The Bookshop Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Lucy Yu, founder and owner of Yu & Me Books. Trained as a chemical engineer, her life took an unexpected turn during the pandemic when grief from losing a close friend led to deep reflection about her purpose. "I'm here on earth to do art and foster love," she realized, and from this epiphany, You and Me Books was born—the first fema...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Danielle Teller about how her creative journey defies conventional wisdom about career paths. From Yale-trained pulmonologist studying lung disease to acclaimed novelist, her story demonstrates how life's unexpected turns might lead us exactly where we're meant to be. "I was a huge bookworm when I was a kid, but I was too chicken to actu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Amanda Friss, the founder of Parentheses Books, which is nestled in the heart of Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Parentheses Books is more than just a bookstore—it’s a space for community, curiosity, and connection. Since opening its doors, the shop has become a vibrant gathering place for readers of all kinds, offering a carefully curated selection of titles...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is sponsored by Saturn Press! Hey indie bookshops! Did you know that greeting cards are a fantastic way for bookshops to boost sales? Saturn Press creates beautiful, handcrafted letterpress cards that customers love to purchase alongside books, helping bookshops grow and thrive. As a thank you for tuning in to The Bookshop Podcast, Saturn Press is offering indie books...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Paddy Screech, a co-owner of Word on the Water. Paddy shares the story of London's famous floating bookshop, housed in a 1920s Dutch barge moored along Regent's Canal in King's Cross, London.  Paddy takes us from his early days as a literature-loving boy in an agricultural school to his unlikely friendship with a "trampy-looking man...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is sponsored by Saturn Press! Hey indie bookshops! Did you know that greeting cards are a fantastic way for bookshops to boost sales? Saturn Press creates beautiful, handcrafted letterpress cards that customers love to purchase alongside books, helping bookshops grow and thrive. As a thank you for tuning in to The Bookshop Podcast, Saturn Press is offering indie books...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with historian Peniel E. Joseph about his latest book, Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution. Joseph's storytelling prowess brings James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jn., President Kennedy, and Bobbie Kennedy to vibrant life, not as static icons but as complex humans navigating treacherous terrain.  Particularly fas...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is sponsored by Saturn Press! Hey indie bookshops! Did you know that greeting cards are a fantastic way for bookshops to boost sales? Saturn Press creates beautiful, handcrafted letterpress cards that customers love to purchase alongside books, helping bookshops grow and thrive. As a thank you for tuning in to The Bookshop Podcast, Saturn Press is offering indie books...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with book publicist Megan Beatie about book publicity in a revealing conversation about the art and science of literary promotion. Drawing on over 25 years of experience working with authors ranging from Linda Ronstadt to Tess Gerritsen, Megan shares how the publishing landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation since she began her career. She explain...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Jen Lemberger, co-owner of Chaucer's Books. Nestled in Santa Barbara's Loreto Plaza sits a literary institution fifty-one years in the making. Chaucer's Books, now under the stewardship of Jen Lemberger and Greg Feitt, stands as a testament to the enduring power of independent bookstores in our communities. Jen's career started in h...

