Bookwild

By Kate Hergott, Bookwild CollectiveTV & Film Fiction TV Reviews Drama Film Reviews

Bookwild episodes

April 24Memoir Isn’t Dead (and Never Will Be) with Rachel Kramer Bussel
This week, I chat with Rachel Kramer Bussel—editor, essayist, and founder of Open Secrets Magazine—about a lifelong love of reading, writing and editing. Listen to hear about:
How memoirs allow readers to experience others' lives in highly personal ways

Rachel’s journey from editing 70+ erotica anthologies to building a personal essays literary magazine

How “ordinary” lives still make compelling, meaningful essays

The behind-the-scenes reality of running a submission-based publication

The emotional and ethical tightrope of writing about real people, relationships, and personal struggles
Rachel's "Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to ban books" T-shirt
Books We Talked About
I'm Glad My Mom Died — Jennette McCurdy
King of Ashes — S. A. Cosby
Razorblade Tears — S. A. Cosby
Camouflage — Heather Sweeney
Hologram Boyfriends — Mike Albo
Somebody I Used to Know — Wendy Mitchell
Agorafabulous — Sara Benincasa
Actress of a Certain Age — Jeff Hiller
Do What Godmother Says — L. S. Stratton
Adult Braces — Lindy West
Strangers — Belle Burden
Famesick — Lena Dunham
Destroy this House – Amanda Uhle
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
1 hr 45 min
April 21Follow the Rules… or Else: Marcus Kliewer's The Caretaker
You all know how excited I am to say that this week, I got to chat with Marcus Kliewer about his newest horror book The Caretaker! We dive into his unconventional path to writing, our shared fascination with psychological horror, and how he plants his Easter eggs in multiple mediums.
Listen to hear more about:
The Caretaker’s premise, tone, and how it connects to We Used to Live Here

Marcus Kliewer's origin story—from Reddit horror posts to book deals and adaptations

Insight into psychological horror, ambiguity in endings, and why “not knowing” is so unsettling

A candid discussion on OCD, anxiety, and how those experiences shape the story’s tension

Behind-the-scenes details on worldbuilding, Easter eggs, hidden codes, and what might connect across his books
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
45 min
April 17 All of My Thoughts on Yesteryear, The Drama, and Trust Me: The False Prophet
Today is a solo episode, and I share all of my thoughts on Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, The Drama and Trust Me: The False Prophet. I briefly discuss the discourse around Yesteryear and The Drama without spoilers, and go in depth on Trust Me: The False Prophet, WITH spoilers. Then, for anyone who wants spoilers, I discuss spoilery aspects of Yesteryear and The Drama at the end of the episode.
Here is the link for the Substack article I mentioned about The Drama.
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

1 hr 47 min
April 14A Con Woman, A Wealthy Woman, and a Dead Husband: Rebecca Sharpe's Harmless Women
In this episode, I talk with Rebecca Sharpe about her debut con-thriller Harmless Women.
Listen to hear about:
Rebecca's long, bumpy publishing journey

How the book explores the way society underestimates women, and how that perception can be both a vulnerability and a weapon

How Rebecca's fluid, character-driven writing process focuses on emotional pacing, moral complexity, and letting the story evolve organically rather than rigid outlining
Harmless Women Synopsis
Avalon Dale is a masterful grifter. She researches her victims thoroughly, kidnaps and sedates them, cleans out their bank accounts, and uses injections and hair clippers to change their appearance so that when they wake up, they can't easily prove who they are. It gives her a head start and a new identity to get away. She's targeted Primrose Meath for her last big score, and then she'll fade away to a life of ease and luxury--something she's dreamed of since a very tough childhood.

On paper, Prim is the perfect wealthy, workaholic, and distracted by her cheating husband. But when Avalon finds Prim's husband dead, she can't get away so easily--not when she's been mistaken for Prim who's now wanted for murder. The two women, opposites, enemies, are suddenly on the run together, and must learn to get along, to depend on each other, in order to get away. And then, what starts as a cat-and-mouse run to the coast of England becomes a fight for their survival.
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
45 min
April 07Medicine, Machines, and Meaning: Justin C. Key's The Hospital at the End of the World
In this episode, I talk with Justin C. Key about his speculative novel The Hospital at the End of the World. Justin shares how his medical training and fascination with AI, consciousness, and ethics informed the novel’s evolution from a short story into a full-length work. We dive into the tension between technological advancement and human connection, particularly in medicine, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of empathy and lived experience. Justin also discusses worldbuilding choices, balancing speculative ideas with grounded realism, and both the promise and risks of AI in healthcare and learning.
Listen to hear about:
How Justin’s writing journey evolved naturally from a deep love of reading into a disciplined, intuitive creative practice

How his “pantser” approach prioritizes discovery, with structure and outlines often emerging during the editing phase

How The Hospital at the End of the World began as a short story and expanded over years alongside his medical education

The way the novel explores AI in healthcare, balancing its powerful analytical potential with the risks of over-reliance and loss of human judgment

