Podcasts about watchung booksellers

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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Anne Berest and Claire Berest discuss their novel, Gabriële, with moderator Violaine Huisman during a partnership event with the Montclair Literary Festival, the Montclair Public Library, and the Montclair Campus of L'Alliance-New York. Anne Berest's first novel to appear in English, The Postcard (Europa, 2023), was a national bestseller, a Library Journal, NPR, and TIME Best Book of the Year, a Vogue Most Anticipated Book of the Year, winner of the Choix Goncourt Prize, and runner-up for the 2024 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. It was described as “stunning” by Leslie Camhi in The New Yorker, as a “powerful literary work” by Julie Orringer in The New York Times Book Review, and as “intimate, profound, essential” in the pages of ELLE magazine. Her new novel, Gabriële (Europa Editions, 2025) is based on the life of Gabriële Buffet, whose extraordinary impact on 20th century avant-garde art and whose remarkable life have largely been obscured. Berest lives in Paris.Claire Berest is the author of the novels Mikado (2009), The Empty Orchestra, Bellevue (2016), Rien n'est noir, winner of the ELLE Readers Grand Prize, and two works of nonfiction, Class Struggle: Why I Resigned from National Education, and Lost Children: An Investigation in the Minors Brigade. Her most recent novel is Artifices. Violaine Huisman was born in Paris in 1979 and has lived and worked in New York for twenty years, where she ran the Brooklyn Academy of Music's literary series and also organized multidisciplinary arts festivals across the city. Originally published by Gallimard under the title Fugitive parce que reine, her debut novel The Book of Mother was awarded multiple literary prizes including the Prix Françoise Sagan and the Prix Marie Claire. Resources:Francis Picabia Marcel Duchamp Paris Museum of Modern Art Albertine BookshopBooks: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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we feature a compilation of book recommendations from our customers, recorded in store on Independent Bookstore Day. Enjoy this varied and wonderful list of books!Libro. Fm Audiobook of Walking PracticeBooks: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!

To celebrate the first anniversary of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we share a live recording of a book club discussion of Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt, led by authors Alice Elliott Dark and Dagmara Domińczyk. Alice Elliott Dark is the author of the novels Fellowship Point and Think of England, and two collections of short stories, In The Gloaming and Naked to the Waist. She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and is a professor at Rutgers-Newark in the English department and the MFA program.Dagmara Dominczyk is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, and has starred in films, television, and on/off Broadway plays for the past twenty years. Dag was a series regular on the HBO hits Succession and We Own This City. She is the author of The Lullaby of Polish Girls and her essays have appeared in Huffington Post and in the book Pretty Bitches. She is currently finishing her second novel and working on a memoir. She is an avid reader and fierce library supporter, and lives in Montclair with her husband and two teenage sons.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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, children's book author Alliah Agostini talks with children's book illustrator Olivia de Castro about taking humor seriously and celebrating black joy in kids' books.Buffalo, NY native Alliah L. Agostini has marketed everything from iconic brands to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children's literature. She is the author of over a dozen released and upcoming picture books, early readers, and even a cookbook. Alliah and her work have been featured on Oprah Daily, TODAY with Hoda + Jenna, Essence.com, The Washington Post, and more. She strives to center stories that illuminate the diversity of the Black experience at the intersection of joy and truth.Olivia de Castro is a Dominican and Colombian children's book illustrator. She grew up in Verona, New Jersey and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. In her art, she likes to capture the weirdness of everyday life, along with the humor and joy that comes with it. She has illustrated books such as How To Speak In Spanglish, Cute Toot, and Great Idea Malia! Her fourth children's book, Sticky Hermana, comes out on October 28th. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we feature a recent book launch discussion with Benjamin Wallace, author of The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto: A Fifteen-Year Quest to Unmask the Secret Genius Behind Crypto, and author Jason Tanz.Benjamin Wallace is The New York Times bestselling author of The Billionaire's Vinegar and The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto. He has been a features writer at New York magazine and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.Jason Tanz is currently a writer at Salesforce and formerly the editor-in-chief at Lyft. Before that he worked at Wired for many years. He is the author of Other People's Property: A Shadow History of Hip Hop in White America.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!

In this week's episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, booksellers Asia and Caroline chat with longtime favorite customer, Edward. Asia Jannah was born and raised in Montclair, and has worked at Watchung Booksellers for a total of 9 years. She is currently the gift buyer for the flagship location. Her favorite genres include dark fiction, short stories, essays and memoirs. When she's not at the bookstore arranging displays or inquiring about customer's current reads, she enjoys knitting, crafting, and of course, reading.Caroline Shurtleff is the school event coordinator and a bookseller in The Kids' Room at Watchung Booksellers. She graduated from Baylor University with a degree in English Literature. Caroline is a poetry editor at MAYDAY online magazine. Additionally, she writes and researches the show notes for the Watchung Bookseller Podcast and is a co-host of the Watchung Booksellers Poetry series. Caroline grew up in the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex in Texas, and now lives in New Jersey. Edward is a longtime denizen/aficionado/camp follower of Watchung Booksellers whose primary claim to fame is fixing the toilet.Resources:Watchung Writers 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, children's book author/illustrators Kristine Lombardi and Cat Min talk about their process and love of kids' literature.Kristine A. Lombardi has written and illustrated several books for children, including Lovey Bunny, Mr. Biddles, My Wish for the World and The Grumpy Pets, which garnered an International Literacy Association Children's Choice Selection. She loves quirky characters and tender stories written with lots of heart. Her next book "Crouton" is coming from Random House in 2026! She lives and works in Montclair, New Jersey. Cat Min is a Korean American author-illustrator, animator, and twin mom. Cat grew up in Hong Kong, where she spent most of her childhood drawing and making comic books out of printer paper and staples with her best friend. She studied animation and film at NYU Tisch and went on to complete the Illustration & Visual Storytelling Summer Residency Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She is also a member of SCBWI, Women Who Draw, and the Society of Illustrators in New York. Her debut picture book, Shy Willow, was featured in the NYT twice and translated to many different languages. Her other picture books include The Little Toymaker and The Shadow & the Ghost.Resources: ProcreateBooks: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!

In this week's episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, journalists Candy J. Cooper and Dale Russakoff share their excitement in the triumphs of journalistic writing.Candy J. Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting. She is the author, most recently, of Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and A Town that Looked Away, which was recently named a 2025 honoree by the American Library Association's YALSA award for young adult nonfiction. She also wrote Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint Michigan Fought for Their Lies and Warned the Nation, named a 2020 top 10 young adult book by the New York Public Library. She has been a staff writer for four newspapers, including The Detroit Free Press and the San Francisco Examiner. Dale Russakoff spent twenty-eight years as a reporter for the Washington Post, covering politics, education, social policy, and other topics. From 1994 to 2008, she served in the Post's New York Bureau, where she covered the NYC metropolitan area, including Newark, New Jersey. Dale Russakoff grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and began her career as a reporter for The Alabama Journal and later The Atlanta Journal. In 2015 she published THE PRIZE:  Who's in Charge of America's Schools, a New York Times bestseller, and a finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize for a work of nonfiction. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with her husband Matthew Purdy, an editor at The New York Times. Resources:Waiting for Superman 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!

In this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Laurie Lico Albanese and ANastasia Rubis discuss reading and writing historical fiction.Laurie Lico Albanese is a historical novelist, most recently of the acclaimed novel Hester,  which gives voice to Hester Prynne in a retelling of The Scarlet Letter. Hester was a Book of the Month club selection and an Audible and Goodreads Best Books of 2022. Laurie's previous historical novels include Stolen Beauty, about the famed Gustav Klimt portrait known as The Lady in Gold. She lives in Montclair with her husband, where they raised their two grown children. She writes for New Jersey Monthly, teaches writing, and is at work on a new novel.Anastasia Rubis' writing has appeared in the New York Times, Huffington Post, New York Observer, and literary journals. One of her stories, “Girl Falling,” was named a Notable Essay in Best American Essays of 2014. Another, “Blue Pools,” was included in the anthology Oh, Baby published by Creative Nonfiction. She co-wrote and co-directed a 13-minute documentary titled Breakfast Lunch Dinner: The Greek Diner Story. Her latest work, Oriana, is a novel based on the life of journalist Oriana Fallaci. Rubis earned a BA magna cum laude from Brown University and an MA from Montclair State University. She teaches memoir writing and is working on a second novel. She and her husband live in Montclair, where they raised their daughter, and spend summers in Greece, where their parents were born.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!

