Tune in at 7pm ET tonight for this week’s episode!

On Wed 12/31 at 7pm Eastern on F&F’s Facebook group page & YouTube channel we will re-air one of our favorite episodes from the vault! Join us as the Fab Four talk to talk to reigning queen of the modern romance novel, Emily Henry, about her 2024 #1 New York Times-bestselling Funny Story.

Emily Henry is the author of four YA novels and, since 2020, she has published six NYT-bestselling rom-coms for adults (including Beach Read, Book Lovers, and Happy Place), with five of them being adapted for the big and small screens. In April 2024 Emily joined us to discuss Funny Story, a shimmering, joyful novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common that went on to become an instant #1 bestseller and a New York Times Notable Book for 2024. Now is the perfect time to revisit this chat as Emily comes off a truly incredible year. Emily’s 2025 novel Great Big Beautiful Life was another #1 NYT-bestseller and was named a Reese’s Book Club pick, and the movie adaptation of her 2021 The People We Meet on Vacation will premiere on Netflix just after the holidays on January 9, 2026. So, as you wait for the ball to drop this New Year’s Eve, tune in for this interview, now with a brand-new intro recorded by Kristy Woodson Harvey.

Watch the video broadcast of this interview as it airs on Wed 12/31 at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook group page & YouTube channel. Catch the audio version on our podcast Fri 1/2.

Order Emily’s latest book on Bookshop.org!
Shop all of our guests’ & hosts’ books in our F&F Shop on Bookshop.org!

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Our Favorite Reads & Books to Gift for 2025

MARY KAY ANDREWS: I want to continue to speak out, from my heart, about the world we live in, and continue to find ways to do good, in big and small ways. I want to travel with my husband and make time to connect with old friends, and continue my new-found commitment to fitness. And after a year away, I’m so looking forward to getting out on book tour in June to meet with readers while promoting my new novel ROAD TRIP.

KRISTIN HARMEL: I need to be better about not sweating the small stuff (I sometimes make a dramatic mountain out of a molehill, so to speak!) and also to make more time for myself and my family rather than throwing myself headlong into work all the time. So I guess my resolution in regard to that is to be cognizant of the importance of finding a good work-life balance. I’m not sure if this counts as a resolution, but I’d also like to take my 9-year-old, Noah, to see snow for the first time before he turns 10 in February!

KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY: I love, love goals and resolutions and, most of all, creating new habits. I realized in 2025 that I blurbed so many novels and read so many specifically for the show—which was AMAZING, by the way!—that I didn’t really do much walking into a bookstore and picking out something because it seemed to be calling my name. So that is definitely a resolution for 2026. Oh! And I also got a piano for Christmas so… I’m going to learn how to play it! I’m so excited!

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY: I have a new grandbaby arriving early 2026, and my heart can’t wait. I don’t make resolutions but I always choose a word for the new year and this year it is DELIGHT IN (okay that’s two words but you get the point). Life is moving so fast and I want to be present for all the delightful parts and not rush through them.

MEG WALKER: I’ve realized lately the importance of celebrating and truly being present for each season and phase of this big, messy life, rather than getting lost in the busyness and mindlessly moving on to the next thing on the to-do list. In 2026 my son will graduate from college. With both of our kids done, my husband and I plan to celebrate them and their accomplishments—and ours as parents in getting them across the finish line—with an epic trip, soaking up our fleeting time together as a family-four unit, enjoying adventures, and making memories. So I suppose my goal or resolution for the new year is to stop and take it all in while it’s happening.

RON BLOCK: I have great things to look forward to in 2026, so I am going to be intentional about treasuring and focusing on each individually, instead of worrying about might go wrong or what others think. The year starts with my oldest granddaughter starring as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda: the Musical at her performing arts high school. We are planning a weekend long celebration. Great way to get the year rolling! I also choose a focus word for a new year, and for 2026 it will be EMPATHY, something that is sorely lacking in our world and I want to seek it out, try to inspire it, and recognize and show gratitude when I witness it.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for an ongoing series of roundtable discussions and personal essays by the Fab Four about their careers, writing processes, and all things book and publishing related!

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Coming Up on The Friends & Fiction Show

All shows can be watched on Facebook & YouTube each Wednesday evening at 7pm ET, and listened to on our podcast each Friday, all year long.

