Tag: author

Marjan Kamali Explores Evolving Friendships and Freedoms in The Lion Women of Tehran (Best Of)

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This week, I’m revisiting a recent episode and announcing a new project!

A Bookish’s Home new Substack Newsletter launched this week.  If your favorite way to discover new books is hearing from the authors themselves (and you’re short on time!) this newsletter is for you.

 

The first edition is On Writing and Resistance: An Interview with Author Maria van Lieshout:

This week on the podcast we’re revisiting one of my favorite episodes of the year with bestselling author Marjan Kamali in which we discussed The Lion Women of Tehran, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal, and redemption set against three transformative decades in Iran.

For folks in the New England area, Marjan will be appearing at the upcoming Newburyport Literary Festival on Saturday, April 26th in this event: On Friendship and Freedom: Marjan Kamali in Conversation With Jenna Blum

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“Gorgeous, gripping…insightful, compassionate, and grounded in historical detail, The Lion Women of Tehran is an evocation of a country upended and a tribute to the ways deep friendships shape our lives.” –Shelf Awareness

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Marjan Kamali is the author of three books, including Together Tea, which was a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award, an NPR WBUR Good Read pick, and a Target Emerging Author selection. She is the 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Award. She was born in Turkey to Iranian parents and spent her childhood in Kenya, Germany, Turkey, Iran, and the United States. She holds degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, Columbia University, and New York University. Learn more: marjankamali.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 244: Deanna Raybourn on the Female Assassins of Kills Well with Others

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This week, Deanna Raybourn is here to discuss her new novel Kills Well With Others. Deanna’s first book in this series, Killers of a Certain Age, was dubbed “Golden Girls meets James Bond” by Buzzfeed and  was an instant New York Times bestseller, garnering rave reviews and landing on many “best of the year” lists.

Now, readers’ favorite foursome of elite middle-aged assassins is back in Kills Well With Others. After the events of the previous novel and laying low for more than a year, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are called back into action, embarking on a globetrotting wild ride to root out a mole within their organization.

“Much like fine wine, battle-hardened assassins grow better with age.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner

Listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

 

About the Author:

Deanna Raybourn is the New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar Award–nominated Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, as well as the Lady Julia Grey series and several stand-alone works. Learn more: www.deannaraybourn.com

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

 

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 243: Patti Callahan Henry on The Story She Left Behind

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I’m so happy to share that Patti Callahan Henry returns to the podcast this week to discuss her new novel!

The Story She Left Behind is a beautiful, hopeful historical novel that explores female creativity, second chances, mother/daughter relationships, and a real-life literary mystery while also whisking us off to England’s Lake District and the world of Beatrix Potter.

Listen in as we dive into the kernels of curiosity and inspiration that led to the novel.

“Once again, Patti Callahan Henry proves that she is a magician with words… Graceful in its telling and so very wise in  its insights, The Story She Left Behind is a book that will capture your heart, lift your spirits, and delight your soul.”  —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land 

 

Listen here or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

 

About the Author:

Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and cocreator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. She lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family. Find out more at PattiCallahanHenry.com.

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

Links: 

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 242: J.C. Cervantes on the Enchanted Women in The Anatomy of Magic

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On this week’s episode, my guest is J.C. Cervantes, author of The Anatomy of Magic, about a young woman who learns to embrace all the messy imperfections of life and love with some help from her magical family.

Perfect for fans of Encanto and Practical Magic, this is the companion novel to her adult debut, The Enchanted Hacienda,  which the New York Times Book Review dubbed “like dipping your brain into a jar of serotonin.”

 

Listen here or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

 

About the Author:

J.C. Cervantes is a New York Times bestselling author of books for children and young adults. Her books have appeared on national lists, including the American Booksellers Association New Voices, Barnes and Noble’s Best Young Reader Books, as well as Amazon’s Best Books of the Month. She has earned multiple awards and recognitions, most recently the 2021 New Mexico Land of Enchantment Readers’ Choice Award. Learn more: www.jccervantes.com

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 241: Francesca Segal on Literary Comfort in Welcome to Glorious Tuga

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This week my guest is Francesca Segal, author of Welcome to Glorious Tuga, the literary comfort read we all need right now.

A complete and vivid world to escape to, Welcome to Glorious Tuga celebrates a fictional island, and the eccentric community who live there. Enchanting, uplifting and very funny, this is a captivating novel about love, belonging, and what it really means to come home.

 

‘A magical novel, so uplifting, heartwarming, funny. . . I cannot TELL you how much I adored it! This feels as if it was written specifically to give comfort – the perfect antidote to current climes.” — Marian Keyes

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Francesca Segal is an award-winning British American writer. She is the author of a memoir, Mother Ship, and the novels The Awkward Age and The Innocents, the latter of which won the Costa Book Award for First Novel, the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction, and the Sami Rohr Prize, and was long-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She lives in London with her family. Welcome to Glorious Tuga, her new novel, is the first in a planned trilogy. Learn more: https://www.francescasegal.com/ 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 240: Amy Wilson on Happy to Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser

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Calling all my fellow recovering people pleasers – Amy Wilson, host of the What Fresh Hell podcast, is here this week to discuss her new book of essays from Zibby Books, which explores how women and mothers are conditioned to be “happy to help” and how we might try to do things a bit differently.