In this week's episode, scientists Charles Liu and George Musser find joy in daily observations through science and writing. Charles Liu is a professor of astrophysics at the City University of New York's College of Staten Island and an associate with the Hayden Planetarium and Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on colliding galaxies, starburst galaxies, quasars, and the star formation history of the universe. In addition to his research publications, he writes books and online content for students and general audiences, The Cosmos Explained and The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book. He hosts The LIUniverse with Dr. Charles Liu, a half-hour dose of cosmic conversation with scientists, educators and students about the cosmos, scientific frontiers, scifi, comics, and more. George Musser is a contributing editor at Scientific American magazine, a contributing writer for Quanta magazine, and the author of three books on fundamental physics for the general public, most recently Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation. He is a co-recipient of two National Magazine Awards and sundry other prizes. He lives in Glen Ridge with his wife, his daughter, and his daughter's schnauzer. Resources: Magnum ForceThe LIUniverseNext Stop WonderlandHubble Space TelescopeWendy Freedman InterviewDark MatterDark EnergyJanna LevinSean CarrollRome Song (SNL)D&D LiveBooks: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!

In this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, journalists Farnoosh Torabi and Grace L. Williams talk about financial writing and books that focus on women and money.Grace L. Williams is a scholar of feminism and economics who moonlights as a financial reporter and podcast co-host. She is the author of the newly released Give Her Credit, a book that spotlights women's banks in the 1970s. She is an alum of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where ironically she wrote a thesis on “Freeganism,” which is the magical art of surviving while buying nothing. Her writing has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Harvard Business Review, Yahoo Finance, among many others. She is the editor of Montclair Neighbors and lives with her family in Montclair.Farnoosh Torabi is an Iranian American journalist and one of the country's leading and most trusted personal finance experts. For more than twenty years, she's dedicated her career to helping people become financially empowered and lead richer lives. She's written multiple books, hosted a CNBC program, and served as the resident money columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine. Today she hosts the long-running, Webby-honored podcast So Money, which has earned over twenty-five million downloads. Her latest book is A Healthy State of Panic, available in paperback now. Farnoosh holds a degree in finance from Penn State and a master's in journalism from Columbia University. She lives in Montclair with her family and just recently began the Montclair Pod, which explores politics, businesses, and community, along with some suburban gossip and drama.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!

In this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, novelists Marcy Dermansky and Hayley Krischer tackle challenges of a writer's life and troubleshoot helpful writing solutions.Marcy Dermansky is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Very Nice, The Red Car, Bad Marie, Twins, and Hurricane Girl. She has received fellowships from the McDowell Colony and the Edward F. Albee Foundation. In March, she'll release her latest novel, Hot Air, which has been named a March IndieNext pick. She lives with her daughter in Montclair, New Jersey.  Haley Krischer  is the author of the young adult novels, Something Happened to Allie Greenleaf, The Falling Girls, and You Belong to Me, releasing on April 15th. Her first novel for adults, Where Are You Echo Blue, came out last summer. She's an award winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Marie Claire, Elle, and more. Resources: Watchung Writers Group The Room Next DoorBooks: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!

In this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, poets Alicia Cook and Deborah Garrison share how poetry fosters connection and their own work. Plus, at the end of the episode, listen to some of the poetry readings from our special Valentine's Day Pop-Up Poetry Booth in The Kids' Room. Deborah Garrison began her career at the The New Yorker, where she worked for fifteen years and where her poetry first began appearing in the late 80s. She is the author of the bestselling poetry collection A Working Girl Can't Win, published in 1998, and joined book publishing herself in 2000, as the Poetry Editor of Alfred A. Knopf and a Senior Editor at Pantheon Books. Now editorial director of Knopf poetry, Deb also enjoys working with writers of literary fiction and biography. She is a proud Montclairian and raised her three kids here in town; their childhood and the experience of mothering them is the subject of many of the poems in her book The Second Child. Her poems have also appeared in a number of anthologies, including Garrison Keillor's Good Poems series and Caroline Kennedy's She Walks in Beauty: A Womans's Journey Through Poems.Alicia Cook is a multi-award-winning writer and mental health and addiction awareness advocate based in Newark, New Jersey. Her writing often focuses on addiction, mental health, and grief – sometimes all at once. She is the poet behind Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately, I Hope My Voice Doesn't Skip, Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back, and last year's The Music Was Just Getting Good. Her work has also been published in numerous anthologies and outlets including The New York Times. She received an MBA from Saint Peter's University and a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Georgian Court University, where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees. Alica has shared her work multiple times at Watchung Booksellers and we are excited to welcome her to the podcast.Resources:American Guild of Musical ArtistsSeptember 1, 1939 by W. H. AudenMosab TohaBooks: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!

In this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Montclair State Professor Lee Behlman and high school English teacher Nick Hernandez talk about their love of literature and teaching it to their students. Lee Behlman is a professor of English at Montclair State University, where he's taught since 2006. He's a scholar of Victorian literature and his most recent publication is a 2023 book from Palgrave-Macmillan called Victorian Verse: The Poetics of Everyday Life, which he co-edited with Olivia Loksing Moy from Lehman College-CUNY. He teaches classes on nineteenth-century poetry and fiction, the Bible as Literature, The Golden Age of Children's Literature, and most recently, on Detective and Crime Fiction. He grew up locally in Queens and has been a dedicated customer of Watchung Booksellers since the moment he moved to New Jersey.Nick Hernandez teaches English at Montclair High School and loves spending his time rock climbing, playing in a band, and reading. His head is usually in the clouds but he still manages to balance a comically small tea cup on his person throughout the day. His favorite class to teach is dedicated to reading Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis, kindly provided by a generous MFEE grant.Resources:The StrandTheatre of the OppressedThe KrakenThe Dakota 38 by Layli Long SoldierHomie by Danez SmithThe AtlanticMontclair Fund for Educational ExcellenceBooks: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!

Welcome to Season 2 of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast! In this episode bookstore owner Maddie Ciliotta-Young talks with her mom and former owner Margot Sage-EL about the past, present, and future of Watchung Booksellers.Maddie Ciliotta-Young is the owner and operator of Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. Maddie grew up in Montclair and at the bookstore with her mom, Margot. After college she was a teacher and principal for over a decade at a New York City public high school. As a school administrator, Maddie had a focus on equity for underserved schools and a passion for teaching literacy. She joined the Watchung Booksellers team in 2022 and when she's not in the store she can be found enjoying Montclair's restaurants with her husband or on the soccer field cheering on her kids. And, pretty soon, taking care of a sweet new baby.Margot Schwaab Sage-EL, born and raised outside of Boston MA, earned her BA from Barnard College, and arrived in Montclair (after the usual UWS/Brooklyn route) in 1990.  Embraced by a community of spirited souls passionate about art, politics, social justice and literacy, Margot created Great Owl Books, a mail order catalog of multicultural children's books and folded that into Watchung Booksellers in 1996.  She has spent the three decades years growing this community bookstore with the help of amazing booksellers, devoted readers, and a supportive family.  Margot and her husband Barry raised their three children, Trevor, Madeleine and Olivia, through the Montclair public school system and now with the bookstore under Maddie's leadership, Margot is semi-retired, totes her grandchildren around town, and is again pursuing sculpture.Resources:Writers' WorkshopMontclair Speech TherapyWatchung WritersPostmarked PagesBookshop (Ebooks & more)Libro.fm Open Book / Open MindMontclair Literary FestivalBooks: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!

