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Friends & Fiction

Friends & Fiction: Episode 146 – Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory

On this episode we introduce you to one of the world’s foremost historical novelists, Philippa Gregory! Philippa is the acclaimed author of many New York Times bestselling novels, including THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (which was a 2008 major motion picture starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson) and THE WHITE QUEEN (which became a StarzOriginals 10-part series in 2013). Philippa has won numerous awards including Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction by the Historical Writers’ Association, an Honorary Platinum Award by Nielsen for achieving significant lifetime sales of her books, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature and charity. She joins us from the UK to discuss her brand-new novel, DAWNLANDS, the spellbinding new entry in her Fairmile series featuring palace intrigue, political upheaval, and life-changing secrets in seventeenth-century England. Join the fun as we discuss the origins of this series, her journailsm background, her research and writing process, and her charitable efforts.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 145 – Wanda Morris

Wanda Morris

On this episode we spend some quality time with our friend Wanda Morris! The acclaimed author of 2021’s #1 Library Reads Pick ALL HER LITTLE SECRETS (which is being adapted by Uzo Aduba as a limited series for Showtime!), joins us to talk about her brand-new gripping, suspenseful novel, ANYWHERE YOU RUN (just released on 10/25/22 by William Morrow Books). Wanda tells us about her gut-wrenching research into Jim Crow-era Mississippi, the difficult decision to keep the language of the time authentic in her writing, the food and music at play in her novel, and all about her writing process and path to publication.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 144 – Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris + Susan Meissner

Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris + Susan Meissner

On this episode we have FOUR amazing author guests! On the first half of the show, meet the author trio of Ariel Lawhon, Susan Meissner & Kristina McMorris who join us to discuss the historical novel they team-wrote together, WHEN WE HAD WINGS, about three WWII nurses who wage their own battle for freedom and survival in the South Pacific. We find out their inspiration for this book, their research and process for writing together, and which of them wrote which character. On the second half of the show we introduce #1 bestselling author, Santa Montefiore, who is a huge bestseller in England with more than 3-million copies sold across Europe and novels translated into 20 languages. We talk to Santa about her children’s Royal Rabbits series she writes with her husband Simon Sebag Montefiore and discuss her spellbinding new novel set in war-torn Italy and the streets of New York, AN ITALIAN GIRL IN BROOKLYN, in which dark secrets and hidden sorrows abound.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 143 – Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell

On this episode we speak with Lisa Jewell, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels such as The Family Upstairs, Then She Was Gone, The Girls, and The Night She Disappeared whose work has been translated into 29 languages and has sold more than 10 million copies internationally. She joins us to discuss her standalone sequel, THE FAMILY REMAINS, published earlier this year. Listen in as the ladies discuss her career shift from rom-com to psychological thriller, her inspiration for her deeply troubled characters, how she veered into police procedural for the first time with this latest book, her inspiration and writing process. Stick around for a great “Ask Us Anything” segment on the after show.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 142 – Veronica Roth + Gabrielle Zevin

Veronica Roth + Gabrielle Zevin

Meet two incredible, mega-bestselling author guests on this show—Veronica Roth and Gabrielle Zevin. Veronica is the New York Times bestselling author of the phenomenally popular series of books and movies, Divergent, who has also penned The End and Other Beginnings, Chosen Ones, and the Carve the Mark duology. She joins us to discuss her brand-new dystopian mystery novel POSTER GIRL, pushing her boundaries as a writer, and exploring big themes through science fiction. Gabrielle Zevin is the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed author of several novels, including Margarettown, Young Jane Young, and book-cub favorite The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry which spent several months on the New York Times Best Seller List and was just released as a major motion picture. She joins us to discuss her super buzzworthy tenth novel, TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW, which was published earlier this year and was a NYT bestseller and named a Book of the Month finalist for Book of the Year. We hear from Gabrielle about the role of gaming in her life and in this novel, seeing her work come alive on the big screen, and the friendship/love story at the heart of her new book.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 139 – Shelby Van Pelt

