Wild Precious Life

Annie Hartnett is the award-winning author of three novels: Rabbit Cake, Unlikely Animals, and the national bestseller The Road to Tender Hearts, which won the 2025 New England Book Award for fiction and was named a best book of 2025 from NPR, LitHub, and Southern Living. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Annie discuss parenting worries, janky rental houses, and how to write a road trip book with o...

Tara Pringle Jefferson is the founder of  The Self Care Suite , a digital wellness community for Black women. Her voice has been featured on New York magazine’s The Cut, Black Enterprise, and Essence. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Tara discuss  Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing , and the importance of both self-care and community care as a sustainin...

Tara Pringle Jefferson is the founder of The Self Care Suite, a digital wellness community for Black women. Her voice has been featured on New York magazine’s The Cut, Black Enterprise, and Essence. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Tara discuss Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing, and the importance of both self-care and community care as a sustaining fo...

Melody Chu is a writer and attorney. The daughter of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan, she graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School and has practiced as an attorney in Hong Kong, Beijing and the United States. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Melody discuss her debut novel  Mathey Girls . They also talk about independent publishing and the power of female friendships across distanc...

Melody Chu is a writer and attorney. The daughter of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan, she graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School and has practiced as an attorney in Hong Kong, Beijing and the United States. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Melody discuss her debut novel Mathey Girls. They also talk about independent publishing and the power of female friendships across distance,...

Natalie Haynes is a writer, broadcaster and “rock star mythologist.” Her retelling of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships , was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and has been translated around the globe. She’s out now with No Friend to This House , a reimagining of the story of Medea. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Natalie poke fun at Perseus, demystify Greek myths, and discuss the rele...

Natalie Haynes is a writer, broadcaster and “rock star mythologist.” Her retelling of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships, was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and has been translated around the globe. She’s out now with No Friend to This House, a reimagining of the story of Medea. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Natalie poke fun at Perseus, demystify Greek myths, and discuss the releva...

Beth Ann Fennelly is the former poet laureate of Mississippi and the author of seven books, including Heating and Cooling and The Titled World . In today’s episode, Annmarie and Beth Ann discuss her latest book, The Irish Goodbye: Micro-Memoirs , and what we can learn from everyday moments observed with extraordinary clarity and humor. Episode Sponsors: Square Books – A general independent booksto...

Beth Ann Fennelly is the former poet laureate of Mississippi and the author of seven books, including Heating and Cooling and The Titled World. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Beth Ann discuss her latest book, The Irish Goodbye: Micro-Memoirs, and what we can learn from everyday moments observed with extraordinary clarity and humor. Episode Sponsors: Square Books – A general independent bookstore...

Sadeqa Johnson is the New York Times Bestselling author of six award-winning novels, including Yellow Wife and The House of Eve . In today’s episode, Annmarie and Sadeqa discuss her latest novel, Keeper of Lost Children , and how one American woman’s vision in post WWII Germany changed the course of countless lives. Episode Sponsors: Fountain Bookstore – An independent, general, full-service books...

Sadeqa Johnson is the New York Times Bestselling author of six award-winning novels, including Yellow Wife and The House of Eve. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Sadeqa discuss her latest novel, Keeper of Lost Children, and how one American woman’s vision in post WWII Germany changed the course of countless lives. Episode Sponsors: Fountain Bookstore – An independent, general, full-service booksto...

Caitlin Vincent is an award-winning librettist, trained vocalist, opera company director and arts commentator. Her librettos have won all three of America’s top opera prizes, her vocal work is featured on the Grammy Award-nominated album 40@40, and her latest book, OPERA WARS , is out now. In today’s episode, Caitlin and Annmarie discuss the riotous world of opera and the battle for its future. Ep...

Caitlin Vincent is an award-winning librettist, trained vocalist, opera company director and arts commentator. Her librettos have won all three of America’s top opera prizes, her vocal work is featured on the Grammy Award-nominated album 40@40, and her latest book, OPERA WARS, is out now. In today’s episode, Caitlin and Annmarie discuss the riotous world of opera and the battle for its future. Epi...

