Milan Carter-Gilkey is a writer, a lover of books, and a bookseller. She writes personal essays, articles, creative nonfiction and occasionally, fiction. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, mater mea, Mutha Magazine, the anthology All the Women in My Family Sing, and elsewhere. In this episode, Meilan and Annmarie talk about favorite books of the past, present, and future, and how to reach for a title to transport you to a world you didn’t know was possible.

Episode Sponsors:

Octavia’s Bookshelf – An independent bookstore in Pasadena, California where readers of all walks of life can enjoy our store full of books written by BIPOC writers. Octavia’s Bookshelf is a place to find your new BFF inside a book, a space to find community, enjoy a cup of coffee, read, relax, find unique and specially curated products from artisans from around the world and in our neighborhood. Stop by or shop online at octaviasbookshelf.com.

Porter Square Books: Boston Edition – A welcoming space to gather with neighbors, linger over books, read with kids, chat with booksellers, and feel part of the community. Whether it’s an author series, book club, or regular story hour, we’ll work to make it happen. Shopping with us also supports GrubStreet, one of the nation's leading creative writing centers. Learn more or shop online at portersquarebooks.com.

Titles Recommended in This Episode:

Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume

Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, by Judy Blume

A Handful of Earth, a Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia Butler, by Lynell George

Beloved, by Toni Morrison

Sula, by Toni Morrison

Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison

The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison

Kin, by Tayari Jones

Silver Sparrow, by Tayari Jones

An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones

The Untelling, by Tayari Jones

Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom Is Dead, by Angela Nissel

Oreo, by Fran Ross

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw

Long Division, by Kiese Laymon

Heavy, by Kiese Laymon

Martyr!, by Kaveh Akbar

O Sinners! by Nicole Cuffy

There’s Always This Year, by Hanif Abdurraqib

The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros

Wild Seed, by Octavia E. Butler

Dawn, by Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler

The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy

Running in the Family, Michael Ondaatje

Things in Nature Merely Grow, by Yiyun Li

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution, by R. F. Kuang

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton

Good Talk, by Mira Jacob

Follow Meilan Carter-Gilkey:

Instagram: @meilancg

Substack: @meilancartergilkey

**Writing Workshops:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below.

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone looking for support writing their memoir, Annmarie is teaching a class here.

For anyone looking for a month of accountability writing hours and workshops, learn more here.

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Julie Carrick Dalton’s most recent novel, THE FOREST BECOMES HER, has been described as “a lush, lyrical exploration of sisterhood, rage, and the sacred ties between women and the wild.” In this episode, Julie and Annmarie talk about Transcendentalism, favorite trees, the blessings of mugwort, and how to open our eyes more fully to the beauty of the natural world.

Episode Sponsors:

Porter Square Books: Boston Edition – A welcoming space to gather with neighbors, linger over books, read with kids, chat with booksellers, and feel part of the community. Whether it’s an author series, book club, or regular story hour, we’ll work to make it happen. Shopping with us also supports GrubStreet, one of the nation's leading creative writing centers. Learn more or shop online at portersquarebooks.com.

Belmont Books – An honest to goodness real mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar bookstore in beautiful Belmont, MA. Why would we open a bookstore in the age of Kindles, Kobos, iPads and eBooks? Because: Every town needs one; People still love to browse real books on real shelves; Traditional bookstores provide more help, expertise and personal service than online ones; Small town stores are centers where people come together in the most impromptu fashion and exchange ideas and stories, make new friends, and find support. Plus, real bookstores often come with coffee shops. Stop by or shop online at belmontbooks.com

Titles by Julie Carrick Dalton

Waiting for the Night Song

The Last Beekeeper

The Forest Becomes Her

Titles and Author Discussed in This Episode:

Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy

Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward

The Gatepost, by Tim Weed

Westerly, by Susan Donovan Bernhard

Follow Julie Carrick Dalton:

Twitter/X: @JulieCarDalt

Instagram: @juliecdalton

Facebook: @JulieCarrickDalton

Substack: Julie’s Plot Twist

juliecarrickdalton.com

Photo Credit: Sharona Jacobs

**Writing Workshops:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below.

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone interested in an August weekday accountability hour, you can sign up here.

For anyone looking for support writing their memoir, Annmarie is teaching a class here.

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

John Searles is the best-selling author of the novels Her Last Affair, Help for the Haunted, Strange but True, Boy Still Missing, and his latest, Single Girls, which is out now. In today’s episode, John and Annmarie discuss the joys and risks of the writing life, and the legendary career of Helen Gurley Brown, the most famous and transformative editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine.

