Podcast appearances and mentions of jessica anya blau

'Shopgirls' by Jessica Anya Blau is the story of 19-year-old Zippy, who works in petite dresses at I. Magnin, a legendary high-fashion department store in San Francisco.

Long-time podcast listener Thalia Lewandowski and her business partner visited Matt's bookstore Airbnb in January to learn all they could about opening their own bookshop. Now they've done it! Thalia joins the pod to discuss Paper & String Books, a shop that seamlessly blends reading and crafts.Books We Talk About: Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau, North Woods by Daniel Mason, James by Percival Everett, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and the works of Jane Harper and Amor Towles.Our theme music is Whiskey River II by Erin Eades. Find Erin's music wherever you stream or visit ErinEadesMusic.com.

We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have.  This week we are making the case for audiobook reading! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.   Care to join us on Patreon with even more content?  We would love to have you join us at From the Bookstacks of Literally Reading! Literally Reading: Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan (Ellie) The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (Traci) Crack the Book Open: Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau  

Join us in our debut episode, as we explore the captivating life of Jessica Anya Blau. We discuss Jessica Anya's unconventional childhood, and coping mechanisms like dissociation and selective mutism. We listen to how she navigates relationships and being gaslit, and understand how her keen observational skills have contributed to her exceptional writing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hannah is in the Berkshires (or someplace) digging for ramps and concerned about her to-be-read list, but she made some time to talk books, including "Rough Sleepers" (the next Book Club book), which leads to a big discussion of why people do good works. Sam thinks it's anger. Heavy cynicism ensues. As a palate-cleanser, we then engage in a discussion of note-taking — Hannah won't write in her hardcovers — and the use of notes at Book Club and the preciousness of books. (Note: Maine and Massachusetts are NOT the only states that celebrate Patriots Day). Oh, yeah, the books we read: "Blue Skies," by TC Boyle (who's great, but stay for the mediocre TC Boyle anecdote at the end); "Symphony of Secrets," by Brendan Slocumb (don't read the jacket copy!); "Saha," by Cho Nam-Joo (Singapore is not for Sam; it's unclear whether all of his facts are in order); "You Are Here," by Karin Lin-Greenberg ("shining beacons of capitalism"). And then there's 15 minutes worth of stuff about the Newburyport Literary Festival — for which Hannah is leading a panel on the "coming of age" novel, with Allegra Goodman, Kai Harris, and Jessica Anya Blau — and how we manage our advance-reader copies. Also Roxanne Gay's new imprint and its new romance novel from Vannessa Lyon. 

Inspired by mention of the fictionalized accounts of the assassination attempt on Bob Marley, Brian talks about some of his favorite rock n roll novels.

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Mindy are discussing: Bookish Moments: a bookish car surprise and a triumphal return Current Reads: all the great stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: the deets on reading vacations! The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:53 - Currently Reading Patreon 4:26 - Bookish Moment of the Week 4:57 - Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau 8:11 - Current Reads 8:17 - Scribd 8:29 - What Can Be Saved by Liese O'Halloran Schwartz (Mindy) 12:41 - The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan (Meredith) 14:50 - City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab 16:24 - The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey (Mindy) 19:13 - Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie (Meredith) 23:22 - A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie 24:02 - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Mindy) 24:13 - Denisereads75 on Instagram 24:17 - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini  26:02 - Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 26:51 - Gilded by Marissa Meyer (Meredith) 28:22 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 30:17 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 30:46 - Cinder by Marissa Meyer 31:27 - Cursed by Marissa Meyer 32:37 - Deep Dive: The Ins and Outs of Bookish Vacations 32:49 - A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny 33:41 - The Winners by Fredrik Backman 40:34 - Beartown by Fredrik Backman 49:46 - Meet Us At The Fountain I wish I could find a series that combined police procedural and courtroom drama like Law and Order. (Mindy) 50:49 - Crimson Lake by Candice Fox 50:52 - The Defense by Steve Cavanagh (Eddie Flynn #1) 50:58 - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino I wish that small, concentrated book retreats happen in 2023. (Meredith) Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

O que é que as primeiras frases dos livros que temos a ganhar pó nos dizem? Conseguem fazer-nos ter vontade de os ler imediatamente ou de nos esquecermos que existem? Esta semana fomos vasculhar a nossa TBR e pelo uma de nós saiu com a sua próxima leitura debaixo do braço. Livros mencionados neste episódio: - When in Rome, Sarah Adams (2:45) - The Hunting Wives, May Cobb (6:00) - Small Pleasures, Clare Chambers (7:38) - Early Morning Riser, Katherine Heiny (9:35) - Acts of Desperation, Megan Nolan (11:17) - O Senhor d'Além, Teresa Veiga (12:41) - Luster, Raven Leilani (15:08) - Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (16:40) - Mary Jane, Jessica Anya Blau (18:57) - Mayflies, Andrew O'Hagan (21:03) - Hot Under His Collar, Andie J. Christopher (25:22) - Leading Men, Christopher Castellani (27:14) - You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty, Akwaeke Emezi (29:18) - Topics of Conversation, Miranda Popkey (30:55) - Heaven, Mieko Kawakami (33:03) - Cai a Noite em Caracas, Karina Sainz Borgo (34:35) - Big Summer, Jennifer Weiner (37:30) - Body Grammar, Jules Ohman (40:30) - The Most Fun We Ever Had, Claire Lombardo (42:30) - One True Loves, Taylor Jenkins Reid (45:13) ________________ Enviem as vossas questões ou sugestões para livratepodcast@gmail.com. Encontrem-nos nas redes sociais: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva www.instagram.com/ritadanova/ twitter.com/julesxdasilva twitter.com/RitaDaNova [a imagem do podcast é da autoria da maravilhosa, incrível e talentosa Mariana Cardoso, que podem encontrar em marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com]

We saw this week's guest in early fall at Carmichael's Bookstore when she read aloud from her latest book, Don't Call Me a Hurricane. Ellen Hagan has roots in Kentucky and is part of Spalding University's low residency MFA faculty but lives and works in New York City. She is a poet, fiction writer, performer, and teacher for several programs including the The DreamYard Project and the International Poetry Exchange Program, programs geared towards young people. She is also the author of many books for teens, including Watch Us Rise, a book she wrote in collaboration with Renee Watson. Don't Call Me a Hurricane is a YA novel written in verse that addresses climate change, romantic, family, and friend relationships, as well as the tension between tourism and ecology. You can find more information about Ellen Hagan on social media @ellenhagan or her website www.ellenhagan.com. For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Don't Call Me a Hurricane by Ellen Hagan 2- Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan 3- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 4- Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse 5- Rivers of London/Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch, narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith 6- Naruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera 7- Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne 8- I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg 9- Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau; audiobook narrated by Cailtin Kinnunen 10- Reckless, Glorious, Girl by Ellen Hagan

