Totally Booked with Zibby

Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC News’ TODAY and now #1  New York Times  bestselling author, joins Zibby to talk about her deeply personal essay collection, MOSTLY WHAT GOD KNOWS: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere. Savannah reveals the inspiration behind this book and then shares anecdotes of grappling with doubt, navigating setbacks, and ultimately finding solace...

Zibby is joined by successful essayist, columnist, and writing instructor Estelle Erasmus to discuss WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED, an upbeat and wise guide to finding your voice, writing stellar pieces, crafting the perfect pitch, and getting published. Estelle shares insights from her three-decade-long career in publishing, teaching at NYU, and contributing to Writer’s Digest, offering practical adv...

Writer and podcast host Emily Farris joins Zibby to discuss I’LL JUST BE FIVE MORE MINUTES, a hilariously honest and heartwarming essay collection about life, love, and finally getting an ADHD diagnosis at age 35. Emily and Zibby start by discussing the prevalence of ADHD among creative women and its misperception as a young boy's condition. Then, Emily discusses her journey to an ADHD diagno...

Autism acceptance activist and TikTok influencer Paige Layle joins Zibby to discuss her deeply personal memoir, BUT EVERYONE FEELS THIS WAY: How an Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life. Paige describes what it was like to struggle with masking her emotions and navigating social interactions throughout her childhood and what it was like to finally receive a diagnosis as a teenager. She also discusse...

Zibby is joined by author Nick Shaw to discuss MY TEACHER, MY SON, a heart-piercing memoir (in prose, poetry, and photographs) about losing his nine-year-old son William in a freak skiing accident and navigating the depths of grief after that. Nick Shaw describes the day of the accident and then delves into his journey of grief, reflection, and newfound spirituality. He reveals how writing became...

Zibby speaks with debut author Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez about MY SIDE OF THE RIVER, a tender memoir about her experience as the daughter of Mexican immigrants and what happened when her parents were kicked out of the United States when she was just fifteen years old, leaving her to raise her little brother by herself. Elizabeth talks about her childhood in Southern Arizona and then ...

Beloved teacher and librarian John Schu joins Zibby to discuss LOUDER THAN HUNGER, a heart-wrenching and transformative novel-in-verse about a sensitive teen struggling with crippling anxiety and anorexia—inspired by the author’s experiences. John delves into his journey with mental health and the importance of crafting narratives that inspire without inadvertently glorifying harmful behaviors. He...

Zibby speaks to author and Zibby’s Bookshop manager Katrina Leno about her quirky middle-grade fantasy novel, THE UMBRELLA MAKER’S SON. Katrina delves into the fantasy world of Roan, where it is always raining, and the struggles of young Oscar, whose family legacy as umbrella makers clashes with his own dreams. They delve into Katrina’s writing process, her path to becoming an author, and how her...

Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling authors Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis to discuss 2054, an explosive work of speculative fiction set twenty years after their first book, 2034, that shows a future America grappling with a violent partisan divide and a radical leap forward in AI. The co-authors discuss the inspiration behind this novel, their collaborative writing process,...

New York Time s bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch joins Zibby once again, this time to discuss TAKE TWO, BIRDIE MAXWELL, a witty and warm novel about Birdie Maxwell, America’s rom-com sweetheart, as she navigates being canceled and seeks redemption in her hometown. Allison reveals how an anonymous love letter she received in college inspired this story, touches on the themes of second chances...

Zibby interviews Forbes contributor Amy Shoenthal about THE SETBACK CYCLE, a guide with revolutionary strategies for working through life’s toughest moments, supported by research and personal stories from today’s most prolific leaders and innovators. Amy discusses the four phases of the setback cycle (Establish, Embrace, Explore, and Emerge), emphasizing how setbacks can actually lead to the best...

Zibby speaks with critically acclaimed essayist and journalist Lisa Selin Davis about HOUSEWIFE: Why Women Still Do It All and What to Do Instead, a deeply-researched, passionate, and vindicating book that masterfully dismantles misconceptions and encourages women to choose the best path for themselves. Lisa reflects on her fascination with the concept of the housewife and then delves into the cha...

Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction,  New York Times  bestselling author Tana French joins Zibby to discuss THE HUNTER, a spellbinding novel set in the Irish countryside about a retired Chicago detective and a local teenager whose estranged father’s return disrupts their lives. Tana describes the delicate balance of relationships and the looming threat of revenge in her book, weav...

