The Friendly City Books Podcast

Author and journalist, Tracie McMillan joins Emily to discuss her new book, The White Bonus: Five Families and the Cash Value of Racism in America. - Raised in rural Michigan, Detroit- and Brooklyn-based writer Tracie McMillan has written for publications including the New York Times; Washington Post; Los Angeles Times; Mother Jones; Harper’s Magazine; Slate; and National Geographic. After putting...

National Poetry Month is here! C.T. Salazar joins Lauren to celebrate some of their favorite queer poets and poetry collections! Make It Gay! is a series that celebrates queer stories and authors in different genres. Don't forget to check out our previous episodes on YA, Fantasy, and Romance! - This episode's cohost, C.T. Salazar is a Latinx poet and librarian from Mississippi. His debut collectio...

Carter sits down with MSU professor of History Dr. Joseph Thompson about his new book, Cold War Country: How Nashville's Music Row and the Pentagon Created the Sound of American Patriotism. Don't miss Joseph Thompson in Columbus, MS on April 2nd! - Dr. Joseph M. Thompson is an assistant professor at Mississippi State University. He received a BA in American Studies and Anthropology from the Univer...

Emily sits down with photojournalist Kate Medley about her new book, Thank You Please Come Again: How Gas Stations Feed & Fuel the American South. Don't miss Kate Medley in Columbus, MS on April 4th! - Kate Medley (she/her) is a North Carolina-based visual journalist and filmmaker documenting the American South. Her work focuses on storytelling and environmental portraiture, often exploring issues...

Author and performance artist, Anya Liftig joins Emily in the FCB studio to discuss her memoir, Holler Rat. - Anya Liftig is an author and performance artist who has had her creative work exhibited at Tate Modern and MoMA, and she has curated events at The Kitchen, the Center for Performance Research, and the Queens Museum. Anya's non-fiction essays have been featured in Brain, Teen, BioStories, H...

Make It Gay! is a podcast series that celebrates queer authors and stories in different genres. This week, Lauren is joined by Jodi from Blue Cypress Books to explore all things queer romance! - Thank you for supporting Friendly City Books by listening to our podcast. Shop with us in store and online at friendlycitybooks.com/shop or through bookshop.org and libro.fm - Find us on social media - Fac...

Author and friend of FCB, June Gervais joins Rachel to discuss her debut novel, Jobs for Girls with Artistic Flair! - June Gervais grew up on the south shore of Long Island and earned her MFA in Writing and Literature at Bennington College. Her many jobs have included shelving library books and taking classified ads, grassroots activism and graphic design, art direction and teaching. Jobs for Girl...

Our To Be Read stacks just keep getting bigger! There are so many fantastic books coming out this Spring - here are the ones we can't wait to read: Emily's TBR - Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil ( bookshop.org )( libro.fm ) Circle Back by Adam Clay ( bookshop.org ) The White Bonus by Tracie McMillan ( bookshop.org )( libro.fm ) Cold War Country by Joseph M. Thompson ( bookshop.org ) My Black...

Mississippi author, Gerry Wilson joins Emily to discuss her new book, That Pinson Girl. Join Gerry, in conversation with Ellen Ann Fentress, at the Columbus Lowndes Public Library on March 11th at noon! - A seventh generation Mississippian, Gerry Wilson grew up in the red clay hills of the north. Her novel, THAT PINSON GIRL , from Regal House Publishing was released February 6, 2024. Her debut sho...

In true SJM style, we've saved the best for last. Caroline and Aislinn's breakdown of Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow continues with Part 2 of our CCHOFAS episode! - This is a huge Maasholes episode... which feels fitting for such a huge book! So we're breaking it up into two parts. THIS EPISODE IS PART 2 OF 2 If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet - STOP! Go listen to that first, and then...

It's finally here! Caroline and Aislinn breakdown Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow - including their favorite moments, big reveals, and so much lore! - This is a huge Maasholes episode... which feels fitting for such a huge book! So we're breaking it up into two parts. THIS EPISODE IS PART 1 OF 2 Part two is coming soon! - Heads up! This episode contains spoilers for Crescent City: House o...

Make It Gay! is a series that celebrates queer stories and authors in different genres. This week Lauren, Caroline, and Aaron are sharing some of their go-to recommendations in their favorite genre - fantasy! - Cozy Fantasy Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) Bookshops and Bonedust ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune ( bookshop.org ) (...

