Cleyvis Natera is a novelist, short story writer, essayist, and critic, whose debut novel, Neruda on the Park, was a New York Times Editor’s Choice and awarded a Silver Medal by the International Latino Book Awards. Her second book, The Grand Paloma Resort, is out now. In today’s episode, Cleyvis and Annmarie discuss the often long and winding road to literary publication, marathons versus triathlons, and the high cost of luxury travel both on and off the resort.

Episode Sponsors:

McNally Jackson – Independent booksellers with locations in Nolita, Williamsburg, Seaport, Rockefeller, and Downtown Brooklyn. To find your next great read, drop by or shop online at www.mcnallyjackson.com

Books Are Magic – A family-owned independent bookstore in Brooklyn, committed to being a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive space for all people. We believe that books are indeed magic and that literature is one of the best ways to create empathy, transportation, and transformation. Stop by or shop online at booksaremagic.net.

Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Neruda on the Park, by Cleyvis Natera

The Grand Paloma Resort, by Cleyvis Natera

The Farming of Bones, by Edwidge Danticat

In the Time of Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez 

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, by Angie Cruz (You can listen to our WPL conversation with Angie here.)

Here’s the trailer for the Netflix series Envidiosa.

Follow Cleyvis Natera:

Instagram: @cleyvisnatera

Twitter/X: @cleyvisnatera

Bluesky: @cleyvisnatera.bsky.social‬

cleyvisnatera.com

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or if you’re looking for an online class to jumpstart your memoir, you can find that here. 

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more. 

Photo Credit: Beowulf Sheehan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Janet Clare is a former apparel designer-turned-writer whose first novel, Time Is the Longest Distance, was published in 2018, and now, nearly seven years later, her second, True Home is making its debut. Janet worked on True Home during the difficult days of her husband’s illness. And in her words, his “humor and supreme focus on living every moment” taught her how to press on and do the same. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Janet talk about coming-of-age stories, author blurbs, and how writing can be a powerful antidote in the face of grief and loss.

Episode Sponsors:

Book Soup – Known for our floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, high-profile author readings, limited-edition books, vinyl records, and celebrity clientele, Book Soup is an essential stop on any tour of Los Angeles. Find your next great read and shop online at booksoup.com.

Village Well Books & Coffee – A community-focused & impact-driven bookstore-café in the heart of Downtown Culver City, California. Village Well is a third place where we go for rest and nourishment between home and work. A place where neighbors have surprise encounters and people who might otherwise feel lonely at home can be surrounded by the comfort of lively, friendly human interaction. Stop by to eat, read, connect, learn about our community and our world, and be inspired, healed, accepted and loved. Or find us online at villagewell.com.

Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Time Is the Longest Distance, by Janet Clare

True Home, by Janet Clare

James, by Percival Everett

Kitchens of the Great Midwest, by J. Ryan Stradal

The Snowbirds, by Christina Clancy

The Heart of Winter, by Jonathan Evison

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous AND The Emperor of Gladness, by Ocean Vuong

Here’s the trailer for the 1973 film, The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. 

Follow Janet Clare:

Facebook: @janet clare

Instagram: @janetclare1

Bluesky: @janetclare.bsky.social‬

janetclarewriter.com

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true.

This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or if you’re looking for an online class to jumpstart your memoir, you can find that here.

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Young is an award-winning writer and journalist, and the author of the narrative non-fiction book The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland, which is longlisted for the 2025 American Library in Paris Book Award. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Michelle talk about Rose Valland, an unsung hero of the French war effort, and how an unlikely heroine infiltrated the Nazi leadership to save the world’s most treasured masterpieces.

Episode Sponsors:

McNally Jackson – Independent booksellers with locations in Nolita, Williamsburg, Seaport, Rockefeller, and Downtown Brooklyn. To find your next great read, drop by or shop online at www.mcnallyjackson.com

Bluestockings – A collectively-run NYC activist center, community space and feminist bookstore that offers mutual aid, harm reduction support,    non-judgemental resources, and a warming/cooling place that is radically inclusive of all genders, cultures, expansive sexualities and identities. Bluestockings seeks to empower all people to challenge oppression and participate in creating a society which is equitable, cooperative, and free, and we strive to empower our worker-owners through non-hierarchy,   cooperation, and consensus-based decision making, providing an example of the society we are working toward. Stop by or shop online at bluestockings.com.

Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland, by Michelle Young

The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage that Made an American Icon, by Laurie Gwen Shapiro, the aviator and the showman

Here’s the trailer for the 1964 film, The Train, starring Burt Lancaster. 

