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Relationships

Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Sep 03: #1 NYT Author Lisa Gardner with Kiss Her Goodbye

September 3, 2025

Missing persons’ locator Frankie Elkin in latest domestic thriller

Kiss Her Goodbye with author Lisa Gardner

Kiss Her Goodbye: When love and loss collide, every character becomes a mystery, and every decision could be one that leads to disaster. When a young Afghan refugee goes missing, and her four-year-old daughter’s life is on the line, can Frankie Elkin save an entire family from its haunting past?

Today we venture beyond the plot and characters of Kiss Her Goodbye, and explore the emotional and moral undercurrents running through Lisa’s new story.

We also learn how the idea for this story came to Lisa while on sabbatical, and some of the research that left her astounded.

Meet Lisa Gardner

Lisa Gardner, a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist, has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. She’s also had four books become TV movies (At the Midnight Hour; The Perfect Husband; The Survivors Club; Hide). Lisa’s books have received awards from across the globe. Her novel, The Neighbor, won Best Hardcover Novel from the International Thriller Writers, and the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle in France. She was also recognized with the Daphne du Maurier Award in 2000 for The Other Daughter.

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Fiction, Thriller, Uncategorized

Aug 27: I Become Her with Edgar Award-winning Author Joe Hart

August 27, 2025

Ever wonder if you really know the person you love? Joe Hart’s new thriller dares you to find out.

I Become Her with author Joe Hart

Joe Hart, master of psychological suspense joins us to discuss his chilling new novel I Become Her.

The story follows Imogen Carmichael, a newlywed whose honeymoon turns into a nightmare when her husband Lev falls overboard during a heated argument—he survives, but with no memory of what happened. As paranoia builds and trust unravels, the question becomes: Is Lev hiding something sinister—or is Imogen losing her grip on reality?

In our conversation we explore what inspired the central premise of a honeymoon gone disastrously wrong. How Joe developed the voice of a strong female lead. The most challenging aspects of writing a thriller. And, how memory—real or imagined—can shape the truth we cling to.

Meet Joe Hart

Joe Hart is an Edgar Award–winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 17 novels, including Or Else, The River Is Dark, Obscura, and The Last Girl. He’s also written several novella’s and dozens of short stories. Known for his taut pacing and psychological depth, Hart crafts stories that keep readers on edge until the final page. He lives in Minnesota with his family and continues to explore the darker side of human nature through fiction.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

Aug 20: Paula Saunders – Starting From Here

August 20, 2025

Award-winning Author of The Distance Home

Starting from Here with author Paula Saunders

Often called a writer’s writer, Paula Saunders joins us today with her second novel, Starting From Here. The sequel to The Distance Home, this coming-of-age story is semi-autobiographical, sparked by Paula’s own life experiences.

Like the author, protagonist Rene left home at a young age to pursue dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. Set in the 1970s, Rene finds herself vulnerable in a predatory world, facing situations she’s ill-equipped to deal with – from cult like mentors and sexual exploitation, to industry predators and heartbreaking betrayal.

We discuss the writing of Starting From Here, including character development, challenges, favorites, and how the author defines creativity. Paula shares how writing this novel helped her view her own mother differently. And, we question, with 50+ years of assumed progress since the seventies, have times really changed for young women of today?  

Meet Paula Saunders

Paula Saunders grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota, where her new novel Starting From Here begins. She is a graduate of the Syracuse University creative writing program, and was awarded a postgraduate Albert Schweitzer Fellowship at the State University of New York at Albany, under Schweitzer chair Toni Morrison. Her first book, The Distance Home, was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and named one of the best books of the year by Real Simple. 

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Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Writers on Writing

Jul 30: Martha’s Vineyard Book & Beach Club

July 30, 2025

Martha Hall Kelly’s love letter to literature, resilient women and a very special island.

Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club with author Martha Hall Kelly

Martha Hall Kelly weaves fiction with reality in Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, a story about a contemporary mystery that can only be solved by learning about the past. Kelly taps into her mother’s family history for her latest novel, making this her most personal work to date.

The story reveals little-known facts of what transpired on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII—that German U-boats cruised the surrounding waters, and Nazi spies snuck ashore. The novel centers on two sisters who alter history when they start a book club.

We discuss Martha’s journey getting into the head of a woman who came of age in WWII on Martha’s Vineyard. She shares her challenges in crafting the story. We dissect the power of storytelling through some of the literature discussed at the Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club.

Meet Martha Hall Kelly

Martha Hall Kelly is the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, Sunflower Sisters, and The Golden Doves. She was born and raised in Massachusetts, received Journalism degrees from Syracuse and Northwestern Universities, and worked as an advertising copywriter for many years before becoming a novelist. With more than two million copies of her books sold and translated in 50 countries, Martha lives in Litchfield, CT, Hobe Sound, FL, and New York City. 

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Fiction, Historical, Writers on Writing

Jul 23: Heather Clark’s Debut Novel: The Scrapbook

July 23, 2025

Inspired by original photos from WWII taken by the author’s grandfather

The Scrapbook with author Heather Clark

Join us with award-winning biographer Heather Clark who discusses her debut novel, The Scrapbook – a story of an intense first love, formed in the shadows of Germany’s dark history, and cross-cultural deep-rooted family legacies.

Heather shares how her novel was inspired by the startling photos Heather Clark found in her own grandfather’s WWII scrapbook.

We explore how an established biographer approaches writing a novel for the first time; some of the research that surprised Heather. Why this isn’t a typical WWII novel. And some of the style choices Heather Clark made as an author.

Meet Heather Clark

Heather Clark is a biographer, literary critic, and novelist. Her recent awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Truman Capote Award for Literary Criticism, the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize, a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars fellowship, a New York Public Library Cullman Center Fellowship, and a Leon Levy Center for Biography Fellowship at the City University of New York. She is the author of Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath. The Scrapbook is Clark’s debut novel.

