Shelf Made Stories

How do two besties go from reading thrillers to running a viral romance book club? This week, I chat with the hilarious duo behind Two Bookends, the creators of that viral football-smut-announcer video (yes, that one with over 9M views on TikTok).  But there’s so much more to their story, from book recs and bloopers to building an authentic, monetized community around their love of reading. We div...

What started as a casual Facebook group during the pandemic has grown into a thriving online community, complete with sold-out retreats, book boxes, author chats, and even a true crime podcast. Ashley and Emily, co-founders of The Creepy Book Club, share how a single thriller reignited their love of reading and sparked the idea for the club.  We talk about building a business from scratch, staying...

If you’re a book lover, chances are you’ve heard Julia Whelan’s voice… and probably more than once. She’s narrated over 700 audiobooks, from Gone Girl to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue , and has been dubbed everything from “the Meryl Streep of audiobooks” to “the Adele of audiobooks.” Julia is the founder of Audiobrary, a new audio publishing platform reinventing how creatives are compensated. ...

What happens when a book-loving mom of two runs out of reading material on vacation? If you’re Kelly Vann, you open a bookstore .  We chat with Kelly, founder of Lit Actually, a romance and fantasy bookshop tucked inside Olive’s Eatery in Baldwinsville, NY. She walks us through her journey from idea to grand opening in just six months … while working full-time in marketing, raising two kids, and f...

Did you want more smut? I’m chatting with Alexa Sierra, co-founder of Nashville Smut, the spicy book club-turned-brand that’s taken over Music City and the internet one smutty read at a time.  What started as a Facebook group between two childhood besties has grown into a full-blown movement with in-person meetups, viral merch, and their very own indie book festival, Tempted by Fiction . We talk a...

What if you could spend an entire weekend doing nothing but reading, relaxing, and connecting with other book lovers? I’m talking no chores, no to-do lists, and no interruptions? That’s exactly what Mallory Anderko dreamed up when she created Bookcation, a reading retreat that’s part cozy getaway, part book club, and part soul recharge. In this episode, Mallory shares: How a decade-long fiction dr...

What if you could run a bookstore without actually owning a storefront? In this episode, we chat with Alicia Boemi, the founder of Lakeside Books in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It’s a charming indie bookstore that lives inside another store and rolls around town in a tricked-out trailer. Yep, she’s running two bookstores in one… without the overhead of a full brick-and-mortar. We talk about: How Alici...

In this episode, we’re diving into the heart of Bookstagram with Kristen Cioffi—aka Kray’s Book Club. If you've ever wondered how to grow an authentic, engaged community online without selling your soul to the algorithm, this is your episode.  Kristen keeps it real about how she started posting about books during a tough time, and how that turned into an incredible, joy-filled space filled wi...

What happens when you mix romance novels, DIY spirit, and a full bar? You get The Plot Twist , Denton's most Instagrammable bookstore, and a total book lover's dream. In this episode, Darci Middleton shares how she went from being a middle school science teacher to opening a one-of-a-kind bookstore with her mom. We talk about: The viral book wall (and how she made it herself) Why she foc...

Ever wonder who’s behind the voice in your favorite audiobook? Meet Marni Penning, an audiobook narrator with over 350 titles under her belt (plus a spicy secret pseudonym). In this episode, Marni shares how she went from performing Shakespeare on stage to narrating Fourth Wing , ACOTAR , and Crescent City ... all from her basement studio. She shares: 🎙️ What it really takes to be an audiobook nar...

If you're into food, books, or doing good... you’re going to love this one. Kimberly Behzadi is the founder of Read It & Eat Bookshop, Buffalo’s first culinary bookstore that mixes reading, eating, and giving back in the tastiest way possible. We talk about: How she turned her book subscription box into a brick-and-mortar store The magic of cookbooks, chef memoirs, and food writing that m...

What happens when a lifelong romance reader, punk rock enthusiast, and photographer turns a trailer into a moody, mobile bookstore? You get Slow Burn . Tonya Pineda, the creator behind Slow Burn , a jet-black trailer-turned-bookstore specializing in romance. shares how she and her husband (neither of them particularly handy) built the entire thing from scratch with nothing but a dream and a lot of...

