Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

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Today on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by contemporary romance author Deborah Clack to talk about her journey from high school history teacher to published novelist. Deborah shares how she always viewed the world through the lens of storytelling, the steep learning curve of becoming an author, and the rejection she faced along the way. We also talk about making time for ourselves as moms, finding hope in difficult seasons, and her Shelter & Sky series, including her newest novel, After We Fall.

Episode Highlights:

• Growing up with a love of storytelling
• Going from teaching history to writing romance
• Believing in your stories while still learning the craft
• Navigating rejection and the road to publication
• Making time for creativity and letting go of mom guilt
• Writing about grief, hope, and learning to live again
• Why the Shelter & Sky books can stand alone, but are even better read in order
• A Book Flight featuring three dramatic, emotional romances

Connect with Deborah:

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• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Lynne Gentry books
• Becky Wade books
• The Water Keeper by Charles Martin
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
• John Le Carre books
• Lynn H. Blackburn books

Book Flight

• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
• Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
• Long Way Gone by Charles Martin

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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What happens when you step outside your comfort zone and make room for something new? Courtney Walsh joins the BFF Book Club to talk about her novel Brighter Than Before and the courage it takes to get out of your own way, build meaningful connections, and remember just how strong you really are.

Episode Highlights:

• Getting outside your comfort zone (even when you’d really rather stay home!)
• Finding friendship and community as an adult and making friends when you’re constantly on the move
• Why the smallest everyday interactions can make such a difference
• The value of spending time alone and getting into your own head
• Why female friendships can be so difficult—and so important—to find as an adult
• The courage it takes to start over and Cclebrating the bravery and strength of women

Connect with Courtney:

• Instagram
• Website

📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - The Brunswick with Callie Murray

🗓️ Nov 3rd | 🕓 5 pm PST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST

After her seemingly perfect life falls apart, Claire takes a leap of faith into a fresh start in Chicago, discovering friendship, purpose, and the possibility of a brighter future along the way. Register Here.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Crafting Sweet Escapes and Swoony Fiction with Courtney Walsh (E153)
• Ashley Poston books
• Katherine Center books
• As Luck Would Have It by Courtney Walsh (Pre-order for 03/02/27 pub date)
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Harry Potter - Full-Cast Audio by J.K. Rowling

Book Flight

• Becky Wade books
• Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane
• The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

Dessert Pairing

• Spies, Lies and Alibis by Natalie Walters

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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In this episode of Bookish Flights, I’m joined by national bestselling and award-winning author Katherine Reay to talk about her latest novel, The Undercover Bookshop. We chat about life on a Montana ranch, writing spy novels, the fascinating true history behind her fiction, and why sometimes the facts are far more unbelievable than anything she could make up. Katherine also brings us a Book Flight of Classic British Mysteries.

Episode Highlights:

• Life on a Montana ranch and finding creativity in the quiet
• How moving gave Katherine a chance to recalibrate her life and routines
• Writing spy novels—and why she says she would “crumble like an old biscuit” as a real spy
• The roles women played during the Cold War
• Digging into the true history behind The Undercover Bookshop
• Choosing fact over fiction when the real story is already unbelievable
• The luxury of sneaking in an hour of reading during the day
• Katherine’s Book Flight of Classic British Mysteries

Connect with Katherine:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay
• The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay
• The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
• What’s Didn’t The Ask Evans by Agatha Christie
• John Le Carre books
• Frederick Forsyth books
• Daniel Silva books
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Book Flight

• A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tay
• Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
• The Murder of Roger Ackroydby Agatha Christie

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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Today, I’m joined by bestselling author Annie Barrows to talk about her journey from editor to author, why she loves writing for children, and her Stella & Marigold series, including the newest book, Past and Presents. We also talk about the joy of getting lost in a story, writing with the reader in mind, and, of course, I couldn’t let Annie go without asking about one of my favorites, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Episode Highlights:

• Annie’s journey from editor to author and the moment she realized the writers were having more fun
• Why she loves writing for children and believes kids are “the most interesting people on earth”
• The Stella & Marigold series and writing stories that entertain and respect young readers
• Why Annie believes a writer’s first loyalty should be to the reader
• The pleasure of slowing down with a book and how reading can make us better writers
• The joy of stepping outside yourself and living in someone else’s world through a story
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and why Annie believes the book continues to connect so deeply with readers