In this bonus episode, we feature an in-store event held the day after the 2024 Presidential election with professors Kim Wehle and Jessica Henry, who discussed Kim's book Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works–and Why. Kim Wehle is a constitutional scholar and tenured professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law. She was formerly an assistant United States Attorney and an associate counsel in the Whitewater investigation. Professor Wehle is also a legal expert for ABC News, a contributor for BBC World News, and a regular guest on NPR's Morning Edition. She also writes for The Atlantic, Politico, The Hill, and The Bulwark. The author of four books including, Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works–and Why, she lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her children.Jessica Henry is an author, professor, legal commentator, blogger, and social justice advocate. She served as a public defender in New York City for nearly a decade and has written numerous articles for academic and mainstream publications. Her research interests include wrongful convictions, severe sentences (including the death penalty and life without parole), and hate crimes. She frequently appears as a commentator on national and local television and radio, and in 2020 she published Smoke But No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened. She is the creator and host of the podcast, Just Justice.Resources:U.S. ConstitutionPardon Power: How the Pardon System Works–and WhyHow to Read the Constitution--and WhyHow to Think Like a Lawyer--and WhyWhat You Need to Know About Voting--and WhySmoke But No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never HappenedBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

As we gear up for Season 2 of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we are re-airing an episode from the first season to celebrate the release of The Last Bookstore on Earth from debut author Lily Braun-Arnold, a Smith College student and employee of Watchung Booksellers.Enjoy this repeat episode of Season 1 - Ep 10: From Reader to Writer with Lily Braun-Arnold and Laura Marx Fitzgerald. 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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

Jaime Izurieta is an architect, designer and author from Montclair, New Jersey, who focuses on the interaction between users and the built environment. He's also the founder of Storefront Mastery, an award-winning creative agency that works with place management organizations to design and activate interactions between local businesses and their community. This week, Izurieta joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss the importance of designing experiences, instead of just buildings, and how local leaders can shift their perspectives of downtowns to make them more successful. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations: Le French Dad Bakery. Local Coffee Montclair. Watchung Booksellers. Tino's Artisan Pizza. Storefront Mastery (site). Check out Jaime Izurieta's book, “Main Street Mavericks.” Learn more about the Storefront Renaissance League. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, the dedicated Kids' Room staff talks about their love of children's books and everything the store offers to the Montclair community.Aubrey Cece is the Kids' Room manager, children's book and gift buyer, and children's author event planner. She's a born creative with the love of everything books and art. Her favorite color is lime green and her creative touch shows all throughout the store. You'll almost never see her without a pair of Converse on her feet and when you talk to her she'll welcome you into a story about her family while she finds the perfect book for you and your child. She is passionate about children's mental health and LGBTQ+ issues. Caroline Shurtleff is the school event coordinator and a bookseller in The Kids' Room at Watchung Booksellers. She graduated from Baylor University with a degree in English Literature. Caroline is a poetry editor at MAYDAY online magazine. Additionally, she writes and researches the show notes for the Watchung Bookseller Podcast and is a co-host of the Watchung Bookseller Poetry series. Caroline grew up in the Dallas- Forth Worth metroplex in Texas, and now lives in New Jersey. Evelyn Moulton is a children's bookseller and the social media manager at Watchung Booksellers. She is a writer with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Montclair State University. Evelyn also handles the art and design and social media for the Watchung Booksellers Podcast and co-hosted the Watchung Bookseller Poetry Series. Evelyn grew up at the beach in Cape May, New Jersey, but always gets a sunburn. Evelyn lives in New Jersey with her partner and her cat, who both read everything she writes.Susie Sonneborn is a native Chicagoan, educator, and bookseller with a passion for literacy and the arts. She holds a master's degree in education and social policy and has almost 20 years experience as a teacher and curriculum development specialist, integrating the arts into the core curriculum. She finds particular joy helping children develop their expressive voices and tap into their creative flow through improvisation and the arts. When Susie is not coordinating school book fairs or helping customers find their "just right"  books, you can find her baking a tiny bit obsessively, enjoying nature with a big hat on, checking out cool art and performances or just hanging out with her husband and three remarkable and delightful sons. It's rumored that Marcel Marceau and Second City's Tim Kazarinsky shaped most of Susie's hopes and dreams. 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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, authors and entrepreneurs Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry discuss becoming The Book Doctors--their business of teaching writers how to get published.Arielle Eckstut is co-founder of The Book Doctors. She is the author of nine books including The Secret Language of Color: The Science, Nature, History, Culture and Beauty of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Violet. She is also an agent-at-large at the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency, where for over 20 years, she has been helping hundreds of talented writers become published authors. Lastly, Arielle co-founded the iconic company, LittleMissMatched, and grew it from a tiny operation into a leading national brand, which now has stores from coast to coast, everywhere from Disneyland to Disney World to Fifth Avenue in New York City.David Henry Sterry is co-founder of The Book Doctors. He is the author of 16 books on a wide variety of subjects, from memoir to middle grade fiction, sports to reference. His work has been translated into over a dozen languages, optioned by Hollywood, and appeared on the cover of the Sunday New York Times Book Review. He is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. Before writing professionally, David was a comic and an actor. His one man show, based on his memoir, Chicken, was named the number one show in the United Kingdom for its entire run at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival, Fringe by The Independent.Resources:The Book DoctorsAmerica's Next Great AuthorWorkman PublishingBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, social media mavens Sara Alli and our very own Evelyn Moulton chat about social media in bookselling.Sarah Alli is an Associate Marketing Manager for Hachette Book Group, one of the Big Five book publishing houses in the country. She runs all of Hachette US's central social media accounts. Outside of her 9-5, Sarah is also a social media influencer and creator of Slow Morning Diaries, a cozy corner of the internet where she chats about intentional and mindful living. In her free time, when she's not browsing the thriller shelves at the bookstore, she co-runs an all-things-horror podcast with her husband called Liver Alone Pod.Evelyn Moulton is a children's bookseller and the social media manager at Watchung Booksellers. Additionally, she created the design and runs the social media for the Watchung Booksellers Podcast. She is a writer with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Montclair State University. Evelyn grew up at the beach in Cape May, New Jersey, but always gets a sunburn. Evelyn lives in New Jersey with her partner and her cat, who both read everything she writes.Resources:Postmarked PagesHachette Open BookBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, journalist and historian Jonathan Alter discusses his latest book, American Reckoning: Inside Trump's Trial--and My Own, recorded in-store at Watchung Booksellers.Jonathan Alter is the author of three New York Times bestsellers: The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies, The Promise: President Obama, Year One, and The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope, also one of the Times' “Notable Books” of the year. Alter released His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life in 2020.Since 1996, Alter has been a contributing correspondent and political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. In 2019, he co-produced and co-directed the HBO documentary, “Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists,” winning the 2020 Emmy for Best Historical Documentary.In 2021, Alter launched a newsletter called “OLD GOATS, Ruminating with Friends” devoted to conversations with accomplished people of wisdom and experience.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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