Follow Michelle Young:

Instagram: @michelleyoungwriter

Threads: @michelleyoungwriter

Twitter/X: @michelleyoungny

Bluesky: @‪michelleyoung.bsky.social

michelleyoungwriter.com

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holly Gramazio is a writer, game designer and curator. She founded the experimental games festival Now Play This, wrote the script for the award-winning indie videogame Dicey Dungeons, and her debut novel, The Husbands, is out now in paperback. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Holly talk about attics, games, husbands, online dating apps, and how art can help people to interact with their surroundings in new ways.

Episode Sponsors:

Another Story Bookshop – Located in the West end of Toronto, Another Story Bookshop sells a broad range of literature for children, young adults, and adults with a focus on themes of social justice, equity, and diversity. We are a proudly independent bookstore with 30 years of history and a commitment to providing quality customer service. Stop by or shop online at anotherstory.ca.

Blue Heron Books – The unpretentious atmosphere of Blue Heron with its comfy chairs, wood shelving, and creaky floors lends itself to long, slow, browsing sessions. However, under that sleepy atmosphere vibrates a strong pulse. In its storied, thirty-plus-year history, Blue Heron Books has played host to and continues to showcase a veritable who’s who of the world’s literary community. Two-time winner of The Libris Award (Best Bookstore in Canada), Blue Heron is a hub for the community and a bastion of friendly chaos where everyone is welcome. Stop by or shop online at blueheronbooks.com.

Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

The Husbands, by Holly Gramazio

Dicey Dungeons

Art Deck, created by Sophie Sampson and Holly Gramazio

Greta & Valdin, by Rebecca K. Reilly 

Memento Mori, by Eunice Hong 

Glorious Exploits, by Ferdia Lennon

Follow Holly Gramazio:

Instagram: @holly_gramazio

Bluesky: ‪@hollygramazio.bsky.social‬

hollygramazio.net

Photo credit: Diana Patient

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uzma Jalaluddin is a critically acclaimed and bestselling novelist, playwright, public speaker and teacher. She writes authentic, nuanced and entertaining stories about Muslims, South Asians, and Canadians and is the author of DETECTIVE AUNTY, MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA, THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, HANA KHAN CARRIES ON, and AYESHA AT LAST, as well as her first play, THE RISHTA. Her novels have been optioned for film and television by Amazon Studios and Mindy Kaling. In today’s episode, Annmarie welcomes Uzma back to talk about how to write a mystery, how to revise a book, and how to walk in the direction of your wildest dreams.

Episode Sponsors:

Another Story Bookshop – Located in the West end of Toronto, Another Story Bookshop sells a broad range of literature for children, young adults, and adults with a focus on themes of social justice, equity, and diversity. We are a proudly independent bookstore with 30 years of history and a commitment to providing quality customer service. Stop by or shop online at anotherstory.ca.

Blue Heron Books – The unpretentious atmosphere of Blue Heron with its comfy chairs, wood shelving, and creaky floors lends itself to long, slow, browsing sessions. However, under that sleepy atmosphere vibrates a strong pulse. In its storied, thirty-plus-year history, Blue Heron Books has played host to and continues to showcase a veritable who’s who of the world’s literary community. Two-time winner of The Libris Award (Best Bookstore in Canada), Blue Heron is a hub for the community and a bastion of friendly chaos where everyone is welcome. Stop by or shop online at blueheronbooks.com.

Books by Uzma Jalaluddin:

DETECTIVE AUNTY

MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA

THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, co-authored with Marissa Stapley

HANA KHAN CARRIES ON

AYESHA AT LAST

Other Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Blood Betrayal, by Ausma Zehanat Khan 

The Unquiet Dead, by Ausma Zehanat Khan

Here’s a trailer for The Good Place.

Follow Uzma Jalauddin:

Instagram: @uzmajalaluddin

Twitter: @UzmaWrites

Facebook: @UzmaJalaluddinAuthor

Substack: @uzmajalaluddin

uzmajalaluddin.com

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie and co-leader Athena Dixon for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa Febos is the author of five books, including the national bestselling essay collection, GIRLHOOD, which has been translated into eight languages and was a LAMBDA Literary Award finalist, and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism. Her craft book, BODY WORK, was also a national bestseller, an LA Times Bestseller, and an Indie Next Pick. Her latest, The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex, is out now. She’s the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and the Jeanne Córdova Nonfiction Award from LAMBDA Literary. On today’s show, Melissa and Annmarie discuss celibacy, erasure, and how abstaining from romantic entanglements might allow us to see ourselves in radical new ways.

Episode Sponsors:

Prairie Lights Books – Iowa City’s premier indie bookstore since 1978.   Perhaps the strength of Prairie Lights reputation lies in the reading series of local, national and international writers who have read their works which were broadcast live on Iowa Public Radio and Television stations and which was the only regular literary series of its kind. All of this could not have been possible without a loyal customer base and a dedicated staff. Learn more or shop online at prairielights.com.

