Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby spoke to actor Diane Kruger (star of “National Treasure!”) about her new children’s book  A Name From the Sky,  illustrated by Christa Unzner. (Did you know “Diane” was actually a rare name in Diane’s childhood town in Germany?) The two discussed unique names, writing — and reading — children’s books, the power of discovering your voice, and even Diane’s father’s alcoholism.&n...

Elaine Castillo, one of  Financial Times'  “30 of the Planet’s Most Exciting Young People,” joins Zibby to discuss her latest book of essays,  How to Read Now . The two talk about the circumstances and events that inspired Elaine to begin writing these essays, as well as the significance literature holds in her and her parents' lives. Elaine also tells Zibby about her newfound...

"Grief may turn into loss across the long arc, but it's still very much a living thing. It's not going to go away." Zibby is joined by Rebecca Soffer, the co-founder and CEO of the Modern Loss group, to talk about her latest book,  The Modern Loss Handbook , which she wrote during the darkest days of the pandemic. Rebecca explains how the handbook serves as the toolkit she's always needed dur...

Bestselling author Rochelle B. Weinstein returns to talk with Zibby about her latest novel,  When We Let Go , which was inspired by her personal healing in North Carolina's mountains. The two discuss the novel's timely conversation on reproductive rights, where the love for someone goes when you lose them, and the psychology behind letting go of our emotional baggage. Rochelle also shares wha...

Journalist, editor, and author Catie Marron joins Zibby to discuss her latest book,  Becoming a Gardener , which recounts Catie's eighteen-month journey of building a garden during the pandemic. The two talk about what prompted Catie to try her hand at building a robust garden, why she made sure to incorporate literature and books about gardening into her personal narrative, and how she found...

Zibby is joined by author and grief advocate Marisa Renee Lee to talk about her debut memoir,  Grief Is Love , which she wrote to help process her mother's death. Marisa shares what her life looked like before she worked through her grief, how her miscarriage helped her realize she hadn't fully recovered from the loss of her mom, and the number one kindness she hopes listeners will extend to...

YA author and bookfluencer Robby Weber joins Zibby to discuss his latest novel,  If You Change Your Mind . The two talk about the importance of diverse representation in love stories, why Robby finds it easy to draft his YA novels, and whether he's a pantser or a plotter. Robby also tells Zibby which projects he's working on next and why he might be a 40-year-old man trapped in a 27-year-old'...

Zibby is joined by author and bookseller Eve Karlin to talk about her latest novel,  Track 61 , which was inspired by a historical event that took place in Eve's hometown of Amagansett. The two discuss the fascinating backstory of the real Track 61, which traits Eve took from her grandmother and gave to her protagonist, Grete, and why she made the shift from publishing to working at the...

Zibby is joined by two-time world champion debater Bo Seo to talk about his first book,  Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard . Bo shares his belief that quieter people make the best debaters, why he was originally hesitant to write this book in the first person, and his top tips for preventing a conversation from becoming an argument. Bo also reveals to Zibb...

New York Times  bestselling author, actress, and screenwriter Tembi Locke joins Zibby to talk about her memoir,  From Scratch , which was a past Reese's Book Club pick. The two discuss the lessons Tembi's late Italian husband taught her about cooking and enjoying food, what were some of the hardships she faced as a grieving single parent, and why it was so important to her to explai...

Zibby is joined by actor Ralph Macchio to talk about his new memoir,  Waxing On , which takes readers through his life from  The Karate Kid  to  Cobra Kai . Ralph shares how he has navigated the changing seasons of his career, what he likes to do with his family when he's not acting, and the responsibility he feels while continuing to develop such an iconic character in new way...

Zibby is joined by Kirsten Miller to talk about her latest novel,  The Change , which was a GMA Book Club pick. The two discuss Kirsten's inspirations for this new thriller, how she crafted one of her favorite characters, and why she wanted to center middle-aged women in her story. Kirsten also shares how she channeled her experience as a woman in advertising into the story's characters and w...

