This week we chat with Vicki Johnson, a debut picture book author whose book, Molly’s Tuxedo, is a delightful story about a child who doesn’t want to wear the frilly, itchy dress and tight shoes her mother thinks is appropriate for school pictures. Molly wants to wear…you guessed it, a tuxedo that has pockets. The book, which is illustrated by Gillian Reid, was published by Little Bee Books in collaboration with GLAAD, a nonprofit organization focused on LGBTQ advocacy and ensuring fair, accurate, and inclusive representation. Vicki tells us all about it and the path to her becoming a writer.

She tells us about her move from DC to a small 200 year old cabin in the woods of WV, her sweaty history, and her new app that has rocked her world.

You can find Vicki at her website www.vickijohnsonwrites.com or on Instagram at @vickijohnsonwrites. You can also see her past work on Instagram at @cabin.reads.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

1- Molly's Tuxedo by Vicki Johnson

2- Wool (Silo series #1) by Hugh Howey

3- The Pants Project by Cat Clarke

4- The Daughters of Ys by MT Anderson

5- Everywhere With You by Carlie Sorosiak

6- Negative Cat by Sophie Blackall

7- Grandad's Camper by Harry Woodgate

8- Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery

9- A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

10- Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail by Jennifer Thermes

TV series mentioned:

1- Platonic (2022 - Apple +)

2- Silo (2022 - Apple +)

Apps mentioned:

1- Merlin Bird ID

2- Seek

At the start of summer, we like to chat with Sam Miller, bookseller and manager at Carmichael’s Bookstore here in Louisville (We actually like to chat with Sam anytime, but she has especially useful information about new books twice a year.) Sam does the heavy lifting this week by telling us what is coming out and might be good for your TBR list.

Books mentioned in this episode:

1- The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

2- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

3- Be Mine by Richard Ford

4- The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

5- The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

6- The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

7- Color of Water by James McBride

8- Deacon King Kong by James McBride

9- The Tusk that Did the Damage by Tania James

10- Loot by Tania James

11- Happy Place by Emily Henry

12- I Didn’t Do It by Jamie Lynn Hendricks

13- Only One Left by Riley Sager

14- Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith

15- Independence Square by Martin Cruz Smith

16- Small Mercies by Dennis LeHane

17- Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway

18- Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

19- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

20 The Other Renaissance by Paul Strathern

21- Ice by Amy Brady

22- The Soldier’s Truth: Ernie Pyle and the Story of World War II by David Chrisinger

23- Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer

24- A Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

25- Pageboy by Elliot Page

26- Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williams

27- Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City by Jane Wong

28- King: A Life by Jonathan Eig

29- Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

30- Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook by Alison Roman

31- Franklin Smoke by Aaron Franklin

32- Love is a Pink Cake by Claire Ptak

33- Back to the Dirt by Frank Bill

34- Code of the Hills by Chris Offutt

35- If You Write Me a Letter, Send it Here by Louisville Story Program

36- Gay Poems for Red States by Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr.

37- Tar Hollow Trans by Stacy Jane Grover

38- The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

39- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

40- Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

41- Weather Together by Jessie Sima

42- The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

43- Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane

44- Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda

45- Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott

46- Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

47- Prom Mom by Laura Lippman

48- The Disinvited Guest by Carol Goodman

This week are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander) and we give you a list of 10 (plus maybe a few more) of our favorite books to add to your TBR written by authors with family heritage from this part of the world. We give you books in a variety of genres; literary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, food writing, graphic novels, horror, poetry, and middle grade.

So join us this week as we explore the big wide world of Asia and the Pacific Islands heritage in literature. Plus, we talk about the most recent Jane Austen film adaptation we've watched, a new environmentally friendly product we've tried, and why sometimes it might be nice to be a disembodied head.

Books mentioned--

1- Persuasion by Jane Austen

2- Emma by Jane Austen

3- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

4- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

6- The Girls of Fall by Jessica Minyard

7- You Should Have Known by Rebecca Keller

8- An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helen Tursten

9- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

10- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia

11- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel

12- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

13- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

14- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

15- Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee

16- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

17- The Fervor by Alma Katsu

18- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

19- Two Brown Dots by Danni Quintos

20- World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

21- A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

22- The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan

23- Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson

24- Moloka’i by Alan Brennert

25- Wild Seed by Octavia Butler

26- The Cheating Cell: How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer by Athena Aktipis

27- A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

28- The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

29- Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and 500 Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy

Movies mentioned--

1- Persuasion (Netflix 2022)

2- Ted Lasso - Season 3 (Apple TV 2023)

3- Jury Duty (Amazon 2023)

4- Enchanted (2007)

5- The Terror (Hulu 2018)

Jessica Brody is the author of the well-known writing book Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and teaches classes on this writing method, but she has published over 20 books for all ages, including middle grade. Her most recent, titled Amelia Gray is Almost Okay, came out in March of this year.