“Wilson’s refreshing and hilarious essays illustrate the ridiculous nature of the advice meant to fix women and the unfair emotional labor expectations we place on women. Happy to Help offers a new narrative that inspires women to hold true boundaries and value their time as diamonds. A must-read!”
-Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Amy Wilson is the author of the memoir When Did I Get Like This? and her latest book, Happy to Help. Since 2016 she has been the co-host of the Webby-honored podcast What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood. Amy is also an actor who appeared on Broadway and as a series regular on TV sitcoms. She lives with her family in New York City. Find out more at amywilson.com.

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 239: Julia Kelly on The Dressmakers of London

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This week, Julia Kelly is back with us to discuss her new novel,  The Dressmakers of London, about estranged sisters who inherit their late mother’s dress shop in World War II London. 

We discuss  unearthing women’s everyday experiences in history, how rationing affected women’s fashion during World War II, the lasting impact on clothing design,  ties to today’s slow fashion movement, and much more.

“An uplifting WWII story about familial struggles, societal standards, and forgiveness . . . Kelly portrays friendships built, sisterhoods solidified, and new, deserving love stories formed. Women’s strength in the face of adversity is the focus of this fine historical novel.” —Booklist

 

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Julia Kelly is the internationally bestselling author of emotional historical fiction about extraordinary women and intriguing historical whodunnit mystery novels. Her books have been translated into 13 languages. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London with her husband. Learn more: https://www.juliakellywrites.com/

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 238: Melissa Ferguson on The Perfect Rom-Com to Pick Up Next

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day —Melissa Ferguson is here this week to give us the inside scoop on “The Perfect Rom-Com” for writers and bibliophiles to pick up next.

We discussed turning moments from her own writing journey into this romcom about an aspiring novelist, chronicling life with her family on Our Friendly Farmhouse, carving out a writing routine as a busy mom, the dilemmas of ghostwriting, and much more.

Past guest of the podcast RaeAnne Thayne raves that with The Perfect Rom-Com, “Melissa Ferguson delivers yet another sparkling, laugh-out-loud romance!” 

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including How to Plot a Payback, Meet Me in the Margins, and Famous for a Living. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies that have been featured in such places as The Hollywood Reporter, Travel + Leisure, and The New York Post. Follow Melissa with over 800,000 other subscribers on Instagram and TikTok at @ourfriendlyfarmhouse or her newsletter: melissaferguson.com.

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 237: Tara Dorabji on the Sweeping Family Saga, Call Her Freedom

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This week, Tara Dorabji shares the path to publishing her debut novel, Call Her Freedom. A sweeping family saga and intergenerational love story, the book was also the winner of Simon & Schuster’s Books Like Us First Novel Contest, a competition for underrepresented writers to submit their manuscripts and win a book deal.

A deeply moving novel about one woman’s love for her family, this is an epic investigation of colonialism, militarization, and the loss and innocence on the journey to creating home. 

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“A rich and beautifully crafted multigenerational epic that takes us into the heart of a war-torn family and into the soul of a people fighting for liberation, Call Her Freedom is a searing, atmospheric debut by a talented new voice in fiction.”
—KRISTIN HARMEL, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

 

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Tara Dorabji is the author of the novel, Call Her Freedom, winner of the Simon & Schuster Books Like Us first novel contest. She is the daughter of Parsi-Indian and German-Italian migrants. Her documentary film series on human rights defenders in Kashmir won awards at over a dozen film festivals throughout Asia and the USA. Tara’s publications include Al Jazeera, The Chicago Quarterly, Huizache, and acclaimed anthologies: Good Girls Marry Doctors and All the Women in My Family Sing. She lives in Northern California with her family and rabbit. Learn more: www.dorabji.com

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep 236: Fiona Davis Takes Us Behind the Scenes at the Met in The Stolen Queen

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 Today one of my favorite authors, Fiona Davis is back on A Bookish Home to tell us all about her dazzling new novel, The Stolen Queen.

 For nearly a decade, Fiona Davis has introduced readers to the fascinating and often little known histories behind some of New York City’s most iconic landmarks through the eyes of female characters seeking the truth about themselves and the world around them.

Now, in her enthralling eighth novel, The Stolen Queen, Fiona Davis delights readers with a story centered on the Metropolitan Museum of Art and its famed Met Gala, while for the first time, exploring a territory beyond New York City—Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.

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“In her latest stunner, Fiona Davis sweeps readers from the sun-baked sands of Egypt to the inner sanctum of the Met Museum and a world full of art, intrigue, and heart-stopping secrets. While crafting a vivid picture of two fascinating eras, Davis also dives deeply into the vibrant inner worlds of her complex and compelling lead characters, Charlotte and Annie. Inspired by the unearthing of an incomparable ancient queen, this book solidifies Davis’s place as a reigning queen of historical fiction, and a master storyteller at the height of her craft.”

— Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Fiona Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of several historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Magnolia Palace, The Address, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and O the Oprah magazine. She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master’s degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have sold more than 1 million copies to date and have been translated into more than twenty languages. She’s based in New York City. Learn more: fionadavisbooks.com

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.