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Fiction, Women's, Writers on Writing

Jul 09: Adriana Trigiani with The View From Lake Como

July 9, 2025

One woman’s quest to build her own life … before it’s too late.

The View From Lake Como with author Adriana Trigiani

When Jess Capodimonte Baratta realizes she’s not living even close to the life she dreamed of, she takes us from Lake Como, New Jersey, to Lake Como, Italy, in search of new possibilities.

Adriana Trigiani discusses her latest novel The View From Lake Como.

Known for her American-Italian storytelling, humor, and rich character development, Adriana shares how her protagonist was inspired by her late grandmother. We discuss her biggest challenge in writing the story. And some of the research Adriana did, including marble-making in Italy.

Meet Adriana Trigiani

Adriana Trigiani is the New York Times bestselling author of 21 books of fiction and nonfiction, including The Good Left Undone, The Shoemaker’s Wife and Lucia, Lucia. Her work has been published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer, and filmmaker, Trigiani wrote and directed the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap; adapted her novel, Very Valentine, for television; and directed the award-winning documentary, Queens of the Big Time, among others.

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Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Jun 18: Robert Bailey with The Boomerang

June 18, 2025

A Desperate Fight for Family Uncloaks a Shocking Government Secret

The Boomerang with author Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey calls on his own personal challenges as well as a jarring conspiracy theory for inspiration in his exhilarating political thriller, The Boomerang.

The story follows Chief of Staff Eli James, who also happens to be best friends with the President of the United States. Upon the President’s terminal cancer mysteriously improving, Eli journey’s from the White House to New Mexico as he unravels a devastating cover-up involving the government and Big Pharma.

We discuss all of this, as well as Robert’s own journey with his family’s issues; writing The Boomerang; character development, and more.

Meet Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE BOOMERANG, the Jason Rich series, the McMurtrie and Drake legal thrillers, the Bocephus Haynes series, and the inspirational novel, THE GOLFER’S CAROL. Robert’s books are imbued with a keen sense of justice and a profound understanding of what drives people to commit the worst crimes and fight hardest for those they love, gained from his decades as a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama.

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Non Fiction, Personal Development, Relationships, Self-help, Women's Issues

Jun 04: Estranged with Susan Shapiro Barash

June 4, 2025

How Strained Female Friendships are Mended or Ended

Estranged with author Susan Shapiro Barash

Have you ever felt confused about a friend who ghosted you out of nowhere? Or struggled to set boundaries with a longtime BFF?

Today we tackle the topic of Female friendships — the good, the bad, the beautiful, and sometimes, the heartbreaking.

Joining us is renowned author, gender studies expert, and cultural commentator Susan Shapiro Barash, whose latest book Estranged peels back the layers on what really happens when women’s friendships fracture.

When should we work to mend a friendship versus end it? Do we tolerate more from galpals than their male counterparts? And if so, why? Why do people ghost? How to approach difficult conversations. And more.

Meet Susan Shapiro Barash

Susan Shapiro Barash has written over a dozen nonfiction books, including Tripping the Prom Queen, You’re Grounded Forever, But First Let’s Go Shopping and Toxic Friends: The Antidote for Women Stuck in Complicated Friendships. For more than 20 years she taught gender studies in the Writing Department at Marymount Manhattan College and has guest taught creative nonfiction at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. For her fiction, Between the Tides, A Palm Beach Wife, A Palm Beach Scandal, and Maribelle’s Shadow, she writes as Susannah Marren.

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Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Writers on Writing

May 28: Martha Hall Kelly with Martha’s Vineyard Book & Beach Club

May 28, 2025

A love letter to literature. Resilient women. And a very special island.

Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club with author Martha Hall Kelly

A contemporary mystery that can only be solved by learning about the past, Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is based on many aspects of Martha Hall Kelly‘s mother’s family history, making it the author’s most personal work to date.

The story discloses little-known facts of what took place on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII—that German U-boats cruised the surrounding waters, and Nazi spies snuck ashore. At the novel’s center, two sisters start a book club that changes history.

We discuss Martha’s writing and the power of storytelling through some of the literature discussed at the Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. Martha shares her challenges in crafting the story. And how she got into the head of a woman growing up in WWII on Martha’s Vineyard.

Meet Martha Hall Kelly

Martha Hall Kelly is the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, Sunflower Sisters, and The Golden Doves. She was born and raised in Massachusetts, received Journalism degrees from Syracuse and Northwestern Universities, and worked as an advertising copywriter for many years before becoming a novelist. With more than two million copies of her books sold and translated in 50 countries, Martha lives in Litchfield, CT, Hobe Sound, FL, and New York City. 

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Fiction, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Apr 30: The Boomerang with Robert Bailey

April 30, 2025

One Man’s Fight for Family Uncovers a Shattering Government Secret

The Boomerang with author Robert Bailey

The Boomerang is a gripping political thriller inspired by a conspiracy theory and the author’s personal challenges.

Robert Bailey‘s story follows Eli James, Chief of Staff and best friend to the President of the United States. When the President’s terminal cancer mysteriously improves, Eli uncovers a devastating cover-up involving the government and Big Pharma, taking him from the White House to New Mexico..

We discuss all of this, as well as Robert’s own journey with his family’s issues; writing The Boomerang; character development, and more.

Meet Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE BOOMERANG, the Jason Rich series, the McMurtrie and Drake legal thrillers, the Bocephus Haynes series, and the inspirational novel, THE GOLFER’S CAROL. Robert’s books are imbued with a keen sense of justice and a profound understanding of what drives people to commit the worst crimes and fight hardest for those they love, gained from his decades as a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama.

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