We saw this week's guest in early fall at Carmichael's Bookstore when she read aloud from her latest book, Don't Call Me a Hurricane. Ellen Hagan has roots in Kentucky and is part of Spalding University's low residency MFA faculty but lives and works in New York City. She is a poet, fiction writer, performer, and teacher for several programs including the The DreamYard Project and the International Poetry Exchange Program, programs geared towards young people. She is also the author of many books for teens, including Watch Us Rise, a book she wrote in collaboration with Renee Watson. Don't Call Me a Hurricane is a YA novel written in verse that addresses climate change, romantic, family, and friend relationships, as well as the tension between tourism and ecology. You can find more information about Ellen Hagan on social media @ellenhagan or her website www.ellenhagan.com. For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Don't Call Me a Hurricane by Ellen Hagan 2- Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan 3- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 4- Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse 5- Rivers of London/Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch, narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith 6- Naruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera 7- Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne 8- I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg 9- Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau; audiobook narrated by Cailtin Kinnunen 10- Reckless, Glorious, Girl by Ellen Hagan

Recorded Monday, August 15, 2022 Book talk begins at 20:00   2022 MOTHER BEAR KAL Mother Bear Chatter Thread Mother Bear FO Thread   12 in 22 Chatter Thread   Lambtown 2022   Virtual get-together Zoom   On Episode 252, we will have Sarah Fain, TV writer, knitter and spinner with us!     KNITTING   Tracie finished:   1.  Mother Bears 287 - 290 2. Tracie's Hoodie Shawl Cardigan by Susanne Sommer, using Color Notes Yarn Pure Sport in Clear Red, Western Sky Knits Willow Superwash Sport, and madelinetosh Pashmina in Jasper   Barb finished: 1.  Mother Bear #261 & 262 2.  Barb's Bankhead hat #19 by Susie Gorlay, using Knit Picks Felici Worsted in the Goth Kitty colorway 3.  Test Knit for Zephyr Mark II by Celia McAdam Cahill, using Knit Picks Hawthorne Tonal Handprint in the Springfield colorway Tracie continues to work on: Moon of My Life by Nadia Crétin-Léchenne adapted by Celia McAdam Cahill for a man in worsted weight yarn - in Universal Yarns Uptown Worsted in Granite and Berroco Vintage in Cotton Candy   Tracie cast on: Cinna Top by Ksenia Naidyon, in 5 colors of Alchemy Silken Straw   Barb continues to work on: 1.  That's My Jam by Steve Fegert - using a kit from Leading Men Fiber Arts 2.  Goth Kitty Socks, using Knitpicks Felici in the Goth Kitty colorway   Barb has cast on: 1.  Hot Springs Willow Hat by NichKnit Designs, using Berroco Vintage Worsted, in the Yukon Green colorway 2.  Polobello tee by Josee Paquin using Juniper Moon Farm Zooey in the Sloop colorway   BOOKS Tracie read: 1.  Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau - 5 stars 2.  The Silent Quarry by Cheryl Rees-Price - 2.5 stars 3.  The Trivia Night by Ali Lowe - 4.5 stars 4.  The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey - 4.5 stars 5. For the Thrill of It: Leopold, Loeb and the Murder that Shocked Chicago by Simon Baatz - 3 stars   Barb read: 1.   Beyond the Crushing Waves by Lilly Mirren - 4 stars 2.  The Lying Club by Annie Ward - 3.5 stars 3.  In Her Eyes by Sarah Alderson - 3 stars 4.  The Clover Girls by Viola Shipman - 4 stars   Tracie recommends Get Organized With The Home Edit on Netflix  

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie sits down with her friend, cousin, and former colleague Ashley Sherlock. Together, they make up members of their own family's kids' table. They talk about what they're reading, watching listening to, and buying this season. The books mentioned in this episode can be purchased from The Bookshelf: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub Flying Solo by Linda Holmes Cultish by Amanda Montell Book Lovers by Emily Henry Happy Go Lucky by David Sedaris Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan Watching: The Essex Serpent on Apple TV+ Stranger Things season 4 Somebody Feed Phil Top Gun The Circle Listening To: The Big Picture podcast (Top Gun episodes especially) Playlists by Fran Dorsey/Coppertone & Sarah Tolzmann/Note to Self/Chill Summer Wilder Mind by Mumford and Sons A Place to Call Home by Michael Ottosson Buying: Dresses from Target's Universal Thread line August Cloth The Olive & June summer collection From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week Annie is listening to Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. Ashley is reading Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you're so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff's weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter and follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are... Donna Hetchler, Angie Erickson, Cammy Tidwell, Chantalle C, Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins, Laurie johnson, and Kate Johnston Tucker. Libro.FM: Libro.fm lets you purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite local bookstore (Like The Bookshelf). You can pick from more than 215,000 audiobooks, and you'll get the same audiobooks at the same price as the largest audiobook company out there (you know the name). But you'll be part of a different story -- one that supports community. All you need is a smart phone and the free Libro.fm app. Right now, if you sign up for a new membership, you will get 2 audiobooks for the price of one. All you have to do is enter FRONTPORCH at checkout or follow this link: https://tidd.ly/3C2zVbb Flodesk: Do you receive a weekly or monthly newsletter from one of your favorite brands? Like maybe From the Front Porch (Or The Bookshelf)... Did you ever wonder, ‘how do they make such gorgeous emails?'  Flodesk is an email marketing service provider that's built for creators, by creators, and it's easy to use. We've been using it for a couple of years now, and I personally love it. And right now you can get 50% off your Flodesk subscription by going to: flodesk.com/c/THEFRONTPORCH

Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year's Summer Reading Guides, some deep backlist books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories featured in Sarah's 2022 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)… In addition to my annual 2022 Summer Reading Guide, I'm introducing Summer Shelves, a companion exclusively for Superstars Patrons ($7/mo). Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from over 25 former podcast guests and our team members. The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and you'll receive it in a PDF file format via Patreon. If you'd like to get the Summer Shelves companion guide, you can sign up to be a Superstars patron here. You'll also get access to a monthly bonus podcast series called Double Booked (where Catherine or Susie and I share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show) and my Rock Your Reading Tracker. Our Summer Reading Guides Sarah's 2022 Summer Reading Guide Susie's 2022 Summer Reading Guide Summer Reading [4:23] Books That Missed Last Year's Summer Reading Guides [4:58] Sarah The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:29] The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:12] Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:24]  Susie For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:29] Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:06]  Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:32]  Backlist Books That Are Great for Summer Reading [25:30] Sarah Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:53]  Red Notice by Bill Browder | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:39] The Fever by Megan Abbott | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:52] Susie Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:12]  The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:09] The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:15] Our #1 Summer Picks by Category  [42:08] Something Light / Fun Sarah: Dilettante by Dana Brown | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:46]  Susie: Cover Story by Susan Rigetti | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:03]  Something Fast Paced / Intense Sarah: Upgrade by Blake Crouch (July 12, 2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:48]  Susie: Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone (May 24, 2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:52]  Something with a Bit More Substance Sarah: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:27]  Susie: Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:05]  Something Different Sarah: Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:01:45]  Susie: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:03:23]  Other Books Mentioned The Family by Naomi Krupitsky [6:53]  The Turnout by Megan Abbott [7:01]  Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll [7:21]  My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing [9:35] The Secret History by Donna Tartt [9:48] Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates [9:48] One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London [12:37]  Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston [12:44]  Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid [15:14]  The Ensemble by Aja Gabel [15:14]  Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau [15:14]  The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton [15:14]  The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff [20:08]  The Office by Andy Greene [20:57] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [30:15]  Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez [30:41] Moneyball by Michael Lewis [33:21]  We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida [34:17]  Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight [38:18]  My Friend Anna by Rachel DeLoache Williams [45:51]  The Accident by Chris Pavone [55:54]  The Expats by Chris Pavone [56:02]  One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle [1:04:10]  Other Links The New York Times Magazine | What Happened to the Girls in Le Roy About Susie Boutry Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend's blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.

