Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

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In today’s BFF Book Club episode, I’m chatting with romantic suspense author Natalie Walters about our August pick, Spies, Lies, and Alibis. Natalie takes us behind the scenes of this Mr. & Mrs. Smith-inspired story and shares how she found her way to romantic suspense, what makes an idea worthy of becoming a novel, and why authenticity matters even in a story filled with spies, secrets, and high-stakes situations.

Episode Highlights:

• How Natalie found her way into writing romantic suspense and the inspiration behind Spies, Lies, and Alibis.
• Why “not every idea is a story and not every story idea works,” and how she determines which ideas are worth pursuing.
• Her desire to create stories that feel authentic and believable, even when the circumstances are larger than life.
• Why “there has to be a cost to the decisions a character makes, one way or the other.”
• Balancing suspense, romance, and humor to create the kind of escape that makes readers think, “That was so fun, let’s do it again.”
• Trusting readers to fill in the“Not every idea is a story and not every story idea works.”

Connect with Natalie:

• Instagram
• Website

📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - Brighter Than Before with Courtney Walsh

🗓️ Sep 29th | 🕓 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:

• For the Write Reasons by Marybeth Whelan
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
• The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen

Book Flight

• The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
• The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
• The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

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 today’s episode, I am chatting with Jessica Guerrieri, an award-winning novelist and essayist whose literary fiction explores the complexities of motherhood, identity, family, and the ways our past continues to shape us. She is the author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, winner of the 2023 Maurice Prize for Fiction, and her newest novel, Both Can Be True. Beyond her fiction, Jessica is a passionate voice in essays on sobriety and mental health communities. Her book flight includes books that explore alcoholism and addiction. 

Episode Highlights:

• How writing became a form of escapism for Jessica as a new mom and in early sobriety
• Giving ourselves permission to have an identity outside of motherhood
• Sobriety, identity, and figuring out what comes next in recovery
• How alcohol can numb both the difficult and joyful parts of life
• Why reaching for our phones and doomscrolling doesn't actually give us the recharge we're looking for
• Writing complex women and allowing two conflicting truths to exist at once
• Why Jessica wants to write book club fiction that creates feelings, opinions, and conversations
• The intimacy of reading and how books allow us to experience someone else's life from the safety of our own
• A book flight exploring alcoholism, addiction, motherhood, and family dynamics

Connect with Jessica:

• 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:

• Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
• Nothing Hurt and Everything Was Beautiful by Ben Reeves

Book Flight

• Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri
• The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (also The Burning Side)
• The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

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

In today’s episode, I am chatting with Alli Dyer. Alli was born in Tennessee and raised in the mountains of Virginia. Alli is the author of Strange Folk and her latest novel, Night Songs. For the last decade, she worked in the entertainment and book publishing, bringing a unique perspective to the stories she tells. 

We dive into Night Songs and the inspiration behind its story of family legacy, music, and discovering where we come from. Alli shares how growing up in the mountains of Virginia shaped her writing and why sensory details are so important when bringing a setting to life. We also talk about the stories that expand our understanding of the world and the special place audiobooks hold in Alli’s reading and writing life.

Episode Highlights:

• The childhood fantasy of discovering there is something special hidden in your family history
• How place, memory, and sensory details find their way into fiction
• Writing about family legacy and the stories we inherit
• Alli’s love of audiobooks and how listening influences her storytelling
• The books that have expanded her understanding of the world
• Her book flight includes audiobooks that have influenced her writing and storytelling

Connect with Alli:

• 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:

• The Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn & George Vescey
• The Real Americans by Rachel Kuong
• Heart Food album - Judee Sill
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
• The Witches by Roald Dahl
• The Children by Melissa Albert
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Book Flight

• Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood
• The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe
• All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

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 episode features Thao Thai, bestselling author of Banyan Moon. She joins us to discuss her latest novel, The Seekers of Deer Creek, a captivating story of two estranged sisters whose search for a lost painting uncovers long-buried family secrets stretching across generations and continents.

In our conversation, we explore the many ways art preserves history and memory, the fascinating world of art conservation, and what it truly means to be an artist. Thao shares how her travels inspired the settings in the novel, why creativity is essential even in the busiest seasons of life, and how motherhood has shaped her writing. We also discuss the joy of reading physical books, the importance of making space for creativity, and why everyone has an inner artist waiting to be discovered.

