Front Porch Book Club

Usually, we feature our children’s book in December, but this year we thought we’d do it in November to give friends of children ample time to buy the book for the holiday. This year's book is M.W. AND THE MONARCH written and illustrated by Lauren Scheib and Christina Lambert Clarke.

Linda met Lauren as a fellow volunteer and neighbor for the American Red Cross. Linny was excited to hear that Lauren wrote a children’s book and also a play. When Lauren shared a copy of M.W. AND THE MONARCH with Linny, we knew we had to feature it as our children’s book.

In this book, we meet M.W. who is being grown from a seed in a greenhouse along with a lot of other seeds. As they are watered and cared for, the seeds grow into beautiful colorful plants, except M.W. And those beautiful plants are a little mean to M.W. Soon, all the plants are being purchased and taken to new homes, except M.W. Finally, a little girl and her father buy M.W. and the little girl claims M.W. will be the most important plant in their garden. M.W. is planted and then a curious visitor arrives.

Linny notes there are a lot of different themes in the book. That is really great, especially since children love reading books over and over. She liked that the adults nurtured the seeds and plants. Linny says there are a lot of themes to chat with a child about.

Nancy points out that the last page of the book has a list of questions to talk with co-readers about. Linny suggests adults could talk with children about growth and diversity, too. Also, what you might say to a bully who is calling you names. Nancy suggests the book is ripe for talking about how everyone has their own set of attributes: not better, not worse, just different.

Linny shares her recent red-carpet event in Washington, D.C. for her latest movie premiere for the movie WHEN FATAL ATTRACTION HITS HOME. Nancy talks about her experience co-chairing the Humanities Nebraska Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities.

WHEN FATAL ATTRACTION HITS HOME: Linny’s recent movie

Nebraska Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities

Nathaniel Philbrick

This episode we are talking about the novel, TIGER’S MOUTH written by Lucy Tan. This book is coming out on November 17, 2026, so this is an early preview. TIGER'S MOUTH is set in contemporary New York City. We meet three young adults, each with their own ambitions who become best friends one fateful summer that impacts their lives in different ways.

We first meet Jack Chen, son of a caterer, who bluffs his way into a prestigious internship at tech giant K.O. Systems. At K.O. Systems, his officemate is Jack Owens, son of the company’s billionaire founder, who would rather be dead than work for his father. Finally, there’s Jack Chen’s affluent girlfriend and budding opera singer, Caty Shangguan.

Nancy and Linny talk quite a bit about the characters, but the story also leads us to important questions, such as: what you lose when you deny your own past?

Nancy and Linny also discuss symbolism throughout the book: the author choosing to name the two characters “Jack;” the two tigers on the cover; and the move in the game GO, Tiger's Mouth, where a player basically surrounds and traps the other player.

Linny reports that of this year's books, TIGER'S MOUTH was the most of a page turner for her. She thinks it was the economic issues and the relationships. She said, “You don’t have to be tech savvy at all to enjoy this book!”

WHEN FATAL ATTRACTION HITS HOME: Linny's latest movie

ON GOLDEN POND: Filmed where Nancy stayed in New Hampshire

GO: The game featured in the book, TIGER'S MOUTH

Grab your iced tea and settle in on the front porch with us as we delve into BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan, a tale that intertwines the lives of characters in a small Ohio town against the backdrop of post-World War II America. At its core, BUCKEYE explores the consequences of a brief affair between Cal and Margaret, and the impact not only their lives but also the next generation.

Throughout the conversation, the notion of secrets is central. Nancy reflects on why people keep secrets, suggesting that, "There are things that we want to hold to ourselves… that we just don't want to share with anyone else." There are also secrets of shame. It's the secrets of shame that resonate deeply in the context of the characters' lives, as they navigate their desires while grappling with societal expectations.

Linda shares her admiration for the depth of character development in the book, noting how it presents the characters as children, showing their early signs of personality and trauma. The evolution of Felix's storyline, in particular, is highlighted as an exploration of identity and acceptance during a time when societal norms were vastly different. "What an interesting time in history. So much more challenging and difficult for a gay person to come out then compared to now," Linda observes, emphasizing the nuanced portrayal of relationships.

The discussion also touches on the tragic aspects of Margaret's story, where her longing for intimacy is met with Felix's inability to reciprocate.

As we conclude our exploration of *Buckeye*, we invite you to reflect on the nature of secrets and the intricate web of relationships that define us. What do you think drives people to keep secrets? How do these secrets shape their lives and the lives of those around them?

If you haven't yet read BUCKEYE, we encourage you to pick up a copy and immerse yourself in this compelling narrative.

Today we interview Kayla Rae Whitaker about her new novel, RETURNS AND EXCHANGES. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to have a family business, this book is for you! We learn about Kayla’s inspiration to write RETURNS AND EXCHANGES and get her perspective on the complex characters and interrelationships she builds around the rise and fall of Baker-Taylor discount stores.

Kayla Rae Whitaker is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and New York University. Her first novel, THE ANIMATORS, was named a best book of the year by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and BookPage. She lives in Queens, New York.

We discuss Kayla's journey from English major to major author. She tells us just what she tells her students: if you want to see your name on the spine of a book, it's very possible.

Kayla tells us how homesickness and a trip to Sears gave her the shape of the story for RETURNS AND EXCHANGES.

Linny says she really liked the depth of each of the characters in RETURNS AND EXCHANGES. Kayla says she loves reading family epics, such as EAST OF EDEN. She wanted to write the kind of book she likes to read.

We loved talking about our many favorite characters and Kayla tells us the importance of writers loving all their characters: even Fred. Kayla likes to start with characters first and then find the stories around them.

We learn that Kayla loves to think about how birth order impacts her characters and we find out she is the youngest, just like Birdie, her easiest character to write!

EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck

George Saunders

Kayla’s Website

Kayla’s Instagram

After discussing the super fun time they spent together the week before, Linny and Nancy discuss RETURNS AND EXCHANGES by Kayla Rae Whitaker. This best-seller is the sweeping story of one Kentucky family’s tragicomic rise and fall throughout the 1980s. The plot revolves around parents Fred and Fran, they are the family behind the discount store chain, Baker-Taylor, that is expanding rapidly across the South and Midwest United States. The family values façade of the chain, and the family, starts to crack pretty early with an inter-company affair. Linny and Nancy relished the decade-long story of Fred and Fran’s four kids and their relationship with their parents, siblings, and the company. Both Linda and Nancy enjoyed the epilogue where several years have passed following the cataclysmic events of the story’s end.

Koco’s Pub in Baltimore

Sunrise Soap Company in York

We have a rollicking time with author Molly Fader. Her latest book, LADY X, became available on July 14. Molly is the author of four novels, including THE MCAVOY SISTERS BOOK OF SECRETS which is about two sisters from a small Pennsylvania hometown! Writing under the pseudonym, Molly O’Keefe, Molly Fader is the USA Today Bestselling author of over 50 contemporary romances. And Molly is a podcaster. Her podcast is called Day Drinking with Authors. She interviews authors, and others in the industry, about their recent releases, inspirations, and what’s happening next in publishing. And do it all while having a cocktail. Or three. She says!

We discuss how Molly's love of romance was borne from early tragedy. After a successful career as a romance writer, however, Molly decided she needed to write beyond that genre. It was a painful switch in agenting and publisher.

Molly tracing the inspiration for LADY X, including the incident in which she felt she poorly advised her teenaged daughter who was experiencing harassment.

Nancy reveals where she cried during the story and Linny and Nancy regale Molly with stories of their visits to 1970's New York on unchaperoned high school bus trips.

We talk about powerful men who abuse women and women who fight back. We also talk about how women sometimes enable the abuse of other women.

This is a gritty, realistic, clear-eyed look at female relationships from the 1970's to today. And, all three of us love ally Todd.

Molly’s podcast called DAY DRINKING WITH AUTHORS

Amy Clark’s podcast called the BOOK GANG

Kate Hilton’s CITY OF THE MUSE

The Women’s March in DC

Molly’s Website

It’s a hot summer in 1977. Son of Sam is on the loose and avigilante, Lady X, is meting out justice to abusive men. Linny and Nancy discuss Molly Fader’s new book, LADY X, and the feminine rage three young roommates experience in 1970’s New York. And also, in this dual-timeline book, modern day Margot whose A-list actor husband has been caught sendingcompromising pictures to girls. Ugh. We see women banding together, but this gritty book painfully shows how women also sometimes fail each other. This time, Nancy admits she cried reading the book (usually it’s Linny!). We alsoget updates on Linny’s acting gigs (can you say “speaking roles”?!), and, Nancy’s tennis teams’ trips to Districts and Regionals. In their endeavors, both Linny and Nancy are practicing Dr. Larry Widman’s positive self-talk!

Episode 45. Linda and Nancy discuss MAX OUT MINDSET by Dr.Larry Widman:

https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/45-max-out-mindset-by-dr-larry-widman/

Episode 46. Author Dr. Larry Widman supercharges our newyear telling us about his book, MAX OUT MINDSET:

https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/46-author-dr-larry-widman/

Episode 127. Linda and Nancy discuss THE MIDNIGHT SHOW:

https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/127-the-midnight-show/

Episode 128.  AuthorsLee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne join us to discuss THE MIDNIGHT SHOW:

https://frontporchbookclub.com/podcast/128-lee-kelly-and-jennifer-thorne/

Son of Sam:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Berkowitz

1977 New York City blackout:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_blackout_of_1977

PAIGE REVIEWS BOOKS review of LADY X:

https://paigesmith.net/tag/molly-fader-lady-x/

Today we interview Lindsey Goldstein about her book, GAP YEAR.

One of her early publications was an adorable personal essay she wrote for THE NEW YORK TIMES' Modern Love column:

At the cusp of 40, Lindsey decided there was only gain to try her hand at becoming a novelist. She wrote her first novel in her early 40s. GAP YEAR was her third novel and first published one.

GAP YEAR takes place in Ecuador, where Lindsey has visited and has swum with the penguins and sea lions, just as Jane did in GAP YEAR. Lindsey, like Jane, also had a gap year (traditional one, though!) and stayed in a hostel. We explore other ways Lindsey pulled from her own experiences, including those as a friend, daughter, and mother to bring realism to the novel.

We talk about youthful dreams and the importance of pursuing those that are meaningful to you, even if in just small steps.

Lindsey tells us how other authors have inspired her passions and her writing, including:

Bill Bryson’s A WALK IN THE WOODS

Rebecca Serle’s IN FIVE YEARS

Ashley Poston’s alternate reality books

Linny and Nancy discuss the REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES series and reminisce about how much they loved chatting with author Shelby Van Pelt.

Episode 71: Our review of REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES

Episode 72: Our chat with Shelby Van Pelt, author of REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES

It’s July, so we have a great beach read! It’s a new novel by debut author Lindsay Goldstein. In GAP YEAR, within one evening Jane’s marriage has suddenly ended and her daughter has gone off to Spain for a Gap Year. With the dissolution of her marriage, Jane makes a spontaneous decision to take a gap year of her own and accomplish her lifelong dream of climbing Cotopaxi, the Ecuadoran volcano, and also of visiting the Galapagos Islands. Sounds like a great plan. Except, of course, things don’t go according to plan. This is a fun, funny book that looks at whether it’s possible to recapture the dreams of youth when you’re no longer young. We learn a lot about the Ecuadorian volcano, Cotopaxi, which neither Linny nor Nancy had heard of. In the context of GAP YEAR, we discuss exotic travel dreams, parenting, empty nesting, and friendships.

Our first co-author interview! We meet Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne, the funny and thoughtful authors of THE MIDNIGHT SHOW. These two have great writing chemistry that s evident on the page and in our discussion. They have co-written three previous novels and are also independent authors. We discuss how they came to write together and how their co-writing has evolved over four books. We're thrilled to learn that their first co-written novel, THE ANTIQUITY AFFAIR, features two sisters on an Indiana Jones-type adventure. That book will be added to our TBR lists. We learn how Lee and Jennifer devised and executed the unique, mixed media form of THE MIDNIGHT SHOW. Hot tip: they've played with inserting bits of mixed media since their first novel. In THE MIDNIGHT SHOW, well, they went 100% in and it's fabulous. We discuss some of the challenges working women and women comedians faced back in the day, oh, and still face. We also discuss generational perspectives on these challenges. But we also laugh a lot together. Just four Pennsylvania girls having a great hang on the Front Porch!