Connect with Annie:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens 
• Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
• The Best of Iggy for Annie Barrows (series for boys)
• Like by Annie Barrows
• The Magic Half by Annie Barrows
• Indigo’s Star by Hilary Kay

Book Flight

• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (Middle Grade)
• Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Klan, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Picture book)
• Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Fairy tale - early chapter book, read aloud)

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
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Send us Fan Mail

Today’s episode features Alex Alexander, author of Are We Friends Yet: How to Deepen Your Relationships and Create the Community You Need and host of the Friendship IRL podcast. Alex and I talk about writing her first book, what surprised her about the process, and her experience navigating self-publishing versus traditional publishing. We also explore the ideas at the heart of her work: how reframing the way we think about friendship can make connection feel much more accessible. Her book flight features books about friendship and connection.

Episode Highlights:

• How Friendship IRL and Are We Friends Yet? complement each other
• What surprised Alex most about writing her first book
• Self-publishing versus traditional publishing
• Why continuing to “put in the reps” matters as a writer
• Reframing what friendship and community can look like
• Simple ways to connect with the people already in our lives
• How sharing something as simple as a favorite book can build connection

Connect with Alex:

• Instagram
• Website
• Friendship IRL Podcast

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Good Friends by Priya Vulchi

Book Flight

• Modern Friendship by Anna Goldfarb
• How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong
• The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
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Send us Fan Mail

This week, I’m joined by Zibby Owens—bestselling author, host of Totally Booked with Zibby, and founder of Zibby Media—to talk about her new memoir, Between Chapters. We talk about motherhood, reinvention, the emotions that come with telling your own story, and what she discovered looking back over a decade of her life. After interviewing more than 2,300 authors herself, Zibby also shares what all of those conversations have taught her about people, stories, and books.

Episode Highlights:

• How reflecting on a decade of her life became Between Chapters
• The uncertainty of not always knowing when one chapter is ending and another is beginning
• Real-life motherhood and the messy moments that come with it
• What writing this memoir helped Zibby learn about herself
• Why we don’t need to compare our hard things to someone else’s
• What she has learned from interviewing more than 2,300 authors
• Building a life and career around books, stories, and connection
• And, of course, how she manages to find time to read!
• Zibby’s Book Flight: Memoirs from debut authors coming out this fall, each centered around overcoming something.

Connect with Zibby:

• Instagram
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Slow Motion by Dani Shapiro
• The Things You’ll Never Know by Ashley Audrain (Pub date 01/12/27)

Book Flight

• Downhill by Juana Libedinsky
• Tell Me About Joy by Kara Kavensky
• Desire Feeds the Feast by Tarajia Morell (Pub date 11/03/26)

Dessert Pairing

• Between Chapters by Zibby Owens

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
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Send us Fan Mail

Today’s episode features Gordon Jack, author of Poppy Montgomery Gets Even. After 30 years as a high school librarian and writing two young adult novels, Gordon is turning his attention to adult fiction with a cozy mystery featuring an unforgettable octogenarian crime fighter. He talks about how his years surrounded by books shaped him as a writer, finding humor in complicated characters, and bringing two generations experiencing loneliness together on the page. His Book Flight features funny books that influenced his own writing and sense of humor.

Episode Highlights

• On the natural pairing of librarians and writers: “You are in a world of books and surrounded by them.”
• How rereading taught Gordon to notice “the craft of a sentence and word choice”
• Why “the most important thing about being a writer is that you are interesting to yourself”
• Finding humor in the fact that “people are complicated and have faults”
• Why Gordon considers himself “more a tinkerer than a creator”
• Exploring loneliness among young men and older adults and bringing those generations together through fiction

Connect with Gordon:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
• Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie
• Sheila Grau books
• Transcription by Ben Lerner
• Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
• Country People by Daniel Mason
• Nest of Tongues by Randy Ribay

Book Flight

• Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse
• Today Will Be Different by Marie Semple
• CivilWarland in Bad Decline by George Saunders

Dessert Pairing

• Birds of America by Lorrie Moore

Episode Sponsor - The Future Lab with Lee Schneider

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
• Website

Send us Fan Mail

New York Times bestselling author Penn Cole joins me to celebrate Burn of the Everflame, the fourth book in her Kindred’s Curse Saga. We talk about her journey from self-publishing to hybrid publishing, building her community one reader at a time, and the growing influence readers have on the publishing landscape. Penn also shares what it takes to write both sides of romantasy well, how fantasy creates space for political and social commentary, and why she stood behind her work when traditional publishing came calling.