Episode Highlights

• The inspiration behind The Seekers of Deer Creek
• Why art is one of history's greatest storytellers
• The unseen work of preserving paintings and cultural artifacts
• Vietnamese identity and artistic legacy
• Balancing motherhood and a creative career
• The value of reading physical books
• Why everyone should embrace their inner artist
• Thao's book flight includes books about art and artists

Connect with Thao:

• 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:

• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
• All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley
• Sula by Toni Morrison
• Clutch by Emily Nemens

Book Flight

• Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
• Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress
• Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

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

Send us Fan Mail

This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by New York Times bestselling author Rhys Bowen to discuss her latest novel, The Castle in the Glen. We explore the inspiration behind the story, why the Isle of Skye was the perfect setting, and how Rhys layers mysteries "like peeling away the layers of an onion."

Rhys also shares why she always travels to every location she writes about, how switching between her beloved mystery series and standalone novels keeps her creatively energized, and why returning to longtime characters feels like attending a high school reunion with old friends. Rhys’ book flight includes dual-timeline novels.

Episode Highlights:

• The inspiration behind The Castle in the Glen and writing a novel in another author's voice
• Why the Isle of Skye became the perfect setting
• How traveling to each setting shapes her storytelling
• The differences between writing standalone novels and a long-running series
• Why revisiting recurring characters feels like reconnecting with old friends
• Why she believes she'll always have more stories than she can write

Connect with Rhys:

• Website
• 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:

• Tony Hillerman books
• Agatha Christie books
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bowen
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

Book Flight

• The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley
• The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes
• Homecoming by Kate Morton

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

Send us Fan Mail

This week on Bookish Flights, internationally bestselling author Anna Johnston of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife and she  returns to discuss her heartfelt new novel, When Lemons Give You Life. Inspired by her years working in aged care, Anna shares why she loves writing older characters who remind us that every stage of life still has purpose, dignity, and the capacity for joy. 

Episode Highlights:

• The inspiration behind When Lemons Give You Life and why she calls it "an antidote to despair"
• Writing Lisa's character from her own experience of receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis
• The misconceptions surrounding ADHD in women and why she hopes readers feel seen
• Researching the unique challenges older LGBTQ+ adults can face in aged care
• Why cooking can become its own love language and a powerful way to care for others
• How stories help us build empathy and compassion—especially for older generations
• Anna's book flight features 3 memoirs

Connect with Anna:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North / The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Book Flight

• Don’t Buy What I’m Selling by Lu Chekowsky
• Imogen in Waiting by Lindsay Bartels
• The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

This episode is sponsored by Baker Book House, they brought a sweet, summer contemporary book flight. Enjoy 30% off and free shipping on any books ordered directly through their website.

• Bookmarked for Love by Sarah Monzon
• In a Word, Yes by Kit Tosello
• Almost by Design by Jenny Erlingsson

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

This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by Ginny Kochis, author of Quirky Catholic Kids. Ginny shares what inspired her to write a practical guide for parents raising neurodivergent children through the lens of faith, while reminding us that many of these lessons apply to parenting children of all ages.

We discuss what neurodivergence really means, why emotional regulation begins with us as parents, and how learning to respond instead of react can transform our homes. Ginny also offers practical next steps for families who suspect their child may be experiencing developmental or learning differences, including resources available through schools, Child Find, and neuropsychological evaluations.

Above all, this conversation is an encouraging reminder to celebrate the unique children God has entrusted to us rather than comparing them to someone else's expectations.

