Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

Send us Fan Mail

This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by beloved children's author Kate DiCamillo for a conversation about something much bigger than writing. We explore what it means to be a reader, why stories shape us long after childhood, and how a love of books can become one of the greatest gifts we pass from one generation to the next.

Kate's stories, including Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and Flora & Ulysses, have become treasured companions for millions of readers and families. As The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane celebrates its 20th anniversary with a beautiful collector's edition this fall, Kate reflects on the enduring power of children's literature and the stories that continue to find us at every stage of life.

Together, we talk about reading aloud, protecting time to read in a busy world, why literature helps us tell and bear the truth, and how simply showing up each day can transform both our reading lives and our creative lives.

Whether you've loved Kate's books since childhood, are discovering them with your own children, or simply want to rekindle your love of reading, this conversation is a beautiful reminder of why stories matter at every age.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Kate has always identified first and foremost as a reader.
• The magic of reading aloud and why it allows us to meet one another without our armor.
• The children's books every adult should revisit.
• Kate's daily reading habit, including putting her phone on Airplane Mode.
• The surprising lesson she's learned from showing up to write every day.
• Kate's Book Flight includes books she routinely re-reads and she wants everyone to read

Connect with Kate:

• 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:

• Ribsy by Kate DiCamillo
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• The Once and Future Kingby T.H. White
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
• Isak Dinesen by Judith Thurman
• Same as it Ever Wasby Claire Lombardo
• Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson

Book Flight

• Foster by Claire Keegan
• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
• Old Filth by Jane Gardham

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

In this episode of Bookish Flights, I’m joined by middle grade author and podcaster Becca Wierwille. She is the author of the Road Trip Rescue series and the Scout and Barnaby Mysteries. Becca writes stories that help kids embrace what makes them unique and discover the adventures waiting for them. Together, we discuss the power of children's books, how stories help build empathy, the importance of reading aloud, and why the middle grade years are such a pivotal time in a reader's life. We also chat about her podcast, Ice Cream with Authors, and the books that helped shape her journey from young reader to published author.

Episode Highlights:

• Why “work-life harmony” matters more than work-life balance
• The power of small actions and intentional pauses
• Career reinvention and starting over in different seasons of life
• How burnout often disconnects us from our own needs
• Recognizing the through-lines in your personal and professional journey
• Building a life that prioritizes flexibility, family, and fulfillment

Connect with Becca:

• Website
• Purchase:
  • Road Trip Rescue series (ages 8-12 years old)
  • Scout and Barnaby (ages 6-10 years old), Kickstarter campaign for Book 4
• 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:

• Writing Off Social podcast
• The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
• Secrets at Sparhawk Point by Anna Rose Johnson
• Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer
• To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer

Book Flight

• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Contemporary Realistic Fiction, ages 9-12)
• Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence (Fairy Tale Fantasy, ages 8-12; featured on Ep. 4 of Ice Cream with Authors) 
• The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson (Historical, ages 8-12; featured on Ep. 38 with Ice Cream for Authors)

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 award-winning author Martha Engber for a thoughtful conversation about storytelling, curiosity, and the power of fiction to help us better understand ourselves and others. We chat about her Mary Donahue Chronicles, including Winter Light and Scattered Light, and explore themes of trauma, healing, self-worth, and the experiences that shape us throughout our lives. Drawing from her background in journalism, Martha shares how observation and asking questions have shaped her writing, why curiosity matters more than judgment, and how stories can offer readers a safe space to explore difficult topics. 

Episode Highlights:

• Martha's journey from journalism to novelist and screenwriter
• How journalism taught her the art of observation and asking better questions
• Why curiosity is essential for both writers and readers
• The role fiction plays in helping us understand our own lives and experiences
• Writing about trauma, healing, and the hard things we face as humans
• The conversation around trigger warnings in books
• Giving ourselves grace and letting go of unrealistic expectations
• Reading what you love instead of what you think you should read
• Martha's book flight featuring small press books and authentic human stories

Connect with Martha:

• 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:

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Book Flight

• Perfect Little Worlds by Clifford Mae Henderson
• A Little Lifeby Hanya Yanagihara
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Dessert Pairing

• The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

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

In this episode of Bookish Flights, I am joined by author and podcaster Landis Wade. A recovering trial lawyer, Landis is the author of the award-winning Indie Retirement Mystery series, including his newest release, Deadly Gold Rush. He is also the founder of the Charlotte Readers Podcast, where he has interviewed more than 500 authors.