How the novel explores the irreplaceable role of human connection, arguing that empathy and presence are just as critical as data in medicine
Follow Justin C. Key here and grab a copy of The Hospital at the End of the World here
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
1 hr 1 min
April 03 How John Marrs Writes Out of Order (And Still Nails the Ending)
In this episode, Gare and I chat with our long time favorite John Marrs! John shares his journey from journalist to author, his out of order writing process, why he doesn’t always think his books are that dark (LOL), and a wild group of frogs in his yard (yes, I said frogs).
Listen to our whole conversation to hear about:
What it was like getting his first book idea, writing it, and self publishing it
His transition to traditional publishing
His hybrid plotter-pantser process
The snacks he has nearby for writing
The time he got arrested in America
A unique encounter with frogs in his backyard
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

1 hr 13 min
April 01Exploitation, Empowerment and Enlightenment: Courtney Kocak's Girl Gone Wild
In this episode, I chat with Courtney Kocak about her debut memoir Girl Gone Wild! She shares how it is both a personal reckoning and a cultural critique, tracing her journey from a “too much” small-town girl to a woman navigating ambition, sexuality, religion, and creative identity. She reflects on how early influences—strict religious messaging, shame around the body, and a lack of role models—shaped her relationship to power, pleasure, and self-worth, while her experiences in Hollywood and the entertainment industry reveal the harsh realities behind the myth of “making it.”
Listen to hear about:
How the memoir evolved over 15+ years, requiring both craft development and personal growth to fully process her past experiences

How early religious and cultural messaging created deep tension between bodily autonomy and imposed shame

The empowerment vs. exploitation dynamic for young women, especially in entertainment

The way Hollywood’s success narrative often hides the economic struggle, privilege, and sacrifices required to sustain creative work

How Kocak shifted from chasing external validation and fame to prioritizing artistic fulfillment and an integrated, authentic identity
Learn more about Courtney or purchase Girl Gone Wild here
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
1 hr 3 min
March 31Deconstructing Without Losing Jesus: Jeremy Jernigan's The Edge of the Inside
In this episode, I talk with Jeremy Jernigan about his deeply personal and intellectual journey behind The Edge of the Inside, unpacking how Jeremy’s lifelong love of writing evolved into a healing-driven project that blends memoir and theology. We discuss how time and emotional distance were necessary to move from bitterness to clarity, allowing Jeremy to structure the book into reflection, belief, and application. We also discuss shared experiences as pastor’s kids, the disorienting process of deconstruction, and the realization that faith is far broader than what we were taught.
Listen to hear about:
Writing as healing, not just storytelling
Jeremy describes the book as a form of therapy, something he had to live through and process before he could write honestly and help others.

The “edge of the inside” concept
Inspired by Richard Rohr, this idea captures the experience of still belonging to a system while holding a perspective that challenges it.

Deconstruction and expanding belief systems
We both reflect on realizing that what we were taught wasn’t the full picture, leading to curiosity, questioning, and broader exploration.

How language shapes belief (and confusion)
The same words, faith, truth, provision, can mean completely different things depending on who’s using them, especially in religious and political contexts.

The “life quake” moment
Jeremy shares the pivotal realization that doing the “right” things doesn’t guarantee success—and sometimes leads to losing everything, forcing a complete redefinition of faith and identity.
Grab a copy of Jeremy's book here!
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
1 hr 25 min
March 31Racial Trauma and Culturally Responsive Care: Ashley McGirt-Adair's The Cost of Healing in Silence
In this episode, MacKenzie Green and I talk with Ashley McGirt-Adair about her new book, The Cost of Healing in Silence, and the deep, often overlooked impact of racial trauma within healthcare systems. Ashley shares how her personal experiences, her grandmother’s legacy, and over a decade of work as a trauma therapist shaped her approach to culturally responsive care.
Listen to hear about:
The concept of racial trauma as real trauma, and why naming it explicitly matters in both therapy and broader cultural conversations.

How systemic bias in healthcare shows up in real, life-threatening ways (misread medical devices, dismissal of symptoms, lack of advocacy).

The burden of self-advocacy in medical spaces, especially for Black patients and families navigating emergencies or chronic illness.

Ashley’s idea of moving from “hope” to “commitment,” and how small, individual actions create meaningful systemic change.

The idea of “homecoming to self” through culture, ancestry, music, food, and joy as a necessary counterbalance to generational trauma.

And grab a copy of The Cost of Healing in Silence here!
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor
1 hr 11 min
March 27 First Quarter Favorite Reads of 2026 with Gare and Steph
Gare, Steph and I share and discuss our favorite reads from the first quarter of 2026!
Kate’s Books
Queen of Faces by Petra Lord
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
She Drinks the Light by Yasmin Angoe
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson
These Heathens by Mia McKenzie
Gare’s Books
The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives
Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding
Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Seraphina Nova Glass
Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh
The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass
Steph’s Books
We Used to Live Here
The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
All the Bookwild Links:
Check Out the Bookwild Substack
Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube
Get Bookwild Merch
Follow @imbookwild on Instagram
Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba
Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

1 hr 8 min