Since releasing this episode, ShelfCare Box has gone out of business.  She went from 0 to 1,000 subscribers in one year. In two years, she was bringing in one million dollars in revenue. Five years ago, Lorena Hixson launched her first subscription box.  Because reading has always been a cornerstone of her personal growth, healing, and self-care journey, she wanted to create an experience that enc...

Come inside Flame & Fable, the charming new romantasy bookstore that's quickly becoming a community hub in Lakewood, Ohio. Owner Nickie Lui opened her doors just over a month ago, but she's already outperforming her business projections and creating a space where strangers bring birthday gifts and book recommendations flow freely. But the journey wasn't always magical. Nickie sh...

What started as a spicy subscription box packed in her kitchen is now two thriving bookstores, a merch line, and a romance convention.  In this episode, Melissa Saavedra, founder of Steamy Lit , shares how she turned her love of romance books into a full-on literary brand. We talk about how she built her audience, grew from popups to storefronts, and why representation in romance matters.  Plus, s...

Karley Schaper shares how her handcrafted bookshelf decorations accidentally launched a thriving business from her small Oklahoma town, "where there are more cows than people." In this episode, Karley shares How creating without sales intentions can lead to organic business growth The power of authentic social media sharing that grew Karley's Instagram from 100 to 25,000 followers W...

This week’s guest is literally tearing books apart... and people love her for it. What started as a casual scroll through BookTok turned into a side hustle-turned-small business for Valerie Brand, all centered around rebinding books into one-of-a-kind, stunning keepsakes.  She’s crafted custom covers for fantasy favorites, sentimental heirlooms, and even indie author giveaways—all while holding do...

What happens when a real estate-savvy book lover stumbles upon a shuttered bookstore already zoned for hotel use ? You get The Bookhouse Hotel, a boutique literary escape where guests literally sleep surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. In this episode, Stephanie Olenik, the creative force behind not one, but two magical book-themed hotels in Pennsylvania, talks about turning a once-forgott...

Listen in as author Lou Emerson reveals how she transformed her love of cozy crime fiction into a subscription box business.  Lou shares how she delivers an immersive reading experience by pairing mystery novels with page-specific gifts, built a loyal subscriber base through a clever email challenge, and manages the chaos of "Christmas every month" from her home.  Perfect for mystery lov...

Four friends in their 20s realized none of them were reading books like they used to.  So, Ben Bradbury hosted a casual gathering on their rooftop, invited some friends, put together a playlist, and everyone just... read books together. Then they chatted about what they were reading before calling it a night. But it caught on. Ben and three of his friends formalized things a bit, named it “Reading...

Jules Buonocore reaches 800,000 monthly readers and has built multiple revenue streams through her book blog, The Literary Lifestyle.  In this episode, she reveals her journey from attorney to book influencer, her battle with Google's algorithm changes, and the surprising way she's monetizing trending book series like Fourth Wing and ACOTAR .  She also shares behind-the-scenes details of...

Amanda Badeau left her corporate job to pursue her childhood dream of opening a bookstore.  We chat with Amanda about trading her corporate ops director role for the green-walled, castle-like atmosphere of "The Archive" – her dark academia bookstore in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Amanda gets real about the ups and downs of making this childhood dream happen: the unexpected costs, per...

When everyone said bookstores couldn't survive, Jenny Kelley did the impossible - opening Bookish Boutique in just 25 days!  With pink couches, a wine bar, and custom "Smut University" merch, this Panama City store is defying the odds.  How is she thriving where major chains have failed?  Tune in to discover the secrets behind her success and why readers are flocking to this bookish...

When publishers wouldn't pay for her bookish content on Instagram (free books don't pay bills!), Hayley Solano got creative and built a literary empire that goes far beyond monthly discussions.  After growing her #bookstagram to 40,000 followers, Hayley launched The Enchanted Book Club. She took her love of books and turned it into this vibe where classic book lovers can connect, no matt...

Want to turn your overflowing bookshelves into a business? Join us for a chat with Renee Powers, Director of Partnerships and Publicity at PangoBooks, where book lovers are becoming entrepreneurs from their living rooms. She's spilling the details on how readers are transforming their personal libraries into profitable ventures, building community through books, and reshaping the way we think...