WINTER 2026

Brad Meltzer, The Viper
Watch: January 7 | Listen: January 9

Jayne Ann Krentz, The Shop on Hidden Lane
Watch: January 14 | Listen: January 16

Jesse Q. Sutanto, Read Between the Lies
Watch: January 21 | Listen: January 23

Paula McLain, Skylark
Watch LIVE: January 28 | Listen: January 30

Janie Chang, The Fourth Princess & Kate Quinn, The Astral Library
Watch LIVE: February 4 | Listen: February 6

Omid Scobie & Robin Benway, Royal Spin
Watch: February 11 | Listen: February 13

Terah Shelton Harris, Where the Wildflowers Grow
Watch: February 25 | Listen: February 27

Joshilyn Jackson, Missing Sister
Watch: March 4 | Listen: March 6

Lucy Score, Mistakes Were Made
Watch: March 11 | Listen: March 13

Virginia Evans, The Correspondent & Allen Levi, Theo of Golden
Watch LIVE: March 25 | Listen: March 27

F&F 2026 Subscription Box with Oxford Exchange

The 2026 FRIENDS AND FICTION Subscription Box is available for purchase now, exclusively from our friends at Oxford Exchange.

This subscription includes three separate shipments:
1. MAY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s forthcoming book SUMMER STATE OF MIND!
2. JUNE 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews!
3. JULY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of MEET ME IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel!
Plus the option to add the March 2026 trade paperback edition of Patti’s THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND.

Get your subscription NOW from Oxford Exchange!

Order Now

Stay in Touch!

Subscribe to our PODCAST.
Join our FACEBOOK group.
Follow us on INSTAGRAM.
Subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel.
Find details about everything F&F on our WEBSITE.
Shop our guests’ & hosts’ books in our shop on BOOKSHOP.
Join the F&F Official BOOK CLUB with Brenda & Lisa.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus content from our hosts and guests.

Subscribed

Tune in at 7pm ET tonight for this week’s episode!

On Wed 12/24 at 7pm Eastern on F&F’s Facebook group page & YouTube channel we will re-air one of our favorite episodes from the vault! Join us as the Fab Four talk to #1 bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid about her blockbuster 2021 novel Malibu Rising, a NYT-bestseller and Read with Jenna Book Club Pick.

Meet #1 New York Times bestselling author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, whose books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, Indie Next, Best of Amazon, and Book of the Month. Taylor is the author of nine novels, including Daisy Jones and the Six, which was adapted by Hello Sunshine as a limited series for Amazon and has sold more than 2-million copies. In August 2021, Taylor joined us to discuss Malibu Rising. Now is the perfect time to revisit this episode as Taylor had quite the year in 2025 including gracing the cover of TIME Magazine. Her 2025 #1 NYT-bestselling novel, Atmosphere, was a GMA Book Club pick, dominated bestseller lists for weeks on end, and now tops loads of year-end best-of lists, including being named the Target Book of the Year and Audible’s Audiobook of the Year. So, as you wait for Santa to come down the chimney, tune in for this interview, now with a brand-new intro recorded by Kristin Harmel.

Watch the video broadcast of this interview as it airs on Wed 12/24 at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook group page & YouTube channel. Catch the audio version on our podcast Fri 12/26.

Order Taylor’s newest book on Bookshop.org!
Shop all of our guests’ & hosts’ books in our F&F Shop on Bookshop.org!

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus Q&A’s with our guest authors which include a writing tip, book recommendation, and information about their works-in-progress, plus other great material not covered on the show!

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Our Favorite Reads & Books to Gift for 2025

MARY KAY ANDREWS: Favorite read of 2025: I really loved Annabel Monaghan’s It’s a Love Story, about a former child television child named Janie Jackson who’s struggling to make get a movie project off the ground in Hollywood–while forced to collaborate with a cinematographer named Dan Finnegan who’s the last man she’d ever want to spend time with. This is the kind of rom-com I love, one with heart AND smarts.
Book I Give For the Holidays: A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote. This short, tender-hearted story is set in Depression-era Alabama, where a seven-year-old boy named Buddy is preparing for Christmas with his elderly cousin Sook, baking fruitcakes with pecans they’ve gathered from their farm, which they send to people they hardly know, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Largely autobiographical and mostly unlike any of Capote’s other work, this is a book that should be read in one sitting, preferably by the fireplace, maybe with a little glass of brandy.

