast, come hang out with me. You won't be sorry.Multiple Speakers:Is it recording? Now it's recording. Yay! Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. Try to remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay. Now, one, two, three.KJ Dell'AntoniaHey, I'm KJ Dell'Antonia, and this is Hashtag AmWriting the weekly podcast about writing all the things, short things, long things, pitches, proposals. This is the podcast about sitting down and getting your work done. And I interviewed someone last week, who told me that they did not realize I did the introduction live, to which I was like, "Wait, does it sound the same to you every time?" Because I don't know, in my mind, I go off on a tangent every single time. So I am KJ Dell'Antonia, as you probably know, author of three novels and a couple of nonfiction books, and former editor at the New York Times, and, gosh, I have, I have done a bunch of things, but I'm not going to tell you about them right now, because I am really excited about my guest today, who is Kate McKean, and she is the creator of Agents and Books, which is a Substack slash, an email newsletter. For those of you that are not Substack users, you don't have to know what that is to get this, but I'm telling you fundamentally that if you're listening to my words right now, you should be signed up for that, and you're probably going to need the book that we're talking about, which is called Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life. It is excellent. It is all the books that I relied on deeply when I got into this industry, rolled up in one book, which doesn't mean you won't buy all the others, because we're writers, and that's what we do. We buy books about writing. We're supposed to right? But I feel like sometimes that's what we do, we buy books about writing, anyway. All right, I'm done introducing, Kate I'm so glad you're here. Thank you for coming.Kate McKeanI'm really happy to be here. I'm excited to chat.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, this is going to be good. So this is, this is the book that anyone who is considering traditional publishing needs as both an encouraging guide to how hard it is going to be to get to all the points that you need to get to be ready to even try to traditionally publishing, and then to the process of traditionally publishing. This is how do you know when you're finished? This is how do you know when to pitch? This is how do you pitch. This is how do you deal with the inevitable rejections when you are pitched, this is what happens next. This is the good news and the bad news and the other news and all the news. And the blurb on the front is that it is a wildly generous guide. It is from Sarah Knight, who I adore, and it is! That is, that is most accurate...Kate McKeanThank you.KJ Dell'AntoniaBlurb that I have ever read, I think, or...Kate McKeanSarah was so kind to read. I know she reads the newsletter too, and we know each other from way back when she was an editor at Simon Schuster. And I could not be more grateful that she said the kind words she did.KJ Dell'AntoniaShe's amazing, and they are and you this is a generous book. So I do have questions, but first I just have to gush for a while. So...Kate McKeanI'll take it.KJ Dell'AntoniaI have kind of an unspoken policy of being very judicious in taking writing advice of any kind from someone who has not published. And there are 100% exceptions to that. I have an amazing freelance editor who she reads and she edits and wow. But there are also people who write books about writing from a place of having written things, and that's about it. And. And you know that truly, I mean, first of all, you're, you're an agent, you've, you know, you've been in this industry, you've got masses of experience. And secondly, although this is your first published book, it is not your first finished book, it is not...Kate McKeanNot at all.KJ Dell'AntoniaEven your first pitched book. It's not the book that got you an agent. And you are so generous in sharing those experiences with people, and they're going to help.Kate McKeanI hope so. I mean, it's not lost on me that the first published book I have about writing and publishing books, and I even say it in the book. You know, I've tried to sell several picture books and several novels, and maybe I'm just not a great fiction writer. You know, it's very possible that is true. We'll find out. I don't know. I do have a picture book coming out in 2026, so one of them did eventually work. It's coming out with Sourcebooks, and I'm very excited. It's, you know, I know that people probably think, Oh, well, you're just, you're an agent. You could just, like, walk into a publisher and get a book deal like my friend. I am sorry that it's not true. If it had been true, I would have written 50,000 books by now, because I actually really, I mean, it's my job, but I also like doing it myself, but I'm not. I'm not special, you know, like I'm special and privileged because I know all the ins and outs, but I'm not. Nobody's just like rolling out the red carpet and handing me 1000's, billions of dollars to write a book.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, what I have said about about my fiction writing experience was, and I feel quite certain it was true for you as well. The thing that I had, and I will own it, is that I knew the people that I was sending my query to would look at it, because they knew who I was. That actually just meant it had to be awfully good, because it also means they're going to remember who you are. And if it sucks, they'll remember that next time. Whereas, if you don't have that particular thing and you send out a query that that sucks, the agent is not going to remember your name. So the next time you roll around and you send a better query, it's going to be fine, but the next time that writer rolls around and sends a better query. People are going to be like, well, yeah, I don't know.Kate McKeanYikes!KJ Dell'AntoniaThis was not so great.Kate McKeanYep!KJ Dell'AntoniaYikes! I got to do this again. I got to send another tactful rejection to this person that I so they're coming into it with... So it's good...Kate McKeanYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaBecause you know, people read it and it's not the slush pile and yay. And it's bad because people read it.Kate McKeanPeople, people really do think that it's who you know and publishing, and of course, that helps, like you just said.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Kate McKeanBut also, you don't want to send your books to your best friends. Like, Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, who my agent is—Michael Bourret at Dystel Goderich & Bourret. Jim is one of my best friends in the entire world, in my life. Like, I do not want Jim to be my agent, even though he's fantastic, because I prefer Jim as my friend. Michael and I have been friends for more than 20 years. Jim and I are much closer. And it's not like, oh, I could just throw away my friendship with Michael, but we just know each other in a way that would lend us to be able to work together really well. And I... KJ Dell'AntoniaMy agent is my friend...Kate McKeanYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaBecause she's my friend, but she was my agent first. But I have a friend, a really good friend, that I have dinner with regularly, that's an agent we ditch about, dish about, and we just have, you know, and I don't want her to be my agent, because then we couldn't talk so much smack about…Kate McKeanYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou know, among other things, and yeah. So yeah. I mean, I do like to to start. I like to remind people that it is actually not who you know in this it's faster to get people to read something if you have a way in, we cannot deny that. But people are actually out there looking for great things. You just have to write a great thing, which you know that's hard.Kate McKeanImpossible sometimes.KJ Dell'AntoniaOr impossible sometimes. All right, so how did you decide to do... write through it? Did it seem like kind of the obvious thing? Or did you feel like, oh, that's been done. Like, how, how did you come to this one?Kate McKeanI, I definitely started the newsletter with the idea in the back of my head that maybe this could turn into a book. Because I had, I had turned newsletters and Twitter feeds and Instagrams and all kinds of things like that into books for 20 years. So obviously that was in the back of my head. But I also knew that there are, as you said, tons of other books about writing and publishing out there, and who am I? And what different thing could I bring to the table? And so I started Agents and Books with just a clear goal of, like, writing posts that were like the nuts and bolts of publishing, so that people could have them in this one little place, you know? And it's not the only place in the world you can learn about publishing. But I was like, I want a little place where, you know, if you can click through and find out about option clauses and query letters and, you know, all the little commission rates and royalties and what's earning out and all these things that you could kind of go to one place and click around and see if you could find it, and that was the goal. And then I also ended up talking a lot about the feelings of writing, because they go hand in hand. You know, it's like you're going to write a bad query letter if you are terrified of writing a query letter, and you're going to put agents on these pedestal if you are terrified of agents that you know, like there were these magical beings that can, like, take our magic wands and bestow the power of publishing on you, like we can't... we're just people who like books like, so I wanted to demystify things. I wanted to like, share the nuts and bolts, but, and I wanted to let everybody know that everybody feels this way, like everybody is terrified, everybody hates it. You know, no one is alone and that that felt like the right tack to take in a book, because I guess I hadn't seen that before, or what hadn't, you know, come right out and said it, you know, like, here's how to write query letter, and here's how not to lose your mind while you do it.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Kate McKeanYou know, because the same, that's the same thing, and I thought about it for a long time, you know, to try the right pitch, honestly, for the book.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, no, I can. I mean, one glorious thing that this has going for us at the moment, even besides that, is that it is very timely and immediate. Because I can give you some things about writing query letters that are probably somewhat out. I mean, they're good, but they date quickly. So it has that. But also, you are right. I've not seen that combination of both. Here's how and here's how not to be so terrified that you screw up, and here's how to feel when they start coming back. Or, you know, here's how you're going to feel, because you really don't need me to tell you how to feel. But here's some thoughts on like how to deal with that, and the fact that it has happened to everyone, and also the fact that it has happened to you. Um, I'm that's terrible. I wish you had every single success, but also, since you didn't, I am so grateful that you put that in here.Kate McKean:I mean, my—you know—my beloved book of my heart, literary adult novel, didn't sell. And okay, it did. It didn't. I don't... I can't... I can't magically make it a book. It might be flawed. I don't know. I haven't read it in, like, four years, and I'm fine with that. Um, but I'm going to—I'll just—I'm going to... I'm going to write another one, you know? Because what are the options? Like, I really—I had a moment when my adult novel didn't sell, and I was like, I might—what if I never publish a book? Like, this was my dream. Like, since I was eight years old, I wanted to be a published author. I wanted to see my book on a shelf with my name on it, and what if I don't? Like, what if that just will never happen to me? And it kind of—you know—punched me in the stomach, and... This is telling in so many ways, of the assumptions I was making and the privilege I had and all of these things. But you know that punch in the gut could have made me stop and just be like, "Well, I'm not willing to face that, so let me decide..." Or, if I really want it that bad, I got to go do it again. And just—I'm choosing to do it again. And I cannot control if I publish any more books, except by writing them.