Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby speaks to award-winning historical fiction novelist Vanessa Riley (who also holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering?!) about her latest novels Murder in Westminster and Sister Mother Warrior . Vanessa talks about her fascination with 1800s England and the West Indies, her wonderful late mother who was always her first reader and greatest supporter, the secret to her 26-year marriage, and...

Zibby is joined by Jane Green, 18-time New York Times bestselling author who has pivoted from books and started a podcast network dedicated to fully-immersive audio dramas for women. Jane talks about Rainbow Girl, her six-episode series about a ‘70s rock band and its groupies (it’s set in the same world as her latest novel Sister Stardust ), and the unique challenges of scriptwriting for audio and...

Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author and oncology nurse Theresa Brown to discuss Healing: When a Nurse Becomes a Patient, a riveting memoir about navigating the imperfect American healthcare system after a sudden breast cancer diagnosis. Theresa talks about the lack of compassion she encountered in a profit-obsessed system, the challenge of writing this book before coming to terms...

Zibby interviews (in person!) Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actor Hugh Bonneville (star of Downton Abbey, Notting Hill, and Paddington !) about his memoir Playing Under the Piano: From Downton to Darkest Peru. Hugh talks about his real name, his childhood (it involved museums, the theater, and a mom in the secret service!), some hilarious early-career mishaps, and his plans for the future (retir...

New York Times bestselling author Laurie Notaro joins Zibby to talk about Excuse Me While I Disappear: Tales of Midlife Mayhem, a hilarious new memoir about life after fifty . The two tackle sleep deprivation, pot gummies, disintegrating tendons, AARP memberships, and the perks of being invisible! Laurie also reveals the origins of her comedic genius, gives an update on her husband’s health, and s...

Zibby is joined by renowned psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Mary Pipher to discuss her radiant memoir in essays A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence , which focuses on resilience and finding light in dark times. Mary Pipher shares details of her lonely childhood (and the library books that saved her), what it means to feel “squishy” in times of sadness, and her thoughts...

Zibby speaks to Peng Shepherd about her second novel The Cartographers, a “mystery novel with a touch of magic” that is a USA Today bestseller, national Indie Bookstores bestseller, and a GMA Pick of the Month! Peng shares the inspiration behind the book (it involves an obsession with maps and a library that she and Zibby both love), the chaos of writing a mystery novel without even knowing the my...

Zibby is joined by actress, singer, comedian, and activist Jenifer Lewis, star of Black-ish, to discuss her hilarious and vibrant collection of essays Walking in My Joy: In These Streets. Jenifer speaks candidly about living with depression and bipolar disorder, her unfortunate relationship with a con man, her exuberant trip around the world, and how a life-long dedication to journaling saved her...

Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author Geraldine Brooks joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel Horse, an Amazon Best Book of the Year . Geraldine shares the inspiration behind the book (it involves a new mid-life hobby and a horse skeleton), the fears she had writing outside her own racial identity, and how the sudden death of her husband Tony altered the trajectory of her s...

Zibby is joined by actress, writer, and former supermodel (oh, and palm reader!) Paulina Porizkova to discuss her poignant and heartfelt collection of essays No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful. The two discuss their experiences with fierce vulnerability – grief, beauty, and aging. Paulina also shares details of her turbulent childhood in Russian-occupied Czechoslovakia, and how trauma...

Sarah Thankam Mathews joins Zibby to discuss her dazzling debut novel All This Could Be Different, a 2022 National Book Award Finalist, New York Times Editors’ Choice Pick, and Vogue Book Club Pick! Sarah explains her choice of setting (Milwaukee!) and describes her protagonist’s desire to be loved and understood as she slowly embraces her queerness. Finally, she talks about her own upbringing in...

Zibby is joined by playwright and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Abi Morgan to discuss her heartbreaking debut This is Not a Pity Memoir, which tells the story of how her partner Jacob woke up from a coma and didn’t believe she was the real Abi. She shares intimate details of the harrowing experience–from the hospital visits to her constant battle with the delusion that fractured her relationship...