n this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, veteran journalists Harvey Araton and Mark McClusky discuss sports writing and sports media. Harvey Araton is a longtime New York sports journalist whose career spanned four newspapers-the Staten Island Advance, New York Post, Daily News and New York Times, where he was a Sports of the Times columnist and also wrote for other sections. He was nominated by the Times for a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 and was inducted into the media wing of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Araton is the author or co-author of eight nonfiction books and a novel. He has also taught media courses as an adjunct at Montclair State University. He lives with his wife, Beth Albert, in Montclair, where his sons went to school.Mark McClusky is the Head of Content at Harding Loevner in Bridgewater, New Jersey. Before joining the firm in 2021, he was the Digital Editor of Sports Illustrated, the Editor of Wired.com, and a long-time media executive at the forefront of new storytelling technologies and platforms. McClusky is the author of the New York Times bestseller Faster, Higher, Stronger: How Sports Science Is Creating a New Generation of Superathletes and What We Can Learn From Them. His magazine writing has been anthologized in Best American Science & Nature Writing, and he's made numerous media and speaking appearances, including NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, PBS NewsHour, NPR, and South by Southwest. A graduate of Carleton College, Mark lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife and two daughters.  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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Media Relations Director Deborah Broide talks with Voracious and Spark VP/Publisher Michael Szczerban about the changing landscape of publishing.Deborah Broide is the media relations director for the food media company Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, and she also works on select publicity projects for the Mayo Clinic and The Jerome Robbins Foundation and Trust. Before joining forces with Kimball 31 years ago, at what became Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen, she began her career in publicity at Crown Publishing, where she worked with Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. She has also held senior positions at Workman Publishing, where her successes included the Silver Palate Cookbooks and What to Expect When You're Expecting, and Putnam, where her authors included Tomie dePaola and Eric Carle. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey, and her passions include books, theatre, ballet, music, and her family.Michael Szczerban is the vice president and publisher of Voracious and Spark, two imprints of Little, Brown and Company that help readers improve their lives by making them more delicious, more beautiful, healthier, and happier. He started his career as an editor at Simon & Schuster, where he worked with Samin Nosrat on her mega-bestseller Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and then joined Little, Brown ten years ago. He has edited numerous bestsellers and established several million-copy series that include books from White House photographer Pete Souza, cookbooks from Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, and Sarah Knight's collection of “No F's Given Guides.” His upcoming books include titles from activist and icon Pamela Anderson, chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, star baker Bryan Ford, online phenomenon Accidentally Wes Anderson, and more.Resources: America's Test KitchenMayo Clinic PressSparkFrankfurt Book FairLondon Book FairBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, author David Moldawer discusses ghostwriting with Elisabeth Egan of the New York Times Book Review.David Moldawer is a bestselling book collaborator specializing in business, personal development, and other practical nonfiction. Before his freelance career, he was an editor at book publishers including St. Martin's Press, McGraw-Hill, and Portfolio. Elisabeth Egan is a writer at the New York Times Book Review and the author of A Window Opens.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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, book critics Kate Tuttle and Mark Rotella discuss the process and importance of reviewing books. Kate Tuttle is a book critic, essayist, and editor. A past president of the National Book Critics Circle and judge for the National Book Award, she edits the books pages of the Boston Globe. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere. A Kansas native, she now lives in New Jersey after stints in Boston and Atlanta.Mark Rotella is the Director of the Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America and teaches in the Creative Writing Program at Montclair State University. In addition, he serves as thesis advisor in the MFA Program at Columbia University.Formerly, Rotella was the Senior Editor at Publishers Weekly and Board Member at National Books Critics Circle. He is the author of several books, including Stolen Figs: And Other Adventures in Calabria and Amore: The Story of Italian American Song. He has been featured in The New York Times, NYT Book Review, The L.A. Times, Washington Post, and more, and has appeared on outlets including National Public Radio, Entertainment Tonight, and ABC News.Resources:What the Ocean Holds (The New York Review)National Book Critics CirclePublishers WeeklyThe Boston GlobeKirkus ReviewsLibrary JournalTLSNY TimesNew York Review of BooksLA TimesWashington PostWall Street JournalVanity FairBrooklyn Book FestivBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, audiobook narrators Stephanie Willing, Sura Siu, and Khristine Hvam discuss the craft of storytelling for audiobooks.Stephanie Willing is a local author whose contemporary fantasy middle-grade debut West of the Sea was a Junior Guild Library selection. She's an award-winning audiobook narrator and voice actor who has narrated for many other kidlit authors such as A. S. King, Sara Pennypacker, and R.L. Stine, as well as across genres for authors such as Jeffrey Deaver, Hank Philippi Ryan, Kim Hooper, and F. Paul Wilson. She has her MFA in Writing for Young People from Lesley University. Stephanie is a bisexual cisgendered woman who lives in Bloomfield, NJ, with her family. Khristine Hvam is an Emmy award winning voice over performer and a Multi award-winning audiobook narrator, producer/director and creator. Additionally, she is an audiobook coach and mentor and the co-Founder of Curated Audio LLC. Khristine's performances can be found in TV and Radio commercials, video games, various animated series, and most notably in over 450 audio book titles. Sura Siu is a multi-nominated, award-winning narrator and voiceover talent committed to amplifying diverse and marginalized stories. She has voiced works for renowned authors like Kazuo Ishiguro, Sarah J. Maas, and Christina Soontornvat, collaborating with leading publishers such as Penguin Random House and Harper Collins. Passionate about women's rights, health, and education, Sura's voice carries a relatable, youthful trust. Her work extends to video games and animation, partnering with companies like Kuro Games, YoStar, Tencent, and Hi Rez Studios, as well as Disney, Netflix, and Cartoon Network.Audiobooks: Libro.fmThe Remarkable Journey of Coyote SunriseThe Last MapmakerWays the World Could EndSpin: The Rumplestiltskin MusicalBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Margot Sage-EL sits down with author Emma Straub, owner of Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, to talk about writing and running a bookstore.Emma Straub is the New York Times bestselling author of six books for adults: the novels This Time Tomorrow, All Adults Here, The Vacationers, Modern Lovers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, and the short story collection Other People We Married. She is also the author of two picture books, Gaga Mistake Day, which she co-wrote with her mother, and Very Good Hats. She is a Guggenheim Foundation Fellow and her work has been published in more than 20 languages. Emma and her husband own Books Are Magic, an independent bookstore in Brooklyn, New York,Margot Sage-EL is the owner emeritus of Watchung Booksellers. She continues to work on author events and bookstore activities. When not at the store, she is busy running around town with her grandkids.Resources:WORD BookstoreBooks Are MagicBookCourt Closing Greenlight BookstoreCommunity BookstoreEast Side MagsBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, owner Maddie Ciliotta-Young talks with W. W. Norton sales rep Ashanti White-Wallace about selling books to indies. Maddie Ciliotta-Young is the owner and operator of Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. Maddie grew up in Montclair and at the bookstore with her mom, Margot. After college she was a teacher and principal for over a decade at a New York City public high school. As a school administrator, Maddie had a focus on equity for underserved schools and a passion for teaching literacy. She joined the Watchung Booksellers team in 2022 and when she's not in the store she can be found enjoying Montclair's restaurants with her husband or on the soccer field cheering on her kids.Ashanti White-Wallace has been the New York City & tristate area sales rep for W. W. Norton, Inc. since January 2020. Originally from a small mountain town, she graduated with distinction from the University of Colorado at Boulder where she majored in English, studio arts, and art history. She found her passion for slinging books at the Boulder Book Store in 2008. After attending the Columbia Publishing Course in 2014, she managed inventory for WORD in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Jersey City, NJ, and in 2018 for the Whitney Museum of American Art. Ashanti runs @JCQueerBookClub in Jersey City.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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, editors Sarah McGrath and Lee Boudreaux walk us through the art of book editing.  Lee Boudreaux is an executive editor at Doubleday, specializing in fiction. She edited James by Percival Everett and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, and also has the great pleasure of working with such writers as Claire Lombardo, Kate Atkinson, and Margaret Atwood.Sarah McGrath is Editor-in-Chief of Riverhead Books where she works with many award-winning writers, among them Liz Moore (God of the Woods) and Miranda July (All Fours), who both had bestselling new books in stores this summer, and Rumaan Alam whose new novel Entitlement comes out later this month. She and her family have lived in nearby Glen Ridge for over a decade.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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, authors and TV animators Jorge Aguirre and Jason Patterson discuss the art of storytelling in graphic novels. Jason Patterson is an award winning graphic novelist and animator. Jason has been drawing and telling stories with his best friend Dan Abdo ever since high school. Dan and Jason created the hit animated series Rocket Monkeys. They have directed national and international advertising campaigns. Jason is a regular cartoon contributor to the New Yorker. Dan and Jason's latest graphic novel for middle grade is bestselling series, Barb the Last Berzerker. They also have created the hit emerging reader graphic novel series, Blue Barry and Pancakes.Jorge Aguirre is an author and TV writer. Two-time Emmy nominated, he created, co-developed, and co-produced Disney Junior's, Goldie & Bear. He's the Head Writer and Co-Executive Producer of the PBS Kids/Fred Rogers Production show, Alma's Way. He's written preschool shows for Disney, Jr., Nick, Jr., PBS, Amazon, and Netflix. He wrote the graphic novel series The Chronicles of Claudette, which he co-created with artist Rafael Rosado. The first book, Giants Beware received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly and was a nominee for a Texas Bluebonnet Award. The sequels are Dragons Beware and Monsters Beware. His latest book is Call Me Iggy, a middle-grade graphic novel about a Colombian kid in Columbus, Ohio. His  new graphic novel series, Monster Locker, with artist Andrés Vera Martínez, comeBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers podcast, Cleyvis Natera moderates Dionne Ford's book release event for her memoir, Go Back & Get It, live in-store at Watchung Booksellers.Dionne Ford is the author of Go Back and Get It: A Memoir of Race, Inheritance, and Intergenerational Healing. She is an NEA creative writing fellow and the co-editor of the anthology Slavery's Descendants: Shared Legacies of Race and Reconciliation. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Literary Hub, New Jersey Monthly, the Rumpus, and Ebony and won awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the Newswomen's Club of New York. She holds a BA from Fordham University and an MFA from New York University. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey.Cleyvis Natera the author of Neruda on the Park, a New York Times Editors' Choice in 2022. She was born in the Dominican Republic, migrated to the United States at ten years old, and grew up in New York City. She holds a BA from Skidmore College and an MFA from New York University. Her writing has won awards and fellowships from PEN America, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Kenyon Review's Writers Workshops, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, New Jersey. 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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Joyce Maynard and Alice Elliott Dark rejoice in the launch of Maynard's latest novel How the Light Gets In, recorded in-store at Watchung Booksellers.Joyce Maynard has been publishing bestselling, literary books that shine a light on forbidden subjects for more than fifty years. She is the author of twelve previous novels and five books of nonfiction, as well as the syndicated column Domestic Affairs. Her bestselling memoir, At Home in the World, has been translated into sixteen languages.  Her novels To Die For and Labor Day were both adapted for film. Deemed “a master storyteller at the top of her game” by Wally Lamb, she divides her time between homes in California, New Hampshire, and Guatemala.Alice Elliott Dark is the author of the novels Fellowship Point and Think of England, as well as two collections of short stories, In the Gloaming and Naked to the Waist. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, The New York Times, Best American Short Stories, and O. Henry: Prize Stories, among others. Her award-winning story “In the Gloaming” was made into two films and was chosen for inclusion in Best American Stories of the Century. Dark is a past recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She is a professor at Rutgers-Newark in the English department and the MFA program.Resources:New York Times Book Review PodcastAnthem by Leonard Cohen Kintsugi John PrineSinead O'ConnorBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, novelists Julia Phillips and Boo Trundle celebrate the publication of Phillips's latest novel Bear, recorded at an in-store event with Watchung Booksellers.Julia Phillips is the author of the bestselling novels Bear and Disappearing Earth, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times Book Review's 10 Best Books of the Year. A 2024 Guggenheim fellow, she grew up in Montclair and now lives with her family in Brooklyn.Julia's work has been translated into twenty-six languages. She has written for The New York Times, ​The Atlantic, and The Paris Review and teaches at the Randolph College MFA program. She is also on the board of the Crime Victims Treatment Center, a nonprofit that helps people heal from violence.Boo Trundle is the author of The Daughter Ship (2023). A writer, artist, and performer, her work has appeared across various platforms and publications, including The Brooklyn Rail, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and NPR's The Moth. She has released three albums of original music with Big Deal Records. She lives in New Jersey.Resources:1000 words newsletter subscription The Revenant The Bear (TV series)Bear by Marian EngleLegends of the FallSubreddit on Poverty Finance Subreddit on San Juan 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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, authors Jonathan Alter and Stuart Reid delve into their political writing research processes.Jonathan Alter is the author of three New York Times bestsellers: The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies, The Promise: President Obama, Year One, and The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope”, also one of the Times' “Notable Books” of the year. Alter released his latest book,His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life in 2020. Since 1996, Alter has been a contributing correspondent and political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. In 2019, he co-produced and co-directed the HBO documentary, Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists winning the 2020 Emmy for Best Historical Documentary. In 2021, Alter launched a newsletter called OLD GOATS, Ruminating with Friends, devoted to conversations with accomplished people of wisdom and experience.Stuart Reid is an executive editor at Foreign Affairs magazine and the author of The Lumumba Plot: The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination, which was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. He has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg Businessweek, Politico Magazine, Slate, and other publications.  Resources:The Lumumba Plot Launch EventFOIA RequestCREST System CIA archive Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network Settlement Audit Trails 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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers podcast, Margot Sage-EL interviews Arthur Levine about his prolific career in children's publishing.Arthur A. Levine is the founder of the independent publisher Levine Querido. His determination to bring a diverse selection of "The Best of the World's Literature for Young People" to American readers introduced great writers such as J. K. Rowling, Markus Zusak, Luis Sepúlveda, and Jaclyn Moriarty. LQ's publication of Newbery honorees Daniel Nayeri, Darcie Little Badger, and Donna Barba Higuera, author Cat Min, and Printz, Stonewall and Sydney Taylor award winner Sacha Lamb continues the tradition. Margot Sage-EL, owner emeritus of Watchung Booksellers, has decades of bookselling and publishing experience and works to cultivate the bookstore as a welcoming home to everyone.Resources:BluestoneUrsula NordstormEditor George Nicholson Patty GauchSuzanne MurphyPhyllis FogelmanAtha TehonLeo and Diane DillionVerna AardemaBooks: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 Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited by Kathryn Counsell and Bree Testa. Special thanks to Timmy Kellenyi and Derek Mattheiss. 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, booksellers Asia Jannah and Nicole Ban chronicle their respective bookselling experience and share insight on the daily operations of working at Watchung Booksellers. Asia Jannah was born and raised in Montclair, and has worked at Watchung Booksellers for a total of 9 years. She is currently the gift buyer for the flagship location. Her favorite genres include dark fiction, short stories, essays and memoirs. When she's not at the bookstore arranging displays or inquiring about customer's current reads, she enjoys knitting, crafting, and of course, reading. Nicole Ban is a lifelong New Jersey resident who began her bookstore career fresh out of high school at B. Dalton. After a long standing tenure at Montclair Book Center, Nicole made the leap to Watchung Booksellers in 2006. She quickly established herself as the store's resident problem-solver and tech trouble shooter, titles she holds to this day. Her favorite fiction genre is mysteries. Nicole lives in Montclair with her wife, two school-aged daughters, dog, and cat. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here. Resources:Montclair Book CenterABA Winter Institute Skyline Chili Bookmanager Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Katherine Dykstra and Joe Pompeo unpack the nuances of writing in the historical true crime genre. Joe Pompeo is the author of Blood & Ink: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder That Hooked America on True Crime. A veteran magazine journalist and author, most recently as senior correspondent for Vanity Fair, he's written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York, Bloomberg, Businessweek, and many other publications. Subscribe to his newsletter at joepompeo.substack.com. Katherine Dykstra is the author of What Happened to Paula: An Unsolved Death and the Danger of American Girlhood, which was on Best Books of Summer lists in the New York Times Book Review, People Magazine, and the Chicago Tribune, among others. She has served as a senior nonfiction editor at Guernica and was recently a writer-in-residence at Monmouth University. Her essays have been published in The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Columbia, and Poets & Writers. Resources:Episode 12 Books My Favorite Murder podcastSerial podcastBlack and Missing HBO SeriesSuspect Arrested after Publication of I'll Be Gone in the DarkStolen podcastUnder the Bridge Hulu SeriesMurdaugh Murder in South CarolinaNew Jersey Case: John and Joyce Sheridan Lindbergh KidnappingThe Suspicions of Mr Whicher SeriesRon Howard's Eden Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, designers Olga Grlic and James Iacobelli relay their decades-long experience in cover design at major publishing houses with Watchung Booksellers' emeritus owner Margot Sage-El. Olga Grlic, book designer, is currently VP Creative Director of Wednesday Books, Griffin Paperbacks, Essentials, and an Executive Art Director of SMP Group of Macmillan Publishers. James Iacobelli, known as Jimmy, is book designer, currently Senior Art Director of Atria Books, an imprint of SImon &Schuster. Both are graduates of School of Visual Arts, NY.  They are local residents of Montclair and very frequent book buyers at Watchung Booksellers.Here are the books mentioned on the episode and designed by our guests, Olga Grlic and James Iocobelli.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Laura Marx Fitzgerald and Lily Braun-Arnold discuss how their passion for reading led to writing careers, and how they found inspiration and mentorship along the way. Guest Bios:Laura Marx Fitzgerald is the author of two art mysteries for kids, Under the Egg and The Gallery, and the picture book Wild for Winnie. She is currently at work on her first novel for adults, a work of historical fiction also set in the art world.Lily Braun-Arnold is a sophomore at Smith College studying English. When she isn't writing, she can be found playing trombone in her school's wind ensemble or daydreaming about living in outer space. She worked at Watchung Booksellers in high school and continues to help out when she's home on breaks. Her debut novel The Last Bookstore on Earth will be released in January 2025.Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here. Lily's Spotify Playlist for the Last Bookstore on Earth.Resources:The Limbourg Brothers at the Met The Limbourg Brothers Belles HeuresMichelangelo and Raphael Rivalry Antiques Roadshow!BBC World Book Club podcastWorld Book Club Barbara Kingsolver episodeRegister for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Janet Torsney and Margot Sage-EL sit down to discuss the wonderful partnership between the Montclair Public Library and Watchung Booksellers--two institutions in Montclair devoted to the love of books.  Guest Bios:Janet Torsney became the director of the Montclair Public Library in August 2022 after six months serving as Interim Director. Previously she was director of the Bradley Beach, Keyport and Brielle Public Libraries and assistant director of the Montclair Public Library. Highlights of her library career include expansion and restoration of an historic library, creating welcoming programs in and outside of libraries, a variety of successful fundraising campaigns and improving library relations with their communities. Janet is a popular speaker about libraries, community outreach and literacy. Prior to becoming a librarian, Janet had a distinguished career in communications with leading nonprofits and UN agencies. Born and raised in New Jersey, Janet earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Theory and Medieval Literature from Georgetown University and a Master of Library Science from Rutgers University. She lives in Asbury Park with her husband, Greg, and is extraordinarily proud of their two daughters, Hannah and Michaela.Margot Sage-EL is the former owner of Watchung Booksellers. Margot started Great Owl Books in 1994, bought Watchung Booksellers in ‘96 and with the help of fabulous booksellers and devoted readers, cultivated a bookstore that reflected and nurtured this wonderful community. After running the store for nearly 30 years, she recently passed the helm to her daughter, Maddie, and continues to help with author events and in-store consulting. Her commitment to reading, social justice, and community partnerships has made Watchung Booksellers a cornerstone of Montclair. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here.Fundraising Event: Karaoke Party Funraiser to celebrate Janet's retirement! Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