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Kate McKeanAnd then that's all I can do. And then I have to hand it over to the other forces in the world to see if anybody likes it. And then, you know—I mean, people got to buy this book, like... but not—I mean, it's not going to be great if nobody buys this book, which, you know... I—it... I can only control so much of that too. But I hope people do.KJ Dell'AntoniaAt least ten people need to be sitting down and clicking right now. It's Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life, Kate McKean— is it Kian or Keen?Kate McKeanKeen.KJ Dell'AntoniaKeen. Kate McKean.Kate McKeanYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaM-C-K... you know, what if you just start with "writer"... I mean, honestly...Kate McKeanThere's only two Kate McKean's in the world on the internet. So I'm one of them.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd I feel like, if you just sort of go "agents," "books," "book," "K," you're going to come up with this. Because...Kate McKeanYep.KJ Dell'Antonia:Yeah. That's what's going to help. And the other thing that I really like about this book is the honesty about all the time that you spent not writing, and I mean, you've already said it, but, and it is true. My number one favorite, well, one of my favorite writing books, which nobody else, as far as I know, has ever read, is it's called something like “87 reasons your book won't sell” [78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might]. It's, you know, and it's in its 80… and 15 why it might and the number one reason, the first reason, chapter one, is because you haven't written it yet. You can't sell that. But, I mean, yeah, proposals, fine. That's but, and that's in here if you're writing nonfiction, it's in here to talk about how to do a proposal. But even that, if you haven't written your way to a good proposal, that's not going to sell either. So...Kate McKeanAnd the fear of being late or too late, or you hang missed the bus is so tied up into that, because I'm going to be 46 this weekend, and I my first ever book will be coming out after I have turned 46 and if you had told me at 26 I would have, like, lied down on the floor and cried. That I had 20 more years to wait to get published, because I thought it was going to happen. You're not, you know, all of the bravado and the ego is you have when you're in your 20s and who's, you know, patted on the head for their whole life and told they were a good writer by every English teacher, you know, bully for me. But like the I didn't write any books, you know, like, I didn't write any books to get published until I was in my 30s, and I couldn't have spent any more time doing that because I was trying to build my career as a literary agent. And that wasn't, that wasn't on purpose. I just had to pay the rent too. So, you know, it was I didn't. I dragged my feet for many, many years, as I write about in the book, and then I had a kid, and then you get... you have so little time that you have to choose so deliberately what you do that it can sometimes make you more productive. And so when I had all the time in the world in my 20s as a single person in New York City, living the life of putting everything on credit cards and being in massive debt and not making any money in publishing, but still having buckets of time. I didn't do any meaningful work, and I didn't write a book in my MFA program. I did write a book's worth of stories and essays, but not anything that could have been published as is, and nothing that I used as a springboard for a longer piece, and that's just what happened. That's fine too.KJ Dell'Antonia:Yeah.Kate McKeanBut I'm not late. This is, this is, I needed to be this person to write this book, and then we'll see what happens next.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah. I mean, you know, you can't start any sooner than today if you're starting and but I did. I just I appreciated that this book kind of starts with, go ahead, read this book, but also finish your book. Write what you're writing, like, read it. Get ready, daydream, hope for the best, but also find a time, sit down, get some work done, which is, of course, what we say every week on the podcast, because if you don't do the work, yeah, there's nothing. There's nothing anyone can do for you. Well, I mean, I suppose you could become a famous person and then hire someone else, but that is presumably not anyone trajectory, yeah, that's, that's, that's different. That's, that's not the same thing, all right, so what? What was the hardest bit of writing this? This has got a chapter on pretty much anything anybody could imagine. How to read a book deal, how to query, how to you know, how the editors work, how books are sold, all those things. What was the toughest bit?Kate McKeanThe tough bit, honestly, was the what happens after the book sells. And because I realized that I had, I had a view of it for my seat as a literary agent, and every publisher does it a little bit differently and but I've only seen it through the eyes of the books I have sold. So I had to go and ask a lot of editors. I was like, Okay, this is what I think happens. Is this what happens like, when do you get first pass pages? And, you know, do I get? When does the index gain? You know, like, there were just questions I had. I had to make sure I had a consensus answer instead of the this is what happened to me answer, you know?KJ Dell'AntoniaRight.Kate McKeanOr this is my what I think answer. And so it just was, I had to make sure. I had to do more research about that than I anticipated, because I didn't want to make I wanted to make sure I wasn't wrong. You know? Hey, I had to make sure. But it wasn't a hard the writing process at all wasn't what I would call hard. I I'm a fastidious outliner, and I love an outline. Outline is my roadmap, like I know where I'm going in the morning I makes me happy. I'm happy to change it, if I have to, but I love it. I'm an outliner, not a pantser, and when I get going, I can go, but then there's just every other million things to do with a book, you know, like the nine times I've read, and then I recorded the audio last week, and which was so fun, but hard, very, very hard. But maybe it's a little bit like, you know, like you kind of forget the hard part after a while, but I don't have any, like, real pain points with the creation of this book. It was definitely hard. It is a lot of labor. It is a lot of time. There were many times where I was like, if I read this paragraph one more time, I will scream, but yeah, I'd do it again.KJ Dell'AntoniaSo it sounded as I as I read through it like, like, finding your structure was maybe a little more challenging than you expected it to be, because it seems like it would be pretty obvious, but then it sounds like there were things where you're like, well, maybe this goes here, or maybe it goes here. Did it surprise you how much you had to play with the structure in the editing?Kate McKeanYes, it because everything made sense when it came out of my brain.KJ Dell'AntoniaOf course.Kate McKeanYou know, like I could, it makes sense to me that this linked to that and then get... you have an editor. My editor, Stephanie Hitchcock, was wonderful. She was like, oh, yeah, this part does not make any sense. And I was like, Oh, totally. If you step out of it and look at it through somebody else's eyes, you're like, Yeah, I didn't explain anything about, you know, royalty statements or whatever, right?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, the rule is if somebody else says it doesn't make sense, you have to listen. You don't have to do what they say to do to fix it, but you do have to, you have to... Yeah, because you can't hold the reader by the hand. Say, oh, no, no, no. See what I meant...Kate McKeanYeah, yeah, yeah. And a lot of times the way I wrote the outline was kind of the way it came out of my head and it made sense, but, you know, I'm in a vacuum.KJ Dell'AntoniaSo I'm torn between talking about the writing of Write Through It and talking about, of course, the contents, which are exactly what our listeners are going to be interested in. So tell me what in here to you, sort of answers the most questions that you get as somebody who gets a lot of emailed questions about this process, because you invite them by having, having an email or having, not by having an email address, which is not an invitation to send people questions. People questions, but by having the agents and plus and books email you, you've put yourself out there as a guide for people and there, I mean, I can name only a few agents in the business that do that, and a couple of publicists, and that makes you like, you know, it gives you a certain profile, and people ask questions. So what in here answers the most questions to you?Kate McKeanI think, I personally, I would say the stuff about a platform, about the marketing stuff and platform. Everybody's worried about their platform. Everybody thinks they have to have 1000 followers on Instagram. Everybody was so worried about this. They and it's, it's shifting all the time. I mean, I hope, I hope we don't get 16 new social media platforms in the next month so that this isn't completely out of date, like things are going to change. I mean, Twitter completely changed while I was writing this book, but I but there's a lot about social media in there, yes, but there are so many other things that are your platform that people don't realize and they think that you have to have these numbers before you're allowed to write a book. And that's not how it is. That's not the rule. There isn't this, like, okay, where you get so many on this platform and so many on that add them together, it equals a book deal. Like, no, but it... the reason you need a platform is because you are going to do this marketing for your book, and that is also okay, because you are going to do it better than the publisher. A lot of you know angst about publishers don't market anything anymore, and nothing ever happens. And like they actually do, could they do more? Yes. I wish every book had a billion dollar marketing budget and 17 people to work on it, but that is not the industry we have. So...KJ Dell'AntoniaThere's not really anywhere to do this stuff anymore.Kate McKeanYeah, yeah, there's nowhere to do it.KJ Dell'AntoniaI mean the world... the world has changed.Kate McKeanYeah, there's, yeah, there's no news coverage for books, hardly anymore, you know? And algorithms are horrible, all these things. So, so if you have a way for readers to talk to you directly and get news from you directly, that's your primary marketing outlet. And so that's why you need it, not because the number equals book deal or validation or proof. It's because that's how you sell books. And it's not the only way, and it's not even a great way, but it is a way that readers need, even, I mean nonfiction 100%, it's like one of the most important things when you're writing nonfiction, and it's getting to be more important for fiction. It's just also more it's useful when you're writing fiction, but it's just not as like, don't, don't even try until you've started a TikTok or whatever.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, I just, I just finished a novel that I completely enjoyed, Welcome to Glorious Tuga by — I think her name is Francesca. It's either Sega or Segal [Francesca Segal]. And after I finished it, I thought to myself, you know, I wonder, because, because I'm a writer, readers don't do this, but Is this her first book? You know, does she? Is she somewhere where I can follow her? Because I'm kind of interested in how she did this, I'd like to, and I went to look her up. And fundamentally, this is a person with very little platform that I can see. They turned out to be British. So that is, I think, a little bit different. But there wasn't an email that I could sign up for. There wasn't... I was willing to do all those things. I was kind of jealous.Kate McKeanDefinitely, oh, definitely.