Bookstore Spotlights:

Three Lives & Company Booksellers – Three Lives is an anachronism.​ It’s the shop around the corner. A touchstone in a neighborhood. A place with a human face and a cast of characters. 84 Charing Cross Road colored by the time and place. A haven for people who read. We (the store and our customers) have grown up and evolved together. People come here to see and buy what we consider to be some of the best books available today. We thrive on discovering literary books that might otherwise be overlooked, and we are thrilled to give them to our customers. Stop by our West Village shop and learn more at threelives.com.

BookHampton – Situated in the village of East Hampton on Long Island's storied East End, BookHampton provides a vibrant year-round environment for discovering books that intrigue, amuse, educate, and inspire. A dedicated and knowledgeable staff, lively events with fascinating authors, and a warm, welcoming space all combine to create a community for book lovers. Stop by or shop online at bookhampton.com.

Books by John Searles:

Her Last Affair

Help for the Haunted

Strange but True

Boy Still Missing

Single Girls

Additional Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

The Foursome, by Christina Baker Kline

Take Me with You, by Stephen Rowley

The Amateur, by Chris Bohjalian

Helpless, by Jessica Knoll

Follow John Searles:

Instagram: @johnsearles

Facebook: @JohnSearlesAuthor

john-searles.com

**Writing Workshops:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below.

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone interested in an August weekday accountability hour, you can sign up here.

For anyone looking for support writing their memoir, Annmarie is teaching a class here.

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

Whitney Vale is the author of two chapbooks, Journey with the Ferry Man, and her latest, Sermon of Swallows, which is out now. Her poetry and prose have been published in Anti-Heroin Chic, Rogue Agent, Black Fork Review, and The Rumpus, among many others. In today’s episode, Whitney and Annmarie discuss the joy of a creative life, the pain of beginning again, and what it might look like if we committed ourselves to filling the world with just a little more beauty.

Bookstore Spotlights:

Newtonville Books – An independent bookstore located at 10 Langley Rd, in Newton, Massachusetts -- in the old stone building at the north corner of the triangle parking lot. Come for the books. Stay for the books. Learn more and shop online at newtonvillebooks.com.

Carmichael's Bookstores – In Louisville, Kentucky. From the very beginning Carmichael’s has been committed to being a community gathering place, open seven days a week and every evening. Our stores are in neighborhoods that hum with activity—walkers, joggers, dogs and children, families and couples—lively streetscapes never darkened by the shadow of a big box store. Carmichael’s is actively committed to Keeping Louisville Weird and spreading the word about the importance of buying from locally-owned businesses. Stop by any of our locations or shop online at carmichaelsbookstore.com

Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

Journey with the Ferry Man

Sermon of Swallows

Kelli Russell Agodon

Beth Ann Fennelly 

Maggie Smith 

Ada Limón

Kathleen Driskell 

Sarah Freligh

Alison Hurwitz

Kristi Maxwell

Lung Hours, by Jessica Purdy

Diane Seuss

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Joy Harjo

Follow Whitney Vale:

Instagram: @whitneyvale

Facebook: @whitneyvale

whitneyvale.org

**Writing Workshops: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below. 

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here. 

For anyone interested in an August weekday accountability hour, you can sign up here. 

For anyone looking for support writing their memoir, Annmarie is teaching a class here.

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

Sara Lippmann is the author of the novel Lech and the story collections Doll Palace and Jerks. Her fiction has won the Lilith Prize and been honored by the New York Foundation for the Arts, and her nonfiction has appeared in The Millions, The Washington Post, The Chicago Review of Books, Lit Hub and elsewhere. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Sara discuss the 80s, the 90s, the joy and pain of writing workshops, and what healing can look like when we must reach deep into the past to find our way forward again.

Bookstore Spotlights:

Narberth Bookshop – At Narberth Bookshop, we’re a community of readers, writers, and lifelong learners, and we look forward to welcoming you to our store. Stop by our Narberth, Pennsylvania store or learn more at narberthbookshop.com.

Powerhouse Arena – A laboratory for creative thought in Brooklyn, New York. Home to world-renowned art book publisher POWERHOUSE BOOKS, the Arena is a gallery, boutique, book store, performance, and events space. The POWERHOUSE ARENA showcases a series of landmark exhibitions, performances, and controlled mayhem fusing the worlds of art, photography, design, fashion, pop culture, advertising, music, dance, film, and television into a glorious whirlwind of captivating spectacle. And they’re opening a new location this summer at the Upper West Side in the Shops at Columbus Circle. Learn more and shop online at powerhousearena.com. 