Episode Highlights:

• What inspired Ginny to write Quirky Catholic Kids
• What neurodivergence is—and what it isn't
• Why emotional regulation can't be taught in the middle of a meltdown
• Practical ways parents can respond instead of react
• Learning to embrace your child's unique gifts
• Finding evaluations and support through schools, Child Find, and neuropsychologists
• Parenting with faith, grace, and confidence instead of comparison

Connect with Ginny:

• Website
• Purchase Quirky Catholic Kids
• Instagram

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:

• Episode 46: A Book Flight Representing Neurodivergent Teens with Ginny Kochis
• Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Scheedy Kurcinka
• A Million Junes by Emily Henry
• Annabel Monaghan’s books
• Ashley Poston books
• Katherine Center books

Book Flight

• Physica by Hildegaard van Bingen
• A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus by Louis and Zelie Martin
• God Loves the Autistic Mind by Father Matthew Snyder

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

As a physical therapist, I spent years helping people build habits that would improve their lives long after they left the clinic. Those experiences taught me that lasting change doesn't happen in one big moment—it happens through small, consistent choices.

Lately, I've found myself asking that same question about reading.

What makes someone a reader?

As a lifelong reader and mom of three, I wanted to know what the research actually says about why some people develop a lifelong love of books while others struggle to make reading a habit.

In this solo episode, we're diving into the science behind reading habits and the practical ways we can create environments where reading becomes a joyful, natural part of everyday life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why enjoyment matters more than pressure when it comes to lifelong reading
• The powerful role parents and caregivers play by modeling reading
• How your environment influences your reading habits more than motivation alone
• Why giving children—and adults—the freedom to choose their own books makes all the difference
• Practical ways to encourage a lifelong love of reading at any age

Whether you're hoping to read more yourself or you're raising the next generation of readers, this episode is filled with encouraging, research-backed ideas that you can start putting into practice today.

Books Mentioned

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

I'd Love to Hear From You - What made you a reader?

Come join the conversation on Instagram and Threads @bookishflights, and let me know the book, person, or moment that sparked your love of reading.

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you'd follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a fellow book lover.

Happy reading, my friends!

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 Erin Kirschenmann—lifelong reader, wine educator, and founder of Novel Pairings, an online book and wine membership that brings together thoughtfully curated books, wine pairings, playlists, community, and in-person events.

Whether you're a wine enthusiast or someone who has no idea what to order, Erin makes wine feel approachable and fun. We talk about why books and wine pair so naturally and how to take the intimidation out of choosing a bottle. Erin and I also issued a challenge for all of us: a few times each day, reach for your book instead of your phone. Slow down. Be intentional. And maybe even pour yourself a glass of wine while you're at it.

Special Offer

Erin is generously offering Bookish Flights listeners their first month of Novel Pairings completely free. Use the code BOOKISHFLIGHTS when you join.

Whether you're looking for your next great read, your next favorite bottle of wine, or simply an excuse to slow down and enjoy both, I think you're going to love this conversation.

Connect with Erin:

• 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:

• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
• The Ex Hex by Erin Stirling
• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
• Lands of Lost Borders by Kate Harris
• The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
• Plot Pending
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
• Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein
• The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
• The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Book Flight

• The Science of Wine by Jaime Goode
• Big Macs and Burgundy by Vanessa Price
• Wine and War by Don & Petie Kladstrup

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

This week, I'm joined by Julie Carrick Dalton, journalist, former organic farmer and beekeeper, and author of The Forest Becomes Her. Julie's novels are deeply rooted in the natural world, exploring the relationship between people, place, and the communities we build together.

Inspired by her own experience watching a beloved forest disappear to development, The Forest Becomes Her is ultimately a story about what a community loses when a forest is gone. Through the lives of three women navigating grief, motherhood, and identity, Julie invites readers to consider our connection to the land beneath our feet and the lasting impact of the choices we make.

In this episode, we talk about how Julie's years running an organic farm shaped every one of her novels, the decision to purchase a 220-acre forest to preserve it, why fiction allows her to explore life's biggest truths, and the joy of listening to audiobooks while tending her garden

Episode Highlights:

• How Julie's years running an organic farm continue to inspire her writing & real-life experience behind The Forest Becomes Her
• Parenting, motherhood, and raising children with a connection to nature
• How fiction helps us understand the world in ways journalism sometimes cannot
• Julie's love of gardening with an audiobook playing in the background
• Julie's Book Flight and fictional books that help us see the world differently

Connect with Julie:

• 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:

• The Last Beekeeper by Julie Carrick Dalton
• Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
• The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• The Afterlife Project / The Gatepost by Tim Weed

Book Flight

• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
• A Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
• Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

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