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Kate McKeanMy wonderful assistant isn't on social media. And I'm like, Wow, what a life, that's amazing.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, so, I mean, so I there was very little point to that other than that, it's not, apparently required, and yet it's probably required of you. Sorry.Kate McKeanRight, you're not the except…, like, if you don't want to be on a specific platform, then don't do it, because you'll make bad posts.KJ Dell'AntoniaYes!Kate McKeanHate it.KJ Dell'AntoniaYes.Kate McKeanFair game, and also, if your market isn't on there, then don't go on there, or you don't prioritize that.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah. But you can still find me on TikTok, and if you would like an example of how to not do something like that. That would be it. Yeah, there's about six things that are pitiful and sad, and I regret them, and I should go take them down, but that would involve looking at them again, and that would be really embarrassing for me. So I'm not going to do it.Kate McKeanI mean, I'm not on TikTok. I do Instagram reels. They're horrible. Reels are like bad Tiktok's from three weeks ago, but doesn't whatever. It's what I have chosen to do. But if, but to the writers out there, if you hate something like you can kind of maybe opt out a specific thing, but that doesn't make you the exception to every rule, right? Like, just because it's hard doesn't mean you get to bail out because everything's hard and you got to do hard things all the time. That's life. Sorry. So yeah. And also, I want to say too, if you are unsafe on a platform. Don't be there, no, but don't that's not a question. No publisher would be like; you should really be on Twitter. And you're like, I'm a trans person. I'm not going to go on Twitter. It is not safe for me. And they'd be like...they're like, yes, cool, cool, yeah, no problem.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah…definitely not. Yeah. So okay, that that doesn't surprise me. I thought you were going to say query letters, but...Kate McKeanI was going to say query letters, but every it's, it's so much, there's always so much query letters.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah and there's others, there's, there's more of an answer to that, like...Kate McKeanYeah, yeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou know, there is a way to do that. There's an accessible, checklist-able, figure out, able, learnable process for that, I would argue that there is not that for social media and platform.Kate McKean100%.KJ Dell'AntoniaThat is a really is a it's constantly changing, and it's different for everyone which query letters really, they do change, but they are not different from everyone. Do not make your quality query letter different from everyone else's. That's a bad idea.Kate McKeanNo. It's so annoying. It's, it's, no one is going to be wowed by the inventiveness of your query letter, and it's like sending a singing telegram to apply for a job. You're like, No, don't. Don't do that. No one wants to hire you, if that's what you're going to do.KJ Dell'AntoniaWhat is… can you... can you give us an example of someone getting creative with a query letter, just for fun that is not going to out the person?Kate McKeanYou know, I would say that. Now, everyone is much more educated about query letters, and so the random stuff doesn't happen as often. The memorable things are people doing. And these are the general examples you'll get too. It's like writing the query letter in the voice of your character, which is like, okay, but I'm not signing your character up. I'm signing you up. I would like to talk to them please, you know? And then there's the inexplicably, inexplicably short ones that are like, here's my book. Thanks. You're like, I need context. Like, even when you go to the store to buy a book, you have context for what you're shopping for you know what section you're in. You know if it's a hardcover, paperback, whatever you have context. And if you do not give me context for a query letter, I don't know what you're talking about. And then the ones that really get me too are the ones that are like, you're probably going to hate this. I'm like, okay, cool. You just made the decision for me. Thank you. I have to make 400 decisions today, and now it's 399 Cool. Thank you.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, yeah. Okay, so get that one right. But social media, there is no recipe, but at least there is some advice in, in Write Through It. And yeah, I can't, I can't say enough about how much I suspect most of our listeners would really benefit from and love this book. If you have not, yourself, been in the industry for 20 years, and even if you have, you're going to get stuff out of this. What I got out of it, and what I desperately needed was somewhere, I think, towards the end, you talk about how, you know, 20% of the way into a draft, you're going to hate it, and then with 20,000 words to go, you're going to hate it. And I was like, yeah, yeah, I'm there. I'm hating it. We joke around the podcast that we need to create, like, a, like a book growth chart, sort of like for babies, like, oh, you hate your book. You're right on target. Feed it some solid foods next.Kate McKeanYeah, exactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Kate McKeanAnd I get a lot of when you go to write another book, you you're like, wow, yeah. And that's what did I forget. Did I ha, but I did it before. You don't know, you don't know how to write this book. You wrote that book, and it's different every time. And that's like a learning curve that you don't get to until you write your first one, whether it's published or not. But like everybody feels this way, my clients, who are graphic novelists, feel this way. My novelist, my, you know, picture book writers, like every single writer I talked to has been like, oh, how do you do this again? Whoops, I forgot.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, yeah. I like you, and I'm a fan of the outline or the blueprint, or, you know, how, however you do it. And I have just hit a point where I need to go back and redo that and that's hard. I would really much rather just chug along the path that I have set for myself. But sometimes you can't do that.Kate McKeanThat's writing too. It's like, the word count doesn't go up, and that's the metric we all want to use about our productivity. But then you have to stop for a week and do your stupid outline or whatever, and you're like, but I didn't get any work done, but you did, because then the next two weeks you can just write a billion words. And yeah, you know, you built a fire, so...KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd yet, the process is hard and slow, and also hard and slow, and even when it's fast, it's still slow, and even when it feels easy, it'll be hard later. Yeah, and I liked that. That was that that's all in here, but not in a bad way, in a Hello, this is what you have signed up for.Kate McKeanYep.KJ Dell'AntoniaIn a “Welcome” kind of way.Kate McKeanYeah, it's you're in the club. Yeah? Everybody hating writing and not being able to stop.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, yeah.Kate McKeanIt's the thing we love to hate the most.KJ Dell'AntoniaI don't hate it when it's going well, I don't, I don't hate it, but, man, it'd be nice if it were easier and faster and more like, I don't know, walk in the park, okay. But it's not. All right, well, so the book is Write Through this, I'm sorry, Write Through It, and it's wonderful, and I've said that about 56 times. So anything else that people should know about why they should go right out, I would recommend getting it in paper, because I think you're going to want to scribble on it, and I also think you're going to want to go back to it a lot. But you know, y'all do you. It's available in all the formats; apparently it was read out loud, too.Kate McKeanOut loud by me.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah!Kate McKeanI think that it's useful to have as in print. And I did write it thinking that you'd go back and forth and be like, Okay, well, today I'm writing my query letter, I've got to go to chapter three or whatever. And the other thing, the other reason I wrote this book, is that if you are a writer, and the people in your life know it, or if you're an editor or freelancer whatever, and they want to ask you questions about publishing, you can just give them the book like I literally wrote it as like a favor to my friends who are writers and editors, whose uncle corners them at the family reunion and says, ‘So I want to write a kid's book.' And you're like, ‘Okay, I would like to go talk to my cousins, but here, I — here's the book for you.' You know? KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Kate McKeanIt is the service I am providing through this book. And so if you want to avoid having people email you to say, can I pick your brain. Be like, oh goodness, I'm just so busy. But you know what? You should have Kate's book, and just send them a link.KJ Dell'AntoniaI love this. I love this. For all of us, it is absolutely going to fill that need. So maybe you want to have three so you can go and hand one…Kate McKeanI mean, I think good plan, it's a great idea. Just buy a case, stick it in your house.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, maybe put it in the back of your car. You never know when you're going to need this.Kate McKeanNo, I think it's a it makes a great gift for all occasions, even if they're not writers.KJ Dell'AntoniaProbably they'd like to be... everybody. Like, there's some statistic about how many people want to write a book. So, yeah, you could just do it.Kate McKeanWhat the saying? That grads, dads, and there's another one...KJ Dell'AntoniaDads, grads, and...Kate McKeanSomething like...KJ Dell'AntoniaMom! Its Moms, Dads and Grads. I know that doesn't wrap run, but that's the Book Riot podcast that, um, that I will yeah and...Kate McKeanYeah, this is a big book buying season. Is like, Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation. So you know what? I think everyone...KJ Dell'AntoniaFor your graduate and your mother and your father who want to write books, I love it, all right. Well, this was fantastic. You can obviously follow Kate on Instagram. We'll throw that in the show notes, but also have multiple links to her agent's, and books, email, slash Substack, depending on how you like to consume these things you should be getting it. Yeah, that's, that's, that's that. Now, the one thing we always like to end a podcast with is asking people what they've been reading and loving lately. So I hope that's not throwing you under the bus because you can't think of anything because you've been doing this, but I bet I am wrong. So it'd be lovely if it's something people can get either now or soon, because I can see you playing out...Kate McKeanI just, I pulled… I just re-read my clients, Madeleine Roux's [inaudible] hard novel called A Girl Walks into the Forest. It is out on the same day that mine go out.KJ Dell'AntoniaOh wow!Kate McKeanI know it's very exciting. And Maddie Roux has written like 25 books. We have been together a long time, and this book is amazing, and it is dark and it is full of feminist rage, and it is has, like, a Baba Yaga character in it.KJ Dell'AntoniaAwesome.Kate McKeanAnd it's just; it's kind of the book we need right now to, like, kind of burn stuff down. So I highly recommend pre ordering it. I loved reading it again all in one place, like I read your earlier draft, but now I can see it again, and, like, I just re- read it as I also wanted to, you know, keep up with my clients work, but I wanted to read it because it was good. Like, it's just good.KJ Dell'AntoniaGreat, amazing.Kate McKeanI'm like, hugging the book right now.