Time for a book recommendation! Abby Rauscher shares a recommendation from East City Bookshop's Claire Handscombe: Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. This adult novel is perfect for grown mothers and daughters to read together. Welcome to Misshelved Recs, your weekly book fix from independent booksellers. Join our motley crew of hosts to find your next favorite read. SHOP EAST CITY: eastcitybookshop.com INDIE BOOKSELLERS, SUBMIT HERE: forms.gle/NWXYxv7FYb96Lz1A8 FULL TRANSCRIPTIONS + SHOW NOTES: misshelved.nebrinkley.com SUPPORT US ON PATREON: patreon.com/nebrinkley LEARN MORE ABOUT BOOKS: tinyletter.com/misshelved MORE PLACES TO LISTEN: anchor.fm/misshelvedpod Edited by Nicole Brinkley. Logo by Jean Michel. Music by Mark Shwedow.

42. The mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie (part 2): Nina de Gramont, author of The Christie Affair, tells We'd Like A Word hosts Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan what might have happened when the famous murder mystery writer disappeared for 11 days in 1926. Nina talks about the original real life disappearance, the various theories and her own version - which works in a very cunning murder mystery (spoiler alert - poison is involved in classic Christie style) and Ireland's notorious mother and baby homes. We also hear about how Nina succeeded in writing The Christie Affair, because she changed her approach to writing, after a failed attempt to write a book based on Emily Dickinson. We discuss why women are better at writing crime fiction than men (let us know if you disagree), the Cottingley Fairies, Agatha Christie's secret surfing past, how to get a movie made of your book, and Stevyn's starring role in the quintuple-award-winning film Scootch! We also refer to some other authors/scholars and their books, including The Line Up by Matthew Thompson, Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment by Dr James Smith, the Adoption Machine by Paul Jude Redman, Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James and the documentary Sex In A Cold Climate directed by Steve Humphries. You could also check out Nina's other books - The Last September, Gossip of the Starlings and Of Cats And Men. Plus Nina particularly recommends you read Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. We'd Like A Word is a podcast & radio show from authors Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan. We talk with writers, readers, editors, agents, celebrities, talkers, poets, publishers, booksellers, audiobook creators about books - fiction & non-fiction. We go out on various radio & podcast platforms. Our website is http://www.wedlikeaword.com for information on Paul & Steve & our guests. We're also on Twitter @wedlikeaword & Facebook @wedlikeaword & our email is wedlikeaword@gmail.com Yes, we are embarrassed by the missing apostrophes. We like to hear from you - questions, thoughts, ideas, guest or book suggestions. Perhaps you'd like to come on We'd Like A Word to chat, review or read out passages from books. And if you're still stuck for something to read, may we recommend Blackwatertown by Paul Waters or Cockerings (the new comic classic, just out) by Stevyn Colgan.

43. The mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie (part 1): Nina de Gramont, author of The Christie Affair, tells We'd Like A Word hosts Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan what might have happened when the famous murder mystery writer disappeared for 11 days in 1926. Nina talks about the original real life disappearance, the various theories and her own version - which works in a very cunning murder mystery (spoiler alert - poison is involved in classic Christie style) and Ireland's notorious mother and baby homes. We also hear about how Nina succeeded in writing The Christie Affair, because she changed her approach to writing, after a failed attempt to write a book based on Emily Dickinson. We discuss why women are better at writing crime fiction than men (let us know if you disagree), the Cottingley Fairies, Agatha Christie's secret surfing past, how to get a movie made of your book, and Stevyn's starring role in the quintuple-award-winning film Scootch! We also refer to some other authors/scholars and their books, including The Line Up by Matthew Thompson, Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment by Dr James Smith, the Adoption Machine by Paul Jude Redman, Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James and the documentary Sex In A Cold Climate directed by Steve Humphries. You could also check out Nina's other books - The Last September, Gossip of the Starlings and Of Cats And Men. Plus Nina particularly recommends you read Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. We'd Like A Word is a podcast & radio show from authors Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan. We talk with writers, readers, editors, agents, celebrities, talkers, poets, publishers, booksellers, audiobook creators about books - fiction & non-fiction. We go out on various radio & podcast platforms. Our website is http://www.wedlikeaword.com for information on Paul & Steve & our guests. We're also on Twitter @wedlikeaword & Facebook @wedlikeaword & our email is wedlikeaword@gmail.com Yes, we are embarrassed by the missing apostrophes. We like to hear from you - questions, thoughts, ideas, guest or book suggestions. Perhaps you'd like to come on We'd Like A Word to chat, review or read out passages from books. And if you're still stuck for something to read, may we recommend Blackwatertown by Paul Waters or Cockerings (the new comic classic, just out) by Stevyn Colgan.

It's the time of the year where Beach Reads and Beach-adjacent Reads are our jam. Listen to Alison and Ineka review tales of guncles, Cher-alikes and glamorous villains. Books mentioned in this episode of Books and Beyond can be borrowed and requested via the Auckland Libraries catalogue: The visit of the Spanish Lady by Brucculeri and Whelan published 2021 / Adult Graphic Novel (NZ): https://bit.ly/3IfKGZV Lullaby beach by Stella Duffy published 2021 / Adult Fiction (NZ): https://bit.ly/3IdbdqN The Shelly Bay ladies' swimming circle by Sophie Green published 2019 / Adult Fiction: https://bit.ly/3BGp9XY Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau published 2021 / Adult Fiction: https://bit.ly/3sZrk58 The Guncle / Steven Rowley published 2021 / Adult Fiction: https://bit.ly/3sb1kEq The Lido / Libby Page published 2018 / Adult Fiction: https://bit.ly/35mEyjW

Carlota Rebelo presents a selection of highlights from the past week on Monocle 24. Highlights include American novelist Jessica Anya Blau, ‘Elle Decoration' editor-in-chief Ben Spriggs and food writer Olivia Tsakiris.

Carlota Rebelo presents a selection of highlights from the past week on Monocle 24. Highlights include American novelist Jessica Anya Blau, ‘Elle Decoration' editor-in-chief Ben Spriggs and food writer Olivia Tsakiris.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgina Godwin talks to American novelist Jessica Anya Blau. Her hit novels have been featured on ‘The Today Show', CNN and NPR, and in ‘Cosmopolitan', ‘Vanity Fair', ‘Bust', ‘Time Out', ‘Oprah Summer Reads' and other national publications. Her most recent book, ‘Mary Jane', is a coming-of-age story set in 1970s Baltimore.