Zibby speaks to longtime Sports Illustrated and ESPN writer and New York Times bestselling author Rick Reilly about his latest book So Help Me Golf: Why We Love the Game, a valentine to his favorite sport. Rick shares his best golf stories, from playing in Bali with ball-stealing monkeys to caddying for Donald Trump. He also talks about the sports announcer who taught him that the best sports stor...

Zibby is joined by repeat podcast guest and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger to discuss her new book Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six: A Novel of Thrilling Suspense. Lisa shares the inspiration behind the book (it includes her own family trip to the woods…), her fascination with DNA testing and complex family relationships, and the beauty of sharing her writing with her daughter. She also hin...

Catherine Newman, a repeat guest on Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, talks about her poignant new novel We All Want Impossible Things , which is also the December pick for Zibby’s Virtual Book Club! The two discuss grief and heartbreak, universal experiences that are so beautifully explored in this book; the real-life friendship that inspired the story; Catherine’s experiences volunteering in h...

Zibby speaks to New York Times bestselling author Kevin Wilson about his latest novel Now Is Not The Time to Panic , a coming-of-age story about two teenagers whose anonymous art causes a small Tennessee town to panic . Kevin shares the story of his late friend Eric, who once wrote down two unforgettable sentences that inspired this story. He also talks about his own upbringing and current life in...

Zibby interviews (in person!) Sprinkles co-founder, “Cupcake Wars” judge, and New York Times bestselling author Candace Nelson to discuss her new book Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn Your Passion into Profit , a business book she refers to as a cupcake MBA! Candace shares what it was like to start her cupcake business from scratch (almost like raising children!), the stories behind the name...

Zibby speaks to Alison B. Hart about her dazzling debut novel The Work Wife, which offers an intriguing look at a Hollywood scandal from the alternating perspectives of three fierce women. Alison describes the book’s several editorial transformations (it started with a different title!), her unconventional journey from pre-med to MFA, and the beauty of connecting with readers during book tours (ev...

Producer, screenwriter, and New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll joins Zibby to discuss her 2015 mystery novel Luckiest Girl Alive and its recent record-breaking Netflix film adaptation. Jessica describes her daring career jumps from Cosmopolitan writer to novelist to screenwriter, and shares what it was really like to adapt her book into a movie (guess how many people auditioned for yo...

Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author Matthew Quick to discuss his deeply-moving new novel We Are The Light. Matthew shares the personal struggles and paranoias that inspired the book, the devastating writer’s block he experienced during his early sobriety, and the powerful forces that helped him heal and write again. The two also discuss Matthew’s wildly successful debut novel The...

Zibby speaks to actor Zosia Mamet (star of Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning HBO series Girls , and Emmy-nominated HBO Max series The Flight Attendant ) about My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings, a beautiful collection of essays about the intrinsic ties between food, emotions, and memories . The two discuss the exhausting but rewarding process of compiling an anthology; Zibby’s...

Zibby is joined by veteran media reporters Felix Gillette and John Koblin to discuss their latest book It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO, a fascinating exposé of HBO’s meteoric ascent and now, its precarious position in the market. The three talk about how the network’s innovation has helped it survive every near-fatal blow in its fifty-year history, the inspiration...

Wall Street Journal sports columnist and NYT bestselling author Jason Gay joins Zibby and Kyle to discuss his hysterical new book of essays, I Wouldn’t Do That If I Were Me: Modern Blunders and Modest Triumphs , which they read (and cried laughing at!) while sitting in standstill traffic. They discuss the importance of finding joy and humor in everyday moments, our society’s frighteningly low atte...

Zibby speaks to repeat guest and bestselling author Katie Sise about her latest novel The Break (which is also the November pick for Zibby’s Virtual Book Club!). Katie describes the chilling dream that inspired the story and her protagonist’s postpartum anxiety. They also discuss Katie’s publishing experience at Little A (and the wonderful editor that they have in common!), her budding tennis care...

Nora, a repeat guest on Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, talks about her latest (and first!) collection of essays, Bad Vibes Only: (and Other Things I Bring to the Table) , her struggles with an eating disorder, her fabulous podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking, and the role of competitive parenting that she wasn’t prepared for. Zibby loved her previous books No Happy Endings and It’s Okay to La...