We launched the Watchung Booksellers podcast with "How It Started": an episode with Margot Sage-EL, the owner, now owner emeritus, of Watchung Booksellers, reflecting on the last 30 years of the business. Today we take a look at how it's going with Maddie Ciliotta-Young, who left a career in education to take the reigns on running the bookstore, in conversation with her friend, filmmaker Contessa Gales. One year into the opening of the Kids' Room, Maddie talks about the career transition, reading, and the need for diverse books in schools and in store.Guest bios:Maddie Ciliotta-Young is the owner and operator of Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. Maddie grew up in Montclair and at the bookstore with her mom, Margot. After college she was a teacher and principal for over a decade at a New York City public high school. As a school administrator, Maddie had a focus on equity for underserved schools and a passion for teaching literacy. She joined the Watchung Booksellers team in 2022 and when she's not in the store she can be found enjoying Montclair's restaurants with her husband or on the soccer field cheering on her two children.Contessa Gayles is a non-fiction film director, writer, cinematographer, editor and an Emmy-nominated producer. She tells stories about identity, socio-political movement, healing, Black liberation and the radical imagination. Her forthcoming feature documentary visual album, Songs from the Hole, world premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, Visions category. Her documentary short, Founder Girls, which was executive produced with Queen Latifah, premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival and broadcast on BET. Previously, she was a producer at CNN, where she created, directed, produced, shot and edited award-winning original series and documentaries, including the feature documentary, The Feminist on Cellblock Y.Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here.Resources:Scholastic Diversity in Book Fairs Controversy Barnes & Noble tries to Go Indie  Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Laura Sims and Hillary Frank discuss thrillers--how we define them, why we are drawn to them, and how they compare in different mediums: print, audio, film, and television.  Our Guests:Laura Sims is the author of How Can I Help You, a New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Book Riot, and CrimeReads Best Book of the Year. Her first novel, Looker, was included on “Best Books” lists including Vogue, People Magazine, and Real Simple. An award-winning poet, she has published four poetry collections. Hillary Frank is the award-winning creator and host of The Longest Shortest Time and Here Lies Me. She is also the author and illustrator of three young adult novels and a collection of essays called Weird Parenting Wins. Her audiobook, Wedlocked, is a feminist domestic thriller releasing in 2025.Books:A full list of the books mentioned is available here.Resources:Rear WindowTwin PeaksGet OutPromising Young Woman Severance No One Will Save YouParasiteBaby Reindeer Law & Order: SVUThe Shining GaslightRegister for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Henry Neff and Cyndie Spiegel go beyond the art of writing to discuss the art of promotion. From presales to long after the launch, book promotion is hard but necessary work in a changing publishing landscape that requires more from the author than ever before.Our Guests:Henry Neff is the author and illustrator of seven fantasy novels, including the 5-book "Tapestry" series and his upcoming adult debut, The Witchstone, which releases on June 18. His work has received critical acclaim, won multiple awards, and been translated into nearly 20 languages around the world. Henry lives in New Jersey with his wife, two sons, and a pair of rescue pups.Cyndie Spiegel is a sought-after speaker and the best-selling author of two books; Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life Is Not Okay and A Year of Positive Thinking: Daily Inspiration, Wisdom & Courage, which sold nearly 300,000 copies in the United States and has been translated into multiple languages. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two overly particular cats.Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here.Resources:ShogunJane Friedman NewsletterRegister for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Warren Zanes and Thad Ziolkowski talk about writing and addiction. From their personal struggles in using drugs while creating art to the complexities in writing about addiction in general, their conversation is thought-provoking, sincere, and often very funny. Our Guests:Warren Zanes is the New York Times bestselling author of Dusty in Memphis, the first volume in the celebrated 33 1/3 Series, Petty: The Biography; Revolutions in Sound: Warner Bros. Records; and Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. With Garth Brooks, Zanes has worked on five books in the artist's Anthology Series. As a teenager he was a member of the Del Fuegos and made three records for Slash/Warner Bros.  Zanes holds a PhD in visual and cultural studies from the University of Rochester and presently teaches at New York University. He is a Grammy-nominated producer of the PBS series Soundbreaking and was a consulting producer on the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. He conducted interviews for Martin Scorsese's George Harrison: Living in the Material World, and served as writer for The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash. Zane's work has appeared in Rolling Stone and the Oxford American, and he has served as Vice President of Education and Public Programs at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, for ten years, Executive Director of The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation.  Thad Ziolkowski is the author of Our Son the Arson, a collection of poems, the memoir On a Wave, which was a finalist for the PEN/Martha Albrand Award in 2003, and Wichita, a novel. His most recent book, The Drop, which explores the relationship between surfing and addiction, was published by HarperWave, an imprint of HarperCollins, in 2021. His essays and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, Slate, Bookforum, Artforum, Travel & Leisure, Interview Magazine, 4Columns, and Galerie. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and has a PhD in English Literature from Yale University. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available on our website.Resources:The Washington Post George Harrison: Living in the Material WorldRoom at the Top - Tom PettyRThe Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, children's book publisher Lauri Hornik and children's buyer and bookseller Aubrey Cece discuss the much needed and growing market for mental health books for kids. Through creating and selling titles with topics ranging from anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+ issues and more, these two dedicate themselves toward making sure all kids feel seen in the books they read.Our Guests:Lauri Hornik is the founding publisher of Rocky Pond Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers that focuses on mental health and Jewish content for children and teens. She served as publisher of Dial Books for Young Readers for almost twenty years. Among the books she has edited are National Book Award Finalists A River Between Us by Richard Peck and The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin; New York Times Bestsellers The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak and Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan; and Sydney Taylor Book Award winner Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder. Lauri is a mother and stepmother to four adult children and lives in Montclair with her husband.Aubrey Cece is the children's book and gift buyer as well as the children's event planner for The Kid's Room at watchung booksellers. She's a born creative with the love of everything books and art. Her favorite color is lime green and her creative touch shows all throughout the store. You'll almost never see her without a pair of Converse on her feet and when you talk to her she'll welcome you into a story about her family while she finds the perfect book for you and your child. She is passionate about children's mental health and LGBTQ+ issues. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available on our website.Resources:American Library Association Rainbow ListRocky Pond BooksMental Health America Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, guests Garth Risk Hallberg and Jason Tanz chronicle their history of living in Montclair and the creation of a book club enlivening their shared reading experiences.  Guest bios:Garth Risk Hallberg is the author of  City on Fire,  the novella  Field Guide to the North American Family,  and The Second Coming(out May 28).  In 2017, Granta named him one of the Best of Young American Novelists. His work has been translated into seventeen languages.Jason Tanz is currently the editor-in-chief of at Lyft and before that worked at Wired for many years. His writing has appeared in many publication such as the New York Times, Esquire, and Fortune. He is also the author of the 2007 book Other People's Property: A Shadow History  of Hip Hop in White America. Jason also serves on the board of directors for the Montclair Public Library Foundation.Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available on our website.Local Interest:Paper PlaneMontclair Public Library Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