Paula McLain is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels, The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin, and the instant bestseller When the Stars Go Dark. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Paula discuss McLain’s latest novel, Skylark, and the parallel stories of courage and resistance that transcend time. Episode Sponsors: Loganberry Books  – An independently owned and operated b...

Paula McLain is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels, The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin, and the instant bestseller When the Stars Go Dark. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Paula discuss McLain’s latest novel, Skylark, and the parallel stories of courage and resistance that transcend time. Episode Sponsors: Loganberry Books – An independently owned and operated bo...

Sarah Freligh is the author of seven books, including Sad Math , winner of the 2014 Moon City Press Poetry Prize, Hereafter , winner of the 2024 Bath Novella-in-Flash Contest, and A Brief Natural History of Women . Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and is anthologized in New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction , Best Small Fiction 2022 , and several editions of Best Microfiction....

Sarah Freligh is the author of seven books, including Sad Math, winner of the 2014 Moon City Press Poetry Prize, Hereafter, winner of the 2024 Bath Novella-in-Flash Contest, and A Brief Natural History of Women. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and is anthologized in New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction, Best Small Fiction 2022, and several editions of Best Microfiction. In th...

Kate Baer is a writer and #1 New York Times bestselling author of four books, including her latest,  How About Now . In this episode, Kate and Annmarie discuss women’s health, the importance of vulnerability and connection, and how in order to write you have to be willing to fail. Episode Sponsors: Pocket Books  – An independent, queer, feminist bookstore committed to the idea that bookstores are...

Kate Baer is a writer and #1 New York Times bestselling author of four books, including her latest, How About Now. In this episode, Kate and Annmarie discuss women’s health, the importance of vulnerability and connection, and how in order to write you have to be willing to fail. Episode Sponsors: Pocket Books – An independent, queer, feminist bookstore committed to the idea that bookstores are pla...

Coauthors Anne Burt and Christina Baker Kline join us to discuss their recent collaboration,  Please Don’t Lie , which has been described as both “psychologically rich and bone-chilling.” In this episode, Anne, Christina, and Annmarie discuss the magic of writing partnerships, making room for more feminism in the thriller genre, and how to research, stare down, and reimagine all those things that...

Coauthors Anne Burt and Christina Baker Kline join us to discuss their recent collaboration, Please Don’t Lie, which has been described as both “psychologically rich and bone-chilling.” In this episode, Anne, Christina, and Annmarie discuss the magic of writing partnerships, making room for more feminism in the thriller genre, and how to research, stare down, and reimagine all those things that go...

Ann Packer is the author of six works of fiction, including the bestselling novels The Children’s Crusade and The Dive from Clausen’s Pier , which received the Kate Chopin Literary Award, among many other honors. In this episode, Annmarie and Ann discuss Ann’s new book, SOME BRIGHT NOWHERE , a novel about all the messy, complicated, beautiful, and impossible decisions when it comes to end-of-life...

Ann Packer is the author of six works of fiction, including the bestselling novels The Children’s Crusade and The Dive from Clausen’s Pier, which received the Kate Chopin Literary Award, among many other honors. In this episode, Annmarie and Ann discuss Ann’s new book, SOME BRIGHT NOWHERE, a novel about all the messy, complicated, beautiful, and impossible decisions when it comes to end-of-life ca...

Kelly Sundberg is a writer and Capricorn and teacher and redhead and recent author of The Answer Is in the Wound . In this episode, Kelly and Annmarie talk about trauma, rage, grief, healing, and everything in-between, as they interrogate what it takes for someone to move beyond domestic violence and learn to love again.  Content Warning: Domestic Violence If you or someone you know is in search o...

Kelly Sundberg is a writer and Capricorn and teacher and redhead and recent author of The Answer Is in the Wound. In this episode, Kelly and Annmarie talk about trauma, rage, grief, healing, and everything in-between, as they interrogate what it takes for someone to move beyond domestic violence and learn to love again.  Content Warning: Domestic Violence If you or someone you know is in search of...