Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books

Elizabeth Kay, SEVEN LIES

Seven Lies is a big book bursting on the scene, but you wouldn’t know it listening to Elizabeth Kay chat nonchalantly with Zibby about the auction that took place around this hot property. A publishing industry insider, Elizabeth incorporated all the elements of a suspenseful, thought-provoking narrative in the web of lies that blankets her book.

Brooke Fossey, THE BIG FINISH

Brooke’s novel The Big Finish was inspired by her own grandfather and his experience at a nursing home. Brooke spoke to Zibby about both having four kids, managing intergenerational care, and what it takes to write a book.

Aimee Agresti, THE SUMMER SET

A former entertainment reporter, Aimee Agresti spills all in this delicious novel, The Summer Set, about an aging A-list star. Zibby and Aimee dished about their favorite shows, stars, and more.

Sonali Dev, RECIPE FOR PERSUASION

Sonali Dev is obsessed with Bollywood. In fact, she tried to replicate many things she loves about those bright, beautiful movies in the plot of her novel, Recipe For Persuasion!

Amity Gaige, SEA WIFE

Amity Gaige’s novel Sea Wife is a beautifully written novel about the effects of a sea voyage on a couple and family. Amity talks to Zibby about writing and more! 

Christina Clancy, THE SECOND HOME

Zibby still can’t stop thinking about the characters in The Second Home, an ode to Cape Cod in Christina Clancy’s debut novel about parents, children, places that matter, babysitters, awful men, sibling lore, and more.

Elise Hooper, FAST GIRLS

Elise Hooper loves doing research. Fast Girls, her historical novel about women runners in the Olympics, highlights her love of working out -- and Google deep dives. Elise and Zibby chatted about her process, her relationship to exercise, and more! 

Amanda Brainerd, AGE OF CONSENT

Harvard grad and real estate exec, Amanda Brainerd, worked on this novel for years. A look back at the 1980s told through the lens of girls away at boarding school, this coming-of-age tale about falling in love and finding yourself is not to be missed. Listen to Zibby chat with another Upper East Side mom about life, writing, and parenthood! 

Brandy Ferner, ADULT CONVERSATION

Brandy starts her book with a scene of a busy mom on the toilet hiding from her kids. That’s the tone of this tell-it-like-is conversation with Zibby. A podcaster herself, Brandy confessed all types of things about parenting, discussed her writing process, and gave hope to moms who are struggling. 

Lauren Ho, LAST TANG STANDING

Lauren Ho, the author of debut novel Last Tang Standing, spoke to me from Malaysia about her book which she swears isn’t really about her mother. A comedienne at heart (who hadn’t heard of Midge Maisel — a crime!), Lauren discussed her anxieties about writing, being single, stalking bookstores with her kids, and more.

Erin Geiger Smith, THANK YOU FOR VOTING

Thank You For Voting was supposed to be research that Erin Geiger Smith did for the renowned author and Parnassus Bookstore owner, Ann Patchett. But after Erin threw herself into the work for so long, Ann said that Erin should finish writing the book herself! This accidental treatise on the history of voting will encourage everyone to vote in the upcoming election. Something more critical now than ever before. 

Jason Rosenthal, MY WIFE SAID YOU MAY WANT TO MARRY ME

This heart-breaking yet inspirational story by Jason Rosenthal is an ode to his deceased wife, Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Amy wrote a “Modern Love” piece in the New York Times  as she was dying called, “You May Want to Marry My Husband.” His memoir, My Wife Said You May Want To Marry Me, was based on his answer to her article, also in the “Modern Love” column. Jason spoke to Zibby about everything from falling in love to putting himself back together after the worst came true. 

Janine Urbaniak Reid, THE OPPOSITE OF CERTAINTY

Janine Reid can’t stop kicking her perfectionist self for trusting the first doctor who dismissed her son’s symptoms. Years later, after her son declined and treatment was no longer an option, Janine looks back at how this struggle upended her plans and taught her what’s really important about life.

Jayson Greene, ONCE MORE WE SAW STARS

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Losing a child. Jayson Greene lived through it and even wrote about it in this powerful account of his daughter’s injury and subsequent death due to an errant brick that flew off an Upper West Side building. This inspirational, gutting story and conversation will make you rethink what you thought you knew about everything from organ donation to conquering tragedy.