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou are. Yeah, no one will see, yeah I know I've been waving your book around this entire time, and no one sees any of it, but it increases our the enthusiasm level in our voice, or something. So that's fantastic. Well, I mentioned Welcome to Glorious Tuga, which is a saga about it's like a bunch of people. I don't even know how to sell it, other than it's kind of like all creatures great and small set on a tiny island where people can only get off and on for half of the year with, you know, lots of animals and lots of fam…, of people interaction and but also one protagonist who sort of brings you through. And I gosh, if I can't come up with, and I love this book, and I have, I'm having trouble coming up with a great way to sell it, but I hope somebody, I hope somebody does it, because it's super fun. So there was that, but I mentioned that in my last podcast. So I also want to add Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach. That was her book before The Wedding People. It is vastly different. It is a single POV, first person narrative of a girl who loses her sister in a car accident at I think, the age of 13, and her ongoing and continual relationship with her sister's boyfriend who was driving at the time, which sounds really awful. But it's not sad. It's weirdly honest. It's a fantastic exploration of not just grief, but like people, and how we think and how we aren't who we think we are should be. But it is not The Wedding People. It's really different, which I found super interesting. So since y'all are writers listening to this, you might find it interesting, too. All right.Kate McKeanExcellent. That sounds great.KJ Dell'AntoniaThank you so much for talking to me and everyone out there who is listening, buy Write through it. And also keep your butt in the chair and your head in the game.Jess LaheyThe Hashtag AmWriting podcast is produced by Andrew Perilla. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

It's a Book Riot podiverse crossover event! The adaptation of E. Lockhart's YA sensation We Were Liars debuts later this week. Kelly Jensen sat down with Lockhart for a recent episode of the Hey YA! podcast. Enjoy! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. Plans start at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Family of Liars by E. Lockhart We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart Hey YA Interview with Gayle Forman We Were Liars on Prime Instagram My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han Again, Again by E. Lockhart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danika Ellis joins Jeff to talk about a spate of book-related AI disasters, Amazon's list of the best books of the year, Michelle Obama's recently-announced book, and much more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father's Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell's July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) Book Riot's In the Club, In Reading Color, and Our Queerest Shelves Newsletters Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge Salman Rushdie's attacker sentenced to 25 years  Chicago Sun-Times runs AI-generated summer reading list w/ fake books And business insider thing too AI clone books showing up on amazon:  Amazon's Best Books of the Year & Goodreads most popular books of the year so far Michelle Obama's new book The Two Kinds of Book Auctions James Cameron to adapt THE DEVILS 13 Signs You Used ChatGPT to Write Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess and Trisha talk through updates and news before diving into part 1 of Jane Austen June, featuring adaptations and retellings (video and book versions). Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! Stumped on a great gift this Father's Day? Tailored Book Recommendations brings a personalized touch to any reading list with books hand-picked by professional book nerds. With over 150,000 book recommendations under our belt, we've got the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father's Day. Plus, with a simple checkout process and the ability to schedule the welcome email, gift-giving has never been easier. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News: Book club is coming in June! We'll be reading Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron and talking about it in our June 23 episode. Send us your thoughts by June 17! Check out Book Riot's Best Beach Reads of All Time! And maybe in 2026, you want to make plans to go to the Black Romance Book Fest and RITCR (BTW: Trisha was wrong, it's in December, not July. At least this year. Sorry!) Books Discussed: Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt Love and Sportsball by Meka James Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin Northranger by Rey Terciero and illustrated by Bre Indigo Mismatched by Anne Camlin If I Loved You Less by Tamsen Parker  Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne Let us know what you're reading, what you're thinking, and what you're thinking about what you're reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Book Riot editors Danika Ellis and Erica Ezeifedi to talk about what makes a beach read, beach reads picks, and memorable beach reading moments. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father's Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell's July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) The Best Beach Reads of All Time The Hey YA Podcast Book Riot's In the Club, In Reading Color, and Our Queerest Shelves Newsletters Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Book Riot editors Danika Ellis and Erica Ezeifedi to talk about what makes a beach read, beach reads picks, and memorable beach reading moments. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father's Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell's July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) The Best Beach Reads of All Time The Hey YA Podcast Book Riot's In the Club, In Reading Color, and Our Queerest Shelves Newsletters Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author Hanif Abdurraqib spoke to me about taking a leap of faith, the tentpoles of his writing practice, and his recent NBCC award-winning THERE'S ALWAYS THIS YEAR: On Basketball and Ascension. Hanif Abdurraqib is a lauded New York Times bestselling author, recent Winner of the NBCC Award for criticism, and a finalist for the National Book Award for A Little Devil in America. He is also a poet, essayist, cultural critic, contributor for The New Yorker, and a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” grant. His latest book, There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, was described by Publishers Weekly, in a Starred Review, as "A triumphant meditation on basketball and belonging…" and named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, Time, The Washington Post, NPR, The Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Book Riot, Electric Lit and many others. Steve James, director of Hoop Dreams, called it, “Mesmerizing  ... not only the most original sports book I've ever read but one of the most moving books I've ever read, period.” Hanif's first collection of essays, They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was named a book of the year by NPR, Esquire, BuzzFeed, O: The Oprah Magazine, Pitchfork, and the Chicago Tribune, among others. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Hanif Abdurraqib and I discussed: What it's like to be on a book tour for close to a year His superpower as a highly prolific writer Quitting his 9-5 job after squirreling away money from freelancing Building his own poetry curriculum Why his writing routine hasn't changed much over the years Hot takes on the 2025 NBA Playoffs And a lot more! Show Notes: abdurraqib.com  There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib (Amazon) Hanif Abdurraqib on Facebook Hanif Abdurraqib on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are heading into summer and all the reading lists are coming out. Some are thoughtfully curated, and others… sloppily slapped together by AI. But today, we present you with an “AE” (Amanda & Ellyn) generated summer reading list—and trust us, it's way better than whatever the bots cooked up. Whether you're into breezy rom-coms, twisty thrillers, or something a little more unexpected, they've got you covered. Check out the Book Riot summer reading list HERE. Please enjoy our "AE" generated summer reading list, and let us know which ones you pick up! Ellyn's Currently Reading | Run For the Hills by Kevin Wilson & Indian Country by Shobha Rao Amanda's Currently Reading | Endling by Maria Reva Books coming out this week | Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood & Never Flinch by Stephen King Catch up on these books that everyone's been talking about that you haven't gotten to you. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman James by Percival Everett I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman  The Names by Florence Knapp Heartwood by Amity Gage Beach Reads One golden Summer by Carley Fortune Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston (out June 17) Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (out this week) Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Remarkable Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Here Beside the Rising Tide by Emily Jane Road trip books Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett If You Love Us, you'll make sure you read: So Far Gone by Jess Walter (out June 10) O Sinners! by Nicole Cuffy For fuck's sake, if you haven't read American Mermaid by Julia Langbein yet, do it. You won't regret it Read Only One Book This Summer Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty Hot Titles Coming Out This Summer Bury the Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab  (out June 10) Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (out June 3) Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson  (out July 22) ______________________________________________________________________ Make sure to subscribe and rate the Bubbles & Books Podcast. And don't forget to share it with your friends. Learn more about a Dog-Eared Books book subscription HERE. Follow us on Instagram: @bubblesandbookspodcast Follow Dog-Eared Books on Instagram: @dogearedbooksames Interested in audiobooks? Listen while supporting Dog-Eared Books HERE. Visit us! www.dogearedbooksames.com

Time again to look at interesting, lucrative, exciting, strange, or otherwise notable book deal announcements. Always a good time. This is a bonus preview of our most recent Patreon-only episode. To listen to the full episode and our entire back catalog of bonus content, sign-up for the Book Riot podcast Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, librarians Laura Sims and Kerri Sullivan discuss their alternate jobs as writers and editors and how the two careers mesh together.Laura Sims is the author, most recently, of How Can I Help You, a New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Book Riot, and CrimeReads Best Book of the Year. She works part-time as a children's librarian in Millburn, New Jersey.Kerri Sullivan is the founder of Jersey Collective, one of New Jersey's most popular Instagram accounts. The project has over 34,000 followers and has been featured by the Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Monthly, CBS Philly, and News 12 NJ. Her writing has appeared in McSweeney's, Catapult, Podcast Review, NJ Indy, and elsewhere. She is from Monmouth County but now lives in Essex County.Resources:Diane Arbus Archive Jersey Collective Laura Sims' Poetry Publisher's Weekly Kerri Sullivan Other Writing New Jersey Go Fish NJ Book Crawl Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here. Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup and is recorded at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thanks to all the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room! If you liked our episode please like, follow, and share! Stay in touch!Email: wbpodcast@watchungbooksellers.comSocial: @watchungbooksellersSign up for our newsletter to get the latest on our shows, events, and book recommendations!