Books Are Magic – A family-owned independent bookstore in Brooklyn, NY committed to being a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive space for all people. We believe that books are indeed magic and that literature is one of the best ways to create empathy, transportation, and transformation. Stop by or shop online at booksaremagic.net.

Books by Melissa Febos

The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex

Body Work

Abandon Me

Whip Smart: The True Story of a Secret Life

Girlhood

Here’s our favorite Alan Rickman in Sense and Sensibility.

Follow Melissa Febos:

Instagram: @melissafebos

Facebook: @melissafebos

Substack: @melissafebos

melissafebos.com

Photo Credit: Beowulf Sheehan

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie and co-leader Athena Dixon for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Manguso is the author of nine books, most recently the novels Liars and Very Cold People, and a recent work of crowd-sourced philosophy, Questions Without Answers. Her writing has been recognized by an American Academy of Arts and Letters Literature Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Rome Prize. On today’s show, Annmarie and Sarah discuss the wisdom of children, parenting as an act of translation, and the innate satisfaction and delight found within even the most unanswerable questions.

Bookshop will be offering a 15% discount on the book which they've allowed us to share with our listeners. The code is QA15 : https://tinyurl.com/QA15OFF

Episode Sponsors:

McNally Jackson – Independent booksellers with locations in Nolita, Williamsburg, Seaport, Rockefeller, and Downtown Brooklyn. To find your next great read, drop by or shop online at www.mcnallyjackson.com

Annabelle’s Book Club LA – A highly curated collection of books and gifts with a modern point of view. Founded by 17-year-old Annabelle Chang, this YA-focused bookstore aims to spark imagination, inspire connection, and bring joy to people of all ages. Stop or find us online at annabellesbookclubla.com.

Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Questions Without Answers, by Sarah Manguso and illustrated by Liana Finck

Liars, by Sarah Manguso

Mixed Feelings, by Liana Finck

Gwendoline Riley

Here’s a trailer for Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

Follow Sarah Manguso and Liana Finck:

Instagram: @lianafinck

Twitter: @lianafinck

Substack: @lianafinck AND @sarahmanguso

sarahmanguso.com

lianafinck.com

Photo Credit: Beowulf Sheehan

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie and co-leader Athena Dixon for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

As of this moment, we only have 2 spots left. This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here or message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brad Peacock is a veteran, an organic farmer, and a former candidate for the United States Senate. He's also an author who has been featured in 7 days, VT Digger, The Washington Blade, and The New York Times. He lives with his husband on land that he is rehabilitating with native plants and flowers. James Crews is the author of numerous prize-winning collections of poetry. He runs an online writing community called The Monthly Pause and also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. Brad and James live together on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont and they recently co-edited LOVE IS FOR ALL OF US. On today’s show, Brad, Annmarie, and James discuss love stories, farming, and how poetry might just be the thing that saves us all.

Episode Sponsors

Battenkill Books – A local, independent bookstore selling general interest, new books in the Battenkill Valley. The store offers a broad range of books from current bestsellers to the classics, and from history and romance to gardening and cooking, and more. We also have an outstanding collection of books for children. And Battenkill carries maps, gifts, toys, cards, and an eclectic selection of magazines. Stop by or shop online at battenkillbooks.com.

Big Hill Books – The happiest bookstore in Minneapolis. Big Hill Books welcomes you to Bryn Mawr, one of the most charming and eclectic neighborhoods in the Twin Cities. As a general interest bookstore, we offer an engaging, inclusive inventory of titles and a bright, airy space for customers to sit, read and relax. Our feline friends, Goose and Addie, are also available for some complimentary lap time. Visit Big Hill Books and help us build a community in which "we all do better when we all do better." Find us online at bighillbooks.com.

Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Love Is for All of Us: Poems of Tenderness and Belonging, edited by James Crews and Brad Peacock

How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, edited by James Crews

Healing the Divide: Poems for Kindness and Connection, by James Crews

Here’s a clip from G.I. Jane that includes “Self-Pity,” a poem by D.H. Lawrence. 

Follow Brad Peacock and James Crews:

Instagram: @theheartofafarmer AND @james.crews.poet

Facebook: @brad.peacock.5836 AND @crewspoet

Substack: @JamesCrews

jamescrews.net

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie and co-leader Athena Dixon for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true.

As of this moment, we only have 2 spots left. This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Cramer-Miller is a writer, speaker, and joy seeker. She’s the Minnesota Board Chair for the National Kidney Foundation, and a Donate Life Ambassador for LifeSource. She’s also the author of the award-winning memoir, Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope, which is available now. On today’s show, Annmarie and Jennifer discuss kidney failure, unconditional love, and how the stories of our lives seldom unfold quite how we plan.

