Alone At Lunch

This week we are joined by Emma Mills! Emma Mills is thrilled to be making her adult mystery debut with Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet . She is also the author of six YA novels and one middle grade graphic novel ( The Greenies ). When she is not writing, Emma can be found editing scientific manuscripts, tending to her large collection of succulents, and deep-diving into various fandoms. Emma l...

This week we are joined by Edward Schmit! Edward Schmit is an author based in New York City. From theatre kid to graphic designer to creative director, he’s always exploring new ways to tell stories. A passionate mental health advocate, he’s worked in the nonprofit space for over seven years. The Open Era is his debut novel and combines three things close to his heart: queer love stories, mental h...

This week we are joined by Rachel Moore! Rachel Moore is the author of high-stakes, genre-blending novels The Library of Shadows, Us in Ruins, and her thriller debut, Safari Murder Party. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and two cats she’s violently allergic to. (The cats, not the husband.) On the rare occasion she isn’t writing happy endings, you can find her collecting dictionaries, drink...

This week we are joined by Eve J. Chung! Eve J. Chung is a Taiwanese American lawyer and women's human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation. Her writing is inspired by social justice movements, and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide.  In this epis...

This week we are joined by Catherine Kurtz! Catherine Kurtz is a painter and writer whose debut novel FEAST published in June 2026 (Hachette UK, Penguin USA). As a painter she is represented by The Redfern Gallery in London. She is a member of The Guild of Food Writers, Grand Jury Member of The International Chocolate Awards, and co-author of Sex & Drugs & Sausage Rolls. Her journalism has appeare...

This week we are joined by Holly Brown! Holly’s comedy is what you get when the girl next door has a little bite - mixing dark humor and millennial nostalgia with an honesty that makes you laugh and squirm. Named one of WhoHaHa’s Comedians of the Year in 2022, Holly has been featured on popular podcasts The Daily Zeitgeist and The Dork Forest, and has performed at SF Sketchfest, Big Pine, the SLO...

This week we are joined by Mickey Trescott! Mickey Trescott, MSc, is an author, recipe creator, and holistic nutrition professional, widely recognized for her expertise in living well with autoimmune disease. She holds an MSc in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States and is a certified Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Trescott has been working in...

This week we are joined by Anna North! Anna North is the author of four novels, including Outlawed, an instant New York Times bestseller and Reese's Book Club pick, and Bog Queen, a national bestseller and National Book Foundation Science + Literature Selected Title. She is also a senior correspondent at Vox, and lives in Brooklyn. In this episode, we discuss Anna’s journey as a writer and her lat...

This week we are joined by Krista and Becca Ritchie! Krista & Becca Ritchie are New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors and identical twins—one a science nerd, the other a comic book geek—but with their shared passion for writing, they combined their mental powers as kids and have never stopped telling stories. They love superheroes, flawed characters, and soul mate love. In this episode,...

This week we are joined by Deanna Raybourn! New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Deanna Raybourn is a 6th-generation Texan. She graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is the author of the Veronica Speedwell Victorian mystery series, and her first contemporary thriller, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, published in September of 20...

This week we are joined by Moorea Coorigan! Moorea Corrigan holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in English literature from the University of Edinburgh and a master of publishing degree from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. She works at an academic press in Boulder, Colorado. When she is not writing, you can find her singing, spending time with her menagerie of pets, or attending Jane Austen c...

This week we are joined by Mark Greaney! Mark Greaney is an American novelist, best known for his Gray Man thriller series and as Tom Clancy’s collaborator on several Jack Ryan novels.  His extensive research has taken him to more than 35 countries, and he has trained alongside military and law enforcement in firearms, battlefield medicine, and close-range combat tactics.  His latest novel, The Ha...

This week we are joined by Kelly Yang! Kelly Yang is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE TAKE, the FRONT DESK series, and many other books for children, young adults, and adults. THE TAKE is her first adult novel. In this episode, Kelly Yang shares her extraordinary journey from managing the front desk at a motel at the age of eight to becoming an acclaimed author and advocate for yout...