Lisa Baker Morgan, PARIS, PART TIME

Chef Lisa Baker Morgan writes about the terrifying illness that landed her in a French hospital, separated from her two daughters (but with a very dashing paramour) in her beautiful memoir, PARIS PART-TIME. With an inside look at the Parisian real estate market -- and food markets -- this book will instantly transport you to another time and place. Lisa shares all with Zibby as they laugh about the craziness of dating -- with kids!

Jasmine Guillory, PARTY OF TWO

Jasmine Guillory’s book The Proposal was a Reese’s Book Club pick and bestseller. Party of Two, a novel about a white Senator and a black lawyer who fall in love and have to contend with the public eye during their new romance, is even better! It'll leave you craving a slice of chocolate cake after reading Jasmine’s mouth-watering descriptions of basically everything. Her characters have a real appetite for food, adventure, and love. 

 

Judith Warner, AND THEN THEY STOPPED TALKING TO ME

Judith Warner's latest book is called And Then They Stopped Talking to Me: Making Sense of Middle School. She is a best-selling author, a special correspondent for Newsweek, and journalist who had a New York Times column. She's an extremely compelling speaker and writer, and this book provides invaluable insight about the (sometimes really painful) memories from navigating adolescence, and for parents trying to intellectually make sense of what's going on with their middle schoolers. It’s also about the memories from adolescence that adults carry with them and how that translates into their own parenting. 

Rachel Beanland, FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER

Rachel Beanland is the author of the novel Florence Adler Swims Forever, through which she takes family history and secret-keeping to a riveting place. Based on a tragedy that took place in the 1930s in her own family, we talked about how Rachel grew up with this family lore, whether it's justified to keep hard truths from the people they impact, and how that narrative has shaped her relationships.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner, FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE

I interviewed the amazing Taffy Brodesser Akner about her bestselling first novel, Fleishman Is in Trouble, as part of the Streicker Center from Temple Emanu-El's "Women on the Move" series. Taffy was formerly a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and has written for GQ, ESPN the Magazine, and many other publications. We laughed about how many people in her circle think that they know who her protagonist is based on - or even thought “Fleishman” was supposed to be them! I loved Taffy's insights about the role of Judaism in her book, what makes a good interview, and where she wrote this novel. (Hint: it involves a couch in the bathroom at Nordstroms.) I truly loved connecting with Taffy.

Bethany Saltman, STRANGE SITUATION

Bethany Saltman is the author of Strange Situation: A Mother's Journey into the Science of Attachment. She's also an award-winning editor and researcher. Her work can be seen in publications like The New Yorker, New York magazine, Atlantic Monthly, Parents and many others. Strange Situation is a beautiful memoir of Bethany's 10-year journey researching and exploring the science of attachment. The science is fascinating but I really loved that this was a coming-of-age story about motherhood that explored her own upbringing to who she became as a parent. We talked about expectations about what motherhood "should" feel like, Bethany's Buddhist practice, growing up in a 1970's household of "benign parental neglect," and unpacking the heavy things she was carrying from her childhood in order to be the parent she envisioned for her daughter.

Danica McKellar, THE TIMES MACHINE

I had a blast interviewing former child actress from “The Wonder Years” Danica McKellar about her latest book called The Times Machine! Like me, you probably adored her first as Winnie! (My daughter knows her from “Project MC2” on Netflix.) Among other great acting roles and becoming a parent, Danica started McKellar Math. She developed her own math theorem, spoke before the congressional committee in 2007 about why kids' math scores are far behind those in other countries, and how we should really start in middle school targeting kids for math. Now she has written ten different math books (all of which have terrific titles). She's a total star and her passion has helped so many kids and families get through the stress of learning math together.

Catherine Newman, HOW TO BE A PERSON

Catherine Newman is the author of the fantastic book How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful, Super-Important Skills to Learn before You're Grown Up. She's the etiquette columnist at Real Simple magazine and the editor of the James Beard Award-winning nonprofit kids' cooking magazine ChopChop. I'm so glad Catherine was inspired to write this book because it's an amazing way to get kids comfortable with basic skills from table-setting to apologizing and help them feel independent while doing it. I followed Catherine's advice to get the book and just leave it somewhere accessible for everyone in the family - they'll be inclined to read this practical, fun, graphic novel-esque book. It's a favorite in my house!