Grace Elizabeth Hale joins Hillary in the FCB studio to discuss her latest nonfiction book, In the Pines: A Lynching, A Lie, A Reckoning. Don't miss Dr. Hale in conversation with Ralph Eubanks on Saturday, Feb. 24th @ 2pm at the Columbus Arts Council! - Dr. Grace Elizabeth Hale is the Commonwealth Professor of American Studies and History at the University of Virginia. An award-winning historian a...

Mississippi children's author and friend of Friendly City Books, Linda Williams Jackson joins Emily to talk about her career as a children's author. Plus! Advice for anyone looking to self-publish a book of their own! - Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta in the teeny-tiny town of Rosedale , Linda Williams Jackson likes to spin stories about everyday people in small-town settings. Though she...

Southern author and journalist Jumata Emill joins Emily to discuss his murderous new YA novel, Wander in the Dark. Plus! Some sage tips for celebrating Mardi Gras in style! - Jumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his B.A. in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and membe...

We're just days away from the worldwide premiere of Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow! Caroline, Randi, and Emily O. join forces to discuss their predictions for the future of Crescent City and the Sarah J. Maas universe. Plus! More chaotic fan theories! - Heads up! This episode contains spoilers for the entire Sarah J. Maas universe. - Friendly City Books is hosting a Midnight Premiere Par...

Emily O. is back for more fun and Maashole mayhem as she and Caroline breakdown everything you need to know about Crescent City: House of Sky and Breath. - Heads up! This episode contains spoilers for Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath. Also - in the episode Caroline says she thinks Cormac is Scottish, but after checking the internet, it seems that he might actuall...

Lauren is kicking off a new FCB podcast series - Make It Gay! Make It Gay! is a series that celebrates queer stories and authors in different genres. First up, we're talking about YA - a genre with incredible representation and great stories for adults and young adult readers alike! - Fantasy & Sci-Fi Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas ( books...

Emily and Caroline count down Friendly City Books's bestselling titles of 2023. Plus! A look at exciting things to come in 2024! - FCB’s Always Bestsellers How to Read - Thomas Richardson ( friendlycitybooks.com ) Stretch Like Scarlet - Emily Liner, Illustrated by John Clark IV ( friendlycitybooks.com ) - Friendly City Books 2023 Best Sellers Caterpillar Dogs: And Other Early Stories by Tennessee...

Happy Holidays! Rachel and her dad, Randy, are celebrating the holiday season by sharing some of their favorite holiday horror books and movies! - Rachel's Holiday Horror Book Recommendations: Krampus: The Yule Lord by Brom ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) NOS4A2 by Joe Hill ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) The Shining by Stephen King (...

Let our booksellers help you find the perfect bookish gifts for your friends and loved ones! Lauren, Emily, Caroline, and Rachel share their favorite gift recommendations for the holiday season! - Caroline's Recommendations - Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros ( bookshop.org ) ( libro.fm ) South of Somewhere by Dale Gray ( bookshop.org ) Bluey!...

Mississippi natives Landon Bryant of @landontalks and Bookseller Grace share their favorite Southern holiday traditions and the unique joys of celebrating Christmas in Mississippi. - Landon Bryant is a social media personality who celebrates Mississippi by exploring the culture and atmosphere of the South with his personal touch of comedy and stories of being raised in Laurel, MS. Landon's endeari...

We're in the home stretch! And Crescent City is just as good as we hoped. If you're an SJM fan but you haven't read Crescent City yet, what are you waiting for?!?! There's still plenty of time to read the first two books before the third comes out! - Heads up! This episode contains spoilers for Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood. - Preorder the Indie Exclusive version of House of Flame and Sh...

Southern humorist and author, Helen Ellis joins Hillary in the FCB studio to discuss life, love, and her newest book, Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions from a Happy Marriage - Helen Ellis is the author of Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light, Southern Lady Code, American Housewife and Eating the Cheshire Cat. Raised in Alabama, she lives with her husband in New York City. She is...

Time for some horror herstory! Rachel and Lauren share their appreciation for legendary horror classic authors Mary Shelley and Shirley Jackson, and for their profound impact on the horror genre. - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel Frankenstein ( bookshop.org )( libro.fm ) which is considered an early example of scienc...