In this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, long-time friends Dionne Ford and Alice Elliott Dark join us for a soulful conversation about living a writer's life. Diving into writing practices, self-care, writers' residencies, teaching, and more, these two share a wealth of knowledge that will captivate writers and readers alike. Guest bios:Alice Elliott Dark is the author of the novels Fellowship Point and Think of England, and two collections of short stories, In The Gloaming and Naked to the Waist.  She is a recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and an Associate Professor at Rutgers-Newark in the English department and the MFA program. Dionne Ford is author of the memoir Go Back and Get It and co-editor of the anthology Slavery's Descendants: Shared Legacies of Race and Reconciliation.   She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and a BA from Fordham University where she teaches creative writing. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available on our website.Podcasts:The Slowdown Residences/ Grants Mentioned: VCCAMacDowellNAERegister for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

Welcome to the Watchung Booksellers Podcast.Watchung Booksellers' community of writers and readers dive deep into what they do for the love of books. Watchung Booksellers is located in the heart of Montclair, NJ, a literary beacon filled with writers, journalists, publishers, and avid readers. Each year we host hundreds of author events and every day the most interesting and dedicated readers walk through our doors. Their insights and enthusiasm have inspired us to share our conversations with book-lovers everywhere. Each week book world pros who live in and around Montclair will talk about all aspects of writing, creating, and selling books. We invite you to listen and be a part of our book-loving community!The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

Welcome to the Watchung Booksellers Podcast! In this episode, Margot Sage-EL, former owner of Watchung Booksellers, sits down with Liz Egan of the New York Times Book Review to discuss the store's history and future.  From a mail-order catalogue to the brick and mortar store she's run for 28 years, Margot and Liz recount the hurdles this indie has survived, the unpredicable nature of publishing, and the incredible talent and vibrant local community in Montclair.  Guest bios:Elisabeth Egan is an editor and writer at the New York Times Book Review. She writes the Inside the List weekly column that features stories about recent bestsellers and edits both fiction and nonfiction reviews. She is the author of the novel A Window Opens.Margot Sage-EL is now bookseller emeritus of Watchung Booksellers. She continues to help with the stellar author event program and pitches in where needed. Margot started Great Owl Books in ‘94, bought Watchung Booksellers in ‘96 and with the help of fabulous booksellers and devoted readers, cultivated a bookstore that reflected and nurtured this wonderful community. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available on our website.Local Interest:da PepoRaymond's Register for Upcoming EventsThe Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup. Recording and editing by Timmy Kellenyi, Bree Testa, and Derek Mattheiss at Silver Stream Studio in Montclair, NJ. Original music is composed and performed by Violet Mujica. Art & design and social media by Evelyn Moulton. Research and show notes by Caroline Shurtleff. Thank you to the staff at Watchung Booksellers and The Kids' Room for their hard work and love of books! 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!

Kate often says that if she were a writer she would have trouble reading James McBride. It's hard not to hear a mic drop when you close the back cover. He is a master of storytelling; his sentences so packed with history, humor, and meaning that at times you forget what he was talking about, but you won't mind a bit. His writing often knocks off our socks, and his new novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, is no exception. For our bookstore this week? We let James choose one of his favorites, Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey. Books mentioned in this week's podcast: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Kill 'em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul by James McBride The Good Lord Bird by James McBride Song Yet Sung by James McBride Five-Carat Soul by James McBride Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride Deacon King Kong by James McBride Moby-Dick by Herman Melville The Bridge Builder by Will Allen Dromgoole Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed author Warren Zanes launched his incredible new book DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE - THE MAKING OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S NEBRASKA with a powerful concert and reading, co-produced by Outpost in the Burbs and the Montclair Literary Festival in May 2023. A few days later Zanes held a discussion on the book with the Outpost's John Hammond at Watchung Books in Montclair. This podcast features that discussion in full, where Warren recounts his working directly with Springsteen to dig into the depths of his creativity and motivation that resulted in the unique NEBRASKA album release. In addition, we're glad to feature three live performances from the launch concert - Laura Cantrell's 'Used Cars,' James Maddock's 'Born in the USA (Nebraska Version),' and Steve Earle's 'State Trooper.'   The chat was recorded live at the bookstore in intimate surroundings - thanks to our ace podcast mixer John Paul Uva for cleaning up the room audio for your listening. And extra thanks to our friends at Watchung Booksellers and Montclair Literary Festival for partnering on these fascinating events.

We speak with Margot Sage-El of Watchung Booksellers, famously, the independent bookstore for Montclair that supports and contributes to a thriving literary community, including over 60 published local authors, and uncountable publishing and media professionals. They are fierce supporters of the community, contributing to and working with local schools serving our children, the Montclair Public Library, the Montclair Fund for Eductional Excellence and the Adult School of Montclair.  