Our conversation goes beyond mystery writing as we discuss finding a meaningful "third act" after a successful career, the surprising similarities between law and storytelling, the value of writing communities, and why it's never too late to learn something new. Landis shares wisdom from both sides of the microphone and offers encouragement for writers at every stage of the journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Transitioning from trial lawyer to author and podcaster
• Building a creative "third act" after a successful career
• Why lawyers often make strong writers
• Lessons learned from interviewing more than 500 authors
• The importance of finding a writing group and literary community
• Why rejection is a shared experience among all writers
• How persistence can help writers navigate setbacks
• Embracing lifelong learning and new challenges
• A look at Deadly Gold Rush and the history that inspired the novel

Connect with Landis:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Get Landis’ books:
  • The Writing Life
  • Indie Retirement series

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 Baldacci books
• Steve Berry books
• A Time to Kill by John Grisham
• Old Schoolby Gordon Korman
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• The Eighteenth Green by Webb Hubbell
• Revelation by Robert Parker

Book Flight

• Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
• The Sackett Family saga by Louis L’Amour
• All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

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 Joanna Davidson Politano to discuss her latest novel, The Life She Forgot. Known for her atmospheric historical fiction and layered mysteries, Joanna shares the inspiration behind the novel, the first in a new series set around a house built into the cliffs of Cornwall. We talk about her love of creating immersive settings and why she believes there's a difference between a romance and a true love story.

We also talk about writing while raising young children, the twists and turns of crafting a mystery, and how books allow us to travel the world without ever leaving home.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Joanna believes "it is fun to travel through fiction"
• The difference between a romance and a love story
• What it means to truly love someone well 
• How she builds twists and surprises into her novels
• Becoming a "naptime novelist" while raising young children

Connect with Joanna:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

📚 Next Meet the Author Book Club - Spies, Lies and Alibis with Natalie Walters

🗓️ Aug 24th | 🕓 5 pm PST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST

This romantic suspense novel is packed with danger, secrets, second chances, and plenty of twists. We'll be reading it together and then welcoming Natalie Walters for a live author conversation. Register Here.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Kristy Cambron books
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Flight

• The Splendor Falls by Susanna Kearsley
• This Promise Remains by Darcy Schock
• The Bookshop of 99 Doors by Jaime Jo Wright

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 Natasha Lester to discuss her latest novel, The Chateau on Sunset, a feminist reimagining of Jane Eyre set within the legendary walls of the Chateau Marmont.

Natasha shares the fascinating history behind one of Hollywood’s most infamous hotels, where generations of actors, musicians, writers, and dreamers have lived, worked, and occasionally gotten into trouble. We talk about her research process, what it was like staying at the Chateau herself, and how the hotel's rich history inspired the atmosphere of the novel.

Episode Highlights:

• The fascinating history of the Chateau Marmont and its connection to Hollywood legends and why it makes the perfect summer read
• The enduring appeal of Gothic storytelling and Jane Eyre
• The themes of ambition, identity, and independence woven throughout Natasha's novels
• Why women should never feel the need to make themselves smaller to get ahead
• The importance of turning dreams into action
• Natasha's book flight includes some of her favorite reads

Connect with Natasha:

• Instagram
• 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:

• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
• Enid Blyton books
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Book Flight

• The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

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

In this latest installment of our Year of the Military Spouse series, Kara sits down with Kirst, co-founder of Wives of the Armed Forces (WAF), a community created to help military significant others feel less alone in the unpredictability of military life.

What began as a small Air Force spouse community built by Kirst and her co-founder Jen has grown into a welcoming space for military spouses across all branches — one centered on encouragement, resilience, and meaningful connection. Together, Kara and Kirst discuss the realities of military spouse life, including the career sacrifices and overqualification many spouses experience while constantly rebuilding community and identity through moves and transitions.

They also explore the role online spaces can play in helping military spouses feel seen and supported, while encouraging people to turn those digital connections into lasting, in-person friendships and local community. Kirst also shares how reading has become a meaningful way for her to step away from screen time and create household rhythms in everyday life.