Episode Highlights:

• Penn’s lifelong love of reading and writing
• Building a community one reader at a time
• How readers are influencing the publishing landscape
• Penn’s journey from indie to hybrid publishing
• Writing both the romance and fantasy sides of romantasy well
• Finding fresh ways to approach the romance formula
• Using fantasy to explore political and social issues
• Why writers should take their time before publishing
• Her Book Flight includes books that gave her “lightbulb moments” in her own writing

Connect with Penn:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Lore of the Wilds / Heir of the Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana

Book Flight

• Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
• Children of the Star by Sylvia Engdahl
• Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Suzanne Valenti

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
• Website

Send us Fan Mail

Today’s guest is Hank Phillipi Ryan, the USA Today bestselling author of seventeen thrillers, including the Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning All This Could Be Yours. A true powerhouse in the mystery and suspense world, she won every major award in the genre and has captivated readers around the globe with her twist-filled novels. Before becoming one of today’s most celebrated thriller writers, Hank spent decades as an award-winning investigative reporter in Boston, earning an incredible 37 Emmy Awards for journalists that changed lives and even helped shaped new laws. Today, we’re celebrating her latest thriller, Mother Daughter Sister Stranger. Her book flight includes timeless novels she has re-read many times in the crime genre.

Episode Highlights:

• Hank’s 40-year career as a reporter and investigative journalist—and how it shaped her as a storyteller
• Making the career leap from reporting true crime to writing fictional crime
• Why learning to make something up was one of the biggest challenges of becoming a novelist
• The idea of a “you never know day”and staying open to the unexpected
• What Hank has learned from years of interviewing other writers
• How different people can experience the exact same family history and remember it completely differently
• The family secrets, perspectives and questions of truth at the heart of Mother, Daughter, Sister, Stranger
• Why Hank says she still learns something every single day she writes
• The power of watching fictional characters triumph—and how their victories can give readers hope, too

Connect with Hank:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Prime Time by Hank Phillipi Ryan
• Nancy Drew novels by Carolyn Keene 
• Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Ngiao Marsh books
• Josephine Tey books
• Dorothy Sayers books
• Bookish Flights Narrative Non-Fiction List
• Winter’s Tale by Mark Halprin
• You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
• The Unknown by Riley Sager

Book Flight

• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• The Stand by Stephen King

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
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In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Andre Hardy, a former NFL player turned writer and author of the debut crime novel Tear the City Down. Set in San Diego against the high-stakes world of professional football, the novel draws on Andre’s own experiences in the NFL while exploring the darker sides of the sport and the city. We also talk about his path to writing, the role of jazz throughout the Coltrane series, and the experiences that shaped his storytelling.

Episode Highlights

• Andre’s journey from professional football to writing and what led him to put his own NFL experiences on the page
• Looking beyond the glitz & glamour of professional football to the physical toll on players, particularly their bodies and brains
• Exploring the contrasts of San Diego and what lies beneath the beautiful version of the city most people see
• Why Andre believes writing about books challenges us to slow down, think more deeply, and examine what we believe
• The influence of John Coltrane & how pairing the novels with Coltrane’s music creates a bigger, broader experience for readers
• Andre’s book flight of atmospheric mysteries and thrillers, including stories featuring male protagonists navigating fatherhood and relationships with their daughters

Connect with Andre:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Edgar Allen Poe books
• The Blue Flame by George Pelecanos
• Record Lows by CJ Green
• James McBride books
• Percival Everett books
• Middle Passage by Charles Johnson
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Darktown by Thomas Mullen
• Ghalen by Walter Mosley

Book Flight

• Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
• Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke
• She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper

The BFF Book Club is becoming a family affair! ❤️ This our FREE virtual book club, where we read together each month and have live author chats.

Each Family Book Flight pairs our BFF Book Club pick with:

• One chapter book for growing readers
• One picture book for our littlest readers
• A few family conversation starters + a simple activity

Three books. One common theme.

→ Join us here: https://bookishflights.kit.com/bfffamily

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website