Book Riot's managing editor Vanessa Diaz joins Rebecca for a conversation about the latest romantasy BookTok conspiracy, what's going on with the Trump administration firing the Librarian of Congress, the NYT's best books of the year so far, recent reading, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Become a Book Riot All Access member and explore our full library of members-only content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations. For a limited time, the first 50 new All Access annual members get a FREE copy of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz courtesy of Tor Publishing! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: Trump administration abruptly fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden What is the Library of Congress, and What Does the Librarian of Congress Do? Firing comes on the heals of major report about AI and copyright Trump names his former defense attorney as acting Librarian of Congress Massive victory in lawsuit against Trump's dismantling of IMLS The NYT's best books of the year so far Romantasy BookTok's latest conspiracy Edinburgh-based tour company to replace Harry Potter tours w/ LGBTQ+ history walks for Pride Month The Dry Season by Melissa Febos So Many Stars by Caro de Robertis Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca are joined by Sharifah Williams and Prof. Laura McGrath to conduct the first ever Book Riot fantasy book draft. We explain the rules, talk about strategy, and then engage in some fairly chaotic literary team building. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co! Discussed in This Episode: The Book Riot Fantasy League Scoring Sheet - Make a copy to keep your own. The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Farris Smith is an award-winning writer whose novels have appeared on Best of the Year lists with Esquire, NPR, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Book Riot, and numerous other outlets, and have been named Indie Next, Barnes & Noble Discover, and Amazon Best of the Month selections. He has also written the feature-film adaptations of his novels Desperation Road and The Fighter, titled for the screen as Rumble Through the Dark. He lives in Oxford, Mississippi, with his wife and daughters.Want to be a guest on Book 101 Review? Send Daniel Lucas a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17372807971394464fea5bae3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff and Rebecca each select 10 books to win your vote in our Summer Preview draft. To listen to the full episode and all of the bonus content from The Book Riot podcast, join the Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They All Fall the Same by Wes Browne has already made waves, earning a spot as one of Goodreads' biggest mysteries and thrillers of 2025 and a most anticipated book of the year by Book Riot's Read or Dead. Author Kelly J. Ford raves, “The hills of Kentucky burn in this thrilling tale of warring … Continue reading Epsiode 163: Interview with Wes Browne, author of They All Fall the Same →

It's the 20th anniversary of the publication of Kazuo Ishiguro's modern classic, Never Let Me Go. Jeff and Rebecca recorded this episode diving into the book and movie in 2022. To listen to the whole episode, sign up to become a member of The Book Riot podcast Patreon. You'll get new bonus episodes as they publish, as well as access to all the bonus stuff we've done so far. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the podcast, I sit down with Sara Ackerman, a Hawai'i-born, bestselling author known for her historical and contemporary novels set in the islands. With her books praised as "unforgettable" by Apple Books and “empowering & deliciously visceral” by Book Riot, Sara has carved out a space for her captivating stories. Her work has earned recognition from New York Times bestselling authors and was even selected as a best book of the month by Amazon.Raised on O'ahu, Sara grew up hearing stories of her grandparents' experiences during the war in Hawai'i. These memories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things inspire her novels, which often feature animals, nature, and strong, resilient characters. When she's not writing, you'll find her hiking, snorkeling, or seeking inspiration from the mountains and ocean.Sara's journey to writing began in 2012, when she sat down on her porch with no clear plan but a passion to write. Since then, she's embraced the challenges of the craft, believing that stories write themselves—she's simply there to help guide them. Her dedication to storytelling, along with her love for nature and history, continues to drive her to create unforgettable novels.

Period Matters is a groundbreaking anthology edited by Farah Ahamed that explores the cultural, social, and political dimensions of menstruation in South Asia. Through a diverse collection of essays, personal narratives, poetry, and artwork, the book sheds light on the stigma, myths, and challenges surrounding periods. Featuring contributions from writers, activists, academics, and artists, it examines issues such as menstrual health, period poverty, gender inequality, and sustainable solutions. By amplifying voices that are oft excluded mainstream discussions, Period Matters challenges taboos and calls for greater awareness, education, and policy change in the region. Farah Ahamed is the editor of Period Matters: Menstruation in South Asia, published by Pan Macmillan India in 2022 (periodmattersbook.com). The book has been described as ‘an essential book about the female body that dispels misconceptions,' by Book Riot. In 2022, Farah was selected as the Financial Times's Woman of the Year for her work in breaking the stigma around menstruation. Farah and her sisters run a charity in Kenya called Panties with Purpose, which is helping to raise awareness of period poverty, menstrual health, and also supports underprivileged schoolgirls. Since 2011 they have distributed over 70,000 pairs of underpants to more than 16,000 girls across Kenya. Farah is a Kenyan lawyer with a background in human rights. She lives in London. This interview was hosted by Zana Mody, an English DPhil student at the University of Oxford, who works on postcolonial Indian literature and art. X: @mody_zana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. You can find Rebecca Schinsky on IG @rebeccaschinsky and Book Riot at www.bookriot.com   In this week's episode, we chat with Rebecca Schinsky, who is chief of staff for Riot New Media Group and co-host of The Book Riot podcast. Book Riot is the largest independent editorial book site in North America and book lovers can find all kinds of interesting stuff there, such as numerous podcasts, newsletters, and articles about different genres.   I have long been a listener of this podcast and love it because ….I am a book nerd through and through and this podcast gives me the inside look at the world of publishing.  If you enjoy learning about trends and want the inside scoop about how and why certain books make it to your eyeballs or just want to have your pulse on bookish news, this podcast is for you.  Rebecca talks to us about what book trends have had the biggest impact on the industry over the last 15 years, what other goodies you can find at Book Riot.com, and why social media flattens the book options we see in our feeds.   And this week for our book recommendations section, we put on our 10 gallon hats and our chaps because we're talking about westerns. Westerns became popular in the late 1800s and derived from the dime novels of the mid-19th century. Many of these stories were later turned into movies in the 1940s and 1950s, which is probably the way most people had exposure to them. Films like High Noon and Shane were based on western stories. There was a second resurgence of western films based on novels between the 1970s-90s such as The Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josey Wales. We offer westerns that are in the graphic novel genre, the horror genre, literary fiction, and middle grade.   Books Mentioned in this Episode:   1- The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray   2- The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict   3- Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray   4- Life in Three Dimensions by Shigehiro Oishi    5- Back After This by Linda Holmes   6- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte   7- Glass Town: The Imaginary World of the Brontes by Isabel Greenberg   8- The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak   9- Red Widow by Alma Katsu   10- A Five Star Read Recommended by Fellow Book Lover Beth @a_vet_nurse_and_her_books - The Game by Danny Dagan   11- Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry   12- True Grit by Charles Portis   13- The Searchers by Alan LeMay   14- The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend by Glenn Frankel   15- Lone Women by Victor LaValle   16- Coyote Doggirl by Lisa Hanawalter   17- Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang   18- Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison   19- The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt   20- Pony by RJ Palacio   Media mentioned--   1- Heretic (Max, 2024)   2- Longlegs (Hulu, 2024)   3- True Grit (2010)   4- Deadwood (Max, 2004-2006)   5- The Searchers (1956)   6- The Sisters Brothers (2018)   Bella Da Costa Greene Exhibit in NYC -  https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/belle-da-costa-greene    