KRISTIN HARMEL: Favorite Read of 2025: This is maybe the hardest question you could ask me…. I adored so many 2025 books, including Beach House Rules (by our very own Kristy!) and The Story She Left Behind (by our very own Patti!). Plus there were so many good books by authors we had on the show in 2025 that I had the opportunity to read. But if I had to choose one to tell you about, it would be The Sea Stone Sisters, which actually comes out in 2026…. I had the chance to read it early for a blurb. A gorgeous, immersive epic that spans many generations, it explores four lost sisters, an abandoned house on the rugged Scottish coast, and a decades-old curse that rolls in with the mists of the sea. Look for this one in the new year!
Book I Gift for the Holidays: Our first Friends & Fiction guest of the new year will be the extraordinary Brad Meltzer (on our Jan. 7 show), and it just so happens that his inspirational book Make Magic is one of my very favorite books to give as a gift. It’s based on his 2024 graduation speech to 70,000 at the University of Michigan, which went viral, and it’s a great reminder to reset your priorities and put kindness first as you kick off the new year. Plus, it’s less than $15 and is a gorgeous little hardcover.

KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY:
Favorite Read of 2025: I read so many fabulous books in 2025 that I couldn’t possibly choose a favorite. But I adored Far From the A-List by debut author Stephanie Burns. It’s frothy and fun, and the perfect confection to end your 2025 on!
Book I Gift for the Holidays: A Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. This slim volume is not only beautiful but also packed with wisdom for those days when the world seems to be spinning too fast. It’s slim and slight and doesn’t feel like an overwhelming read to dive into during the most hectic parts of the holidays.

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY: Favorite Read of 2025: Isola by Allegra Goodman. This book has everything I love: a true lost to time story, adventure, mystery, and above all, grand sweeping love. I read it at the beginning of the year and have recommended it over and over.
Book I Gift for Holidays: To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue. Although this book was published in 2008, it is a book I love giving because it carries such deep meaning and can be opened anywhere to find beautiful prose about the most meaningful moments in our lives. It pairs well with his book Anam Cara (Celtic word for Soul Friend).

MEG WALKER: Favorite Read of 2025: The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett. What a sweet surprise this book was. For the life of me I can’t figure out why the whole world isn’t reading and buzzing about it as it deserves to be so widely read and enjoyed. Think Little Miss Sunshine meets Jojo Moyes’s One Plus One with a dark comedic vibe a la The Wedding People. A lovable band of misfits embarks on an ill-advised cross-country road trip. The characters are so quirky and wholly original. The voice is fresh and unexpected. The story is heartwarming and funny. There’s redemption and healing for imperfect people who sorely need it, but also loads of laughs along the way. Pick this one up. I promise you won’t regret it.
Book I am gifting for the holidays: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans because I can’t think of a single soul who wouldn’t love it. As a decades-long publishing professional nothing warms my heart more than an out-of-nowhere, word-of-mouth smash hit. This delightful book deserves every bit of its grassroots success. It’s so moving and reminds us of the goodness in the world and within us all. It’s a redemption story. And it’s about the value of human connection. And it’s about forgiveness—of others and of ourselves. And who doesn’t need and want that?!

RON BLOCK: Favorite Read of 2025: Food Person by Adam Roberts. Among so many great books this year, this one truly spoke to me. A fun, food filled story in the vein of Hacks in which a wanna be food writer takes on the hilarious and heartwarming task of ghostwriting a fallen television star’s cookbook. A perfect read to take a break from everyday worries and struggles.
Book I Gift for Holidays: I’m switching it up a bit this year. After hearing our first guest of 2026 Brad Meltzer’s viral and inspiring speech to his son’s University of Michigan’s graduating class which was the basis for Make Magic. This slim but powerful and beautifully written gift inspires everyone to rethink how they approach the world, grow in kindness and empathy, while remaining committed to the things that mean the most. A perfect read to begin a New Year!

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for an ongoing series of roundtable discussions and personal essays by the Fab Four about their careers, writing processes, and all things book and publishing related!

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In Case You Missed It

On last week’s episode of The Friends & Fiction Show, Mary Kay Andrews & Ron Block welcomed #1 New York Times bestselling author, Jacquelyn Mitchard, to discuss The Birdwatcher, her page-turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship; the relationship between money, power, and sex; and the very human desire to protect the ones we love most.

You can WATCH that episode on Facebook or YouTube, or LISTEN to it on our podcast.

Coming Up on The Friends & Fiction Show

All shows can be watched on Facebook & YouTube each Wednesday evening at 7pm ET, and listened to on our podcast each Friday, all year long.