Episode Sponsors

Excelsior Bay Books – A locally owned & independent bookstore. Our atmosphere is casual and inviting with a comfy seating area in the center of the store. We have an interesting mix of titles and can special order anything not on the shelves. Our children's section is outstanding! All books and toys are hand-picked for quality and fun. We also offer a great selection of reading accessories (lights, bookmarks, book plates), puppets, puzzles, notecards, and educational gifts and toys. And we are dog-friendly. Come in and browse, or shop online at excelsiorbaybooks.net.

Big Hill Books – The happiest bookstore in Minneapolis. Big Hill Books welcomes you to Bryn Mawr, one of the most charming and eclectic neighborhoods in the Twin Cities. As a general interest bookstore, we offer an engaging, inclusive inventory of titles and a bright, airy space for customers to sit, read and relax. Our feline friends, Goose and Addie, are also available for some complimentary lap time. Visit Big Hill Books and help us build a community in which "we all do better when we all do better." Find us online at bighillbooks.com.

Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope, by Jennifer Cramer-Miller

Kelly Corrigan recently featured Jennifer Cramer-Miller’s story on Thanks for Being Here.

Here’s a trailer for Steel Magnolias, a film which you should not watch if you do not want to cry.

Here’s the opening credits for ThirtySomething which ought to be streaming somewhere – I’d love to see if it still holds up.

Bruce Springsteen singing Thunder Road in Barcelona – fantastic!

Follow Jennifer Cramer-Miller:

Instagram: @jennifercramermiller

Facebook: @JenniferCramerMiller

Twitter: @JenniferCramerMiller

LinkedIn: @jenniferCramerMiller

Learn more at jennifercramermiller.com and join her monthly-ish newsletter here.

Buy Jennifer’s book here.

Jennifer Cramer-Miller's Awards and Recognition:

International Impact Book Award, Family + Medical

Book Excellence Award Winner, Family 

BookFest Award Winner, Transformational Memoir + Relationships & Family

2024 IPPY E-Book Award: Gold Winner

2024 Next Generation Book  Finalist, Memoir + Cover Design

National Indie Excellence Book Award - Inspiration + Medical + Non-Fiction

Living Now Award Bronze Medal: Health and Wellness

Readers' Favorite Award: Gold Medal - Non Fiction

Publishers Weekly, starred review "...a knockout memoir..."

*Also, here’s a link to donatelife.net if you want to learn more about organ donation and kidney.org if you'd like more about kidney health.

Photo Credit: Belu Photography

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie and co-leader Athena Dixon for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true. 

As of this moment, we only have 2 spots left. This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, message Annmarie to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A native of Chicago’s South Side, Nancy Johnson worked for more than a decade as an Emmy-nominated, award-winning television journalist at CBS and ABC. More recently, she’s the author of The Kindest Lie and her latest novel, People of Means. On today’s show, Annmarie and Nancy discuss the call to activism, and what makes some people enter the fight for racial justice while others step away. This show also covers family history and how important it is to record ancestral stories before they are lost forever.

Episode Sponsors

Da Book Joint – A Black woman-owned business born on the Southside of Chicago, and committed to literary growth and positive engagement of young people. Da Book Joint is a bookstore created with the purpose of uniting lovers of literature with diverse bestselling and rising authors. We’ve been in operation since 2007 and we’ve developed a thriving community where readers can easily purchase books they love and come together with like-minded individuals through virtual and in-person literary events. Stop by or shop online at dabookjoint.com.

The Lynx – A new general-interest bookstore in Gainesville, Florida, with an emphasis on books that are currently challenged or banned in Florida. We especially seek to celebrate the voices of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors whose stories are among the most challenged titles, and to bring attention to the deep and radiant literary legacy of the Sunshine State. We believe in the power of books to build and foster communities, conversations, and change. A group of lynxes is a Watch. Please join our Watch today. And stop by or shop online at thelynxbooks.com.

Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

The Kindest Lie, by Nancy Johnson

People of Means, by Nancy Johnson

Follow Nancy Johnson:

Instagram: @NancyJAuthor

Twitter: @NancyJAuthor

Facebook: NancyJohnsonAuthor

nancyjohnson.net

Photo Credit: Nina Subin

**Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing abroad, consider joining Annmarie and co-leader Athena Dixon for a writing retreat in Italy in September, 2025.

You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We’d love to help you make your wishes come true.

As of this moment, we only have 1 spot left. This will sell out. Act now and join us!

Or for women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, check out Annmarie’s webpage to learn more. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices