Books Are My People

This week, on episode 131, I speak with the incredibly creative and talented Janice Hallett about her latest novel, The Examiner.  We discuss how she goes about  crafting her novels and she shares some of her favorite reads.

Guest Author Recommendation:
Caroline Woods, author of The Mesmerist recommends The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird.

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Books Recommended:
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
The Stars Turned Inside Out by Nova Jacobs

This episode is sponsored by Paris Lost & Found: A Memoir of Love by Scott Dominic Carpenter.

Image of Margaret Atwood from Bookish News.

Find Janice Hallett here:
X:   @janicehallett
Instagram: @janice.hellett

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I read 40 books this summer! On episode 130, I share some of my favorites.

This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by Darrin Doyle’s Let Gravity Seize the Dead.

Books Recommended:
This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud
Bear by Julia Phillips
Cutting for Stone also by Abraham Verghese
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
The Winner by Teddy Wayne

Enter my Anita De Monte's Last Laugh book giveaway here on Instagram.

Read Caoilinn Hughes' The Alternatives with me on Substack during the months of September/October.

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Episode 129 of Books Are My People is sponsored by Let Gravity Seize the Dead  by Darrin Doyle. 

This week, I speak with Catherine Chidgey, the award-winning author of The Axeman's Carnival and Pet. We talk about magpies and finding the perfect point of view for your novel. 

Books Recommended: 

The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey

Jackie by Dawn Tripp

HORSE by Geraldine Brooks

The Grimalings by Rachel King

HUM by Helen Phillips

The Natural Way of Things By Charlotte Wood

Guest Author, Ellen Hopkins (Synch) recommends The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Find Catherine on:
Facebook and Twitter @cathchidgey
Instagram @Catherinechidgey
Find Tama the magpie on Twitter @tamamagpie

Giveaway: I am giving away one copy of Xochitl Gonzalez’s Anita de Monte Laughs Last. To Enter: Simply leave a comment on my Giveaway Instagram Post and subscribe to my Books Are My People newsletter on Substack.  This giveaway will close on Thursday, September 5th and I will contact the winner on September 6th. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only.

Molly The Magpie Link

Neil Gaiman Accusers Speak Up

Watch Carly’s Library Story in Idaho in TikTok @carlyjdot

The Booker Prize 2024 Longlist 

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On episode 128 I speak with author Catherine Newman about summer hair, humor as survival strategy and Catherine’s previous job working in a sandwich shop.

This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by Let Gravity Seize the Dead  by Darrin Doyle. 

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

Books Recommended:

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Weekends with O’Keeffe by C.S. Merrill

Went to London, Took The Dog: A Memoir Nina Stibbe

Mother Doll by Katya Apekina

Amos and Borris by William Steig

Other Books:

Queenie Candice Cardy-Williams

Etsy Shop Summer Sale 

Substack Book Club:

June: Independent Reading

July: Book to Film Adaptation- The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

September / October Read With Me Series: The Alternatives Caoilinn Hughes

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I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

These week, on episode 127  I take it back to the OG days of the podcast five years ago when I struggled to get a guest on the show. Now, I am so lucky to get to pick amazing guests!

This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by The Year We Danced: A Memoir by Stephen E. Smith

 Books Recommended:

I am Not Sydney Poitier by Percival Everett

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

Johanna Porter is Not Sorry by Sara Read

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman

Other Books Mentioned:

Kairos by Jenny Erpenveck

Additional Links:

Silent Book Club

1000 Words of Summer

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This week, on episode 126, I speak with picture book author Nell Cross Beckerman. We discuss how authors find illustrators, some of our favorite picture books and Nell’s recently published book, From Park to Playa: The Trails That Connect Us.

From Park to Playa: The Trails That Connect Us by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by Sophie Diao

This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by The Year We Danced: A Memoir by Stephen E. Smith

Books Recommended:

The House of East 88th Street by Bernard Waber

Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu

Big Sister and Little Sister by Charlotte Zolotow

In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

Dear Tree Frog by Joyce Sidman

Follow Nell on Social Media:

Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about her classes on her website: www.nellcrossbeckerman.com

Instagram @nellcrossbeckerman

Bluesky @nellcrossbeckerman

X @nellbeckerman

Click here to learn more about my Books Are My People Substack and Read With Me program.

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This week on episode #125, author and Drag Queen Story Hour founder Michelle Tea visits and talks to us about her new Press, Dopamine, its forthcoming anthology, Sluts and how she generates so much writing. 

This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by The Year We Danced, A Memoir by Stephen E. Smith

 Books Discussed:

Sluts Anthology edited by Michelle Tea

My Child The Algorithm by Hannah Silva

Skunks by Fiona Warnick

Candy Darling : Dreamer Superstar by Candy Darling

Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett

Luster by Raven Leilani

Other Things Discussed:

MISA: Madeline Island Arts School

Sign up for my Read With Me Series in May where we are reading The Book of Ayn by Lexi Freiman

Apartment Guide’s on 7 Guidelines for building a home library featuring some bookshelf advice by yours truly. 

Visit Michelle Tea’s Website here. 

Find Michelle Tea on Instagram @michelleteaz

Find Michelle on Facebook @MichelleTea

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On episode #124, collage artist and printmaker Sarah Z. Short talks about her creative process,  how language figures into her art, the books she used to love to teach and, she recommends some of her favorite reads on episode 124 of Books Are My People.

Books Discussed:
The Hunter by Tana French
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarrow
One Hundred Days by Alice Pung
The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel

Sarah Z. Short Website
Sarah Z. Short on Instagram

Other Things Discussed:
The Women by Kritsin Hannah giveaway closes 5/9/24  US mailing addresses only. 

Click here to be taken to my Substack
Read with me series in May is The Book Of Ayn by Lexi Frieman  

FSG Poetry hotline 385 3425374 Monday - Friday in April

Instructables Competition

George Orwell’s 1984 audiobook link

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#123 with Jo Piazza The Sicilian Inheritance

This week, I talk food and books with The Sicilian Inheritance author and podcaster extraordinaire, Jo Piazza.

Book Recommended

The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza

The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Finlay Donovan is Killing it by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

Breaking and Entering by Don Gilmore

Other things mentioned:

The Sicilian Inheritance Podcast (Watch the trailer)

Under the Influence Podcast 

Where to find Jo Piazza:

Substack: Over the Influence @Jopiazza

Instagram: @joypiazzaauthor

Book Giveaway: Monsters We Have Made closes Wednesday, April 17th 

To Enter: Visit and post a comment on my Instagram Page and make sure you subscribe to my Books Are My People newsletter on Substack. Open to US mailing addresses only. Gain extra entries by tagging friends and sharing in your stories. 

Link to LA Times Festival of Books. 

Sponsorship: reach out to [email protected] 

 Link to my Books Are My People Substack

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On episode #122, author Garrard Conley (Boy Erased) speaks with me about his latest novel, All The World Beside. We talk about the research involved in writing historical fiction, how he helped change legislature, and some scandalous letters he discovered while conducting research. ,

Books Recommended:

All the World Beside by Garrard Conley

Exhibit by R.O. Kwon

James by Percival Everett

The Son of Man by Jean-Baptiste del Amo

The Morningside by Tea Obrecht

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

 Other Books Mentioned:

Anamalia by Jean-Baptiste del Amo

Ramona Ausebel, author of The Last Animal, recommends Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

Garrard Conley's Links:
Instagram @gayrodcon
Twitter @gayrodcon
podcast : History Unerased

Giveaway for Amy Lin’s Here After closes on 3/27/24

Open to U.S. mailing addreses only.

My Read With Me series on Substack begins in May. We Will be reading The Book of Ayn by Lexi Freiman 

March 27th at 9 am PT Free Book Cover Art Along and Book Discussion. You must be registered here to attend. 

April 2: Substack Paying Subscriber Discussion on The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee and the TV series, The Expats time: TBD

 Hugo awards Article
Tournament of Books

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