BONUS: Becoming A Romance Writer

BONUS: Becoming A Romance Writer

My friend Nora Dahlia Zelevansky is a journalist, a novelist, a wellness writer, and now she's a romance author! As we celebrate the release of her latest book PICK UP, Nora and I chat about her writing trajectory, the differences between publishing and marketing the romance genre, and why she decided to write this book using a different name.

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Ep 247: The Perfectionist's Guide To Losing Control (a book club meeting with author Katherine Morgan Schafler)

Ep 247: The Perfectionist's Guide To Losing Control (a book club meeting with author Katherine Morgan Schafler)

One of the books that has made the biggest impression on me in the last few years is The Perfectionist's Guide To Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler. I have talked about this book EVERYWHERE and insisted that even people who do not self-identify as "perfectionists" would get something out of it.

So you can imagine that I was thrilled with the Secret Stuff members chose TPGTLC as a book club pick and I was doubly thrilled when author Katherine Morgan Schafler agreed to attend our regular monthly book club meeting to discuss it.

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243: Best Books Lately (with Sophie Hudson)

243: Best Books Lately (with Sophie Hudson)

Sophie Hudson (aka Boo Mama) is the co-host of The Big Boo Cast and she's also the author of seven books, including her latest A Fine Sight To See. She is always so fun to talk to and we had a blast talking about how long we've known each other, where we first met, how we both feel strongly about women in leadership, and, of course, the best books that we've read lately.

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Ep 239: Horror for Beginners

It's October! I'm joined on this episode by my friend and co-host of the Currently Reading podcast Meredith Monday Schwartz, to talk about why we read (and love) books in the horror genre and to give you a pile of recommendations for this spooky season.

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Ep 235: 4 Lessons After Publishing 2 Books + Listener Q&A

This is an episode for writers, aspiring authors, readers, and anyone who likes a peek behind-the-scenes.

We're going to talk about the publishing industry as it stands, how it's changed in the last few years, the rise of self-publishing, conquering self-doubt, money, and so much more.

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Ep 234: Best Books of the Summer

Ep 234: Best Books of the Summer

What is the best thing you read this summer? My guest Carmel Phillips and I are sharing the books that made the greatest impression over the last few months, including backlist titles and the buzziest books of the season. (And yes, of course we mention the NYT Best Books of the 21st century list that dropped in July.)

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Ep 226: Hollywood Horror Story

Ep 226: Hollywood Horror Story

This is a story about growing up feeling like an outsider and finding a book that made you feel less alone. And then growing up to create an adaptation of that book for the screen, in a dream project that took years to complete. This is a story about my friend Jill Killington and her work on the tv adaptation of Stephen King's THE STAND.

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Ep 224: Best Books of the Year (So Far) with Yasmin Dunn and Stephanie Newman-Smith

Ep 224: Best Books of the Year (So Far) with Yasmin Dunn and Stephanie Newman-Smith

We're halfway through 2024, which means it's time to take an inventory of the best books we've read in the last six months.

My real life book club joins me for a mid-year look at the literary landscape for the second year in a row. Regular guests Yasmin Dunn and Stephanie Newman-Smith are always a delight to have on the show.

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Ep 222: Stephen King Starter Kit Part II (What To Read + What To Skip)

Ep 222: Stephen King Starter Kit Part II (What To Read + What To Skip)

This episode is ONLY book recommendations. The original Stephen King Starter Kit episode has more of the author’s biography and why I think reading Stephen King matters. You do NOT need to listen to Part I to enjoy Part II.

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BONUS: Is Everyone Happier Than Me? (a conversation with author Sarah Bragg)

BONUS: Is Everyone Happier Than Me? (a conversation with author Sarah Bragg)

It's a question we've all asked ourselves at some point....Is everyone happier than me?

In this episode, author Sarah Bragg gives us 4 ways to be happier online (since that's such a huge contributing factor to this question).

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Ep 218: Best Books Lately (with author R. Eric Thomas)

Ep 218: Best Books Lately (with author R. Eric Thomas)

R. Eric Thomas and I discuss his new book Congratulations, The Best Is Over and also how he found his distinct writing voice. And then, of course, we each share a few of the best books we've read lately. We laugh, we fan out, and we talk about great books.

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Ep 212: 10 Questions For Every Room You're In (with Emily P. Freeman)

Ep 212: 10 Questions For Every Room You're In (with Emily P. Freeman)

Emily P. Freeman says, "Our whole life is like a house, and every commitment, community, role, and relationship is like a room." In this conversation, Emily and I continue her room metaphor and she asks 10 Questions from her book that we can use to discern our own sense of belonging, and our choices to stay or leave.

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Ep 209: Best Books Lately (with Sara Hildreth of Fiction Matters)

Ep 209: Best Books Lately (with Sara Hildreth of Fiction Matters)

This conversation starts with a thoughtful discussion about reviewing books on social media (#Bookstagram #BookTok) versus being a literary critic and Sara makes some excellent points about the way we talk about books online these days. And then Sara and I each share four of the best books we've read lately, including a novel I just finished that may be one of my favorites of all time.

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