Kevin Kwan, SEX AND VANITY

I had the most fun laughing and talking with Kevin Kwan who is the author of Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, the international best-selling novels and almost unprecedented single-author trifecta. The film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians became Hollywood's highest-grossing romantic comedy in over a decade. His latest book is called Sex and Vanity. Kevin and I talked about his upbringing in Singapore and Texas, satirizing social codes and outlandish snobbery, being a lifelong observer, and his funny and terrific advice to authors: "don't be afraid to really take a chance and let your freak flag fly" because you never know what'll happen when you just write from your own place of authenticity.

J. Courtney Sullivan, FRIENDS AND STRANGERS

I adored interviewing J. Courtney Sullivan about her latest book Friends and Strangers, which comes out today! She is a New York Times best-selling author and her newest novel has been on every most-anticipated list and best-book-of-the-summer list there basically is for 2020. I felt like Courtney was in my brain when I was reading - it took me back to being a new mom. We talked about her book's central and intricate dynamic between a babysitter and a new parent, what it means to have a safety net, and what we envision as marriage and raising children and the nuances we learn along the way about what those things *really* look like.

Kerry Kletter, EAST COAST GIRLS

Kerry Kletter is a critically acclaimed author who also has an extensive background in theater and has appeared in film, television, and on stage. I loved talking to her about her most recent book and first adult novel, East Coast Girls. We went deep about the central theme of shared trauma that appears in her work: how does an author's experiences impact what they want to write about and how they shape their characters? How do you excavate your true self and dismantle dysfunctional coping mechanisms? How can writers give words to experience so that other people feel seen and validated? How can we adapt to give people room to grow? I think you'll really enjoy Kerry's insights.

Bonnie Tsui, WHY WE SWIM

Bonnie Tsui’s mom actually reached out to me after seeing me on and suggested I interview her daughter! Turns out, Bonnie wrote a fantastic, thought-provoking book recently called Why We Swim, a perfect book for these summer months. Part-memoir and part-investigative journalism, Why We Swim will make anyone long for the blood-pressure-lowering effects of staying underwater. Bonnie is a native New Yorker, Harvard University graduate where she rowed crew and snowboarded, a frequent contributor to The New York Times and California Sunday magazine, a live storyteller, author, and surfer. Bonnie's parents met in a swimming pool in Hong Kong, which is just so fitting. Her book is absolutely fascinating - a personal, cultural, scientific, and journalistic exploration of the human relationship with water and swimming. Bonnie explained how we're wired to respond to water and the psychological benefits of being around and in water for our mental health. I think you'll want to take a swim after listening.

Glennon Doyle, UNTAMED

I am such a HUGE fan of Glennon Doyle’s. I loved her book Untamed and could relate to so many parts of it. Talking to Glennon and hearing her soulful advice was just second to none! An activist and thought leader, parent, wife, and inspired writer, Glennon is the author of #1 New York Times bestseller Untamed, a Reese's Book Club selection, Love Warrior, an Oprah's Book Club selection, and the New York Times bestseller Carry on, Warrior. Glennon founded Together Rising, a non-profit that “transforms collective heartbreak into effective action.” I felt like I was bordering on obsequiousness in this episode as I gushed and gushed, but I truly loved talking to Glennon about following her heart, remarriage, kids, and role modeling. Funny enough, the day after I interviewed her and discussed her marriage to Olympic soccer champion, I interviewed another member of the US Olympic soccer team. None of it helped with the backyard soccer I attempted with my kids, but all of it inspired me in many, many ways!

Mary Morris, ALL THE WAY TO THE TIGERS

Mary Morris is the author of the new, critically acclaimed travel memoir All the Way to the Tigers. She is an award-winning author and has written three story collections, four travel memoirs, and five novels. She also teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence. Mary and I talked about how an accident halted her regular state of constant motion, spurred her on to deep self-exploration, and created this brilliant memoir. Her skating incident even served as a roadmap to helping her cope with the pandemic pause. Mary has an exceptional zest for life that's clear in our conversation and her writing. Find out if she ever makes it to the tigers!

Carlos Whittaker, ENTER WILD

Carlos Whittaker is the author of three books, Moment Maker: You Can Live Your Life or It Will Live You, Kill the Spider, and most recently, Enter Wild: Exchange a Mild and Mundane Faith for Life with an Uncontainable God. Carlos's wife calls him "a hope dealer" (listen to learn what that means!). Carlos has been a recording artist signed to a major label, a social media maven, and now spends the majority of his time writing books and speaking on stages around the world. His first speaking engagement happened just two weeks after he decided to leave his music career behind when he was invited to speak at the White House for President Obama's Easter Prayer Breakfast. I think you'll love hearing Carlos's story as much as I did. By the end I accomplished my goal of being allowed to use his friends-only nickname: Los!

Susan Burton, EMPTY

Susan Burton's memoir, Empty, is one of my favorite recent books. I'm really excited to share our conversation which we had at the beginning of the pandemic. Now it feels like a lifetime ago! Susan is an editor at This American Life on where the episodes she has produced include "Ten Sessions," "Five Women," and "Tell Me I'm Fat.” Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Slate, The New Yorker, and others. Empty is the story of Susan’s secret eating disorders, both anorexia and binge eating disorder, that defined her adolescence and adulthood. We talked about her book becoming both a confession about the painful secrets she had been living with and sharing her story as a means of recovery and connection. Our interview was the first one she had done and she meaningfully shed light on habits and compulsions, how we hide our turmoil, and the road to sharing ourselves with the people closest to us.

 

 

Julie Clark, THE LAST FLIGHT

Julie Clark's latest book, The Last Fight, was powerful and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. I loved talking to Julie about her suspenseful book centered around two women who are desperate to escape their lives for very different reasons. We discussed the feeling of powerlessness that I think we can all relate to in some way, how Julie writes characters that have agency and are resourceful, her personal story cancer story and what it means to be afraid but make a new plan and move forward, and more.

Marian Keyes, GROWN UPS

Marian Keyes is one of the most successful Irish novelists of all time. She has written fourteen novels that have all been bestsellers with 30 million books sold in 33 languages around the world. I loved talking to her about the impetus for transitioning to a career in writing at thirty, addiction and recovery, the self we present to the world versus what's really going on beneath the surface, and creating nuanced and layered characters readers can identify with. Her latest book, Grown Ups, touches on all the issues and more!

 

 

Kara Kinney Cartwright, JUST DON'T BE AN ASSH*LE

Kara Kinney Cartwright is the author of Just Don't Be an Assh*le: A Surprisingly Necessary Guide to Being a Good Guy, which is a frank and very funny guidebook designed to help teach younger men how to have positive interactions, make good decisions, and recognize when they're "being jerkfaces.” This book was Kara's way of sending her kids out into the world to navigate school, friends, and family without being a you-know-what. I think this should be required reading for teenagers ... and maybe some adults who missed the memo! (I may be giving a few anonymously as gifts!)

Angela DiTerlizzi, THE MAGICAL YET

Angela DiTerlizzi is the author of The Magical Yet. She is a mom, wife, and author who delights in writing rhythmic, charming picture books to be enjoyed and shared by both parents and children alike - including my family! Your "yet" is something that's always with you when you're down about the things you can't do or dreams that haven't come true to cheerlead you through those moments and remind you to shift from the mindset of "I don't know how to do this" to "I don't know how to do this yet." My seven-year-old thinks the book is inspiring, as do I. It's a timely reminder about a timeless mindset to help us keep going! 

Zaina Arafat, YOU EXIST TOO MUCH

Zaina Arafat is the debut author of You Exist Too Much: A Novel, an anticipated book for June 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle, Lit Hub and so many others. She is a Palestinian American writer, teacher, and editor whose stories and essays have appeared in a number of top publications. It was fantastic to interview Zaina through the Center for Fiction during part of their Inside and Out 2020 Pride event series. Her writing is beautiful, and I had an amazing time talking with her about the autobiographical reflections in her novel, identity, challenging stereotypes, family approval, and love.