Actress, writer, and editor Amber Tamblyn joins Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books guest host Allison Pataki to talk about her new book,  Listening in the Dark: Women Reclaiming the Power of Intuition , which features a compilation of essays written by women from all walks of life. Amber shares what she learned about intuition from the contributors and her own reflections, how she edited...

"The running theme of my whole life, really, is wanting to do what I do now. I don't take it for granted at all." Zibby is joined by  New York Times  bestselling author Josie Silver to talk about her latest novel,  One Night on the Island . Josie shares why she has used different pen names when publishing different styles of writing, what led her towards writing romance novels, and...

Author Claire Messud joins Zibby to discuss her latest novel,  A Dream Life , which she actually wrote years ago before abandoning it at the recommendation of a mentor. The two talk about Claire's original inspiration for the story, as well as who she believes most readers will connect with, and the main misconception about novellas. Claire also shares her journey to becoming a writer, w...

Zibby is joined by debut memoirist Kyleigh Leddy to talk about her book,  The Perfect Other , which captures the relationship Kyleigh had with her sister before her death. The two discuss Kyleigh's grieving process, the discomfort she sometimes felt talking about her sister's story in real life, and what life is like for her now. Kyleigh also shares she recently graduated with her Masters in...

"There are seven billion people on earth. Every single person is alive because someone before them somehow managed to live through the horrible reality through each generation." Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books guest host Julianna Goldman is joined by E.M. Tran to talk about her debut novel,  Daughters of the New Year.  The two discuss the influence E.M.'s family had on the story,...

Photographer, stylist, and author Alyssa Rosenheck joins Zibby to discuss her new book,  The New Southern Style , which combines her personal story with her interior design and photography. Alyssa shares how her cancer diagnosis shaped her current approach to life, the ways in which creativity saved her life, and her relationship with this book (which originally came out in 2020). The tw...

Zibby is joined by author Meryl Wilsner to talk about their latest novel,  Mistakes Were Made , which actually started as fanfiction. The two discuss the different sources of inspiration for the book's characters, how Meryl found their way into writing queer romances (and writing in general), and what books they're working on next.  Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop. Amazon: https://amzn.to...

Zibby Books author and Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books guest host Alisha Fernandez Miranda is joined by former entertainment journalist Kirthana Ramisetti to talk about her debut novel, Dava Shastri's Last Day, a GMA Book Club pick which is now out in paperback. The two discuss how Kirthana's job covering celebrity deaths inspired this book, why it was important to her to fill the novel with he...

Poet, journalist, and artist Melissa Bond joins Zibby to talk about her debut memoir,  Blood Orange Night . The two talk about Melissa's pathological insomnia which spiraled into a dangerous addiction to her sleeping pills, how this experience affected her as a creator, a wife, and a mother, and what she wishes more people would know about the side effects of certain prescription drugs. Melis...

Zibby is joined by bestselling novelist Jennifer Close to discuss her latest book,  Marrying the Ketchups , which was inspired by a number of things, including her time as a waitress in Chicago. Jennifer shares the original seed of inspiration for the story and the world events that expanded its scope. The two also talk about Jennifer's inspiring career trajectory, what they've each learned a...

National Geographic  staff writer Jordan Salama joins Zibby to talk about his first book,  Every Day The River Changes , which he originally started writing during his first trip to Colombia in 2016. The two discuss some of Jordan's most recent and popular stories for  Nat Geo  and the  New York Times , what he learned from travel writing during the Covid lockdown, and how...

Zibby is joined by international bestseller Stephanie Wrobel to discuss her latest novel,  This Might Hurt , which grew out of her fascination with cults and those who join them. The two joke about how Stephanie believes the topics she searches for her novels have placed her on the FBI watchlist, what is on her career wishlist, and the changes she would like to see made in the publishing indu...

Emmy Award-winning talk show host and NAACP Image Award-winning actress Tamera Mowry-Housley joins Zibby to talk about her new memoir,  You Should Sit Down For This . The two discuss why Tamera wanted the memoir to feel as inviting to readers as possible, how her parents raised her and her siblings to always be prepared for what life could throw at them—whether it was participa...