WINTER 2026

Brad Meltzer, The Viper
Watch: January 7 | Listen: January 9

Jayne Ann Krentz, The Shop on Hidden Lane
Watch: January 14 | Listen: January 16

Jesse Q. Sutanto, Read Between the Lies
Watch: January 21 | Listen: January 23

Paula McLain, Skylark
Watch LIVE: January 28 | Listen: January 30

Janie Chang, The Fourth Princess & Kate Quinn, The Astral Library
Watch LIVE: February 4 | Listen: February 6

Omid Scobie & Robin Benway, Royal Spin
Watch: February 11 | Listen: February 13

Terah Shelton Harris, Where the Wildflowers Grow
Watch: February 25 | Listen: February 27

Joshilyn Jackson, Missing Sister
Watch: March 4 | Listen: March 6

Lucy Score, Mistakes Were Made
Watch: March 11 | Listen: March 13

Virginia Evans, The Correspondent & Allen Levi, Theo of Golden
Watch LIVE: March 25 | Listen: March 27

F&F 2026 Subscription Box with Oxford Exchange

The 2026 FRIENDS AND FICTION Subscription Box is available for purchase now, exclusively from our friends at Oxford Exchange.

This subscription includes three separate shipments:
1. MAY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s forthcoming book SUMMER STATE OF MIND!
2. JUNE 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews!
3. JULY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of MEET ME IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel!
Plus the option to add the March 2026 trade paperback edition of Patti’s THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND.

Get your subscription NOW from Oxford Exchange!

Order Now

Stay in Touch!

Subscribe to our PODCAST.
Join our FACEBOOK group.
Follow us on INSTAGRAM.
Subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel.
Find details about everything F&F on our WEBSITE.
Shop our guests’ & hosts’ books in our shop on BOOKSHOP.
Join the F&F Official BOOK CLUB with Brenda & Lisa.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus content from our hosts and guests.

Subscribed

Tune in at 7pm ET for TONIGHT’s episode!

Join us Wednesday, December 17th at 7pm Eastern on the F&F Facebook page and YouTube channel as Mary Kay Andrews & Ron Block welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author, Jacquelyn Mitchard, to discuss The Birdwatcher, her page-turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship; the relationship between money, power, and sex; and the very human desire to protect the ones we love most.

Jacquelyn Mitchard is the award-winning, NYT-bestselling author of twelve novels for adults, seven novels for teenagers, and five children’s books. These include The Deep End of the Ocean, the inaugural selection of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club with more than 3-million copies in print in 34 languages. She is also a professor of creative writing whose short stories, articles, essays, and book reviews have been widely published. A native of Chicago, she joins us from her home on Cape Cod to discuss her new novel, The Birdwatcher, which was named a Zibby’s Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025 and which Lisa Genova calls, “a suspenseful, twisty, and page-turning drama.”

Watch the video broadcast of this interview as it airs on Wed 12/17 at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook group page & YouTube channel. Catch the audio version on our podcast Fri 12/19.

Order Jacquelyn’s book on Bookshop.org!
Shop all of our guests’ & hosts’ books in our F&F Shop on Bookshop.org!

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus Q&A’s with our guest authors which include a writing tip, book recommendation, and information about their works-in-progress, plus other great material not covered on the show!

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Latest News from the Fab Four!

MARY KAY ANDREWS turned in copy edits for ROAD TRIP (coming June 2) at midnight Friday and felt like she’d been released on parole. She celebrated by going to a family Christmas party and checking out her neighborhood’s Christmas home tour, followed by Sunday dinner with her family. This week–it’s having a new author photo taken and starting plans for the ROAD TRIP book tour. She’s also planning on vegging out in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine and some Christmas movies.

KRISTIN HARMEL is working on page proofs for MEET ME IN PARIS (coming July 28, 2026), the upcoming reissue of her 2014 book THE LIFE INTENDED, and the upcoming paperback release of THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU (coming March 31, 2026). She got to watch her son, Noah, compete in the playoffs with his basketball team (Go Noah!) and her niece, Chloe, compete in a big cheerleading competition in Orlando over the weekend (go Chloe!). She also got to hang out with her in-laws at the Macy’s parade at Universal Studios, and to celebrate her good friend Marcie’s 50th birthday with a big party on Saturday night. She’s looking forward to Noah’s class party at school this week and to winding down the school year and having a couple weeks of break. Happy holidays, everyone!

KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY is so, so in the holiday spirit and hopes that you are too! She is looking forward to Will getting out of school and taking a few days off to celebrate the holidays with friends and family–and then heading to Jackson Hole for some great skiing. (Fingers crossed for snow!) During this season, she is so grateful for each and every one of you, and holding you all close, especially those for whom this season is difficult. She is wishing you each a wonderful holiday and nothing but wonderful things in 2026!

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY is finally there – in the holiday spirit! With a photo shoot at her home for an announcement early next year, she swathed the house in garland, glitter and she even polished the silver! Meanwhile, she sent out a newsletter this week (did you get it? If not, click here) where she talks about what is inspiring her now during this overwhelming season. She hopes that during this time you are with those you love and those who love you, and she is grateful for the entire F & F community.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for an ongoing series of roundtable discussions and personal essays by the Fab Four about their careers, writing processes, and all things book and publishing related!

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Upcoming Events

See Kristin’s upcoming events HERE.
See Kristy’s upcoming events HERE.
See Patti’s upcoming events HERE.
See MKA’s upcoming events HERE.

Want to know what our F&F Live events are all about? Watch this video compilation!

In Case You Missed It

On last week’s episode of The Friends & Fiction Show, Mary Kay Andrews & Patti Callahan Henry welcomed New York Times bestselling author, Ace Atkins, to discuss his rollicking comedic thriller, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, set in 1985 in which a suburban teen suspects his mom’s new boyfriend is the ultimate bad guy—a KGB agent.

You can WATCH that episode on Facebook or YouTube, or LISTEN to it on our podcast.

Coming Up on The Friends & Fiction Show

All shows can be watched on Facebook & YouTube each Wednesday evening at 7pm ET, and listened to on our podcast each Friday, all year long.

Already aired: LIVE! September Pick of the Month: Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham, The Academy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Hank Phillippi Ryan, All This Could Be Yours
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Jane Hamilton, The Phoebe Variations
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Meagan Church, The Mad Wife
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Mitch Albom, Twice — October Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Joe Hill, King Sorrow
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Catherine Newman, Wreck
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: David Baldacci, Nash Falls — November Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Brisa Carleton, Last Call at the Savoy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Lee & Andrew Child, Exit Strategy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: John Irving, Queen Esther — December Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Ace Atkins, Everybody Wants To Rule the World
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Jacquelyn Mitchard, The Birdwatcher
WATCH Dec 17 | LISTEN Dec 19

F&F 2026 Subscription Box with Oxford Exchange

The 2026 FRIENDS AND FICTION Subscription Box is available for purchase now, exclusively from our friends at Oxford Exchange.

This subscription includes three separate shipments:
1. MAY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s forthcoming book SUMMER STATE OF MIND!
2. JUNE 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews!
3. JULY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of MEET ME IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel!
Plus the option to add the March 2026 trade paperback edition of Patti Callahan Henry’s THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND.

Get your subscription NOW from Oxford Exchange!

Order Now

F&F Merch Store

We have a Friends & Fiction merch store with t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs and a book bag on Bonfire. We also have other items like wine tumblers, reading journals, and our original white v-neck logo tees available through Oxford Exchange.

Tees in New Colors!

We’ve added two fun, new colors (hot pink & turquoise!) to our Bonfire merch store in our signature Name List apparel line!

Order New Summer T-Shirts!

F&F Official Book Club & 2025 Reading Challenge

Join Brenda Gardner & Lisa Harrison for monthly book club picks and live online author chats on the Facebook page for the F&F Official Book Club with Brenda & Lisa, where they’ve amassed nearly 40,000 of their own members. You can also follow the Book Club on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel where you can catch past discussions, including their most recent chat with Jenny Colgan about her novel, The Secret Christmas Library. Mark your calendars for January 26th for their next author guest, Rebecca Armitage, when they’ll discuss her debut novel, the December Reese’s Book Club Pick, The Heir Apparent. The Book Club is also hosting the 2026 F&F Reading Challenge. Join them for a different category prompt each month to read outside your comfort zone. December prompt is to read a holiday book with an animal on the cover and for January it’s to read a backlist book by a favorite author.

Stay in Touch!

Subscribe to our PODCAST.
Join our FACEBOOK group.
Follow us on INSTAGRAM.
Subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel.
Find details about everything F&F on our WEBSITE.
Shop our guests’ & hosts’ books in our shop on BOOKSHOP.
Join the F&F Official BOOK CLUB with Brenda & Lisa.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus content from our hosts and guests.