Samantha Harvey, THE SHAPELESS UNEASE

Samantha Harvey is an acclaimed novelist whose most recent book, a genre-bending memoir called The Shapeless Unease: A Year of Not Sleeping, just came out to rave reviews. For anyone who has ever experienced a sleepless night (perhaps all of us these days), this book mirrors the emotions that surface in the dead of night. The form followed the content as Samantha navigated her issues, delving into losses and traumas from her past. We talked about her thoughts about writing, not sleeping, and the writing process itself: that it's like dreaming, and also an expression of love that requires you to open your heart. 

 

Mia Birdsong, HOW WE SHOW UP

I had such a nice talk with author Mia Birdsong, who wrote How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community. Mia is a pathfinder, community curator, and storyteller who steadily engages the leadership and wisdom of people experiencing injustice to chart new visions of American life. In her work on guaranteed income as senior fellow at the Economic Security Project, she tapped into the voices and visions of low-income people to reimagine the American social contract, which she focused on in her TED talk. Mia and I talked about her work around social justice, the human need for interdependence, and what exclusion from practicing the American dream looks like. How We Show Up is powerful, as is our conversation, and I hope you take away as much from it as I did.

 

 

Laura Munson, WILLA'S GROVE

Laura Munson is the author of Willa's Grove, her debut novel. She's also the author of This Is Not the Story You Think It Is...: A Season of Unlikely Happiness, which is a memoir based on her New York Times Modern Love essay which was so popular it actually crashed The New York Times website. We talked about coming to crossroads moments in life and how her characters in Willa's Grove react to them, the nuances of female friendship, her writer's retreat and foundation, and the importance of perseverance for writers.

Liz Moore, LONG BRIGHT RIVER

I had the chance to interview Liz Moore over Zoom and Instagram Live to discuss Long Bright River, which is Liz's best-selling novel and a GMA Book Club pick. It's the story of two sisters who grow up adjacent to Kensington in Philadelphia which is a neighborhood that's been particularly hard hit by the opioid crisis. As adults, they become estranged: the older sister is a police officer and the younger sister is suffering from opioid addiction. Liz and I talked about how her book was inspired by her own family history, genetic predisposition, and systemic failures in our country that have contributed to the insidiousness of addiction.

 

 

 

Danny Feekes & Suzanne Skyvara, GOODREADS TEAM

Today's episode is a bit of a departure from my typical author interviews. I'm talking to two of the most important people at Goodreads, which many of you fellow book lovers already know about. It's a giant site for book recommendations where you can follow your friends' picks. Danny Feekes is the editorial director at Goodreads and Suzanne Skyvara is the VP of marketing and editorial. They're both terrific, entertaining, and have the inside scoop about what is popular on Goodreads for this summer — and what their own picks are, and more! You’ll have to listen to hear how we ended up discussing naked yoga. Who knew?!

 

 

Natalie Jenner, THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY

I had the best conversation with Natalie Jenner who is a debut author of The Jane Austen Society. Her historical fiction depicts eight extremely different people at the end of World War II who are all dealing with trauma and loss in different ways, and bond over an unknown shared love of Jane Austen. It’s based on an account of the actual formation of the first Jane Austen Society during World War II. Her book is transportive, and you can feel how inspired she was writing it. Plus, her own life story about opening a bookstore with her husband before finding out he was sick gives a unique perspective on hope.

 

Esther Safran Foer, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE'RE STILL HERE

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Esther Safran Foer. She is the author of the beautiful memoir called I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir, which she wrote to explore her family's history, preserve their names, and share the past with her children, grandchildren and their grandchildren. We talked about how optimism and resilience are entwined with survival and overcoming unspeakable darkness, the task of self-reflection and the liberation of opening up about tragedy, plus how to keep memories. I hope you get as much out of our conversation as I did.

Adrienne Bankert, YOUR HIDDEN SUPERPOWER

Adrienne Bankert is the author of Your Hidden Superpower: The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable at Work and Connects You with Anyone. She is also an Emmy Award-winning journalist and currently serves as a New York-based national correspondent for ABC News. Her book is incredibly compelling, as was our conversation. Adrienne and I talked about embedding kindness into our identity and harnessing it as a universal language, what it means to be yourself and show people your gifts, and attracting the kind of career and relationships in your life that you want and need.

