Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️

New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center returns to the podcast, this time to discuss her charming new book, THE ROM-COMMERS. The novel follows two screenwriters who co-write a romantic comedy… and fall madly in love with each other. Katherine delves into her writing process, touching on how she builds romantic tension and characters with depth. She also talks about how her happy marriage influences her writing and then reveals what she is working on next!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3KvpZflShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

NBC Today show co-anchor Craig Melvin joins Zibby to discuss I’M PROUD OF YOU, a heartfelt and lively picture book for fathers, sons, and the childhood milestones that inspire pride in every parent. Craig reflects on the moments of pride he has experienced as a parent, highlighting the importance of cherishing the small milestones—like when his son conquered his fear of jumping off a diving board. Then, he opens up about his difficult relationship with his own father, who struggled with addiction. He explains how writing his first book, POPS, was a therapeutic journey toward understanding and forgiveness. The episode concludes with the hopeful note that Craig might collaborate with his wife, an artist, on future projects!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4aUDDUkShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

Zibby is joined by NYU oncologist and medical historian Dr. Elizabeth Comen to discuss ALL IN HER HEAD, a groundbreaking and fiercely entertaining narrative of women’s bodies, and a call to action for a new conversation around women’s health. Dr. Comen delves into the egregious treatments women have endured for centuries, the systemic neglect of women’s health issues, and the need for women to ask questions, seek second opinions, and support each other. She also talks about balancing medicine and writing and shares her excitement for her new role at NYU.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3yLPkPGShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

Jane L. Rosen returns to the podcast, this time to discuss SEVEN SUMMER WEEKENDS, a charming, heart-tugging romance about a woman who inherits a Fire Island beach house and its revolving door of weekend visitors... and then meets an irritatingly handsome neighbor. Jane delves into her creative process and inspiration, revealing that the big family secret in the story is based on her own family history. She also talks about her love for Fire Island (where she met her husband!), her best advice for aspiring authors, and the books she’s excited to read this summer!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4bOmBZ5Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

Zibby's Book Club pick for July! Zibby chats with bestselling author and repeat MDHTTRB guest Annabel Monaghan about SUMMER ROMANCE, an unputdownable love story about a newly single mom and professional organizer whose life is actually a mess—and the unexpected summer fling that turns things around for her. Annabel reveals how her own messy house inspired her protagonist and then delves into the themes of motherhood, grief, and self-discovery. She also talks about her novel’s evolution (the love interest wasn't originally a skateboarder!), her disciplined writing routine, and the influence of her late mother on her work. Finally, she teases her upcoming book!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Kue6XiShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

New York Times bestselling author Ann Leary returns to the podcast, this time to discuss I’VE TRIED BEING NICE, a light-hearted, vulnerable, and wise collection of essays about being a people-pleaser—and Zibby’s September Book Club pick! Ann reveals the origins of her essays, many of which were inspired by past blog posts and memorable personal experiences. She discusses the challenges of people-pleasing and standing up for herself and then shares anecdotes from her life (including gardening, alcoholism, ballroom dancing, a home bat invasion, moving from a beloved family home, and being an empty-nester.)Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4c4zJJ8Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

Zibby is joined by podcaster, Duke University professor, and New York Times bestselling author Kate Bowler to discuss HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, TERRIBLE DAY!, a book of witty, honest, and wise spiritual reflections that invite us to embrace the bad—not just the good. Kate shares how her experience with chronic pain and stage four cancer inspired this book and her outlook on life—one that is based on resilience and transforming difficult days into beautiful, terrible days. She shares her strategies for coping with those difficult days (including a “wall of dubious achievement” where she celebrates even the most minor accomplishments with her family).Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Vkcx4aShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

Philanthropist, filmmaker, and former US ambassador Nicole Avant joins Zibby to discuss her raw and relentlessly optimistic memoir, THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY. Nicole delves into the tragic event that inspired her book—the murder of her mother during a home invasion—and shares how she has tried to turn her pain into something that can help and inspire others. She also talks about the lessons her parents taught her, her healing process after the tragedy, her experience as the first black woman and the youngest US ambassador to the Bahamas ever, and her decision to prioritize family over career.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4aKBDO2Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!

Debut author Kathleen Dorothy Blackburn joins Zibby to discuss LOOSE OF EARTH, an arresting memoir and bold exposé of love, unbending religious fanaticism, disease, forever chemicals, and one family’s desperate wait for a miracle that never came. Kathleen describes her childhood in a conservative, evangelical family in Texas and the diagnosis and eventual death of her father. She touches on her family’s obsessive quest for faith-based healing over conventional medicine, the broader environmental issues tied to her father’s illness, and the responsibility she bore as a young caretaker. Finally, she describes the challenges—and cathartic power—of writing about such a painful past.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3V0EZqyShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!