Subscribed

Tune LIVE in at 7pm ET for TONIGHT’s episode!

Join us Wednesday, December 10th at 7pm Eastern on the F&F Facebook page and YouTube channel as Mary Kay Andrews & Patti Callahan Henry welcome New York Times bestselling author, Ace Atkins, to discuss his rollicking comedic thriller, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, set in 1985 in which a suburban teen suspects his mom’s new boyfriend is the ultimate bad guy—a KGB agent.

Ace Atkins is an award-winning, NYT-bestselling author of more than thirty novels and numerous short stories and, in 2011, was tapped by the estate of Robert B. Parker to continue his beloved Spenser series. A former college football player at Auburn University (where he was part of the undefeated 1993 team, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated) and a former crime reporter at The Tampa Tribune, Ace is a recipient of the Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award and the Harper Lee Award, and is a member of the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. He joins us from his home in Oxford, Mississippi to discuss Everybody Wants to Rule the World which his publisher calls “Elmore Leonard meets Robert Ludlum,” and which bestselling author Robert Crais describes as “unlike anything the great Ace Atkins has written before, and an absolute blast!”

Watch the video broadcast of this interview as it airs on Wed 12/10 at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook group page & YouTube channel. Catch the audio version on our podcast Fri 12/12.

Order Ace’s book on Bookshop.org!
Shop all of our guests’ & hosts’ books in our F&F Shop on Bookshop.org!

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus Q&A’s with our guest authors which include a writing tip, book recommendation, and information about their works-in-progress, plus other great material not covered on the show!

Subscribed

Latest News from the Fab Four!

MARY KAY ANDREWS has been in holiday baking mode turning out the lemon cream cheese pound cakes she gifts her publishing peeps–at 13 cakes and counting. Tuesday, she had a lovely book signing and event–her last one of the year, at the beautiful Columbus, Ga. Public Library. Now she’s knee-deep in copy edits for ROAD TRIP, which will be out June 2. #preordermybookdammit.

KRISTIN HARMEL loved spending time last week with authors Madeline Martin, Eliza Knight, Sarah Penner, Heather Webb and more, as she joined them for dinner during their annual writing retreat. It was so great to catch up with everyone! On Friday, she and her husband and son got into the holiday spirit with a visit to see the holiday parade at Universal Studios Florida (which features floats from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade), followed by a ride on the Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure to see Hogwarts lit up for the holidays. Now it’s on to some holiday shopping—and editing first pass pages of MEET ME IN PARIS!

KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY had the best, best weekend in NYC and got to see Patti and Meg at Brisa Carleton’s book party! After three days of holiday fun, it’s safe to say she’s in the Christmas spirit! Have you seen the adorable collaboration she is doing with Nantucket Book Partners? Preorder SUMMER STATE OF MIND and get a “My Summer is Booked” journal and “Live Your Story Magnet.” Also, while supplies last, get a signed bookplate and Christmas card in case you want to gift it! Full details HERE.

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY just returned from an incredible trip to New York City where she was able to celebrate the season with Meg and Kristy at Brisa Carleton’s launch party. She traveled with her daughter-in-law Lizzie and did all the NYC Christmas things from a Broadway play to the Rockefeller tree and Christmas markets. She is waiting on the final verdict of her last edit and trying to focus on the holidays. There’s a big photo shoot at her house this week—more about that soooon. Finally Patti is in the Christmas spirit! Thank you NYC and Christmas music.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for an ongoing series of roundtable discussions and personal essays by the Fab Four about their careers, writing processes, and all things book and publishing related!

Subscribed

Upcoming Events

See Kristin’s upcoming events HERE.
See Kristy’s upcoming events HERE.
See Patti’s upcoming events HERE.
See MKA’s upcoming events HERE.

Want to know what our F&F Live events are all about? Watch this video compilation!

In Case You Missed It

On last week’s episode of The Friends & Fiction Show, Kristin, Patti & MKA welcomed the internationally renowned, award-winning, NYT-bestselling author John Irving, to discuss our December 2025 Pick of the Month, Queen Esther, which returns us after forty years to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award-winning film, The Cider House Rules.

You can WATCH that episode on Facebook or YouTube, or LISTEN to it on our podcast.