Amelia is a kid who moves around a lot due to her father’s job as a hotel renovator and reimaginer. Like a lot of middle schoolers, she is trying to figure out who she is and what she’s good at. During one memorable summer in a new town, she decides to try on different personas to see which one fits best. Is she an athlete, a theater kid, or a reporter? What I loved about this book is that I could relate to it even as an adult. I still try different versions of myself sometimes.

Jessica talks to us about what words in the English language really get under her skin, how being fired from MGM Studios gave her the writing opportunity she needed, and her overwhelming passion for spreadsheets.

You can find Jessica at her website www.Jessicabrody.com and on her instagram at @jessicabrody.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

1- Amelia Gray is Almost Okay by Jessica Brody

2- Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

3- Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need by Blake Snyder

4- Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel by Jessica Brody

5- Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up by Jessica Brody

6- Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

7- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

8- Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp

9- The It Girl by Ruth Ware

10- Big Tree by Brian Selznick

11- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

12- Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

I think many aspiring writers have a juicy family story passed down that they are sure would make a great novel. Our guest this week, Ciera Horton McElroy, had heard stories about her grandfather, a scientist who worked at a plant that produced materials for a hydrogen bomb during the height of the Cold War in the 1960s. That one family story is the jumping off point of her debut novel, a work of historical fiction titled Atomic Family that takes the reader on a journey to an era of burgeoning women’s rights, Sears Roebuck fashion, and the suburban American dream. With some good old radiation thrown into the mix.

We talk to Ciera about what it was like to be a tourist at a now abandoned hydrogen bomb facility, how writing a little blog at 16 helped her start her own company, and the big differences between living in a state like Florida versus the Midwest.

You can find Ciera on her website at www.cieramcelroy.com and on instagram @cierahmcelroy.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

1 - Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy

2- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

3- Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson

4- Second Nature: Scenes from a World Remade by Nathaniel Rich (basis for Dark Waters)

5- All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

6- Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

7- I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkah

8- Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

9- Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

10- White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link

11- I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez

12- Hester by Laurie Albanese

13- Madame Pommery by Rebecca Rosenberg

14- Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg

Movies/Shows mentioned--

1- A Man Called Otto (Netflix 2022)

2- Our Great National Parks (Netflix 2022)

3- Dark Waters (2019)

This week we focus on books about mom "adjacent" books; by or about motherly figures in our lives. We give you 10 (plus a few more) books to add to your TBR or maybe even gift your mom for Mother's Day. We have memoirs, historical fiction, children's books, speculative fiction, graphic memoir, and even books celebrating moms of the non-human persuasion.

Books mentioned in this episode:

1- Now Beacon, Now Sea by Christopher Sorrentino

2- The Measure by Nikki Erlick

3- They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

4- The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

5- The Other Mother by Rachel Harper

6- Runaway by Erin Keane

7- The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

8- Truth and Other Lies by Maggie Smith

9- The Particulars of Peter: Dance Lessons, DNA, and other Excuses to Hang Out with my Perfect Dog by Kelly Conaboy

10- Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

11- Skylark by by Patricia MacLachlan

12- Caleb’s Story by Patricia MacLachlan

13- Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou

14- A Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou

15- A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

16- A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

17- A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

18- Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob

19- The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

20- The Need by Helen Phillips

21- The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman

22- Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers

23- Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance

24- Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally Clarkson and Nathan Clarkson

25- Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s by Jennifer Worth

26- Glitter and Gun by Kelly Corrigan

27- Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe

28- The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

29- The White Enchantress by Caitriona Drexler

Movies mentioned—

1- The Light Between Oceans (2016)

Podcasts mentioned—

1- The Daily (NY Times)

www.nytimes.com/2023/05/05/podcas…iters-strike.html

2- Tell Me More (Kelly Corrigan)

3- Wiser Than Me (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)

Articles mentioned—

www.gq.com/story/writers-strike-2023-wga-explained

www.politico.com/news/2023/05/03/…ok-bans-00095151

apnews.com/article/texas-libra…7784efd2746d292ab68

In just a few days, the Kentucky Derby will be run at Churchill Downs in Louisville KY and for folks here in KY it is a 2 week celebration. This week we are giving you books that are Kentucky inspired; from fiction, to 'sci-fi, memoir to middle grade, short story collections and underdog sport stories, and even true crime. These books will give you a taste of Kentucky when you can't actually be at the races with a mint julep in hand.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

1- American Murderer: The Parasite That Haunted the South by Gail Jarrow

2- Call Me Athena: Girl From Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith

3- The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

4- Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver

5- Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

6- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

7- Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

8- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

10- Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last by Wright Thompson

11-Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

12- Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander

13- These Prisoning Hills by Christopher Rowe

14- Clay's Quilt by Silas House

15- Blood in the Bluegrass by DC Alexander

16- A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City by David Domine

17- Waverly HIlls Sanatorium by Lynn Pohl

18- A White Wind Blew by James Markert

19- My Old Kentucky Home: The Astonishing Life and Reckoning of an Iconic American Song by Emily Bingham

20- Water Street by Crystal Wilkinson

21- Are You There God? It's Me, Margeret by Judy Blume

22- A Death in Door County by Annalise Ryan

23- Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out by Ryan Love

24- Inglorious Empire: What the British Did To India by Shashi Tharoor

25- The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

26- The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

Articles mentioned--

Women now dominate the book business (NPR, 2023)

www.npr.org/sections/money/2023…creative-industries

Shows mentioned--

1- Baby J (Netflix) (2023)

2- Heist (Netflix) (2021)

3- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (2023)

A literary salon sounds so posh, doesn’t it? I imagine the Lost Generation of writers–Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, Gertrude Stein–sitting around in a Parisian flat, discussing the newest trends in literature. But what exactly is a salon? Or what can it be? Our guest this week, Cindy Burnett, hosts a literary salon in Houston, Texas, called Conversations from a Page, and tells us all about what one version of a salon can be. Amy may be well on her way to starting her own salon because she was so intrigued by the idea.

Cindy is also a podcast host. Her show, Thoughts from a Page, is an extension of her salon in podcast form that airs twice a week. She interviews authors of books that she’s has read and have earned her seal of approval.

We find out her favorite national parks, what she misses about being a lawyer, and one reason she won’t read a book.

You can find info about Cindy Burnett at her websites www.cfapage.net and at thoughtsfromapage.com and on instagram at @thoughtsfromapage.

Books mentioned--

1- How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

2- We Came To Here To Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

3- The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley

4- The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

5- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

6- Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 by TJ Newman

7- Falling by TJ Newman

8- Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

9- Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybour

10- Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

11- The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page

Movies watched--

Dungeons and Dragons (2023)

Podcasts mentioned--

1- Thoughts from a Page

2- Books Are My People

3- The To Read List Podcast

Did you know it is National Humor Month? Neither did we but now we do and so do you. Which means this week we are talking about books that make us laugh.

Books We Mentioned:

1- The Peripheral by William Gibson

2- Foundation by Isaac Asimov

3- Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

4- The Martian by Andy Weir

5- The Alaskan Laundry by Brendan Jones

6- Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

7- The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate

8- The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

9- Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari

10- Yearbook by Seth Rogen

11- This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

12- The Guncle by Steven Rowley

13- Why Don't You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It? A Mother's Suggestions by Patricia Marx; illustrated by Roz Chast

14- Calypso by David Sedaris

15- A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson

16- Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love and Travel by Suzanne Roberts

17- Dirtbag, Massachusetts by Isaac Fitzgerald

18- She Is A Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

19- Sacred Geometry by Robert Lawlor

20- Bones & All by Camille DeAngelis

21- What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry

22- Hestia Strikes A Match by Christine Grillo

23- My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimers by Sandeep Jauhar

24- Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson

TV Series mentioned:

1- The Peripheral (Amazon Prime 2023)

2- Foundation (Apple+ 2021)

Bookish News

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/…olastic.html

This week our guest is Lydia Welker, the digital communications coordinator for the Appalachian Prison Book Project based in Morgantown, West Virginia. This organization does a lot of things, including sending books to prisoners in six states and hosting book clubs for inmates.

I discovered Appalachian Prison Book Project on social media where they often put out requests for specific books prisoners are looking for. There are over 43 books to prisoner programs across the country and you can find one in your area by going to the Books to Prisoners website (www.bookstoprisoners.net/outside-organizations/ ). Book to Prisoner programs believe education is a basic human right.

We talk to Lydia about the most requested books by prisoners, why she is a fanatic for sharks, and the best zombie movie to watch at the holidays.

You can find Appalachian Prison Book Project on Instagram @appalachianpbp and at their website at www.appalachianprisonbookproject.org

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

1- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

2- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

3- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

4- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

5- Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

6- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

7- Ulysses by James Joyce

8- Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

9- The History of Everything by Bill Bryson

10- The Body by Bill Bryson

11- Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

12- She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

13- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

14- Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

15- Authority by Jeff VanderMeer

16- Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer

17- Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

18- Severance by Ling Ma

19- Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem

Podcast mentioned:

1- You Might Hate This Book podcast

Movies or series mentioned--

1- The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple + 2023)

2- Get Out (2017)

3- Annihilation (2018)

4- Sharknado film series

5- The Night of the Living Dead (1968)

6- Ravenous (2017)

7- Zombieland (2009)

8- Shaun of the Dead (2004)

9- Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

10- The Last of the Us (HBO Max 2023)