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Bookreporter Talks To

277 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 31 ratings

“Bookreporter Talks To” is a podcast from The Book Report Network where we host in-depth conversations with authors about the books that we love. We know authors cannot travel everywhere, so we want to bring them to you, wherever YOU may be.

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Episodes

Tamron Hall: Watch Where They Hide

March 15, 2024 15:30 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MB

Tamron Hall, the Emmy Award-winning host and executive producer of the syndicated talk show “Tamron Hall” and the bestselling author of the Jordan Manning series, joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest thriller, WATCH WHERE THEY HIDE. Tamron shares the genesis of the plot for this second book in the series and why it is set in 2009. She also talks about how she crafts her story, her writing process, and the realism that she brings to the table about how a broadcast journalist works. An...

Bookreporter Talks To... Kristin Hannah

March 07, 2024 18:25 - 1 hour - 66.2 MB

Kristin Hannah was our guest for a very special “Bookreporter Talks To” program. She was in conversation with Bookreporter readers and Carol Fitzgerald about her #1 bestseller, THE WOMEN, which is a Bookreporter Bets On pick. A lot of ground was covered, including Kristin’s inspiration for writing the book, why she felt that now was the right time to tell this story, and how she researched the time period. There was much discussion about the divisiveness of our times now compared to the ’6...

"Bookaccino Live" Book Group with Shelby Van Pelt

February 29, 2024 16:39 - 1 hour - 85.1 MB

Shelby Van Pelt, author of REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, joins us for February’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event. She explains how a short piece that she had written for a writing class became the start of her New York Times bestseller, how growing up with her Swedish grandmother influenced her character, Tova, and why it worked for Marcellus to have his voice in the first person. Shelby shares background on the cover design, as well as what it was like to be a debut author getting a call ...

Hank Phillippi Ryan: One Wrong Word

February 20, 2024 16:09 - 1 hour - 62.8 MB

Hank Phillippi Ryan joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest thriller, ONE WRONG WORD, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. The idea for this book came from something that happened to Hank when she was 19. She talks about crafting the characters and how she tries to keep readers on top of the action by introducing the characters as chapter titles where they are speaking. Hank always writes organically without an outline; both the characters and the action come to her as she writes...

“Bookaccino Live” Book Group with Lisa See

January 26, 2024 19:18 - 1 hour - 68.6 MB

For our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group of 2024, Lisa See talks about her most recent book, LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, with Carol Fitzgerald. She explains how she came to discover Tan Yunxian, a female physician from 15th-century China, and why she decided to write a novel based on her extraordinary life.  Two readers, Debbie and Michelle, appeared on camera to ask Lisa about her interest in ancient Chinese medicine and the role of women in it, as well as how a new book idea comes t...

Ashley Elston: First Lie Wins

January 19, 2024 17:19 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MB

Ashley Elston joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her instant New York Times bestseller, FIRST LIE WINS, which is Reese's Book Club pick for January and a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Ashley shares how she came to write this book and why the time was right for her to work on it. She explains what she learned about storytelling from the decade she spent as a wedding photographer, as well as her time writing YA novels, where readers keep authors on their toes. Ashley wrote the start of ...

Amanda Peters: The Berry Pickers

January 12, 2024 17:38 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MB

Amanda Peters joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her breakout hit debut novel, THE BERRY PICKERS, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Amanda, who is a mixed-race of Mi’kmaq and European ancestry, was born and raised in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. She explains how a trip with her father to Maine to see the actual site of the blueberry picking that is depicted in the book spurred the story. As he walked her through the fields and showed her the cabin where he and his family had liv...

Katherine Faulkner: The Other Mothers

January 04, 2024 18:11 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MB

Katherine Faulkner talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her latest domestic thriller, THE OTHER MOTHERS, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection (as was her previous book, GREENWICH PARK). They talk about her protagonist Tash, who, like Katherine, was a full-time journalist; she is on the prowl for a great story to jumpstart her freelance career.  Tash learns about the unsolved murder of a nanny, whose charge was the daughter of one of the cool and sophisticated group of mothers who Tash has ...