Coming Up on The Friends & Fiction Show

All shows can be watched on Facebook & YouTube each Wednesday evening at 7pm ET, and listened to on our podcast each Friday, all year long.

Already aired: LIVE! September Pick of the Month: Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham, The Academy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Hank Phillippi Ryan, All This Could Be Yours
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Jane Hamilton, The Phoebe Variations
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Meagan Church, The Mad Wife
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Mitch Albom, Twice — October Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Joe Hill, King Sorrow
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Catherine Newman, Wreck
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: David Baldacci, Nash Falls — November Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Brisa Carleton, Last Call at the Savoy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Lee & Andrew Child, Exit Strategy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: John Irving, Queen Esther — December Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Ace Atkins, Everybody Wants To Rule the World
WATCH Dec 10 | LISTEN Dec 12

Jacquelyn Mitchard, The Birdwatcher
WATCH Dec 17 | LISTEN Dec 19

F&F 2026 Subscription Box with Oxford Exchange

The 2026 FRIENDS AND FICTION Subscription Box is available for purchase now, exclusively from our friends at Oxford Exchange.

This subscription includes three separate shipments:
1. MAY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s forthcoming book SUMMER STATE OF MIND!
2. JUNE 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews!
3. AUGUST 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of MEET ME IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel!

Get your subscription NOW from Oxford Exchange!

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F&F Merch Store

Tune LIVE in at 7pm ET for TONIGHT’s episode!

Join us Wednesday, December 3rd LIVE at 7pm Eastern on the F&F Facebook page and YouTube channel as the full F&F family gathers to welcome this month’s F&F Featured Author, the internationally renowned, award-winning, NYT-bestselling author John Irving, to discuss our December 2025 Pick of the Month, Queen Esther, which returns us after forty years to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award-winning film, The Cider House Rules.

John Irving is an icon of American letters and the acclaimed author of more than 20 books which have been translated into more than 35 languages. His works include the National Book Award winning cultural phenomenon The World According to Garp; The Cider House Rules, for which he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay; The Hotel New Hampshire, a bestseller which was made into a film starring Jodie Foster; and A Prayer for Owen Meany which is his all-time bestselling novel in every language. A former competitive wrestler and wrestling coach, he is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, John joins us from his home in Toronto to discuss Queen Esther which revisits the orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes in Esther, a Viennese-born Jew whose life is shaped by anti-Semitism.

Watch the LIVE video broadcast of this interview as it airs on Wed 12/3 at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook group page & YouTube channel. Catch the audio version on our podcast Fri 12/5.

Order John’s book on Bookshop.org!
Shop all of our guests’ & hosts’ books in our F&F Shop on Bookshop.org!

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus Q&A’s with our guest authors which include a writing tip, book recommendation, and information about their works-in-progress, plus other great material not covered on the show!

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Latest News from the Fab Four!

MARY KAY ANDREWS had a lovely Thanksgiving with family. Tried out a new mixed berry pie with streusel topping using the last of the frozen blueberries from our garden that was a big hit. Now she’s scurrying around getting ready to host her book club holiday party on Thursday. She’s speaking at the Columbus, Ga. public library next Monday, and would love to see lots of fans. Go here for details.

KRISTIN HARMEL began Thanksgiving Day with a 5K Turkey Trot, which made her feel justified in stuffing her face later on in the afternoon…. She loved spending the day with her husband Jason’s side of the family–and then she got to see her mom, her brother, her sister-in-law, and her niece the very next day. She hit the ground running with Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping–and made donations on Giving Tuesday to Susan G. Komen, the American Cancer Society, and Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Binc Foundation (helping booksellers with unforeseen emergency financial, medical, and mental health service needs), among others. Join us on the show tonight and tell us in the comments if you made a Giving Tuesday donation–and how you plan to celebrate the holidays this year!

KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY is so, so sad to be missing the LIVE show tonight! She is in NYC doing all the fun holiday things–and can’t wait to see Patti & Meg at Brisa Carleton’s book launch party! She is so excited for shopping, the 100th anniversary of the Rockettes, the NC Society of NYC party, and all the general merriment. Nothing gets her in the holiday spirit quite like New York! Speaking of holiday spirit… If you would like to order SUMMER STATE OF MIND for someone you love, Kristy will be happy to send an adorable card and signed book plate for you to put under the tree. For all the details, check out her blog post!