Maria Quiban Whitesell, YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE

Maria Quiban Whitesell greets millions of Los Angeles viewers daily each morning as Fox 11's meteorologist, and wrote an amazing memoir called You Can't Do It Alone: A Widow's Journey Through Loss, Grief and Life After. It is heartfelt and inspiring, and also a supportive roadmap for readers facing their own hardships. Maria and I talked about her love story with her late husband Sean, parenting through grief, the catharsis of writing and conversation, and how important it is for people going through grief to build a village of support.

Donna Hemans, TEA BY THE SEA

Donna Hemans is the amazing, Jamaican-born author of award-winning novel River Woman and most recently, Tea by the Sea. Her short has been featured in Caribbean Writer, Witness and other publications and anthologies. Tea by the Sea is a heartbreaking and inspiring story about a young mother whose baby was taken from her at birth and we talked all about how she pieced this novel together, that her biggest takeaway from her MFA program was learning how a reader understands your story, and the process of writing and evoking emotions that you haven't experienced yourself.

 

Maria Russo, HOW TO RAISE A READER

I loved interviewing Maria Russo. She is the former children's books editor of The New York Times Book Review, and she and co-author Pamela Paul wrote How to Raise a Reader, which is right up my alley. It was just great to talk about someone who is equally passionate about reading and teaching children to cultivate a lifelong love of reading. Maria talks about how the difficult part is ensuring children have access to a lot of different and diverse books and that's where parents can really take action, how important librarians are, and how reading is the ultimate way for us to reflect and connect.

Special Re-Release: Jamaica Kincaid, PARTY

Today I'm re-releasing my conversation with legendary writer, award-winning novelist, and professor Jamaica Kincaid. Jamaica is most recently the author of children’s book Party, illustrated by Ricardo Cortés. She has written nearly a dozen books, was a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine for over twenty years, and teaches in both the English and African and African American Studies Departments at Harvard University. I was honored to speak to her last year about her esteemed body of work. One of the interesting pieces for me as I revisit this episode is Jamaica talking about how Party is adventurous and beautifully illustrated - as well as a layered interpretation of white privilege through the eyes of the young characters in a coming-of-age story.

Special Re-Release: Jewell Parker Rhodes, BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER

I'm re-releasing my episode with Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes, which I was honored to record with her a number of months ago. She is an award-winning and best-selling author of many books including her most recent, Black Brother, Black Brother. She is such a rock star, and you'll hear more about her impressive background in our episode. We talked a lot about her books, which combine historical fiction and uplifting narrative while exploring challenging themes like colorism and prejudice. One of the most powerful things she said was about what her grandmother taught her: "Everybody is related. Everybody is kin. This whole idea that color would be a determining factor for someone to discriminate against you has got to stop." I couldn't think of a better message to share right now.

Dr. Casandra Henriquez, PRINCESS ZARA'S BIRTHDAY TRADITION

Six weeks ago, I interviewed Dr. Casandra Henriquez ("Coach Cass”) for my Instagram Live show. We had a great time talking about her children's book, Princess Zara's Birthday Tradition. My almost-7-year-old daughter is a huge fan of Princess Zara’s! I was able to include Princess Zara's Birthday Tradition in an article I wrote for The Washington Post where I did a roundup of some really great children's books that have come out recently. This week I invited Coach Cass to come on my podcast to have an open, honest discussion about race, the Black Lives Matter movement, and what she thinks everyone can do to help. It was raw, emotional, intimate, and inspiring. I hope you’ll listen and agree. 

Special Re-Release: Glory Edim, WELL-READ BLACK GIRL

To amplify voices of color, I'm re-releasing my episode with Glory Edim which we recorded in person earlier this year. Glory is the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a Brooklyn-based book club and online community that celebrates the uniqueness of black literature and sisterhood. She originally started this platform on social media as a way to discuss black women writers, non-binary writers and writers of color and to create conversations about what it means to be a black woman in the world. As her platform grew, Glory organized the first-ever Well-Read Black Girl literary festival and became the editor of the anthology Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Stories, Discovering Ourselves. She is a role model of mine and what she shares about the importance of bringing black authors to all readers, her love of independent booksellers, and the value of direct contact and discussion is important.