Shelby Van Pelt

The Fab Four sit down with Shelby Van Pelt, the author of the smash hit and much buzzed about debut novel REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES which was an instant New York Times bestseller, named one of Amazon’s #1 Best Books of the Year, chosen as a Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick, and named a Best Book of Summer by the Chicago Tribune, The View, Southern Living, and USA Today. The gang have a fun and insightful conversation about Shelby’s writing process, her path to publication, her inspiration for the caharacter of Marcellus the octopus, and what it’s been like to have her very first book—the quirky story of a widow who befriends an aquarium-dwelling octopus—burst onto the literary scene in such grand fashion.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 138 – Sarah Addison Allen + Lauren K. Denton

Sarah Addison Allen + Lauren K. Denton

On this episode, we talk to TWO amazing authors! Meet the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels (Garden Spells, First Frost), Sarah Addison Allen, a self-described master of “southern fried magical realism.” She joins us to discuss her long-awaited seventh novel, OTHER BIRDS, which St.Martin’s Press just released on August 30th, and which debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list. The crew discuss character develpment, the craft of magical realism, the role that food and the theme of motherhood play in her books, and they go deep as they talk to Sarah about the tragic loss of her mother and how it effected her writing. On the second half of the show, the crew welcomes the USA TODAY bestselling author of six novels (The Hideaway, Hurricane Season), Lauren K. Denton who joins us to discuss her forthcoming sixth novel, A PLACE TO LAND (Harper Muse, October 4th). We hear all about the southern setting in her new novel, her strong female characters, sacrifice and sisterhood.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 137 – Kristina McMorris

Kristina McMorris

We are joined by show regular Kristina McMorris for a night of bookish talk, lots of laughs, and even a magic trick! Kristina joins us to discuss her brand-new book, just released this week, THE WAYS WE HIDE. The crew chat about the pressures of following up Kristina’s hugely successful million-copy bestseller, SOLD ON A MONDAY, her extensive research process into the mechanics of the magic, illusion, and spycraft of her main character, and are even treated to custom-made dossiers for each of the Fab Four and a magic trick! Kristina also briefly touches on her forthcoming collaboration with Ariel Lawhon & Susan Meissner, WHEN WE HAD WINGS. We round out the night with a writing tip, book recommendation, and a tip for how to raise your kids to be readers. On the after show, Patti joins us live from the streets of the New Orleans French Quarter where she was visiting for an indepdenent booksellers conference.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 136 – Beatriz Williams, Karen White and Lauren Willig

Beatriz Williams, Karen White and Lauren Willig

On this episode, the Fab Four are joined by FOUR fabulous authors! On the first half of the show, we meet Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (affectionately known as “Team W”) about the most recent novel they team-wrote together, THE LOST SUMMERS OF NEWPORT. We hear all about their team-writing process, how their partnership came to be, the setting and inspiration for their latest bestseller, and are treated to some writing tips. On the second half of the show, we meet publishing veteran turned novelist, Miriam Parker. With an MFA in Creative Writing, two decades in the book biz, some short stories and a debut novel under her belt, Miriam is currently the VP, Associate Publisher of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins. She joins us to discuss her new novel, ROOM AND BOARD. The crew talks about her path to publication, her unique perspective as both an author and a publishing insider, and how she juggles it all.

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Friends & Fiction: Episode 135 – Tamron Hall

Tamron Hall

On this episode, the Fab Four host broadcast journalist and Emmy Award-winning talk show host turned novelist, Tamron Hall to discuss her debut novel, the first in a thrilling new series, AS THE WICKED WATCH, recently released in paperback. The crew discusses why Tamron chose to venture into fiction, the challenges of tackling a difficult and timely subject like crime against communities of color, how her journalism work and own tragic life experiences inspired her fiction, and how she juggles it all. This episode is filled with intimate and revealing talk and, as always, a few laughs. It will leave you feeling both inspired and excited to meet Tamron’s heroine Jordan Manning.

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