Titles by Sara Lippmann: 

Hidden River

Lech

Doll Palace

Jerks

Smashing the Tablets, co-edited with Seth Rogoff

Other Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

The Delegation, by Avner Landes 

Consolation, by Deborah Shapiro 

The World Between, by Zeeva Bukai

Everybody Needs Something, by Melanie Pappadis Faranello

Follow Sara Lippmann:

Instagram: @sara.lipp

Twitter/X: @saralippmann

Bluesky: @saralippmann.bsky.social

Facebook: @saralippmann

Threads: @sara.lipp

Substack: @saralippmann

saralippmann.com

**Writing Workshops: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below. 

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here. 

For anyone interested in an August weekday accountability hour, you can sign up here. 

For anyone looking for support writing their memoir, Annmarie is teaching a class here.

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

Jill Christman is a 2020 NEA Prose Fellow and the author of If This Were Fiction: A Love Story in Essays and two memoirs, Darkroom: A Family Exposure and Borrowed Babies: Apprenticing for Motherhood, and The Heart Folds Early: A Memoir. In today’s episode, Jill and Annmarie discuss healthcare, heartaches, and how to make it through when the thing we fear most comes true. 

Bookstore Spotlights:

Barrett Bookstore – The oldest and largest independent bookstore in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Woman-founded in 1939 and woman-owned today, Barrett booksellers develop relationships with authors (hosting many events like our yearly Ladies of Summer panel), partnerships with local schools and libraries, and friendships with our loyal patrons. Visit Barrett in Darien, CT or at barrettbookstore.com.

Newtonville Books – An independent bookstore located at 10 Langley Rd, in Newton, Massachusetts -- in the old stone building at the north corner of the triangle parking lot. Come for the books. Stay for the books. And learn more and shop online at newtonvillebooks.com.

Titles by Jill Christman: 

If This Were Fiction: A Love Story in Essays 

Darkroom: A Family Exposure

Borrowed Babies: Apprenticing for Motherhood

The Heart Folds Early: A Memoir.

Follow Jill Christman:

Instagram: @jillchristmanwriter 

Bluesky: @jillchristman.bsky.social

Substack: @riverteethjill

jillchristman.com

**Writing Workshops: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below. 

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here. 

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Priya Parmar is the author of the novel, Vanessa and Her Sister, a New York Times Notable Book, and her latest novel, The Original, is out now. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Priya discuss their shared obsession with movie star, Katharine Hepburn, gender norms in old Hollywood, and how to know when a book is really finished. 

Bookstore Spotlights:

Barrett Bookstore – The oldest and largest independent bookstore in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Woman-founded in 1939 and woman-owned today, Barrett booksellers develop relationships with authors (hosting many events like our yearly Ladies of Summer panel), partnerships with local schools and libraries, and friendships with our loyal patrons. Visit Barrett in Darien, CT or at barrettbookstore.com.

Newtonville Books – An independent bookstore located at 10 Langley Rd, in Newton, Massachusetts -- in the old stone building at the north corner of the triangle parking lot. Come for the books. Stay for the books. And learn more and shop online at newtonvillebooks.com.

Titles by Priya Parmar:

Exit the Actress

Vanessa and Her Sister

The Original

Additional Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

The Foursome, by Christina Baker Kline

Desk Set

The Philadelphia Story

Adam’s Rib

Sylvia Scarlett

Follow Priya Parmar:

Facebook: @priyaparmar

Instagram: @priyaparmarwriting

Substack: Plum Bean Notes @priyaparmarwriting

priyaparmar.net

**Writing Workshops:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below.

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here.

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Kelli Russell Agodon is a poet, writer, editor, and book designer whose Dialogues with Rising Tides, was named a Finalist for the Washington State Book Awards. In today’s episode, Kelli and Annmarie discuss texting Emily Dickinson, how to write a poem, and Kelli’s latest book Accidental Devotions which Traci Brimhall describes as “the kind of beauty you wish to hold forever.”

Episode Sponsors:

Open Books: Poem Emporium – A poetry bookstore and community space located in historic Pioneer Square, in Seattle, Washington. Stop by our Seattle location or shop at open-books-a-poem-emporium.myshopify.com.

Newtonville Books – An independent bookstore located at 10 Langley Rd, in Newton, Massachusetts -- in the old stone building at the north corner of the triangle parking lot. Come for the books. Stay for the books. And learn more and shop online at newtonvillebooks.com.