Americans have a romanticized image of English boarding schools. RIBBLESTROP is the opposite of that. Writer Andy Mulligan has created what must be the most dangerous school on planet earth. And this trio of readers at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey, debate whether they'd like to attend. Peter Sagal, playwright and host of NPR's quiz show "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

Synopsis: It’s our season 2 finale and to celebrate, we’ve got TWO – count ’em, TWO! – special guests. From the Erasable podcast, we welcome Andy Welfle and Johnny Gamber to the show to discuss Mark Kurlansky’s book, Paper: Paging Through History. We discuss whether technology changes society, digital vs. analog, the role of handwriting in today’s society, how paper has been used to spread information and incite dissent, and the future of paper in an increasingly digital world. Links to all books discussed in this episode (where possible) will go to Watchung Booksellers, a wonderful local independent bookstore in my home state of New Jersey. This episode of COVERED is sponsored by: Nacht Sound Engineering: Streamline the process of delivering high-quality shows to your audience and focus on what you love. Feedpress: Blog and podcast analytics starting at $4 a month, podcast hosting starting at just $8 a month. Use promo code COVERED to get 10% off your first year. Duration: 53:55:00 Present: Harry C. Marks, Andy Welfle, Johnny Gamber Episode Links Episode S2E14: COVERED Book Club #2 – PAPER by Mark Kurlansky, feat. Andy Welfle and Johnny Gamber (mp3) Contact your hosts for show feedback Show your support and donate to our podcast The Book Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky The Guests Erasable podcast Andy Welfle on Twitter Andy’s website Johnny Gamber on Twitter Books and Materials Discussed Erasable Episode 41: Hitting the Marks (Not Literally) Field Notes “Byline” Reporter’s Notebook Palomino Blackwing 602 Write Notepads & Co. Reporter’s Pad Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki Books on the Nightstand Podcast Rules for a Knight by Ethan Hawke The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber Maps and Legends: Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands by Michael Chabon Washington by Ron Chernow Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg Revolutionary Summer by Joseph Ellis So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo COVERED Book Club #1 with special guest Ann Kingman Follow your host and the show on Twitter @HCMarks @COVERED_fm @HologramRadio for more podcasts to listen to! Subscribe to Covered! Get Covered on iTunes, or via RSS. Newsletter! Subscribe to AFTERWORD: A COVERED Newsletter for info on upcoming episodes, book recommendations, and links of interest for readers and writers! Support the show! Become a patron! Please take a moment to rate our show in iTunes, even if it’s just a star rating. It really does make a difference in helping us reach a wider audience. Download: Episode S2E14: COVERED Book Club #2 – PAPER by Mark Kurlansky, feat. Andy Welfle and Johnny Gamber

Synopsis: Author Beth Gilstrap discusses her short fiction collection I Am Barbarella and her new story collection, No Man’s Wild Laura out now from Hyacinth Girl Press. Beth also talks about her aversion to writing longer fiction, her love of literary magazines, and the joys of publishing with a small press. Links to all books discussed in this episode (where possible) will go to Watchung Booksellers, a wonderful local independent bookstore in my home state of New Jersey. This episode of COVERED is sponsored by: Nacht Sound Engineering: Streamline the process of delivering high-quality shows to your audience and focus on what you love. Feedpress: Blog and podcast analytics starting at $4 a month, podcast hosting starting at just $8 a month. Use promo code COVERED to get 10% off your first year. Duration: 36:46:00 Present: Harry C. Marks, Beth Gilstrap Episode Links Episode S2E13: Beth Gilstrap (mp3) Contact your hosts for show feedback Show your support and donate to our podcast The Author Website Beth on Twitter Little Fiction The Book I Am Barbarella No Man’s Wild Laura Books Discussed Gilead by Marilynne Robinson Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson Blood Song by Michael Schmeltzer Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon Mothers, Tell Your Daughters by Bonnie Jo Campbell The Midnight Watch by David Dyer Follow your host and the show on Twitter @HCMarks @COVERED_fm @HologramRadio for more podcasts to listen to! Subscribe to Covered! Get Covered on iTunes, or via RSS. Newsletter! Subscribe to AFTERWORD: A COVERED Newsletter for info on upcoming episodes, book recommendations, and links of interest for readers and writers! Support the show! Become a patron! Please take a moment to rate our show in iTunes, even if it’s just a star rating. It really does make a difference in helping us reach a wider audience. Download: Episode S2E13: Beth Gilstrap

Synopsis: Poet and Frogpond Journal editor Aubrie Cox sits down to discuss her haiku chapbook Out of Translation and shed some light on what English haiku really entails. She also talks about her forays into haibun and flash fiction, putting together a poetry magazine, and the power short-form literature can have on readers. Links to all books discussed in this episode (where possible) will go to Watchung Booksellers, a wonderful local independent bookstore in my home state of New Jersey. Giveaway Winner! The recipient of the beautiful Pilot Knight fountain pen from Pen Chalet is…Kyle W! Congrats, Kyle! The winner can reach out on Twitter or at coveredpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com to claim the prize. LAST CHANCE: As a special perk to COVERED listeners, Pen Chalet has provided a unique promo code that will get you 10% off. Just enter the code COVERED on the Radio/Podcasts tab of their website. The promo will be active until June 7, so act now! Our thanks to Pen Chalet for their support of COVERED. You can follow them on Twitter at @penchalet This episode of COVERED is sponsored by: Nacht Sound Engineering: Streamline the process of delivering high-quality shows to your audience and focus on what you love. Feedpress: Blog and podcast analytics starting at $4 a month, podcast hosting starting at just $8 a month. Use promo code COVERED to get 10% off your first year. Duration: 59:46:00 Present: Harry C. Marks, Aubrie Cox Episode Links Episode S2E12: Aubrie Cox (mp3) Contact your hosts for show feedback Show your support and donate to our podcast The Author Website Aubrie on Twitter Frogpond Journal Frogpond on Twitter Citizen Lit Citizen Lit on Twitter The Book Out of Translation Poets/Books Discussed Deflection by Roberta Beary Lorin Ford A Hundred Gourds Brent Goodman To Hear the Rain by Peggy Lyles Norton Haiku Anthology by Cor Van Den Heuvel Love Makes the Air Light by Raymond Roseliep Acorn Haiku Journal Prune Juice Modern Haiku Tobacco Road – Curtis Dunlap The Haiku Foundation Red Moon Press The Haiku Society of America Follow your host and the show on Twitter @HCMarks @COVERED_fm @HologramRadio for more podcasts to listen to! Subscribe to Covered! Get Covered on iTunes, or via RSS. Newsletter! Subscribe to AFTERWORD: A COVERED Newsletter for info on upcoming episodes, book recommendations, and links of interest for readers and writers! Support the show! Become a patron! Please take a moment to rate our show in iTunes, even if it’s just a star rating. It really does make a difference in helping us reach a wider audience. Download: Episode S2E12: Aubrie Cox

Synopsis: The proprietor of BLDGBLOG and the author of A Burglar’s Guide to the City, Geoff Manaugh, discusses his new book, what he learned from riding around in a helicopter with the LAPD, how burglars see architecture differently from the rest of us and thus are able to “hack” it for their own purposes, and the double-edged sword that is our increasingly Orwellian future. Links to all books discussed in this episode will go to Watchung Booksellers, a wonderful local independent bookstore in my home state of New Jersey. Giveaway The fine folks at Pen Chalet were kind enough to provide us with a silver Pilot Knight fountain pen to give away to one lucky listener. All you have to do to win is leave a comment on the post below. The winner will be announced on the next episode. Contest ends Sunday, May 29th at 11:59 pm EST. Also, as a special perk to COVERED listeners, Pen Chalet has provided a unique promo code that will get you a special discount. Just enter the code on the Radio/Podcasts tab of their website. The code will be active until June 7, so act now! Our thanks to Pen Chalet for their support of COVERED. You can follow them on Twitter at @penchalet This episode of COVERED is sponsored by: Nacht Sound Engineering: Streamline the process of delivering high-quality shows to your audience and focus on what you love. Feedpress: Blog and podcast analytics starting at $4 a month, podcast hosting starting at just $8 a month. Use promo code COVERED to get 10% off your first year. Duration: 50:37:00 Present: Harry C. Marks, Geoff Manaugh Episode Links Episode S2E11: Geoff Manaugh (mp3) Contact your hosts for show feedback Show your support and donate to our podcast The Author BLDGBLOG Book website Twitter The Book A Burglar’s Guide to the City Books Discussed The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking by Brendan Koerner Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Follow your host and the show on Twitter @HCMarks @COVERED_fm @HologramRadio for more podcasts to listen to! Subscribe to Covered! Get Covered on iTunes, or via RSS. Newsletter! Subscribe to AFTERWORD: A COVERED Newsletter for info on upcoming episodes, book recommendations, and links of interest for readers and writers! Support the show! Become a patron! Please take a moment to rate our show in iTunes, even if it’s just a star rating. It really does make a difference in helping us reach a wider audience. Download: Episode S2E11: Geoff Manaugh