Trigger warning: domestic violence. Emmy Award-winning television host, veteran journalist, and bestselling author Tamron Hall joins Zibby to discuss WATCH WHERE THEY HIDE, an edge-of-your-seat thriller featuring journalist Jordan Manning as she delves into the case of a missing mother. Tamron analyzes her complex protagonist and then shares the personal experiences that inspired elements of the n...

Zibby speaks to one of her greatest literary role models, #1  New York Times  bestselling author Anna Quindlen, about AFTER ANNIE, a breathtakingly beautiful novel about family, friendship, and the power of love to transcend loss—and a Zibby’s Book Club pick! They delve into the core themes of the book: grief, resilience, and the intricacies of familial and friend relationships, all of w...

Renowned grief therapist (and future Zibby Books author!) Claire Bidwell Smith comes back on the podcast, this time to discuss CONSCIOUS GRIEVING: A Transformative Approach to Healing from Loss. As she and Zibby delve into the book's core themes, Claire shares her personal journey of loss—having lost both her parents at a young age—and how it led to a career in grief counseling. She also shar...

Zibby is joined by award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and translator Katya Apekina to discuss MOTHER DOLL, a spellbinding, hallucinatory, and very funny novel about four generations of mothers and daughters and the inherited trauma cast by Russian history. Katya describes her novel’s protagonist, Zhenia, a young woman navigating pregnancy and a complex relationship in LA, and the strange phone...

Debut author Dara Levan joins Zibby to discuss IT COULD BE WORSE, a visceral and moving novel about a woman who discovers something devastating in the piano bench of her childhood home and starts to question if the people who should love her the most, her parents, have done more harm than healing. Dara delves into the inspiration behind the story and the themes of narcissistic abuse, resilience, a...

Zibby speaks with Chelsey Goodan, a highly sought-after academic tutor and mentor, about her fresh, unexpected, and empowering new guide, UNDERESTIMATED: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, which has been endorsed by Oprah’s Book Club and Hello Sunshine! Chelsey shares insights from her sixteen years of working with teenage girls from underrepresented communities, emphasizing the deep trust she...

In this special episode (a live event at Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica!), Diana Nyad, the renowned marathon swimmer who, at age 60, swam more than 100 miles from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage, chats with Teddy Schwarzman, the President and CEO of Black Bear Pictures and producer of the Netflix movie Nyad. (Oh, and Teddy is Zibby’s brother!) Share, rate, & review the podcas...

Debut author Lottie Hazell joins Zibby to discuss PIGLET, a stylish and razor-sharp examination of women’s complicated relationship with food and the messes life makes for us. Lottie delves into the main thematic elements of her book: appetite, aspiration, and the role of food in the protagonist’s life during her pre-wedding crisis. She also talks about her creative process and food writing (which...

Bestselling romance writer Kennedy Ryan joins Zibby to discuss her heart-searing, sensual, and life-affirming new novel, THIS COULD BE US. Kennedy talks about her protagonist, Soledad, who is on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment after facing betrayal. She delves into the themes of feminism, sisterhood, and the complexities of modern womanhood. Finally, she sheds light on her persona...

New York Times  bestselling author Rebecca Serle joins Zibby to discuss her gripping, emotional, passionate, and heartbreaking new novel, EXPIRATION DATES. Rebecca delves into her novel’s plot, unveiling the intriguing premise of a woman who receives slips of paper predicting the expiration dates of her relationships. She reveals how elements of her own relationships found their way into the...

Zibby chats with bestselling author Carola Lovering about BYE, BABY, a gripping and compulsively readable novel about lifelong best friends Billie and Cassie, and what happens when Cassie’s infant daughter disappears… and Billie is somehow involved. Carola reveals the inspiration for this story and then discusses the battling forces of toxicity and love that define female friendships, the themes o...

Zibby Books author alert!! Zibby speaks with debut Canadian author Amy Lin about HERE AFTER, a beautifully visceral and emotionally intimate memoir in vignettes about the sudden loss of her husband and the two grief-filled years that followed. Amy describes the unconventional method of using tiny text boxes in Word to distill her raw emotions into concise, essential fragments. She also talks...