Period Matters is a groundbreaking anthology edited by Farah Ahamed that explores the cultural, social, and political dimensions of menstruation in South Asia. Through a diverse collection of essays, personal narratives, poetry, and artwork, the book sheds light on the stigma, myths, and challenges surrounding periods. Featuring contributions from writers, activists, academics, and artists, it examines issues such as menstrual health, period poverty, gender inequality, and sustainable solutions. By amplifying voices that are oft excluded mainstream discussions, Period Matters challenges taboos and calls for greater awareness, education, and policy change in the region. Farah Ahamed is the editor of Period Matters: Menstruation in South Asia, published by Pan Macmillan India in 2022 (periodmattersbook.com). The book has been described as ‘an essential book about the female body that dispels misconceptions,' by Book Riot. In 2022, Farah was selected as the Financial Times's Woman of the Year for her work in breaking the stigma around menstruation. Farah and her sisters run a charity in Kenya called Panties with Purpose, which is helping to raise awareness of period poverty, menstrual health, and also supports underprivileged schoolgirls. Since 2011 they have distributed over 70,000 pairs of underpants to more than 16,000 girls across Kenya. Farah is a Kenyan lawyer with a background in human rights. She lives in London. This interview was hosted by Zana Mody, an English DPhil student at the University of Oxford, who works on postcolonial Indian literature and art. X: @mody_zana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Period Matters is a groundbreaking anthology edited by Farah Ahamed that explores the cultural, social, and political dimensions of menstruation in South Asia. Through a diverse collection of essays, personal narratives, poetry, and artwork, the book sheds light on the stigma, myths, and challenges surrounding periods. Featuring contributions from writers, activists, academics, and artists, it examines issues such as menstrual health, period poverty, gender inequality, and sustainable solutions. By amplifying voices that are oft excluded mainstream discussions, Period Matters challenges taboos and calls for greater awareness, education, and policy change in the region. Farah Ahamed is the editor of Period Matters: Menstruation in South Asia, published by Pan Macmillan India in 2022 (periodmattersbook.com). The book has been described as ‘an essential book about the female body that dispels misconceptions,' by Book Riot. In 2022, Farah was selected as the Financial Times's Woman of the Year for her work in breaking the stigma around menstruation. Farah and her sisters run a charity in Kenya called Panties with Purpose, which is helping to raise awareness of period poverty, menstrual health, and also supports underprivileged schoolgirls. Since 2011 they have distributed over 70,000 pairs of underpants to more than 16,000 girls across Kenya. Farah is a Kenyan lawyer with a background in human rights. She lives in London. This interview was hosted by Zana Mody, an English DPhil student at the University of Oxford, who works on postcolonial Indian literature and art. X: @mody_zana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Period Matters is a groundbreaking anthology edited by Farah Ahamed that explores the cultural, social, and political dimensions of menstruation in South Asia. Through a diverse collection of essays, personal narratives, poetry, and artwork, the book sheds light on the stigma, myths, and challenges surrounding periods. Featuring contributions from writers, activists, academics, and artists, it examines issues such as menstrual health, period poverty, gender inequality, and sustainable solutions. By amplifying voices that are oft excluded mainstream discussions, Period Matters challenges taboos and calls for greater awareness, education, and policy change in the region. Farah Ahamed is the editor of Period Matters: Menstruation in South Asia, published by Pan Macmillan India in 2022 (periodmattersbook.com). The book has been described as ‘an essential book about the female body that dispels misconceptions,' by Book Riot. In 2022, Farah was selected as the Financial Times's Woman of the Year for her work in breaking the stigma around menstruation. Farah and her sisters run a charity in Kenya called Panties with Purpose, which is helping to raise awareness of period poverty, menstrual health, and also supports underprivileged schoolgirls. Since 2011 they have distributed over 70,000 pairs of underpants to more than 16,000 girls across Kenya. Farah is a Kenyan lawyer with a background in human rights. She lives in London. This interview was hosted by Zana Mody, an English DPhil student at the University of Oxford, who works on postcolonial Indian literature and art. X: @mody_zana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Period Matters is a groundbreaking anthology edited by Farah Ahamed that explores the cultural, social, and political dimensions of menstruation in South Asia. Through a diverse collection of essays, personal narratives, poetry, and artwork, the book sheds light on the stigma, myths, and challenges surrounding periods. Featuring contributions from writers, activists, academics, and artists, it examines issues such as menstrual health, period poverty, gender inequality, and sustainable solutions. By amplifying voices that are oft excluded mainstream discussions, Period Matters challenges taboos and calls for greater awareness, education, and policy change in the region. Farah Ahamed is the editor of Period Matters: Menstruation in South Asia, published by Pan Macmillan India in 2022 (periodmattersbook.com). The book has been described as ‘an essential book about the female body that dispels misconceptions,' by Book Riot. In 2022, Farah was selected as the Financial Times's Woman of the Year for her work in breaking the stigma around menstruation. Farah and her sisters run a charity in Kenya called Panties with Purpose, which is helping to raise awareness of period poverty, menstrual health, and also supports underprivileged schoolgirls. Since 2011 they have distributed over 70,000 pairs of underpants to more than 16,000 girls across Kenya. Farah is a Kenyan lawyer with a background in human rights. She lives in London. This interview was hosted by Zana Mody, an English DPhil student at the University of Oxford, who works on postcolonial Indian literature and art. X: @mody_zana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arts, TV & Film and News - Book Riot

NOTE: This is a long, unabridged episode. So get some snacks! and settle in!Romance in Colour is back this week with a legend! Vivian Award winner and author of over thirty romances, Reese Ryan. A master of the craft, Reese drops some jewels about writing romance, complex storytelling and the business of romance publishing.About Reese:Award-winning author Reese Ryan writes sexy, emotional, “grown folks” romantic fiction. Her characters find love while navigating career crises and family drama. The two-time recipient of the Donna Hill Breakout Author Award is an advocate for the romance genre and diversity in fiction. Reese's books have been featured on Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, and BookRiot. Follow Reese's social media and links on her website:ReeseRyan.comHeart Topics is all about engagements! From Normani to former Love is Blind cast members, love is in the air!In Watching Romance, we recap the latest offerings from Lifetime, Tyler Perry, and Tati gives us a run down of Beyond the Gates.In Reading Romance, Tati talks upcoming Black Romance Book Fest, events and some dope Danielle Allen books that are soon to come.Follow Romance in Colour on Social MediaIG ⁠⁠@RomanceInColour⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠@RomanceNColour ⁠⁠Facebook Groups: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/RomanceinColour⁠⁠Follow Yakini on her Instagram ⁠@OurNycHome⁠Follow Tati Richardson on social media and pick up her books here, ⁠⁠here⁠

This is a preview of our live recording of the Most Recommendable Books of the Century (so far) at Powell's in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon. If you aren't already a Patreon member, you can listen to the full recording when you sign up. Thanks to Powell's, our family and friends, and everyone who came out (or told someone else to). Hope to do it again sometime in the not-too-distant future. Listen to the rest by becoming a member of The Book Riot Podcast Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danielle and Whitney engage in an insightful conversation with Dr. Taz Bhatia, a board-certified integrative medicine physician, wellness expert, and founder of CentreSpring MD. Dr. Taz shares her insights on navigating the complexities of hormonal shifts, practical strategies for maintaining vitality and energy through different life stages, and ultimately how not to experience the menopause your mom experienced.  This episode was recorded in front of a virtual live audience as part of our Sakara Talk Series. Check out the video version on the Sakara Life YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/1X6mr1P5Ky4  Dr. Taz shares:  How hormonal fluctuations impact energy levels and overall well-being.  How to recognize these hormonal changes. Practical advice to support hormonal balance and enhance vitality. The effects of stress on hormones and effective strategies to mitigate its impact. Guidance through different hormonal phases, from puberty to menopause. About Dr. Taz:  As a pioneer in merging systems of medicine together, double board certified integrative medicine physician Dr. Taz Bhatia is on a mission to provide the world with true, holistic medicine that combines a unique integration of science, spirit, and the human experience. Faced with personal health challenges in her twenties and a health care system that was dismissive, Dr. Taz turned to nutrition, homeopathy and Eastern medical wisdom for answers. What she found was a wealth of information not yet taught in conventional medical schools. Passionate to share this new knowledge, she opened CentreSpringMD in Atlanta, a nationally recognized holistic and integrative medical practice designed to treat the whole family. Fifteen years later, Dr. Taz has scaled the practice and opened locations in LA and NYC, along with an expanded global telehealth platform. A veteran media and television contributor, she currently serves as a TODAY contributor, First for Women columnist, and a FOX5 news expert. Her recent book, The Hormone Shift, named by Book Riot as one of “The Best Menopause Books,” landed at #1 in Amazon's coveted Best Sellers Ranking List and exploded in popularity garnering worldwide attention. The book is now available in India and Portugal, with more countries to come, helping to fuel the growth of her international telehealth business. From primary care to chronic disease management and specialty care, Dr. Taz has led the growth of CentreSpringMD from a solo provider practice with 2 employees to a multi clinic company with 4 locations and a global telehealth platform with over 50 employees. Dr. Taz's clinics continue to garner medical awards, including Best Georgia practice and Atlanta's Top Doc recognitions.

On this episode, Rebecca Schinsky and Jeff O'Neal of Book Riot sit down and talk to me about their reading lives. We talk about their professional work in the world of books, how Oliver Burkeman would feel about my bad bookish habit, and how any book can be interesting if you're curious enough.    Listen to the Book Riot Podcast  Listen to First Edition Better Living Through Books Newsletter (and the rest of the Book Riot Newsletters!)  Jeff and Rebecca Live at Powells!   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  B.F.F.: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found by Christie Tate  Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin  Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker   Books Highlighted by Rebecca & Jeff: Sula by Toni Morrison  The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro  The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt  Lab Girl: A Memoir by Hope Jahren  Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes  We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry The Street by Ann Petry How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur The Orchard: A Memoir by Adele Crockett Robertson Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman  When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice by Terry Tempest Williams  Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott  Conscious Business: How to Build Value through Values by Fred Kofman    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson  House of Cotton by Monica Brashears  Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy  Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros  Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman by Callum Robinson  Cabin: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman by Patrick Hutchinson  Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life by Shigehiro Oishi  Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts by Oliver Burkeman  Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card  The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien  The Shining by Stephen King  Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro  My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante  Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros  It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover  All Fours by Miranda July  Passing by Nella Larsen

Jess and Trisha talk about what they read when the real world is difficult and recommend some Black romance authors who might be new to you. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. To get recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. All Access subscribers get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. You can become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year to get unlimited access to all members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies of knowing you are supporting independent media. To join, visit bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Book club is back!! We're reading Even if The Sky is Falling edited by Taj McCoy for an episode we're recording on March 13 and which will be live on March 17. Send us your thoughts! Find the Lisa Kleypas Historical Hero Showdown on Instagram through @romancingthedata. Check out the Black Romance Has a History podcast AND the article Jess mentioned. Jess was on the Book Riot pod - check it out! Books Discussed A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgens Clark Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming A Man for Mrs. Claus or Rafe (or anything) by Rebekah Weatherspoon It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian Hungry Heart by Jem Milton The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas Role Playing by Cathy Yardley Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton When I Think of You by Myah Ariel Just Right by Shon Luca by Grey Huffington Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places by Claire Kann Let us know what you're reading, what you're thinking, and what you're thinking about what you're reading! As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown), and Jess is even on TikTok (@jess_isreading). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca are joined by romance expert Jessica Pryde to talk about romantasy, current trends in romance, category romance, navigating commercial romance covers, and much more. Jessica co-hosts Book Riot's When in Romance. You can also find her exclamations about books and internet ridiculousness on BlueSky (JessIsReading) and instagram/threads (jess_is_reading). Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. Sign up at bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Jennifer Roberson That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming Lights Out by Navessa Allen The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton I Think I Like "Cozy" Dark Romance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, Should-Heads, we're finally doing our last Zodiac recommendations, so if you're a Taurus, Leo or Aquarius, you'll want to take some notes. Links mentioned: Neil Gaiman.Vulture posted an article where they spoke with four of the five women who have accused Neil Gaiman of sexually assaulting them. The article is explicit in spelling out their accusations. https://www.vulture.com/article/neil-gaiman-allegations-controversy-amanda-palmer-sandman-madoc.html Book Riot discussed it here https://bookriot.com/neil-gaiman-sexual-assault-victims-speak-out-vulture/ Some of his upcoming projects have been canceled; another Vulture article discusses which projects are canceled or otherwise changing. https://www.vulture.com/article/neil-gaiman-allegations-adaptations.html We've discussed this before, but it's a conversation that definitely could stand to be revisited. What are your thoughts on separating the art from the artist? Does it matter what the accusations are? For example, is it acceptable to stay a JK Rowling fan, because IN MY OPINION she's just an unhinged billionaire with deeply problematic beliefs? Is it only a problem if actual crimes are reportedly committed?And how should we weigh all of this when none of this art exists in a vacuum? Some of the people who work on JK Rowling's books or TV/movie offerings are almost certainly trans. And the money generated by her books and movies would definitely go toward releasing books that deal with trans issues in a better and more accurate manner (as opposed to believing that every trans woman is just a man in a dress waiting to rape women in public bathrooms). How do we decide what to do here?And to end with GOOD book news, the movie Sing Sing is the first movie to get released in theaters and in correctional facilities. (It'll be distributed to 1,100 facilities). The movie's a true story about incarcerated men in Sing Sing who formed a theater group. Some of the movie's cast were men who were in that troupe. https://bookriot.com/sing-sing-film-release-theaters-and-prisons/ Twitter and Instagram: wysr_podcast

Jeff uses Susie Dumond's piece for Book Riot about 2025 predictions as a framework for taking stock of where we are and what the year may hold for publishing and reading. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Book Trend Predictions for 2025 Bed and Break-Up by Susie Dumond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a preview of our most recent bonus episode for Patreon members: The January 2025 Hot List Check-in. This is where Jeff offers Rebecca a list of the books he thinks are the current hot books and she tells him he is wrong. Or right. Since Patreon episodes aren't in the main feed, there is some occasional cursing, and in this preview, Jeff had to get out the horn-bleep effect. If you enjoyed this, please consider becoming a paid member of the Book Riot podcast Patreon. We have fun trying to make things you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Jensen shares her recent article for Book Riot "56 Small Tasks to be Proactive Against Book Censorship in 2025 and Beyond."   I would like to thank composer Nazar Rybak at Hooksounds.com for the music you've heard today.   Learnics Mention the podcast for 20% off a subscription Editable PD Certificate FAQ's and ISO (In search of…) Online Doctoral Programs APA format for citing a podcast/podcast app SLU Playlists Search by title, guest and location! Bluesky : heykellyjensen  Book Riot article Website 13 Must-Hear Librarian Podcasts (Jan 2020!!!) Brooklyn Public Library's Unbanned Program Newsletters (Scroll to Literary Activism!!!)

Watch hol+ by Dr. Taz MD on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsIn this premiere episode of hol+ by Dr. Taz MD, Dr. Taz explores the gap between conventional medicine and holistic health and wellness. She shares her personal health journey and the pivotal moments that led her to embrace a more integrated approach to medicine. You'll discover how hol+ merges the best of science and spirit through conversation with experts, researchers, practitioners, and even celebrities. Learn why it's time for a new type of healthcare conversation that honors the human experience, and come along to start your own journey toward healing and wellness.About Dr. Taz, founder of hol+As a pioneer in merging systems of medicine together, double board certified integrative medicine physician Dr. Taz Bhatia is on a mission to provide the world with true, holistic medicine that combines a unique integration of science, spirit, and the human experience. Faced with personal health challenges in her twenties and a health care system that was dismissive, Dr. Taz turned to nutrition, homeopathy and Eastern medical wisdom for answers. What she found was a wealth of information not yet taught in conventional medical schools.  Passionate to share this new knowledge, she opened CentreSpringMD in Atlanta, a nationally recognized holistic and integrative medical practice designed to treat the whole family.  Fifteen years later, Dr. Taz has scaled the practice and opened locations in LA and NYC, along with an expanded global telehealth platform. A veteran media and television contributor, she currently serves as a TODAY contributor, First for Women columnist, and a FOX5 news expert. Her recent book, The Hormone Shift, named by Book Riot as one of “The Best Menopause Books,” landed at #1 in Amazon's coveted Best Sellers Ranking List and exploded in popularity garnering worldwide attention. The book is now available in India and Portugal, with more countries to come, helping to fuel the growth of her international telehealth business. From primary care to chronic disease management and specialty care, Dr. Taz has led the growth of CentreSpringMD from a solo provider practice with 2 employees to a multi clinic company with 4 locations and a global telehealth platform with over 50 employees. Dr. Taz's clinics continue to garner medical awards, including Best Georgia practice and Atlanta's Top Doc recognitions. Thank you to our sponsorBiOptimizers:  bioptimizers.com/holplusTime Stamps02:16 A Crisis in Healthcare03:21 Dr Taz's Personal Health Journey09:16 Discovering Holistic Medicine15:44 Building a New Practice20:22 The Vision for hol+Stay ConnectedSubscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribeSubscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsFollow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/Join the conversation on X: https://x.com/@drtazmdTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drtazmdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/drtazmd/Host & Production TeamHost: Dr. Taz; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Lead Producer: Lauren Feighan; Editors: Jeremiah Schultz and Patrick Edwards)Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+