Das Sein bestimmt das Bewusstsein. So hat es Karl Marx nicht geschrieben, sondern etwas ausführlicher: Zitat "„Es ist nicht das Bewusstsein der Menschen, das ihr Sein, sondern umgekehrt ihr gesellschaftliches Sein, das ihr Bewusstsein bestimmt.“"Mary Jane. A Novel" wurde im Mai dieses Jahres veröffentlicht, auf dem Einband prangen lobende Worte von Nick Hornby, aber das reichte nicht aus, um das Werk für eine Übersetzung ins Deutsche zu qualifizieren. Wieder einmal schnappt die Falle des immer noch strikt zwischen ernst und unterhaltsam unterscheidendem Kulturbewusstseins zu und disqualifiziert dieses Buch von einer weiteren Verbreitung in unserer Sprache. Unterhaltsame leichte Belletristik haben wir schon genug, so das Kalkül der hiesigen Verlagshäuser. Keine der bisherigen Veröffentlichungen von Jessica Anya Blau, dies ist ihr 5. Buch, hat diese Sprachgrenze bisher überwinden können.In der englischsprachigen Welt ist es hingegen auf allen möglichen Bestseller- und Empfehlungslisten für die Lesezeit des Sommers gelandet, und damit auch auf meinem Tisch.Mary Jane Dillard, ist nicht nur die Protagonistin des nach ihr benannten Buches, sondern auch ihre Erzählerin, die Marxens Diktum vom Anfang als Coming of Age Story in der Mitte der 1970er Jahre zeichnet.In einem weißen konservativen Viertel Baltimores wohnt sie mit ihren gut situierten Eltern. Sie singt im Kirchenchor, hilft ihrer Mutter im Haushalt und beim Kochen, besonders gerne macht sie Desserts. Ihren  schweigsamen Vater sieht immer nur beim Abendessen, der - ein wenig holzschnittartig - zu diesen Anlässen immer zeitungslesend selten mit seiner Frau, noch weniger aber mit Mary Jane spricht. Im Wohnzimmer hängt ein Bild des Präsidenten Ford, im Gebet dankt der Vater seiner "wundervollen Frau und dem gehorsamen Kind". Mary Jane ist 14, ein perfektes Alter, um ihr Bewusstsein und damit ihr Leben zu ändern. Nichts liegt ihr ferner als Rebellion, ihre Werte sind die ihr vermittelten. Ihre Mutter besorgt ihr einen Sommerjob als Nanny für die Tochter eines Arztes namens Dr. Cone, der auf einem Missverständnis beruht: Der Arzttitel lässt sie einen ähnlichen Haushalt wie den ihren vermuten.Während Mary Jane dem Telefonat ihrer Mutter lauscht, beschließt sie, das verdiente Geld komplett zu sparen, um am Ende des Sommers einen Plattenspieler für ihr Zimmer kaufen zu können, vielleicht sogar - Zitat: "mit zusätzlichen Lautsprechern." - Zitatende. Musik jeder Art, von christlichen Hymnen über Kinderlieder zu Rock spielt eine große Nebenrolle: in ihrer vordergründigen Art als Unterhaltung, Inspiration, aber auch als die Gefühle weckender und verstärkender Soundtrack, als Anrührung, als Erweckung.Mary Jane ist ein zufriedener Teenager. Die ihr zugeteilten Aufgaben geben ihrem Leben eine Struktur, die sie schätzt. Aber natürlich hat sie auch Träume: ihr bis jetzt größter ist es, eine Show am New Yorker Broadway zu sehen. Sie und ihre Mutter sind nicht nur devote Kirchgänger, sondern auch Mitglieder im Show Tunes of the Month Club und bekommen jeden Monat eine neue Schallplatte. Sie hat alle Songs auswendig gelernt, und auch ihre Mutter liebt diese Platten, leider aber nicht New York, dass in ihren Worten voll von Dieben, Drogenabhängigen und Degenerierten ist.Nun also sucht Mary Jane die Familie Cone auf um sich vorzustellen. Die falschen Annahmen ihrer Mutter über die Familie Cone sind nach dem Öffnen der Haustür sofort sichtbar: das Haus versinkt im Chaos, die Mutter trägt nicht nur keine Büstenhalter, sondern kann auch nicht kochen, Dr. Cone behandelt als Psychiater vorrangig Suchtkranke, und die 5jährige zu betreuende Tochter Izzy rennt nackt durchs Haus und schenkt Mary Jane sofort ihr Vertrauen. Deren Reaktion ist nicht so sehr Schock oder Überraschung, sondern spontane Zuneigung und Vorfreude. Vorfreude voller Glanz, die sie auf ihrer Haut spürt, darauf, etwas zu tun, was sie nie zuvor gemacht hat, darauf, ihre Tage in einer Welt zu vollbringen, die sich von ihrer bisherigen so unterscheidet. Und so beschließt sie, geplagt vom schlechten Gewissen, ihrer Mutter zu verschweigen, wie sie die Cones vorgefunden hat und nur stumm deren Annahmen über die respektable Familie zu bestätigen.Die Sprache von "Mary Jane: A Novel" ist leicht, nicht seicht, und verliert diese Leichtigkeit nicht, egal, mit welchen Erlebnissen Mary Jane im Verlauf des Sommers konfrontiert wird.Jessica Anya Blau findet einen überraschenden Weg, der das Buch gegen den bekannten und in vielen Filmen erzählten Fortgang von der Ausgangslage "behütete Tochter trifft auf die Gegenkultur und geht in ihr auf/verliert sich in ihr oder wendet sich schockiert ab" abschirmt: sie gibt Mary Jane Persönlichkeit, die ihrerseits auf ihr neues Umfeld wirkt: die fünfjährige Izzy nimmt sie als Respektsperson wahr und stürzt sich voller Begeisterung in alle Projekte, die Mary Jane beginnt und anstößt, um den Haushalt der Cones zu organisieren und auszumisten. Mary Jane wird aber auch von den Erwachsenen im Umfeld ihres Sommerjobs respektiert und nicht als anzuleitender Teenager, sondern als Person mit eigenen und zu unterstützenden Ideen wahr- und in die Gemeinschaft gleichberechtigt aufgenommen. Der Grund für Mary Janes Verpflichtung als Izzys Nanny ist die neue Arbeit von Dr. Cone, der über den Sommer den inkognito angereisten Rockstar Jimmy von seiner Sexsucht via Gesprächstherapie heilen soll. Begleitet wird er von seiner bezaubernden Ehefrau Sheba, die weitaus bekannter als Jimmy ist, weil sie als singende Schauspielerin der TV Nation berühmt wurde.Mary Janes Ideen sind teilweise pragmatisch, wenn sie das Haus ausmistet; wunderbar naiv, wenn sie über einen längeren Zeitraum versucht herauszufinden, ob sie auch sexsüchtig ist, weil sie oft daran denkt, ohne je geküsst worden zu sein; einfallsreich, wenn sie unter dem Vorwand, auch kochen zu müssen das jeweilige Wochenmenü ihrer Mutter nachkocht. Die Erlaubnis hierfür und dafür auch die Abende bei den Cones verbringen zu können bekommt Mary Jane, weil ihre Mutter wieder einmal Annahmen trifft, die falsch sind, denen ihre Tochter aber nicht widerspricht, sondern sie schweigend hinnimmt: nämlich, dass eine Frau, hier Frau Cone, sehr krank sein muss, wenn sie nicht in der Lage ist zu kochen. Eine Vorstellung, die für Mary Janes Mutter nur möglich ist, wenn diese Frau Krebs hat. Eine großes Thema des Buches ist, worüber und durch wen über etwas gesprochen wird. In Mary Janes zu Hause herrscht Schweigen, die für eine Konversation zulässigen Objekte und Vorkommnisse sind stark reglementiert und zementieren damit ein Leben, dass keine Adaptionen zulässt und die Zeit mit ihren gesellschaftlichen Änderungen versucht fernzuhalten, in einen starren immergleichen Wochenablauf eingezwängt. Im Hause der Cones ist dies anders, gesprochen wird über alles, es wird versucht allen Gehör zu geben, Persönlichkeit und künstlerischer Ausdruck - vorrangig durch Musik - werden anerkannt und respektiert. Am Ende des Sommers hat Mary Jane die Welt kennengelernt, Vertrauen in sich selbst und Selbstvertrauen in die Schönheit ihres Gesangs gewonnen.Vielleicht hätte es der Zusammenfassung der Entwicklung von Mary Jane am Ende nicht bedurft, die etwas holzhammerartig darauf hinweist, dass Mary Jane nun die Angst erkennen kann, die ihr meist sprachloser Vater verbreitet, sein Rassismus, sein Antisemitismus, seine Verweigerung, über all dies zu sprechen und seine Familie als Diskussionspartner anzuerkennen. Izzy, die wirklich reizende 5jährige, nervt manchmal ein bisschen, und die Fähigkeit der Cones und ihrer Gäste, über alles zu sprechen, Verletzungen zuzufügen und auch heilen zu können, scheint manchmal dezent unrealistisch. Das Vergnügen an Mary Janes Geschichte über ihren Sommer auf dem Weg zum Erwachsenwerden, in dem ihr der moralische Kompass, den sie in ihrem Elternhaus bekommen hat zugute kommt und die Erlebnisse mit den Cones ihre Welt öffnen; der Zauber der Magie erster Erfahrungen aller möglichen Dinge, die beschwingte Unterstützung all dessen durch Musik ist groß.Nächste Woche diskutieren Anne Findeisen, Irmgard Lumpini und Herr Falschgold die Bücher der letzten Wochen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lobundverriss.substack.com