Titles by Kelli Russell Agodon:

Accidental Devotions

Dialogues with Rising Tides

Hourglass Museum

Everything Is Writable, co-authored with Annette Spaulding-Convy

The Daily Poet: Day-By-Day Prompts, co-authored with Martha Silano

Demystifying the Manuscript: Essays and Interviews on Creating a Book of Poems, co-edited with Susan Rich

Additional Titles and Authors Mentioned in This Episode:

The New Economy, by Gabrielle Calvocoressi

Blue Atlas, by Susan Rich

Dear Selection Committee, by Melissa Studdard

Glitter Road, by January Gill O’Neil

Terminal Surreal, by Martha Silano

Follow Kelli Russell Agodon:

Facebook: @agodon

Instagram: @kelliagodon

Bluesky: @kelliagodon

Threads: @kelliagodon

Twitter/X: @kelliagodon

Substack: Postcards from a Poet @kelliagodon

YouTube: @PoemsYouNeed

agodon.com

twosylviaspress.com

**Writing Workshops:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below.

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone interested in a May weekday accountability circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone in search of an evening class to jumpstart their creative practice, you can sign up here.

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

Martha Conway is the author of several novels including The Underground River, which was a New York Times Book Editor’s Choice. Her novel Thieving Forest won the North American Book Award for Best Historical Fiction, and her novel The Physician’s Daughter has been called “historical fiction at its finest.” In today’s episode, Annmarie and Martha discuss multiverses, theater kids, and how her latest book We Meet Apart was both a puzzle Martha created and a puzzle she needed to solve. 



Episode Sponsors:

Green Apple Books – Connecting curious San Francisco readers to great books since 1967. Browsing at Green Apple is a unique experience. From our handmade signs and book recommendations to the many nooks and crannies, you can both get lost in here and find serendipity. Our friendly, well-read employees also stand ready to help you in any way. For your next great read, stop by or go to greenapplebooks.com.

Orinda Books – An independently-owned bookstore just 30 minutes east of San Francisco. We are open six days a week with free parking, and the Orinda BART station is a pleasant half-mile walk away. We provide a diverse range of books and our children's department is extensive and inviting. Besides books, we also carry puzzles, toys, cards, and calendars, as well as locally-made chocolate, olive oil, ceramics, and artwork. We love to read and recommend our favorites — so don't hesitate to ask! Stop by or shop online at orindabooks.com.

Titles by Martha Conway:

Thieving Forest

The Underground River

12 Bliss Street

Sugarland

The Physician’s Daughter

We Meet Apart

Titles Mentioned in This Episode:

And The Ancestors Sing, by Radha Lin Chaddah

Bug Hollow, by Michelle Huneven

Skylark, by Paula McLain

Recipe for Joy, by Monica Comas

Follow Martha Conway:

Instagram: @marthamconway

Threads: @marthamconway

Substack: @marthaconway

marthaconway.com

**Writing Workshops:

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below.

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone interested in a May weekday accountability circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone in search of an evening class to jumpstart their creative practice, you can sign up here.

And if you’d like to travel with your writing, Annmarie is co-leading a writing retreat in Paris this June. Join us!

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

Annie Hartnett is the award-winning author of three novels: Rabbit Cake, Unlikely Animals, and the national bestseller The Road to Tender Hearts, which won the 2025 New England Book Award for fiction and was named a best book of 2025 from NPR, LitHub, and Southern Living. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Annie discuss parenting worries, janky rental houses, and how to write a road trip book with or without a cat that can predict death.

Episode Sponsors:

Newtonville Books – An independent bookstore located at 10 Langley Rd, in Newton, Massachusetts -- in the old stone building at the north corner of the triangle parking lot. Come for the books. Stay for the books. And learn more and shop online at newtonvillebooks.com.

Blue Willow Bookshop – A locally-owned, independently-minded West Houston bookstore. Blue Willow is run by a team of opinionated, well-read women. Our staff meetings are full of laughter, our back room is full of snacks, and we absolutely love putting the right book into a reader’s hands. We’ve got recommendations. We’ve got pizzazz. And we look forward to welcoming you to our happy place. Stop in or shop online at bluewillowbookshop.com.

Titles Mentioned in This Episode: 

Rabbit Cake, by Annie Hartnett

Unlikely Animals, by Annie Hartnett

The Road to Tender Hearts, by Annie Hartnett

Margot’s Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe

Follow Annie Hartnett:

Instagram: @annie_hartnett

Threads: @annie_hartnett

Substack: @anniehartnett

anniehartnett.com

accountabilityworkshops.com

Photo credit: Traer Scott

**Writing Workshops: 

If you liked this conversation and are interested in writing together, please consider the opportunities below. 

For women interested in an online Saturday morning writing circle, you can sign up here. 

For anyone interested in a May weekday accountability circle, you can sign up here.

For anyone in search of an evening class to jumpstart their creative practice, you can sign up here.
And if you’d like to travel with your writing, Annmarie is co-leading a writing retreat in Paris this June. Join us!

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