We kick off the new year in book news by talking about Book Riot's own list of the most anticipated books of 2025, a look at the whiteout that was the 2024 Goodreads Choices Awards before talking about All Fours (Jeff read it). And then some very brief reactions to Fourth Wing (we both read it). Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Check out new collections on Patreon Book Riot's Most Anticipated Books of 2025 The Unbearable Whiteness of the Goodreads Choice Awards Federal judge strikes down portion of Arkansas book banning law that could have put librarians and booksellers in jail Christopher Nolan's next film is an adaptation of The Odyssey  Constance Grady digs into whether there's actually a crisis of men not reading Jenna Bush Hager launches imprint with PRH Katy Waldman Goes Deep on the Romantasy Plagiarism Case All Fours by Miranda July Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros The Heart of Winter Life in Three Dimensions by Shigehiro Oishi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Blitman of the Gays Reading podcast joins Jeff and Rebecca to talk about more books to watch for in 2025. Jeff and Rebecca also joined Jason on Gays Reading for more picks in this episode. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! Discussed in this episode: Book Riot's TBR The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jason Blitman kicks off Gays Reading season four with special guests from the Book Riot Podcast, Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky. They join forces to discuss their most anticipated books of 2025, covering a wide range of genres and highlighting some exciting upcoming releases. Later, Jason chats with Brad Summerville, aka @bradboughtabook on Bookstagram, about his top queer book picks for the year. Jeff O'Neal is the executive editor of Book Riot and Panels. He also co-hosts The Book Riot Podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @thejeffoneal.Rebecca Schinsky is the chief of staff at Riot New Media Group. She co-hosts All the Books! and the Book Riot Podcast. Follow her on Twitter: @rebeccaschinsky.BOOK CLUB!Use code GAYSREADING at checkout to get first book for only $4 + free shipping! Restrictions apply.http://aardvarkbookclub.comWATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreadingBOOKS!Check out the list of books discussed on each episode on our Bookshop page: https://bookshop.org/shop/gaysreading MERCH!Purchase your Gays Reading podcast merchandise HERE! https://gaysreading.myspreadshop.com/ FOLLOW!@gaysreading | @jasonblitman CONTACT!hello@gaysreading.com

Jeff and Rebecca ring in the new year with another It Book knockout round. A storm gathers. Can anyone sail through it? Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Book Riot's TBR The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon The 2025 Read Harder Challenge is live Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney We Do Not Part by Han Kang Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson The Loves of My Life by Edmund White Dare I Say It by Naomi Watts Three Wild Dogs and the Truth by Markus Zusak Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor The Crash by Frieda McFadden Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca sits down with Book Riot's managing editor Vanessa Diaz to discuss Marielle Heller's adaptation of Nightbitch starring Amy Adams and Scoot McNairy. Nightbitch is streaming now on Hulu. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: Marielle Heller Explores the Feral Side of Motherhood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca preview the books of 2025 (that we know about) that will be on the reading world's radar in 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! Discussed in this episode: Book Riot's TBR The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon The 2025 Read Harder Challenge is live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking some time off this holiday week, so we thought we'd share with you the final episode of our SFF Yeah podcast in which several staff members of Book Riot share some excellent speculative, science fiction, and fantasy backlist recommendations. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more SF/F news and recs, sign up for our Swords and Spaceships newsletter! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed The Monk and Robot books by Becky Chambers Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho The Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki Everfair by Nisi Shawl Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe) by P. Djèlí Clark Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A little teaser for our Best of the Rest of 2024 episode over on the Book Riot podcast Patreon. Rebecca and Jeff talk about their favorite non-book things from 2024, a few of which might be of interest to other humans. Join us on Patreon for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/bookriotpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca look back at the books & stories that defined 2024. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Book Riot's TBR The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon The 2025 Read Harder Challenge is live _________________________ The dust settled as publishing's earnings rebound in H1 Barnes & Noble is back, baby, and they bought a beloved indie The Discourse:  Remember the moment when some people thought Taylor Swift wrote Argylle?  PRH dismisses Reagan Arthur & Lisa Lucas NYT's top 100 books of the century so far NaNoWriMo's PR fail with AI only 20k serious readers of lit fic? Coming Attractions:  Spielberg in talks to produce James adaptation directed by Taika Waititi Liz Moore signs Sony deal for Long Bright River & God of the Woods Meryl Streep in adaptation of The Corrections Florence Pugh in East of Eden for Netflix The Black List expands to fiction & highlights publishing's most-wanted adaptations,  Book banning news:  Idaho library to become adults-only High school shuts down library due to book banning law Big Five and Authors Guild sue over Florida law PRH hires a public policy role  Many states have banned book bans In memoriam:  Daniel Kahneman John Gierach Edna O'Brien Francine Pascal  Nikki Giovanni Paul Auster The #metoo trifecta of Cormac McCarthy, Alice Munro, and Neil Gaiman The robots are coming:  authors sue Anthropic Roxane Gay & Margaret Atwood among authors helping create AI reading guides Number go up: US audiobook sales hit $2 billion in 2023  One to watch: ByteDance's 8th Note Press to publish print books in 2025 This is why literacy matters: Florida dept of education recommends Pride & Prejudice as a book about American pride Listener feedback award: the surprising origins of publishing's seasons, Sophia's It Books tracker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca take a look at the hits, misses, and favorites from the year in literary adaptations. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! Discussed in this episode: Book Riot's TBR The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca settle in to figure what 10 books from 2024 defined the year. Not the best (necessarily), the most popular (though could be), or most interesting (in many cases not), but a list that comes closest to telling the story of 2024 in reading. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! Discussed in this episode: Book Riot's TBR The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Liberty and Vanessa discuss books from 2024 that make great gifts, including The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Magical/Realism, Bodega Bakes, and more! Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and never miss a book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Keep up to date with the world of books and reading with Today in Books, Book Riot's daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Our editors offer commentary, context, and the occasional clap-back to keep you informed and entertained. Visit bookriot.com/todayinbooks to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed On the Show: The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders by Vanessa Angelica Villareal Everything Under a Mushroom by Ruth Krauss, Margaret Tomes A Pinecone! By Helen Yoon The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever by Sandra Salsbury Bodega Bakes: Recipes for Sweets and Treats Inspired by My Corner Store by Paola Velez A History of Ghosts, Spirits and the Supernatural by DK You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World by Ada Limon Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ and Soul Food by Toriano Gordon, Korsha Wilson Missing Witches: Recovering the True Histories of Feminist Magic by Risa Dickens, Amy Torok There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten The Greatest Nobodies of History: Minor Characters from Major Moments by Adrian Bliss The Little Witch's Oracle Deck: Symbols, Spells, and Rituals for the Young Witch by Ariel Kusby, Olga Baumert  Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes Peculiar Baking: A Practical Guide to Strange Confections by Nikk Alcaraz Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders by Atlas Obscura  Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America's Most Legendary Haunted Places by Amy Bruni, Julie Tremaine For a complete list of books discussed in this episode, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Liberty talks about a couple of amazing books related to the week's new releases! Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and never miss a book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Keep up to date with the world of books and reading with Today in Books, Book Riot's daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Our editors offer commentary, context, and the occasional clap-back to keep you informed and entertained. Visit bookriot.com/todayinbooks to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World in a Big Way by Roma Agrawal Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Liberty and Emily discuss Is She Really Going Out with Him?, The Last King of California, The City and Its Uncertain Walls, and more great books! Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and never miss a book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Keep up to date with the world of books and reading with Today in Books, Book Riot's daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Our editors offer commentary, context, and the occasional clap-back to keep you informed and entertained. Visit bookriot.com/todayinbooks to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed On the Show: The Last King of California by Jordan Harper Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens  The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer, John Burgoyne (Illustrator) In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami, Philip Gabriel (translator) Sundown in San Ojuela by M.M. Olivas Cher: The Memoir, Part One by Cher The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong Darkly by Marisha Pessl Hotel Lucky Seven by Kōtarō Isaka, Brian Bergstrom (translator) Cats of the World by Hannah Shaw and Andrew Marttila Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay Chapman For a complete list of books discussed in this episode, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel has launched a ground invasion into Lebanon. On this week's On the Media, hear from a reporter in Beirut on the state of the press as the country braces for more violence. Plus, the state of book censorship in America.[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Nada Homsi, correspondent at The National's Beirut bureau, on what the press looks like in Lebanon as Israel launches a ground invasion into the country.[14:23] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with Raviv Drucker, an Israeli journalist, to hear about his role in the unreleased documentary, The Bibi Files, directed by Alexis Bloom. The film uses never-before-seen leaked interrogation footage of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle to lay out his corruption case.[31:05] Host Brooke Gladstone talks with Kelly Jensen, an editor at the online publication Book Riot, about how book censorship has shifted over the past year to a government affair – with new laws and regulations passed in Idaho, Utah, and South Carolina among other states. [39:36] Host Brooke Gladstone interviews Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, whose children's picture book, And Tango Makes Three, is among the long list of banned titles across the country. Hear why they're suing in Florida to make their book — and others — accessible again. Further reading:“Hezbollah's dominance raises questions about Lebanon's army role in Israel conflict,” by Nada Homsi"It's Still Censorship, Even If It's Not a Book Ban," by Kelly JensenAnd Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, and illustrator Henry ColeJacob's Missing Book, by Sarah Hoffman, Ian Hoffman, and illustrator Chris Case On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.