Im Jahr 2018 in der Originalausgabe in Amsterdam erschienen, ist Marieke Lucas Rijnevelds Debütroman „Was man sät“ seit 2019 auch beim deutschen Suhrkamp Verlag erhältlich. 2020 gewann es zudem den International Booker Prize, wodurch sie mit nur 29 Jahren die erste und jüngste niederländische Preisträgerin wurde.Die Geschichte setzt ein, als die Protagonistin, die nie namentlich genannt, sondern von allen nur mit dem Spitznamen Jacke angesprochen wird, 10 Jahre alt ist. Sie lebt mit ihrer Familie, bestehend aus den zwei älteren Brüdern Matthies und Obbe und der jüngeren Schwester Hanna sowie ihren Eltern, auf einem Bauernhof, der von der Rinderhaltung lebt. Nachdem auf ersten wenigen Seiten das Leben auf dem Land und in der streng orthodox-kalvinistisch lebenden Familie beschrieben wird, führt die Autorin schnell zu dem Ereignis hin, das prägend für die Familie und damit den weiteren Verlauf des Romans sein wird. Es ist kurz vor Weihnachten und da Jacke befürchtet, ihr Vater könnte ihr geliebtes Kaninchen als Weihnachtsbraten verwenden, betet sie kurzerhand zu Gott, er möge stattdessen doch lieber ihren Bruder Matthies nehmen. „Sei vorsichtig mit deinen Wünschen, sie könnten in Erfüllung gehen“, besagt ein altes Sprichwort. Und so wird auch Jackes Wunsch auf tragische Weise Realität. Kurz vor Weihnachten verlässt Matthies das Haus um Schlittschuh laufen zu gehen und bricht an einer noch zu dünnen Stelle im Eis ein. Sein Verschwinden wird viel zu spät bemerkt und so kehrt er nicht mehr lebend nach Hause zurück. Der Verlust des Bruders und Sohnes schwebt von nun an über allem und jedes Familienmitglied versucht bewusst oder unbewusst seinen Umgang damit zu finden. Während der Vater sich von der Familie zurückzieht und vielleicht zumindest in der Arbeit noch einen Sinn sehen kann, hört die Mutter allmählich auf zu essen. Nach dem Tod ihres Sohnes kann sie auch im übertragenen Sinn nichts mehr aufnehmen; nichts geht mehr in sie hinein und so magert sie schließlich ab. Aber sie kann auch nichts mehr abgeben, was zur Folge hat, dass weder sie noch der Vater sich mit ihren noch lebenden Kindern auseinandersetzen. Sie sind nicht mehr in der Lage ihren Kindern Liebe zu schenken, nicht einmal in Form von kleinen Berührungen nach denen sich, vor allem Jacke, so sehr sehnt. Der große Verlust beherrscht das tägliche Familienleben und führt auch zur Entfremdung innerhalb der Familie.Das beklemmende und bedrückende Gefühl, das sich bei mir während der Lektüre einstellte, wurde auch noch dadurch verstärkt, dass die Protagonistin selbst durch die Geschichte führt. Das heißt, alle Schilderungen, Gefühle und Worte sind so gewählt, wie es auch ein Mädchen dieses Alters tun würde. Ihre Unwissenheit und Unsicherheit Dingen gegenüber die sie noch nicht kennt, schlagen sich somit auch sprachlich nieder und machen es umso leichter und manchmal fast schmerzhaft, sich in ihre Gefühlswelt hineinzuversetzen. “Hanna umarmt mich schnell, sie hält mich fest, wie sie ihre Puppen festhält, unter den Achseln. Vater und Mutter knuddeln nie, bestimmt weil dann etwas von den eigenen Geheimnissen am anderen kleben bleibt, pappig wie Vaseline. Darum umarme ich auch nie von mir aus: Ich weiß nicht, welches Geheimnis ich hergeben möchte.” (S. 200)Die beiden Schwestern sind auch die Einzigen, die in der Lage zu sein scheinen, sich noch gegenseitig Zuneigung und Nähe schenken zu können. Gemeinsam denken sie sich Pläne aus, um auf die andere Seite des Sees zu gelangen. Ein Fluchtpunkt den sie auserkoren haben, ein Ort an dem alles besser sein wird, als es zu Hause ist und an dem sie am liebsten sofort sein möchten. Es sind Träumereien, die ihnen helfen den Alltag zu überstehen und sie die Hoffnung nicht aufgeben lassen, dass es eine gute Zukunft für sie geben kann.Ihr Bruder Obbe hingegen hat andere Methoden bzw. Ticks entwickelt, um den Verlust des Bruders zu ertragen. Sich selbst zu verletzen, indem er mit dem Kopf gegen das Bettgestell schlägt oder auch das Töten von Tieren, sind sowohl physisch als auch psychisch schmerzhafte Strategien. Ohnehin spielen Gewalt, aber auch Sexualität und Exkremente eine fortlaufend große Rolle im Roman. Die Protagonistin, deren Namen der Lesende nie erfährt, trägt ihren Spitznamen „Jacke“, weil sie selbige nie auszieht. Ihre rote Jacke ist ihr Schutzschild gegen die Außenwelt, noch mehr aber bietet sie ihr einen Zusammenhalt nach innen. Sie sammelt kleine Dinge, wie die Schnurrhaare ihres Hasens, in ihren Taschen. Symbole des Sich-an-etwas-festhalten-müssens, um sich nicht auch noch selbst zu verlieren. Nicht einmal ihren Kot ist sie mehr bereit abzugeben: „Ich konnte meine Kacke festhalten, nichts, was ich nicht loswerden wollte, brauchte ich ab jetzt zu verlieren.“ (S. 42) Ihre Namenlosigkeit, die einerseits Unauffälligkeit symbolisiert, steht andererseits im starken Kontrast zu dem Wunsch, einmal für jemanden etwas ganz Besonderes zu sein.Der Tod ist allgegenwärtiges Thema im Roman und kommt nicht ausschließlich durch den Verlust des Bruders und Sohnes zum Ausdruck, sondern manifestiert sich beispielsweise auch in der Nahrungsverweigerung der Mutter oder dem Essen von bereits angeschimmeltem Brot. Er zerstört die Ordnung und das Familiengefüge. Aber auch die Religion ist, wie es der Titel des Buches bereits anklingen lässt, ein maßgebliches Motiv. Selbst in einem religiösen Elternhaus aufgewachsen, webt Marieke Lucas Rijneveld immer wieder Zitate aus der Bibel ein. „Wer wind sät, wird Sturm ernten“ heißt es in der Bibel bei Hosea 8 Vers 7. Es verweist auch auf das Schuldgefühl, dass die einzelnen Familienmitglieder an Matthies Tod mit sich tragen. Zentral ist dabei Jackes anfänglicher Wunsch, Gott möge doch lieber ihren Bruder als ihr Kaninchen zu sich nehmen. Aber auch als im Dorf die Maul- und Klauenseuche ausbricht und auf dem Hof alle Rinder geschlachtet werden müssen, empfinden dies die Eltern als Plage und Strafe Gottes zugleich und sind verzweifelt, weil sie nicht wissen, womit sie diese verdient haben.Marieke Lucas Rijneveld gliedert ihren Roman in drei Teile und nutzt damit, bewusst oder unbewusst, die klassische Dramentheorie nach Aristoteles. Sie verarbeitet in ihrem Roman einen eigenen persönlichen Verlust, nämlich den Tod ihres Bruders als sie drei Jahre alt war. Schonungslos ist dabei ein Begriff, der einem beim Lesen unweigerlich in den Sinn kommt. Erstens mit ihren Figuren, die dem bäuerlichen Hof und der zunächst vermeintlichen Idylle auf dem Land nicht entkommen können. Eltern die den Verlust ihres Kindes nicht verkraften können, und dabei außer Stande sind, sich weder gegenseitig zu stützen und gemeinsam zu trauern noch für ihre noch lebenden Kinder ein zu Hause der Geborgenheit, des Aufgehobenseins und der Stabilität zu ermöglichen. Jeder trauert für sich allein und die Gedanken an das verstorbene Kind, lassen alles andere in der Hintergrund treten. Aber auch Jacke, Hanna und Obbe sind gefangen. Nicht nur in einer Welt aus Trauer und dem Wunsch nach Normalität, sondern auch im natürlichen Prozess des Heranwachsens, der zunehmend von Gewalt, Sexualität und dem Gefühl der Ausweglosigkeit geprägt ist. Aus dieser, sich immer mehr verdichtenden und beklemmenden Situation, lässt sie, zweitens, auch den Lesenden nicht heraus. Fast schmerzhaft wird der Prozess des Lesens mit Fortgang der Geschichte und auch die Vorahnung, dass es kein Happy End geben wird, wird zur selbsterfüllenden Prophezeiung. Drittens kennt aber auch die Autorin für sich selbst keine Gnade und unternimmt keinen Versuch etwas zu verharmlosen, zu beschönigen oder Hoffnungen zu wecken, wo es keine gibt.Einmal in den Bann des Romans hineingezogen, kann man sich ihm schwerlich wieder entziehen. Wenn es gelingt sich darauf einzulassen, wird man Teil einer Welt die viel Unerbittliches, aber auch viel Fragiles und Beschützenswertes bereit hält. Ein gewaltiger Roman, der viele sprachliche Metaphern in sich birgt, die genau ins Schwarze treffen. Keine schöne Geschichte im herkömmlichen Sinne, aber eine ganz klassische Empfehlung.In der nächsten Woche bespricht Irmgard Lumpini "Mary Jane: A Novel" von Jessica Anya Blau, eine sommerliche Coming-of-Age Story im 1970er Jahre Baltimore, die Marxens Diktum "Das Sein bestimmt das Bewußtsein" unterstreicht. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lobundverriss.substack.com