2023 Bookreporter Bets On Selections: Books We're Betting You'll Love

December 15, 2023 18:42 - 1 hour - 85.2 MB

Carol Fitzgerald shares commentary about her 44 Bookreporter Bets On selections from 2023. These are books that she is betting Bookreporter readers will love! Podcast interviews are available for the asterisked authors. Carol’s Three Top Titles of 2023 Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See * Homecoming by Kate Morton * The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger * Fiction Go As a River by Shelley Read * Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok * Yell...

Nita Prose: The Mystery Guest

December 13, 2023 02:30 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MB

Nita Prose joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about THE MYSTERY GUEST, which is a follow-up to THE MAID. Like her first book, her latest is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Nita shares the challenges of writing a second novel featuring the same character and how she worked to be sure that the story here was as strong as what she delivered in THE MAID. She explains what this book reveals about her character Molly’s background while still moving the story forward. There also is discussion about i...

Fiona Davis: The Spectacular

December 12, 2023 05:40 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MB

Fiona Davis joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss THE SPECTACULAR, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Radio City Music Hall is the latest iconic New York City building that Fiona explores. This time, she layers in an additional element as she unearths a story about a habitual bomber who terrorized the city for a more than a decade, targeting well-known locations. A Rockette reached out to Fiona with the idea for the book, and she researched it from there. Adding the bomber pegged the boo...

Gilly Macmillan: The Manor House

December 09, 2023 17:14 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MB

Gilly Macmillan joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, THE MANOR HOUSE. The premise is a fun one as a couple wins the lottery, and they set out to spend their winnings wisely. They first build a beautiful glass house with all the bells and whistles that one might want. It’s just brilliant. But mere pages into the book, one of them is found dead in the swimming pool. What happened? Was it foul play, or was it an accident? This is a book with so many twists and turns, and ...

"Bookaccino Live": Our Reviewers' Top Book Picks of 2023

December 07, 2023 16:48 - 1 hour - 80.9 MB

Carol Fitzgerald and Tom Donadio talk to eight Bookreporter reviewers about their top three books of 2023. Narrowing their selections down to just three was a challenge for all of them! You can see the books that they discussed, along with their covers, here: https://www.bookreporter.com/sites/default/files/Bookaccino_Live_Special_Event_Bookreporter_Reviewers_Share_Their_Favorite_Books_of_2023.pdf The order in which they appear: Norah Piehl, Harvey Freedenberg, Rebecca Munro, Pamela Kr...

“Bookaccino Live” Book Group: Dani Shapiro

December 04, 2023 17:33 - 1 hour - 68.9 MB

Dani Shapiro discusses SIGNAL FIRES for “Bookaccino Live” Book Group moderated by Carol Fitzgerald. Bookreporter readers loved this book and were quick to ask questions about the characters, who drive this story. Dani had put this book away a while ago, and when she came back to it, it was with fresh eyes and a new perspective. She shares why she pivoted in time to tell the story and how the accident that opens the book radiated through the lives of the Wilf family in very different ways. Sh...

Douglas Brunt: The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I

December 01, 2023 04:22 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MB

Douglas Brunt joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I, which was an instant New York Times bestseller. Apple Books has selected it as one of the 20 best books of 2023, and it already was named one of the Best History Books of the Year by Audible.   Doug talks about the origin of the story, which came about as he bought an older boat, and how his fascination with the character of Rudolf Diesel sprang ...

Tess Gerritsen: The Spy Coast

November 06, 2023 15:43 - 46 minutes - 42.1 MB

Tess Gerritsen joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, THE SPY COAST, which kicks off a new series, The Martini Club. Tess shares where she got the idea for this book, which had a very interesting origin. She has visited the international locations where the action takes place, and she discusses how she was able to make those scenes feel so authentic. She did not plot the novel in advance, which is surprising when readers see how well it all came together. Carol thinks this...