Episode Highlights:

• Why military spouses are often incredibly overqualified yet underrecognized professionally
• The fast and deeply rooted nature of military friendships
• How WAF was created to foster positive, solution-oriented community for military spouses
• Replacing screen time with reading time and building healthier daily habits
• Why meaningful in-person relationships still matter deeply in military life

Connect with Wives of the Armed Forces:

• 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 Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Book Flight

• A Mother’s Rule for Life by Holly Pierlot
• My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell
• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

Dessert Pairing

• The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

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 Virginia Pye, author of Marriage and Other Monuments, to discuss writing stories set in what she calls “the recent past” and why she’s drawn to exploring moments of cultural and personal change through fiction. We talked about the emotional balance of writing difficult subjects while still leaving space for hope, the surprising role the river played while shaping the novel, and her path to becoming a novelist after raising young children. Virginia also shares a book flight featuring three recent reads she’s loved lately.

Episode Highlights:

• Why twists and surprises matter in her storytelling
• Her favorite character to write in Marriage and Other Monuments
• How setting can evolve into its own presence within a story
• The marathon-like reality of writing book-length fiction
• Balancing literary work with teaching, editing, and reading
• A reading life centered around curiosity and craft

Connect with Virginia:

• 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 Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann by Virginia Pye
• Historical Fiction: Remarkable Women and the Rich History of the South with Katherine Scott Crawford (Ep. 203)
• Lad: a Dog by Albert Payson Terhune
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
• I Felt My Life with Both My Hands by Jessica Treadway
• Kin by Tayari Jones

Book Flight

• Dream State by Eric Puchner
• This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman
• Small Town Girls by Jayne Anne Phillips

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 Lindsay Barnett, workplace experience strategist, coach, speaker, and author of Working Hell to Working Well: Making Your Company Work For You. We talk about career reinvention, burnout, identity, and what it looks like to create a life where work supports you instead of consuming you. Lindsay shares her journey from moving to Australia without a clear plan to discovering the through-line that connected all the different chapters of her career. Together, we explore why so many people, especially military spouses and anyone navigating seasons of change, can feel stuck in constant reinvention and how small intentional actions can begin creating meaningful change.

This conversation is practical, encouraging, and full of reminders that work is only one part of a full life.

Episode Highlights:

• Why “work-life harmony” matters more than work-life balance
• The power of small actions and intentional pauses
• Career reinvention and starting over in different seasons of life
• How burnout often disconnects us from our own needs
• Recognizing the through-lines in your personal and professional journey
• Building a life that prioritizes flexibility, family, and fulfillment

Connect with Lindsay:

• LinkedIn
• Our Kind of Club website
• Purchase Working Hell to Working Well: Making Your Company Work for You

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:

• Isabel Allende books
• Dan Brown books
• Leadership Embodiment by Wendy Palmer
• Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Book Flight

• The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
• The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness by Dr. Kelly Harding
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

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

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Michelle Maryk to discuss her debut novel, The Found Object Society—an atmospheric speculative suspense story that blends grief, curiosity, addiction, and the supernatural into a wholly original reading experience.

Michelle shares her journey back to fiction after careers in acting, comedy, and voice work, and how those experiences helped shape her confidence and voice as a writer. We talk about her lifelong love of horror and speculative fiction, the emotional themes underneath the story, and the kind of reading experience she hopes to create for readers. This conversation explores storytelling, creativity, grief, and learning to trust yourself on the page—all while diving into a novel built around a mysterious society where members can relive the final moments of someone else’s life.

Episode Highlights:

• How Michelle’s background in improv, acting, and comedy shaped her writing voice
• Why speculative fiction and horror have always felt like home to her as a storyteller
• What she hopes readers take away from The Found Object Society

Connect with Michelle:

• 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:

• Margaret Atwood books
• Midnight in the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
• Midnight at Soap Lake by Matthew Sullivan
• Lou Berney books
• Megan Abbott books
• On Writing by Stephen King
• Time and Again by Jack Finney
• King of Ashes by S.A. Crosby
• The Doorman by Chris Pavone

Book Flight

• The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
• The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
• Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan

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