Hi, hello, happy July, have you ever wondered what the BATC hosts' favorite summer snacks are? Well you're in luck, because we're discussing that and more before we get into the books on today's episode! And you're not going to want to miss this one, because we're chatting about some really great YA, NYC and Baltimore-based historical fiction, and a contemporary fantasy classic. Thanks for listening!! You can join our fan club here: https://www.patreon.com/booksandthecitypod. Grab your BATC merch (and stay tuned for a summer addition): https://www.booksandthecitypod.com/merch. Browse and shop all the books we've discussed on this episode and past episodes at bookshop.org/shop/booksandthecity. Subscribe to our newsletter on our website, and send us an email at booksandthecitypod@gmail.com-------------> Becky just read: Everything Leads to You (14:23-22:57) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/311370/everything-leads-to-you-by-nina-lacour/ Up next for Becky: The Great Pretenders by Laura Kalpalkian Libby just read: City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (22:58-34:32) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318864/city-of-girls-by-elizabeth-gilbert/ Up next for Libby: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Kayla just read: Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau (34:33-43:44) harpercollins.com/products/mary-jane-jessica-anya-blau?variant=32269630504994 Up next for Kayla: Survive the Night by Riley Sager Emily just read: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (43:45-56:26) https://www.harpercollins.com/products/neverwhere-neil-gaiman?variant=32181423210530 Up next for Emily: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko Music by EpidemicSound, logo art by @niczollos, all opinions our own.