Jessica Knoll: Bright Young Women

October 30, 2023 16:04 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MB

Jessica Knoll joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest novel, BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. It’s a fictitious look at the victims of a serial killer, based on Ted Bundy, though he is never called by name here. Jessica talks about the structure of the novel, where the crimes that open the book are captured hour by hour and day by day. She explores the three characters in the book, as well as the research that she did to get the right tone and tenor for the...

“Bookaccino Live” Book Group: Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

October 27, 2023 15:14 - 1 hour - 68.8 MB

Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan joined our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group for a brilliant discussion about their novel, MAD HONEY. Jennifer explains that the idea for the book came to her in a dream that she had in 2017. They talk about their characters and who wrote each, as well as how they worked with one portion of the narrative going forward and another going backward. Jodi is a complete outliner, and they discuss how having this structure allowed them to develop the story with ea...

Sharon Virts: Veil of Doubt

October 24, 2023 15:07 - 1 hour - 72 MB

Sharon Virts joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, VEIL OF DOUBT, a mystery set in 1872.  She shares how her love of history helped her to discover this story. She talks about the character of Emily, who is accused of poisoning her daughter, and how she had to learn not only the legalese of the day, but also about chemistry and how poisoning may have happened in that time frame. Sharon needed to stay grounded in what information was available. She researched the trial and le...

William Kent Krueger: The River We Remember

October 20, 2023 16:33 - 1 hour - 55.6 MB

William Kent Krueger joined us for our first-ever LIVE “Bookreporter Talks To” interview to discuss THE RIVER WE REMEMBER. Some of the readers who won the book in a recent Bookreporter contest joined us live with their questions, while Carol Fitzgerald shared questions on behalf of our readers who are camera-shy or were unable to join us live. Please note that there were no spoilers discussed so you can watch or listen even if you have not read the book. We also opened up this program to all...

Jean Kwok: The Leftover Woman

October 08, 2023 17:17 - 1 hour - 63.8 MB

Jean Kwok joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about THE LEFTOVER WOMAN. In this book, a young woman named Jasmine had a baby girl. With China's one-child policy in place, her husband tells her the baby died, and instead arranges for an adoption to take place in the US. He wants to have a son as his one child.   The baby is adopted by a woman named Rebecca who works at a publishing company. Here Jean shares an "inside baseball" look at that industry, along with the story of the little adopted ...

Thrity Umrigar: The Museum of Failures

October 02, 2023 15:13 - 1 hour - 58.9 MB

Thrity Umrigar joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES, which is set in India. It’s a Bookreporter Bets On selection, as was her previous book, HONOR. In it, Remy Wadia has come back to India from his home in Columbus, Ohio, to adopt a child; a young woman who his friends know is pregnant and wants to give up her child. Remy is conflicted about this trip as he has had a long, contentious relationship with his mother, and this is his first time back in In...

"Bookaccino Live" Book Group with Alice Elliott Dark

September 29, 2023 16:45 - 1 hour - 59.6 MB

Alice Elliott Dark discussed her novel, FELLOWSHIP POINT, with Carol Fitzgerald and readers at the September “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event. Members of the audience asked questions both on and off camera about her character development, including Maine as a character. Alice talked about her writing routine and shared insight into the editing process, where 200 pages of the book were winnowed down --- and her focus on Agnes and Polly. The ending of the book came to her quite late; she did...

Ashley Audrain: The Whispers

September 25, 2023 16:03 - 1 hour - 64.8 MB

Ashley Audrain joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new domestic thriller, THE WHISPERS, which follows on the heels of her debut, THE PUSH. Both books are Bookreporter Bets On selections. Ashley sets her latest in a neighborhood that is being regentrified. Some homes are remodeled, while others are original to the neighborhood. We follow two moms of young children, Whitney and Blair, as well as Rebecca, an ER nurse who longs to be a mother, and Mara, an older woman who is watching these ...

John Sargent: Turning Pages

September 19, 2023 16:17 - 1 hour - 82.6 MB

John Sargent joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his memoir, TURNING PAGES: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Publisher. John spent four decades in the world of publishing and concluded his career in 2020 at Macmillan when he was fired, which completely surprised people in the industry. For years he fought for what he believed was right for authors, readers and the “publishing ecosystem,” the latter of which is a phrase he used again and again. But while this book is about his time in...