Send us Fan Mail What happens behind the scenes before a book reaches your hands? John Warren pulls back the curtain on modern publishing in this fascinating conversation that travels from his unexpected entry into the industry to where books are headed in our AI-driven future. Warren's publishing journey began in 1992 when a Mexican publisher hired him to research the US market for Spanish-l...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m chatting with Vinny Browne from Charlie Byrne's Bookshop in the heart of Galway City, Ireland. At Charlie Byrne’s, you can explore their labyrinthine maze of over 100,000 books: new, second-hand, bargain, and antiquarian.    Vinny takes us behind the scenes of this beloved institution, revealing how its organic growth mirrors the evolution of Irish litera...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Tom Muckian about Roe River Books, a thriving independent bookshop in Dundalk, Ireland.  The name itself carries a powerful story of resistance. Tom deliberately named his shop after the world's shortest river as a symbolic counterpoint to Amazon, the world's longest. "I want to be the polar opposite of what Amazon represents," he e...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Lucy Caldwell about contemporary Irish literature's vibrant yet complex landscape, her latest novel, These Days, and profound philosophical insights. Growing up in Belfast during the Troubles in a "mixed marriage" family—Protestant father, Catholic mother—Caldwell developed a unique perspective that informs her award-winning writing.  Lu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Aina Marti, founder of Heloise Press, who shares her journey from academia to independent publishing and how she's created a home for contemporary female voices from around the world. • From academic roots studying Spanish and English literature to completing a PhD in comparative literature • How reading Rachel Cusk's Arlington Park became an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mandy welcomes Paul Rudnick back to the show to discuss his hilarious new novel What Is Wrong With You? Synopsis A tech billionaire and the flight attendant he’s marrying. A TV superhero who used to be married to the flight attendant. A Manhattan book editor and the sensitivity associate who got him fired. A twenty-three-year-old wild child prodigy who’s perhaps t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with sci-fi writer, editor, and publisher Jean-Paul L. Garnier, who shares his journey from avid reader to the owner of Space Cowboy Books, a thriving indie bookstore and publishing house in Joshua Tree, California. He reveals how science fiction offers writers complete creative freedom to explore human psychology through fantastical settings. More than ju...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the intricate layers of family dynamics and cultural identity in The Magnificent Ruins , the debut novel by Nayantara Roy . Set against the vibrant backdrops of Brooklyn and Kolkata, the story centers around Lila, a millennial who inherits her grandfather's crumbling mansion, unleashing a wave of family secrets and legacies that challenge her understanding of self an...

Send us Fan Mail The story of Kett's Books reveals how a community rallied to keep a beloved local bookshop in their town. Through the values of collaboration and empathy, the bookshop has become a thriving center for readers and volunteers alike, bridging the gap between literature and community. • Discussion of the closure of the original local bookshop  • Formation of a community-led initi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Marissa Stapley about her novel The Lightning Bottles. The story navigates the intertwined paths of love, fame, and addiction through the lens of the 90s music scene. The episode explores themes of identity, media scrutiny, and the struggle for redemption, highlighting the complex dynamics between its characters. • Discussion on the transition from jou...

Send us Fan Mail Join me in conversation with Cathy Slater, owner of Dulwich Books, as she sheds light on the profound connection between independent bookstores and their communities. Through her journey, Cathy illustrates how booksellers can make a significant impact by understanding readers' needs while emphasizing diversity in literature and the importance of small presses. In this episode...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Matt Lupica, General Manager of Rosebud Book Barn, a family-run independent bookstore in Victoria, Australia. We explore the unique relationship between the bookstore and its community, the importance of customer feedback, and the innovative tools that help independent bookstores thrive in today's digital age. We also discuss: • Insights into Matt...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with translator Oonagh Stransky about her love of the Italian language, the importance of small presses, Héloïse Press, and the art of translating books to English.   Oonagh Stransky has translated a range of fiction and nonfiction writers, including Roberto Saviano, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Giuseppe Pontiggia, and Carlo Lucarelli. Her work has received importa...

Send us Fan Mail Jennifer Clement is President Emerita of the human rights and freedom of expression organization PEN International and the only woman to hold the office of President (2015-2021) since the organization was founded in 1921. Under her leadership, the groundbreaking PEN International Women’s Manifesto and The Democracy of the Imagination Manifesto were created. As President of PEN Mex...

Send us Fan Mail Hi,  In this episode, I chat with Kimberly Brock about her novel, The Fabled Earth. Kimberly Brock is the bestselling author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare , which was shortlisted for the prestigious Townsend Prize for Fiction, and The River Witch , recipient of the Georgia Author of the Year Award.   Kimberly, a former actor and special needs educator, received her bachelor’s d...