We kick off season one of our exciting new podcast - Story Forward - by diving into the many facets of the concept and execution of the summer read. What constitutes the iconic summer read? Who is reading what in the summer? What does it mean to write and release a book in summer?  Co-hosts Larry Rosen and Christian Winn deliver their takes on the summer read then sit down with best-selling novelist, Jessica Anya Blau, whose newest novel, Mary Jane, was just released in the runup to summer 2021. Then Christian delivers our Correspondent Story in this debut episode, a yarn all about, among other things, a Charles Bukowski book he appropriated from a love interest one summer over thirty years ago. Welcome and happy summer! Keep moving the story forward, y'all! You can find out about all things Jessica Anya Blau at https://www.jessicaanyablau.com. Check out the EaseDrop podcast network at ease-drop.com. We thank them for housing this podcast! Logo Artwork by Nicky Mustard - nickymustard.com. Editing credit to Jared Bostrom and Brett Badostain. Join the Story Forward conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1171329766614324 Storyforward can be found on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Enjoy! Support Story Forward by contributing to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/storyfort-presents-voices-of-t Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/storyfort-presents-voices-of-t/cf0e7da9-3642-4cf6-a1a1-7d585716a66b

Mary Jane: By Jessica Anya Blau Website: Https://gobookmart.com "I LOVED Jessica Anya Blau's novel. Mary Jane is about an oppressed teenager being given a jolt of life and joy by an eccentric found family of therapists, a child, a rock star and a movie star in the 1970s....If you have ever sung along to a hit on the radio, in any decade, then you will devour Mary Jane at 45rpm." -- Nick Hornby "I dare you to find a more winning novel than Jessica Anya Blau's Mary Jane. Filled with humor and sharpness and so much light, this book introduces an amazing cast of characters, all so unique and finely observed, held together by the clarity of Mary Jane's voice. It evokes those rare moments when your world is on the precipice of change, almost a dream, and how thrilling it is to push your way toward something new." -- Kevin Wilson "Delightful...Blau is a deft hand with comic juxtaposition and domestic fantasy. She keeps it light, she keeps it moving and she's got terrific visuals...You can watch the movie in your mind. Lady Gaga as Sheba? I'm already casting it." -- New York Times Book Review "MARY JANE is that rare thing: An utterly charming, absurdly delightful novel that also makes you think deeply about the world around you. Jessica Anya Blau's clear-eyed wit reminded me of Curtis Sittenfeld and Laurie Colwin, and, of course, Jane Austen." -- Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year “The experience of reading Jessica Anya Blau's Mary Jane is a lot like eating quality candy: super enjoyable, crazy good. I am sad to have finished it.” -- Marcy Dermansky "Blau's intelligent, witty novel captures the essence of the '70s with humor and immensely appealing characters. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal (starred review) "Blau's coming-of-age charmer will hit all of the nostalgia notes." -- Parade "A charming and poignant tale of desire, image, Americana, and chosen family." -- Booklist --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gobookmart-review/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gobookmart-review/support

The 422nd episode of the Reading and Writing podcast features an interview with Jessica Anya Blau, author of the novel MARY JANE.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reading-and-writing-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jessica Anya Blau joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel, Mary Jane, which was written in part over FaceTime with friends during the pandemic. The two talked about Jessica's journey to becoming a writer, the ways in which her own adolescence figured into motherhood, and how dancing around her empty kitchen to the biggest hits of 1975 helped her write the book.Purchase a copy of the book on Amazon or Bookshop:Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dUbbY5Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3nsiDx6 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're back! We're just a few days away from the publication of HOW LUCKY. Whoa. But today, we have another May 11 release date author, the wonderful Jessica Anya Blau, discussing the extremely fun "Mary Jane." Send Will your author recommendations to peoplestilllreadbooks@gmail.com. Follow the podcast at @stillreadbooks on Twitter, and email your author recommendations to peoplestilllreadbooks@gmail.com. Let's go on this journey together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Announcing the HarperCollins title that was selected for the May 2021 LibraryReads list. Congratulations to MARY JANE by Jessica Anya Blau! We also congratulate Alyssa Cole, author of HOW TO FIND A PRINCESS, for being inducted into the Hall of Fame! Be sure to stay tuned for clips from the authors. For more information on these titles, go to librarylovefest.com We also have a phone number! Call 212-207-7773 and leave us a message—it might end up on the show! You can find us on Facebook (@librarylovefest), Twitter (@librarylovefest), and Instagram (@harperlibrary).

Sara relays her accidental sleeping pill snafu which leads her to binge on caffeine and wine to stay awake for the podcast. Katie admires Sara's many hidden talents, causing Sara to explain the genesis of her new singing career on Instagram. Then they interview Tracy Walder and Jessica Anya Blau about their riveting new book "The Unexpected Spy" which details Tracy's trajectory from sorority girl to CIA counterterrorism spy to FBI agent. Tracy describes life as a secret agent in the 9/11 era as she hunted down top terrorists, how she battled sexism at the FBI while investigating Chinese spies and why she's currently obsessed with her eyebrows.

In 1999, Tracy Walder was a 20-year-old junior at the University of Southern California and a member of USC’s Delta Gamma sorority. She was also a history buff and an avowed news junkie who planned to be a teacher. Those plans were upended when she met a CIA recruiter at a job fair. After graduating from USC, she joined the CIA's global anti-terrorism operations. The story of Walder’s five-year service at the CIA, her globe-spanning work in the agency's post-9/11 pursuit of Al-Qaeda operatives, and her subsequent stint as an FBI counterintelligence agent, is compellingly told in her new memoir, The Unexpected Spy: From CIA to The FBI, My Secret Life Taking Down Some of the World’s Most Notorious Terrorists. Published by St. Martin's Press, it's co-written with best-selling novelist Jessica Anya Blau. Tracy Walder joins Tom in Studio A. This conversation was livestreamed on WYPR's Facebook page. Watch the video here.

You’re going to be blown away by the candor, stories, and fun point of view of author Jessica Anya Blau. In novels like Wonderbread Summer and The Trouble With Lexie, Jessica delivers flawed characters, unexpected plots, and a fascinating look at human behavior. She also co-wrote the upcoming book The Sorority Girl Who Saved Your Life, a true story about a sorority girl turned covert CIA Operative, which ABC is now developing as a TV series.

Jessica Anya Blau is insatiably curious about people. The author, who splits her time between Baltimore and New York, credits that curiosity with leading her into conversations and situations that sometimes inspire her books. Jessica is the author of four novels: “The Summer of Naked Swim Parties,” “Drinking Closer to Home,” “The Wonder Bread Summer” and, most recently, “The Trouble with Lexie.” Jessica talked about unlikable characters, feeling like an outsider and her unlikely path to becoming a published author.

