Beyond the Next Chapter with Whitney Clark

Only 41% of third-grade students in Arizona are reading at grade level. That's according to the most recent statistics from the Education Progress meter. Findings were released earlier this year by the non-profit, Center for the Future of Arizona. In this episode, our host Whitney Clark focuses on how we can improve literacy rates among kids, how we got here, why it's a skill that's so important, and what you can do to help. She's joined by Terri Clark, the Arizona Literacy Director for Read On Arizona, and Jennifer Deibel, who's an author and teacher in the Deer Valley Unified School District. 

In this episode we're taking you around the world, but on a budget! Our host Whitney Clarks to Jen Ruiz, the author of "12 Trips in 12 Months." The year before her 30th birthday, Ruiz decided to take a a challenge: Go on 12 trips in 12 months. Her book unpacks her travel journey around the world, how she was able to go from an attorney to a full-time travel blogger, and Jen shares some of her secrets to getting cheap flights. She even flew from the U.S. to New Zealand for $38! Ruiz also shares the magic of solo travel and her advice for women who may be at a crossroads in life and are looking for a change.

From a Changing Hands bookseller, to a flight attendant to a New York Times bestselling author, Valley native T.J. Newman is getting ready for the release of her third book "Worst Case Scenario." Our host Whitney Clark talks to her about the latest thriller. After an airline pilot suffers a heart attack at 35,000 feet, a commercial airliner crashes into a nuclear power plant and the race is on to prevent a total meltdown. Newman talks to Whitney about what it's like to return home as an author, her pet peeves as a former flight attendant, and what it's like to see her other books adapted for the big screen!  

In this episode of "Beyond the Next Chapter," Whitney Clark is joined by Marissa Daley, librarian and manager of the Fountain Hills library, and Paige Cordner, librarian at the Queen Creek library. Together, they dive into the world of book recommendations and read alikes, offering listeners a treasure trove of new books to explore based on popular titles they already love.

Marissa and Paige share their insights on what makes a read-alike, discuss some of their favorite genres, and provide personalized recommendations for books like "The Fourth Wing," "I'm Glad My Mom Died," and "Funny Story." They also explore the impact of social media on reading habits and the resurgence of certain genres like fantasy romance.

Whether you're a fan of Emily Henry's charming romances, Colleen Hoover's gripping stories, or Kristin Hannah's historical fiction, this episode is packed with suggestions to keep your reading list full and varied. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a librarian and the joys of fostering a love for reading in the community.

Author Kate Quinn is out with her new book "The Briar Club." If you like historical fiction, you will love this book! "The Briar Club" is set in a boardinghouse in Washington D.C. during the McCarthy era. There's an element of murder mystery and it's told from the perspective of multiple women, all facing different challenges of the time. Our host, Whitney Clark, talks to Kate about the research that went into this book, what inspired her to write it, the power of female friendships, and she gives us a sneak peek of what she's working on next. 

On this week's episode, our host Whitney Clark chats with Ruth Ware. She's known for her psychological thrillers and is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author. Her new book "One Perfect Couple" is out now. Whitney talks to Ruth about what inspires her work, what kind of research went into this book and how it compares to reality shows.

In this episode of "Beyond the Next Chapter," our host Whitney Clark chats with author Ashley Poston about her new book. "A Novel Love Story" is out today! Ashley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of "The Dead Romantics" and "The Seven Year Slip." Ashley talks to Whitney about her favorite romance novels, how friendships grow and change as you get older, and the pros and cons of TikTok as an author. 

 If you're going on a trip this summer and you're looking for a good book, we've got you covered! In this episode of "Beyond the Next Chapter," our host Whitney Clark talks to the folks at the Phoenix Library about the most highly anticipated books of the summer. She's joined by Anna Chenoweth, the library collections manager, and Maria Lopez, the community relations manager. For a list of the recommendations: https://www.azfamily.com/2024/06/11/beyond-next-chapter-podcast-most-highly-anticipated-books-summer/

In this episode of Beyond the Next Chapter, our host Whitney Clark talks to an author and psychologist about overcoming trauma associated with work. Gretchen Schmelzer is a longtime psychologist and author. She's writing a book about the topic now. She also has a book called "Journey Through Trauma" which was released in 2018. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Gretchen noticed that employers were becoming concerned with the mental health with their employees. She travels the country working with doctors, firefighters and even journalists. Gretchen shares tips with Whitney on how to address trauma, how to notice it and how employers can work with their employees. 

In a bonus episode of “Beyond the Next Chapter,” our host Whitney Clark talks to author Steven Rowley about his newest book “The Guncle Abroad.” It’s the sequel to his hit novel “The Guncle” which was released in 2021. The sequel follows Patrick and his niece and nephew as their father gets married in Italy. Whitney talks to Stephen about how he mixes humor and heart, his own love story and what it's like to be an uncle in his real-life!