- 48 minutes 50 secondsSingle Girls with John Searles
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:
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
**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.
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28 July 2026, 9:00 am - 50 minutes 37 secondsSermon of Swallows with Whitney Vale
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:
Follow Whitney Vale:
Instagram: @whitneyvale
Facebook: @whitneyvale
**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
14 July 2026, 9:00 am - 54 minutes 56 secondsHidden River with Sara Lippmann
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:
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
**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
30 June 2026, 9:00 am - 59 minutes 28 secondsThe Heart Folds Early with Jill Christman
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
Borrowed Babies: Apprenticing for Motherhood
The Heart Folds Early: A Memoir.
Follow Jill Christman:
Instagram: @jillchristmanwriter
Bluesky: @jillchristman.bsky.social
Substack: @riverteethjill
**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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
16 June 2026, 9:00 am - 52 minutes 8 secondsThe Original with Priya Parmar
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:
Additional Titles Mentioned in This Episode:
The Foursome, by Christina Baker Kline
Follow Priya Parmar:
Facebook: @priyaparmar
Instagram: @priyaparmarwriting
Substack: Plum Bean Notes @priyaparmarwriting
**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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2 June 2026, 9:00 am - 1 hour 1 minuteAccidental Devotions with Kelli Russell Agodon
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:
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
**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
19 May 2026, 9:00 am - 1 hour 2 minutesWe Meet Apart with Martha Conway
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:
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
**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
5 May 2026, 9:00 am - 58 minutes 36 secondsThe Road to Tender Hearts with Annie Hartnett
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
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
21 April 2026, 9:00 am - 56 minutes 4 secondsBloom How You Must with Tara Pringle Jefferson
Tara Pringle Jefferson is the founder of The Self Care Suite, a digital wellness community for Black women. Her voice has been featured on New York magazine’s The Cut, Black Enterprise, and Essence. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Tara discuss Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing, and the importance of both self-care and community care as a sustaining force for Black women.
Episode Sponsors:
Tastes & Tomes – A Black woman-owned, mission-driven, pop-up/mobile bookshop in Columbus, Ohio. Founded during the pandemic by author, poet, advocate, and educator, Tracy Ramey (pen name Tracy D.F. Resonance), Tastes & Tomes centers historically underrepresented stories, banned and challenged books, and indie authors. Find Tastes & Tomes online at bookshop.org/shop/tastesandtomes. And if you’re in the Columbus area today, April 7, 2026, come on out to Zora’s House for the Inaugural National Black Bookstore Day. Come support your local Black bookstore. Let’s celebrate and recognize literacy, knowledge, and those who paved the way before us.
Literary Cleveland – Developing writers, amplifying voices, and transforming our community through storytelling. Explore other voices and discover your own. Search for classes and find your creative community at litcleveland.org.
Titles Mentioned in This Episode:
Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing, by Tara Pringle Jefferson
Firstborn Girls, by Bernice L. McFadden
Dominion, by Addie E. Citchens
The Price of Exclusion: The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation, by Nicole Carr
Follow Tara Pringle Jefferson:
Facebook: @wherewomenbloom
Instagram: @wherewomenbloom
Threads: @wherewomenbloom
Substack: The Well Rested Black Woman
**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 evening class to jumpstart your 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
7 April 2026, 9:00 am - 1 hour 2 secondsMathey Girls with Melody Chu
Melody Chu is a writer and attorney. The daughter of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan, she graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School and has practiced as an attorney in Hong Kong, Beijing and the United States. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Melody discuss her debut novel Mathey Girls. They also talk about independent publishing and the power of female friendships across distance, time, and grief.
Episode Sponsors:
Loganberry Books – An independently owned and operated bookstore in the historic Larchmere neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. Loganberry features a carefully curated collection of new, used and rare books in all genres for both readers and collectors, with an inventory over 100,000 volumes. Find your next great read and shop online at loganberrrybooks.com.
Mac’s Backs – A proud Cleveland indie bookstore with three floors for browsing, great online service, and chocolate milkshakes right next door. Find your new favorite book and shop online at macsbacks.com.
Titles Mentioned in This Episode:
Mathey Girls, by Melody Chu
Kundun (1997) Official Trailer
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Official Trailer
Follow Melody Chu:
Facebook: @MelodyChu
Instagram: @MelodyChu_author
Threads: @melodygchu
**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 evening class to jumpstart your 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!
Photo Credit: Melissa Lipnick, Life Unscripted PhotographyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 March 2026, 9:00 am - 1 hour 1 minuteNo Friend to This House with Natalie Haynes
Natalie Haynes is a writer, broadcaster and “rock star mythologist.” Her retelling of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships, was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and has been translated around the globe. She’s out now with No Friend to This House, a reimagining of the story of Medea. In today’s episode, Annmarie and Natalie poke fun at Perseus, demystify Greek myths, and discuss the relevance of classic literature in our modern world.
Episode Sponsors:
Pocket Books – An independent, queer, feminist bookstore committed to the idea that bookstores are places for communities to share knowledge, wisdom, resources, and connections. We stock an intentional and eclectic selection of books that we hope will help you feel safe exploring something new. Pocket Books is a place of discovery where readers find support for their ideas and new interests. Stop by one of our Lancaster, Pennsylvania locations or shop online at pocketbooksshop.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 by Natalie Haynes:
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth
Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths
Additional Titles Mentioned in This Episode
The Overstory, Playground, and Bewilderment, all by Richard Powers
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Official Trailer
Clash of the Titans (1981) Official Trailer
Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics
Follow Natalie Haynes:
Facebook: @nataliehaynesstandupclassicist
Twitter/X: @officialnhaynes
Instagram: @NatalieHaynesAuthor
Threads: @nataliehaynesauthor
Bluesky: @NatalieHaynes
**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 evening class to jumpstart your 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!
Photo Credit: James BettsLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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