Sarah Pekkanen: Gone Tonight

September 14, 2023 13:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Sarah Pekkanen joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, GONE TONIGHT. In this mother/daughter story, a mother will do anything she can to keep her daughter, who is now in her 20s, safe and living near her. She had her daughter as a teen and has been long estranged from her family. The book is told from the points of view of both the mother and the daughter. Sarah talks about ratcheting up the tension while also doing a slow reveal. Parts of the book take place in a memory ...

Angie Kim: Happiness Falls

September 12, 2023 17:21 - 1 hour - 78.4 MB

Angie Kim joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new novel, HAPPINESS FALLS, which packs so much between its pages. It’s a family story with a mystery woven through. And much of the book revolves around the young son, Eugene, who has Angelman syndrome --- and what he may know about the disappearance of their father/husband. Angie talks about how long this story was in her head --- more than a decade --- and why she felt that this was the right time to tell it. She notes that she aimed to...

Melanie Benjamin: California Golden

August 28, 2023 17:47 - 1 hour - 58.6 MB

Melanie Benjamin joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest work of historical fiction, CALIFORNIA GOLDEN. Set in Southern California in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the story is built around Carol --- a prize-winning surfer at a time when women were not big contenders in the sport --- and her two daughters, Mindy and Ginger. Melanie discusses the structure of the book with the daughters’ story coming first, then the mother’s, and finally all of them together. She also delves into how the lives o...

Shari Lapena: Everyone Here is Lying

August 18, 2023 20:51 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MB

Carol Fitzgerald talks to Shari Lapena about her latest thriller, EVERYONE HERE IS LYING. Carol has christened Shari “the Queen of the One-Sit Read,” as every time she starts reading one of her books, she does not stop until she finishes. And she is not alone; we are hearing this from other readers. Shari talks about how the book opens and sets the story up, and from there how the neighbors all become part of the plot. The ending will make you stop and say, “That is so perfect.” Shari discus...

Tracey Lange: The Connellys of County Down

August 15, 2023 15:16 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MB

Carol Fitzgerald talks to Tracey Lange about her second novel, THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Tracey talks about the Connelly siblings, what she thought was special about each of them, and how her background in behavioral health helped her in developing them and their various situations. The themes of loyalty and love are at the core of this book, and she discusses how they came together. And yes, she explains where she got all the jokes that Conor t...

Naomi Hirahara: Evergreen

August 14, 2023 14:52 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MB

Naomi Hirahara joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest mystery, EVERGREEN. The story once again features Aki Ito, who readers met in CLARK AND DIVISION. Aki has now moved back to Los Angeles from Chicago where her family was displaced during World War II. Naomi talks about her research for this book, some of which was drawn from relatives, as well as her work over the past decades. She explains how EVERGREEN works well as a stand-alone novel and what brought her and the publisher to ...

Liz Nugent: Strange Sally Diamond

August 04, 2023 15:55 - 1 hour - 61.1 MB

Liz Nugent joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new thriller, STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Liz reminds Carol that they spoke in 2017 about her debut, UNRAVELING OLIVER; it was her first interview. She explains how she developed the character of Sally. Carol was astonished to learn that this latest novel was not plotted, but rather written stream-of-consciousness. Liz also talks about letters that were shared with Sally and why they were woven into the...

Alli Frank and Asha Youmans: The Better Half

July 28, 2023 15:58 - 1 hour - 70.6 MB

Alli Frank and Asha Youmans make a return visit to “Bookreporter Talks To” to share their thoughts on their latest book, THE BETTER HALF — a Bookreporter Bets On selection — with Carol Fitzgerald. They talk about what they brought to their protagonist, Nina Morgan Clarke, who is the first Black female head of the very tony Royal-Hawkins School. Nina quickly learns that, along with being in charge of student life, she must manage a board and lots of parental expectations. Alli shares that sh...