This week we are joined by Jeremy Alder! Jeremy Alder is a dry, spiritually curious comedian who draws on his upbringing as a homeschooled kid in a deeply religious Texas family to craft quietly audacious, deceptively sharp comedy. His Dry Bar Comedy special has surpassed 5 million views, and he's been featured on Nateland Presents and heard regularly on SiriusXM. Headlining nationwide, Jeremy exp...

This week we are joined by Fergus Craig! Fergus Craig is a multi-award winning writer, actor and comedian. Fergus has written two parody novels based on his character Detective Roger LeCarre. The second, Murder At Crime Manor, was shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. His third novel, I'm Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home, came out in February 2026.  I...

This week we are joined by Rosie Storey! Rosie Storey grew up on a farm in the south of England. She left her corporate career to finish her debut novel, Dandelion Is Dead . She holds a master’s in creative writing, lives in East London, and works as a writing coach. In this episode, Rose Storey shares her journey from a corporate career in tech to becoming a published author, highlighting the cha...

This week we are joined by Rojo Perez! Rojo Perez is a New York-based comedian who is currently a recurring guest on Netflix’s Survival Of The Thickest. Originally from Puerto Rico, Rojo served as a writer on Netflix’s DRINK MASTERS. In a busy 2021, Rojo made his network debut on The Tonight Show w/ Jimmy Fallon, while also being featured in Comedy Central’s Tight Five. In April ‘19, Rojo formed p...

This week we are joined by Wade Rouse! Wade Rouse is a USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly, and #1 internationally bestselling author of 21 books, whose work has been translated into nearly 30 languages and celebrated worldwide. His novel That’s What Friends Are For , inspired by The Golden Girls, marks his first book published under his own name and has already been named one of 2026’s Most Anticipated...

This week we are joined by Elizabeth Arnott. Elizabeth Arnott is an award-winning writer and journalist and has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook. Her work - covering everything from true crime to Arctic exploration - has featured in publications including The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review and The Guardian. She lives with her husband...

This week we are joined by Nalini Singh! Nalini Singh is the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and international bestselling author of the iconic Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series of paranormal romances. She also writes atmospheric New Zealand-set thrillers, the latest of which is SUCH A PERFECT FAMILY.   Two of her thrillers have been optioned for television adaptation. Check h...

This week we are joined by LizaBanks Campagna! LizaBanks Campagna is New York City based comedian and tour guide. Her work blends cultural commentary, internet chaos, and on-the-ground storytelling. She performs comedy regularly in New York and travels the country for shows. Check her out! In this episode, we delve into the crossover between tour guiding and stand-up comedy and the impact of child...

This week we are joined by Yosha Gunasekera. Yosha Gunasekera is a Sri Lankan-American attorney who represents people who have spent decades behind bars for crimes they did not commit. She teaches a course at Princeton University focused on wrongful conviction and exoneration. Yosha is a former Manhattan public defender and has written and spoken extensively on the criminal legal system. Check her...

This week we are joined by Maria J. Morillo. Maria J. Morillo is a born and raised Venezuelan ESL teacher, translator, and author of love stories featuring Venezuelan women getting absolutely everything they’ve always wanted. When she’s not writing, you can find her leading the choir at her local church. She currently lives in Maturin, Venezuela, with her family. Her debut novel is The Ex-Periment...

This week we are joined by Ashley Bennett. Ashley is a small-town paranormal and monster romance author from Baltimore, Maryland. She writes stories that are equal parts spice and swoon. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading webtoons, playing cozy video games, and taking care of her houseful of rescue animals. In this episode, Ashley shares her journey from being a veterinary technician...

This week we are joined by Virginia Kantra. New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra is a big believer in the power of stories—the ones we grow up with and the ones we tell ourselves. She has written over thirty novels about strong women, messy families, and the journey to find yourself. Her books have received numerous awards as well as starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist...