In this episode, I had the immense privilege of chatting with Sharmaine Lovegrove. Sharmaine is the incredibly talented publisher of Dialogue Books, an imprint of Little, Brown UK that publishes stories for, about and by underrepresented voices, including BAME, LGBTQI+, disabled and working class writers.

It's no coincidence that two of my favourite books in the last two years -The Leavers by Lisa Ko and Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton - have been published by Sharmaine and her team. These beautiful stories, and the authors who wrote them, deserve to be celebrated. I'm certainly not alone in this belief as these two books and others have been read and loved by thousands around the world.

Sharmaine and I chatted about how much Dialogue has accomplished in two years, the stories that we will continue to love and why readers should read as many new books as possible.

Dialogue Books website: https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/Articles/DialogueBooks.page

If you Google 'Daisy Buchanan', you'd probably expect to see references to the well-known F. Scott Fitzgerald character. However, it's the award-winning journalist and author by the same name that I'm celebrating in this episode.

Daisy Buchanan doesn't really need an introduction. She's loved and admired by thousands, and if you've read any of her books or feature articles, you'll quickly understand why. I've been a fan for years which is why this chat was a special treat.

In this episode, we talked about how she feels about sharing a name with a famous character, why body confidence remains a tricky topic for many women (myself included)and the inspiration for her latest book, The Sisterhood, which is on dozens of 'must-read' lists for 2019.

You can buy 'The Sisterhood' here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-sisterhood/daisy-buchanan/9781472238856

Have you ever been mesmerised by a book cover? If you own a copy of Heads of the Colored People, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

In this episode, I chat with award-winning author, Nafissa Thompson-Spires. Her beautiful collection of short stories has received so much recognition from both sides of the pond and you only have to read the first story to understand why. Nafissa is a truly gifted writer who creates quirky and unforgettable characters who will stay with you long after you turn the page.

It's no wonder that Nafissa just won the PEN Open Book Award for this incredible collection. It was one of my favourite books of 2018.

You can buy Nafissa's book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/heads-of-the-colored-people/nafissa-thompson-spires/9781781090633

Who is Mr. Penumbra and why does he have a 24-hour bookstore? Is it possible for the average human to bake a perfect loaf of sourdough?

These questions came to my mind when I read and loved Robin Sloan's two novels, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and Sourdough. The characters who feature in Robin's books are fascinating and mysterious, not unlike the author himself.

After chatting with Robin, it's obvious why Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, which came out in 2012, was a New York Times bestseller that was translated into more than 20 languages. His second novel, Sourdough, was published in 2017 and is just as fun to read.

We chatted about the inspiration behind Robin's books, whether a 24-hour bookstore is actually a good idea as well as the new projects that Robin is working on in 2019.

Robin's website: https://www.robinsloan.com/

You can buy Robin's books here: https://www.waterstones.com/author/robin-sloan/1164089

Find out more about Robin's 2019 projects here: https://desert.glass/

If you love clever plots that draw you in and surprise you, as well as characters that are relatable and easy to fall in love with, then Camille Perri's books are definitely for you.

As a former librarian and books editor for both Cosmopolitan and Esquire, Camille truly knows a thing or two about books. While she was the assistant to the editor-in-chief at Esquire, she wrote her first novel, The Assistants. If you know first-hand what it's like to be overworked and underpaid, then you'll definitely relate to Tina and Emily's journey.

And equally, if you love Nora Ephron and the delicious ingredients that go into a love story, then Camille's second novel, When Katie Met Cassidy is a must-read. It's a heartwarming tale of two women who start out as friends but find love and their happy ending.

You can buy Camille's books here:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-assistants/camille-perri/9780552173087

https://www.waterstones.com/book/when-katie-met-cassidy/camille-perri/9780349421193

Abigail Bergstrom knows a thing or two about publishing. After many successful years at Simon & Schuster (the first book she published was Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates), Abigail became Head of Gleam Titles in July 2017. For almost two years, the team has published bestsellers from some of the biggest names in digital and social media.

In this episode, Abigail and I chat about our mutual love of books, the unique voices that are getting our attention as well as all the exciting things that Gleam Titles has planned for 2019.

https://www.gleamtitles.com/

Do you crave organisation in your life? Fancy learning how to declutter everything from your wardrobe to your bookshelf?

Award-winning online content creator, YouTube superstar and author Anna Newton has the answers. Her first book, An Edited Life, comes out in January and is a fantastic guide to organising your home, mind and life. With the help of Anna's brilliant tips and advice, you'll soon learn how to edit out the mess and noise to make room for what makes you happy.

Pre-order Anna's book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/an-edited-life/anna-newton/9781787132429

Nora Ephron was an inspiring woman who built an incredibly successful career as a screenwriter, producer, author, director and journalist. Her three iconic films - When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail - literally saved the romantic comedy.

In this episode, author Erin Carlson and I discuss her book, I'll Have What She's Having, which perfectly encapsulates the brilliant mind of Nora Ephron and explains why these three films will continue to be favourites for many years to come.

Erin's book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ill-have-what-shes-having/erin-carlson/9780316353892

Our friendships, whether they begin IRL or via social media, define us. From your childhood best friend to your work spouse, our lives are filled with wonderful people who keep us on our toes and make us laugh.

In this episode of Shelf Life, journalist and author Kate Leaver explains how we are currently facing a loneliness epidemic and how the special relationships with our friends can be just the right cure.

Buy Kate's book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-friendship-cure/kate-leaver/9780715652527

Kate's website: https://kateleaver.com/

Who would you consider the best-dressed people in history? Could you narrow it down to just 100 figures?

Thankfully, fashion historian and author Amber Butchart has done just that in her new book, The Fashion Chronicles. In this special episode, recorded at Jane Austen's House in Chawton, we discuss fashion during the Regency period as well as the people who influenced these styles.

Buy Amber's new book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-fashion-chronicles/amber-butchart/9781784723811v

Amber's website: https://www.amberbutchart.com/