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY spent her Thanksgiving holiday in South Carolina, hosting 16 family members! There was so much food and so much fun – games and all! She had the absolute best time and is still eating pumpkin pie for breakfast. (Check Patti’s Instagram to see what they did all weekend). Now she is home and finishing her 2027 novel and hopes to hit THE END before she leaves for New York City this weekend. Yes, NYC this weekend with her daughter-in-law Lizzie for shopping, the Rockefeller tree, and a Broadway play. She will report back on all of it including getting to see our beloved Kristy Woodson Harvey and Meg Walker at a book party for Brisa Carleton who we hosted on the web show & podcast a couple weeks ago.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for an ongoing series of roundtable discussions and personal essays by the Fab Four about their careers, writing processes, and all things book and publishing related!

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Upcoming Events

See Kristin’s upcoming events HERE.
See Kristy’s upcoming events HERE.
See Patti’s upcoming events HERE.
See MKA’s upcoming events HERE.

Want to know what our F&F Live events are all about? Watch this video compilation!

In Case You Missed It

On last week’s episode of The Friends & Fiction Show, we re-aired one of our favorite episodes from the vault in which Kristin Harmel & Patti Callahan Henry talked to #1 bestselling author Louise Penny about her Fall 2024 novel The Grey Wolf, the 19th installment in her wildly successful Armand Gamache mystery series.

You can WATCH that episode—now with a brand-new intro recorded by Patti—on Facebook or YouTube, or LISTEN to it on our podcast.

Coming Up on The Friends & Fiction Show

All shows can be watched on Facebook & YouTube each Wednesday evening at 7pm ET, and listened to on our podcast each Friday, all year long.

Already aired: LIVE! September Pick of the Month: Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham, The Academy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Hank Phillippi Ryan, All This Could Be Yours
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Jane Hamilton, The Phoebe Variations
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Meagan Church, The Mad Wife
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Mitch Albom, Twice — October Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Joe Hill, King Sorrow
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Catherine Newman, Wreck
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: David Baldacci, Nash Falls — November Pick of the Month!
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Brisa Carleton, Last Call at the Savoy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

Already aired: Lee & Andrew Child, Exit Strategy
WATCH now | LISTEN now

John Irving, Queen Esther — December Pick of the Month!
WATCH LIVE! Dec 3 | LISTEN Dec 5

Ace Atkins, Everybody Wants To Rule the World
WATCH Dec 10 | LISTEN Dec 12

Jacquelyn Mitchard, The Birdwatcher
WATCH Dec 17 | LISTEN Dec 19

F&F 2026 Subscription Box with Oxford Exchange

The 2026 FRIENDS AND FICTION Subscription Box is available for purchase now, exclusively from our friends at Oxford Exchange.

This subscription includes three separate shipments:
1. MAY 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s forthcoming book SUMMER STATE OF MIND!
2. JUNE 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews!
3. AUGUST 2026: A hardcover, signed, first edition of MEET ME IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel!

Get your subscription NOW from Oxford Exchange!

Order Now

F&F Merch Store

We have a Friends & Fiction merch store with t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs and a book bag on Bonfire. We also have other items like wine tumblers, reading journals, and our original white v-neck logo tees available through Oxford Exchange.

Tees in New Colors!

We’ve added two fun, new colors (hot pink & turquoise!) to our Bonfire merch store in our signature Name List apparel line!

Order New Summer T-Shirts!

F&F Official Book Club & 2025 Reading Challenge

Join Brenda Gardner & Lisa Harrison for monthly book club picks and live online author chats on the Facebook page for the F&F Official Book Club with Brenda & Lisa, where they’ve amassed nearly 40,000 of their own members. You can also follow the Book Club on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel where you can catch past discussions, including their most recent chat with Alisha Fernandez Miranda about her novel, Someone’s Gotta Give. Mark your calendars for December 15th for their next author guest, Jenny Colgan, when they’ll discuss her new novel, The Secret Christmas Library. The Book Club is also hosting the 2025 F&F Reading Challenge. Join them for a different category prompt each month to read outside your comfort zone. December prompt is to read a holiday book with an animal on the cover. Stay tuned for their reveal of the 2026 reading challenge prompts!

Stay in Touch!

Subscribe to our PODCAST.
Join our FACEBOOK group.
Follow us on INSTAGRAM.
Subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel.
Find details about everything F&F on our WEBSITE.
Shop our guests’ & hosts’ books in our shop on BOOKSHOP.
Join the F&F Official BOOK CLUB with Brenda & Lisa.

Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus content from our hosts and guests.

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