Carolyn Mackler: The Wife App

July 21, 2023 16:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MB

Carolyn Mackler joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her first book for adults, THE WIFE APP. Carol was a huge fan of Carolyn’s YA novels, including THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS; TANGLED; GUYAHOLIC; VEGAN VIRGIN VALENTINE; and LOVE AND OTHER FOUR-LETTER WORDS. Carolyn got the idea for this book talking to her mom friends about the kind of work that typically is handled by women in the family — filling out school forms, arguing with the insurance company, and so much more. I...

Adrienne Brodeur: Little Monsters

July 13, 2023 15:28 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MB

Adrienne Brodeur joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her novel, LITTLE MONSTERS, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. They talk characters — and each shares her favorite — as well as the story’s structure with multiple points of view. Adrienne has spent summers on the Cape for as long as she can remember, and her writing so beautifully about the place gives a clear picture of how much she loves it — and treasures time there. After writing her memoir, WILD GAME, where her mother was ...

Lisa See: Lady Tan's Circle of Women

June 13, 2023 15:20 - 1 hour - 68.8 MB

Lisa See joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her new novel, LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Lisa explains how she got the idea for this book, inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China, which was different from the one she planned to write. She later discovered that Tan Yunxian had written a book, and it had been translated into English. From there, she headed down a rabbit hole of research to ensure that her storytelling w...

Nancy Horan: The House of Lincoln

June 11, 2023 16:15 - 1 hour - 66.5 MB

Nancy Horan joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest work of historical fiction, THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN. Nancy was born in Springfield, Illinois, and always was intrigued by Lincoln and his legacy there. In 2014, she started her research on Lincoln and what the city might have been like during his time. The resulting book is told through the eyes of a fictitious character named Ana Ferreira, who works for the Lincolns.  Ana emigrated from Madeira, Portugal, to Springfield by way of Tr...

"Bookaccino Live" Book Group: Laura Dave

May 31, 2023 15:53 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MB

Laura Dave joined us for a "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event to discuss her New York Times bestselling novel, THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME. Laura had the idea for this book for a while, and she wrote it from different perspectives before finding the first-person story told by Hannah that we read. She talks about how she needs time to settle in with her characters and her plot, and then turns to what serves the book most. She also shares some of the research that she did about houseboat life, a...

Linwood Barclay: The Lie Maker

May 24, 2023 17:18 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MB

Linwood Barclay joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his latest thriller, THE LIE MAKER. They delve into its theme of witness protection --- and the protagonist Jack’s quest to find his father, who entered the WITSEC program years ago. They talk about witness protection and the interesting role with which Jack is presented. Linwood’s love of cars once again finds its way into this story. He also shares something that he has had in his desk for over 50 years and what it means to him. Carol th...

Alice Elliott Dark: Fellowship Point

May 18, 2023 17:54 - 1 hour - 85.8 MB

Alice Elliott Dark talks to Carol Fitzgerald about the writing of her book, FELLOWSHIP POINT, which took 20 years to complete. It was one of Carol’s favorite books of 2022, and she read it more slowly than usual, enjoying both the story and the brilliant use of language. Alice shares how the characters evolved and how one had a central role until she saw the story was headed in a different direction. The development of the friendship between Agnes and Polly was one that felt very natural t...

Kate Morton: Homecoming

May 08, 2023 17:04 - 1 hour - 61.9 MB

Kate Morton joined Carol Fitzgerald from Australia to talk about her latest New York Times bestseller, HOMECOMING, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. During the early days of the pandemic, Kate headed to Australia with her family for what was to be an Easter visit. As they realized that their time there was going to be longer than planned, Kate put aside a manuscript that she was working on. Inspired by the Australian landscape and the idea of her own homecoming, she began this book....

"Bookaccino Live" Book Group: Kristin Hannah

April 28, 2023 16:25 - 1 hour - 67.2 MB

Kristin Hannah joined Carol Fitzgerald for a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group discussion of her novel, THE FOUR WINDS. Kristin shared her research process, which consists of a year of reading everything she can get her hands on about her chosen topic --- including memoirs --- to give her insight into the time period. She talked about discovering that Elsa was her protagonist, not her daughter Loreda, and how that meant abandoning hundreds of pages of writing. And she revealed the very interestin...

Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo: Things I Told My Mother

April 10, 2023 18:37 - 1 hour - 59.7 MB

Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo join Carol Fitzgerald to talk about their novel, THINGS I WISH I TOLD MY MOTHER. Both of them enjoyed life with their mothers, who lived well into their 90s. So they decided to write a fictional title about a mother and daughter duo. In the book, Laurie works in advertising and loves new experiences. Her mom is the famous “Dr. Liz,” an elegant perfectionist who is renowned and receives great praise wherever she goes. They embark on a trip to Paris and Norway...

Rachel Beanland: The House is On Fire

April 06, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MB

Rachel Beanland, who we interviewed previously about FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER, is back to talk to Carol Fitzgerald about THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, her latest work of historical fiction. This novel reimagines what happened in the Richmond Theater Fire of 1811 through the eyes of four characters. This lively conversation includes Rachel sharing why she selected these people to represent the story and her feelings about each of them. She also explains how this story came to her --- and how she ...

"Bookaccino Live" Book Group: Allison Pataki

March 31, 2023 16:39 - 1 hour - 76.5 MB

Allison Pataki joined Carol Fitzgerald for a "Bookaccino Live" Book Group discussion about her novel, THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST. Allison talked about what drew her to write about Marjorie Merriweather Post and how she decided which aspects of Marjorie’s life to share. She also explained how her work as an on-air journalist helped her as she was both researching and discussing the book. The conversation was brisk and fun, with great audience questions, and included what is next f...

Lisa Scottoline: Loyalty

March 29, 2023 15:18 - 1 hour - 61.5 MB

Lisa Scottoline talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her second work of historical fiction, LOYALTY. They cover a lot of ground, talking about the trip to Sicily that inspired the characters and the settings. Before heading there, Lisa had done a lot of research about Italy and the rise of the Mafia, but her travels gave her the opportunity to situate her characters and bring them to the page for readers. They also discuss the book’s structure and why it was done that way. Edoardo Ballerini narra...

Sadeqa Johnson: The House of Eve

March 22, 2023 18:19 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Sadeqa Johnson joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about THE HOUSE OF EVE, her second work of historical fiction. She explains that the inspiration for the book came from her family history. She also discusses character development and which character came to her first. Unlike her previous novel, YELLOW WIFE, she had lots of contemporary history to delve into as she was conducting her research, including foods, rituals and, yes, fashion. And then there was the statistic that between 1945 and 1973...

William Landay: All That Is Mine I Carry With Me

March 17, 2023 16:19 - 1 hour - 72.8 MB

William Landay talks to Carol Fitzgerald about ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME, his first book in 11 years following his bestseller, DEFENDING JACOB. They discuss the structure of the novel, which is told in four parts, and why he chose this method of storytelling. They also delve into crime writing and what has happened to this genre both in books and on the screen. And yes, they talk about the limited series adaptation of DEFENDING JACOB on Apple TV+, which was so well done. Book discus...

Bookaccino Book Club: Fiona Davis

March 02, 2023 20:03 - 1 hour - 72.3 MB

Fiona Davis joined Carol Fitzgerald for a "Bookaccino Live" Book Group discussion about her novel, THE MAGNOLIA PALACE. Fiona talked about her inspiration to set the book at the Frick Museum. She shared some terrific photos that gave readers background on her characters and research process. She also discussed her other work, including what has drawn her to select particular buildings to feature, and the expert she speaks with before she begins a project, who she consults with along the way....

Shelley Read: Go As A River

March 02, 2023 19:16 - 1 hour - 85.6 MB

Shelley Read joins Carol Fitzgerald for a deep-dive conversation about her highly anticipated debut novel, GO AS A RIVER, and the history behind it. Carol has spent a lot of time in the Gunnison Valley of Colorado that Shelley writes about, so this book felt very personal to her. Shelley, a fifth-generation Coloradan, shares the background on how she came to write the novel --- and why it took until she was in her 50s to finish it. They also talk about Shelley’s love of the outdoors and how ...