Turf (Counterpoint Press) Blazing through states, cities, towns, continents, Crane fearlessly pivots from micro to macro, humor to tragedy, past to present, mixing an off-kilter sensibility with a heartbreaking reality, guiding us into the fringed and often fantastical lives of her characters. And that has never been truer than in her new collection, Turf. The end of the world as seen through a young couple in Brooklyn, who find a baby in a bucket on their front step; a group of geniuses who meet every Wednesday, able to unlock all the secrets of the universe except for the unknowable mystery of love; a woman and her dog walker whose friendship is uprooted by an incident at the park; these are dark, intriguing vistas explored in Crane’s glowing collection. For as places change, and people come and go, these stories in Turf remind us that it is the unchanging nature of the human heart that connects us all. Praise for Elizabeth Crane: "The novel flows smoothly, and readers game for offbeat narrative approaches will be well rewarded . . . So much like the relationship they’re borne of, Crane’s deeply realized mother-daughter inventions are therapeutic and ruthless, heartfelt and crushing. A lovely exercise in the wild, soothing wonders of imagination.” —Booklist, Starred Review  “Poignant and hilarious . . . Crane writes about the relationship between a deceased mother and her daughter as they tell each other’s stories to understand each other.” —Los Angeles Times “Imagine sitting at a leisurely dinner with two intelligent women, a mother and daughter . . . The format may be experimental, but the emotions the book will stir in readers are moving and heartbreakingly familiar.” —Library Journal “I cannot remember the last time I simultaneously cried and laughed as hard as I did while reading Elizabeth Crane’s glorious, tender knockout of a novel, The History of Great Things. Wait, yes I can. It was the last time I spoke to my mom about life.” —Amber Tamblyn, author of Dark Sparkler “A poignant dual narrative . . . Alternating between laugh-out-loud humor and heart-rending melancholy, Crane gives us a mother and daughter who never quite grasp each other’s life stories, but who find truth through unconditional love.” —Bookpage “Ultimately, The History of Great Things is a story of perception, one well worth reading. It serves as a reminder that what truly matters to each of us is not what actually happens, but how we remember it.”  —The Rumpus  “An important work, fearless in both structure and vision, with Crane’s razor-edge fusion of intelligence, humor, and emotion informing every chapter. Get ready, world: this one’s going to be huge.” —Jamie Quatro, author of I Want to Show You More  “Like everything Elizabeth Crane writes, The History of Great Things is wonderful fun to read—smart, insightful, and witty—but it will break your heart, too. It stares down the poignant question so many daughters want to ask: How well did my mother really know me?” —Pamela Erens, author of Eleven Hours and The Virgins “The Copelands would feel right at home in a Noah Baumbach movie . . . Our narrator is an omniscient ‘We’ who reports the goings-on of the family with the breathless glee of an incurable gossip.”—Entertainment Weekly “Its style is literary, with an edge: The point of view is wicked, the characters prickly, the language not quite quotable here. I can’t wait to read past the first chapter.”—Los Angeles Times “Like any good story writer, she had me in the first two paragraphs . . . A treat to read. The characters are crisp and enjoyable; the narrator is smart and witty.”—Iowa Press-Citizen “This is an irresistible and winsome read. A truly astute tale of love neglected and reclaimed, family resiliency, spiritual inquiries, and personal metamorphoses.” —Booklist, Starred Review  “Crane delivers a unique and dizzying tale that delves into the emotional life of a family teetering on the brink of everything . . . The beauty in Crane’s novel is her sweep from acid commentary to heartfelt portrayal of real-life loves and losses.” —Kirkus Reviews“Crane’s novel is filled with deliciously idiosyncratic characters, humorous and distinct narration, and a whole lot of personality. Each character’s emotional growth is just enough to satisfy, without being overbearing . . . Crane’s summer novel has undeniable heart.” —Publishers Weekly “At last a novel from Elizabeth Crane! With her expert humorist’s eye for detail, she gives us a playful, passionate story of longing, heartbreak, and of the gargantuan human will. You won’t be able to stop reading.” —Deb Olin Unferth, author of Revolution“Not since The Royal Tenenbaums have I loved a family so much. The Copelands of We Only Know So Much are wonderfully eccentric, hilariously not self-aware and strangely adorable. They seemed so real, I felt like I was reading my own family story.” —Jessica Anya Blau, author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties and Drinking Closer to Home“This is the kind of book that inspires a person to see the beauty in the ordinary, to stop concentrating on others’ failings long enough to see their spark and maybe rediscover his or her own.”—Susan Henderson, author of Up from the Blue“A beautiful, warmhearted, ferociously honest debut that will pull you in with its chorus of true voices and catch you off guard with its playful, restless edginess.” —Patrick Somerville, author of The Cradle and This Bright River Elizabeth Crane is the author of the novels The History of Great Things and We Only Know So Much and three collections of short stories. Her stories have been featured on NPR’s Selected Shorts. She is a recipient of the Chicago Public Library 21st Century Award, and her work has been adapted for the stage by Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. She currently lives in Newburgh, New York

We debate how the wife of the Prime Minister needs to handle freebie offers, and author Jessica Anya Blau talks about hollywoods obsession with her books, sexism in the book world and her crush on Tatum ONeal realized. Plus Mark explains why he will not coach a ten year old girls basketball team even though he really really wants to.

Jessica Anya Blau is the author of The Wonder Bread Summer, Drinking Closer to Home, and the nationally bestselling The Summer of Naked Swim Parties. Her books have made many Best Books of the Year lists and have been chosen as Best Summer Reads by the Today Show, the New York Post, New York Magazine, Cosmo, CNN, Vanity Fair, NPR, Oprah.Com and others. All three novels have been optioned for film and television. The Trouble with Lexie, Jessica’s latest novel, will be published in June. Jessica grew up in Southern California and currently lives in Baltimore.Matthew Norman is an advertising copywriter. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Baltimore. His first novel, Domestic Violets, was nominated in the Best Humor Category at the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards. Visit his blog at thenormannation.com, or follow him on Twitter @TheNormanNation.       Recorded On: Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Jessica Anya Blau is the author of The Wonder Bread Summer, Drinking Closer to Home, and the nationally bestselling The Summer of Naked Swim Parties. Her books have made many Best Books of the Year lists and have been chosen as Best Summer Reads by the Today Show, the New York Post, New York Magazine, Cosmo, CNN, Vanity Fair, NPR, Oprah.Com and others. All three novels have been optioned for film and television. The Trouble with Lexie, Jessica’s latest novel, will be published in June. Jessica grew up in Southern California and currently lives in Baltimore.Matthew Norman is an advertising copywriter. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Baltimore. His first novel, Domestic Violets, was nominated in the Best Humor Category at the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards. Visit his blog at thenormannation.com, or follow him on Twitter @TheNormanNation.       

Martha Frankel’s guests this week are Clara Bingham, Ava Ratcliff, Jessica Anya Blau and Dan Cluchey.

Domenica Ruta is the guest. Her new memoir, With or Without You, is now available from Spiegel & Grau. Entertainment Weekly calls it “Stunning . . . comes across as a bleaker, funnier, R-rated version of The Glass Castle and marks the arrival of a blazing new voice in literature.” And The New York Times Book Review calls it “A luminous, layered accomplishment.” Also this episode:  a brief conversation with Jessica Anya Blau, whose new novel, The Wonder Bread Summer, is now available from Harper Perennial.  Monologue topics:  the sun's lethal nature, worrying about people not being worried about me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Anya Blau's new novel, The Wonder Bread Summer, tells the story of 20-year-old Allie Dodgson who's working part-time in a dress shop which turns out to be a front for a dangerous drug-dealing business. Out of her element, Allie finds herself stealing a Wonder Bread bag full of cocaine and going on the lam. Jessica Blau is the author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties and Drinking Closer to Home.Sarah Pekkanen is the author of three previous novels: The Opposite of Me, Skipping a Beat, and These Girls. In The Best of Us, she puts four married couples in a luxury villa in Jamaica, adds one nasty storm, and lets the sparks fly. All four women are desperate not just for a reunion, but for an escape from the reality of their family lives. As a powerful hurricane bears down on the island, turmoil swirls inside the villa, forcing each of the women to reevaluate everything they know about their friends -- and themselves. Recorded On: Wednesday, June 26, 2013