Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations

Send us Fan Mail This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by beloved children's author Kate DiCamillo for a conversation about something much bigger than writing. We explore what it means to be a reader, why stories shape us long after childhood, and how a love of books can become one of the greatest gifts we pass from one generation to the next. Kate's stories, including Because of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Bookish Flights, I’m joined by middle grade author and podcaster Becca Wierwille. She is the author of the Road Trip Rescue series and the Scout and Barnaby Mysteries . Becca writes stories that help kids embrace what makes them unique and discover the adventures waiting for them. Together, we discuss the power of children's books, how stories help build em...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by award-winning author Martha Engber for a thoughtful conversation about storytelling, curiosity, and the power of fiction to help us better understand ourselves and others. We chat about her Mary Donahue Chronicles, including Winter Light and Scattered Light , and explore themes of trauma, healing, self-worth, and the experiences that sha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Bookish Flights, I am joined by author and podcaster Landis Wade. A recovering trial lawyer, Landis is the author of the award-winning Indie Retirement Mystery series , including his newest release, Deadly Gold Rush . He is also the founder of the Charlotte Readers Podcast , where he has interviewed more than 500 authors. Our conversation goes beyond mystery wri...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by Joanna Davidson Politano to discuss her latest novel, The Life She Forgot . Known for her atmospheric historical fiction and layered mysteries, Joanna shares the inspiration behind the novel, the first in a new series set around a house built into the cliffs of Cornwall. We talk about her love of creating immersive settings and why...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by New York Times bestselling author Natasha Lester to discuss her latest novel, The Chateau on Sunset , a feminist reimagining of Jane Eyre set within the legendary walls of the Chateau Marmont. Natasha shares the fascinating history behind one of Hollywood’s most infamous hotels, where generations of actors, musicians, writers, and dreame...

Send us Fan Mail In this latest installment of our Year of the Military Spouse series, Kara sits down with Kirst, co-founder of Wives of the Armed Forces (WAF) , a community created to help military significant others feel less alone in the unpredictability of military life. What began as a small Air Force spouse community built by Kirst and her co-founder Jen has grown into a welcoming space for...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by Virginia Pye, author of Marriage and Other Monuments , to discuss writing stories set in what she calls “the recent past” and why she’s drawn to exploring moments of cultural and personal change through fiction. We talked about the emotional balance of writing difficult subjects while still leaving space for hope, the surprising role the...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by Lindsay Barnett, workplace experience strategist, coach, speaker, and author of Working Hell to Working Well: Making Your Company Work For You . We talk about career reinvention, burnout, identity, and what it looks like to create a life where work supports you instead of consuming you. Lindsay shares her journey from moving to Australia...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m joined by Michelle Maryk to discuss her debut novel, The Found Object Society —an atmospheric speculative suspense story that blends grief, curiosity, addiction, and the supernatural into a wholly original reading experience. Michelle shares her journey back to fiction after careers in acting, comedy, and voice work, and how those experiences helped shape h...

Send us Fan Mail Emily Lynn Paulson joins us on Bookish Flights to talk about her latest novel, The Revenge Party , a dark and twisty psychological thriller about power, manipulation, revenge, and the masks people wear behind polished lives. Known for exploring the tension between image and reality in both her fiction and nonfiction, Emily shares what it was like stepping into thriller writing aft...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Bookish Flights, where we tell our stories through the books that shape us. Today’s episode is a celebration of libraries and the magic that happens inside them. I’m joined by Gigi Howard — librarian of 15 years and host of Drinks in the Library , the only library where drinks aren’t just allowed, they’re required. We talk about her librarian heart, the unwritten (...

Send us Fan Mail Today I’m joined by author Chawna Schroeder, a fantasy writer who describes herself as a “boundary stretcher,” someone who explores what it means to live beyond the boxes we often place around ourselves, our faith, and even our imagination. After more than two decades studying the craft of writing, Chawna creates richly layered stories that blend faith, philosophy, and speculative...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Rachel Linden for the latest installment of the BFF Book Club, all about her novel The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake . This was such a fun conversation. Rachel shares the inspiration behind the story, why she loves weaving food into her writing, and the “research loophole” she’s fully embracing—traveling, wandering, and eating her way through...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Holly Gutwillinger, a heartfelt writer born and raised in a small town in northern Ontario. Holly is a proud dog mom to two rescue dogs and one cat, and her love for animals shines through in both her life and her storytelling. We talk about her podcast and debut book, North of Broken  and Furever Home , and the creative journey that led her t...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Jennifer van der Kleut (née McBride). Jennifer is an award-winning former journalist of both print and digital publications, including the D.C. affiliate of ABC7 News. A graduate of San Jose State University, she spent most of her life in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to the Norther Virginia suburbs of D.C., where she currently live...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Jennifer N. Brown. Jennifer is the Dean of Arts & Sciences at Bentley University, where she is also Professor of English and Media Studies, with a specialization in medieval literature written for and by women. She has published a lot on this topic but The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is her first novel. She lives in the Boston area with...

Send us Fan Mail Today I’m thrilled to welcome back Janyre Tromp. If her name sounds familiar, that’s because she previously joined us on Episode 106 , where we talked about her novel Darkness Calls the Tiger . Janyre is an award-winning, bestselling historical suspense novelist known for weaving together rich history, myth, and stories that search for beauty—even when it isn’t pretty. Her newest...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Chelsea Bobulski , author of A Deal with a Debutante , her latest release with Haven Fiction and the first book in her London’s Most Eligible series. Chelsea is also the author of the YA fantasy novels The Wood and Remember Me , and brings her background in history into the heart of every story she writes. In this conversation, we talk about w...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Amy Schweizer. Amy is a USMC military spouse of 15 years, mom to three boys, and an expert in youth sports development. She has played soccer for over 20 years, culminating with being a member of the Cincinnati Ladyhawks of the USL. She is the Founder and Owner of Tiny Troops Soccer, a developmental program for children ages 2-5 with 35 locati...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Carmela Dutra, a Bay Area–based writer who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. With a love for quirky characters and humor-filled storytelling, Carmela draws inspiration from everyday life, farmers’ markets, and the unexpected moments that make a story memorable. In our conversation, we talk about the inspiration behind her food-tru...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s conversation is a tender one. I’m joined by Sheila Hamilton — journalist, speaker, and author of All the Things We Never Knew , a memoir she wrote in the aftermath of her late husband’s descent into mental illness. This book is part story, part resource — and it captures the confusion, grief, hope, and fierce love that come with navigating a fractured mental health system...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Wendy Hively—a Navy spouse, retired scientist, and entrepreneur who has spent more than a decade building a business that supports military families. After giving up two jobs in her career field during her husband’s service, Wendy experienced firsthand the employment challenges many military spouses face. That experience led her to entrepreneu...

Send us Fan Mail Today on Bookish Flights, I’m joined by Katherine Scott Crawford, award-winning author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant and Keowee Valley , history enthusiast, and self-proclaimed recovering academic. An eleventh-generation Southerner, Katherine directs writing retreats at a remote mountain lodge in Western North Carolina, where she lives with her family and would much rather be in...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Tracie Peterson, often called the Queen of Historical Christian Fiction. An ECPA, CBA, and USA Today bestselling author of more than 110 books, Tracie has spent decades weaving together faith, history, and romance for readers around the world. Her guiding motto in both life and writing is Soli Deo Gloria — For God Alone the Glory. A Kansas nat...