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Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️
Jacqueline Friedland, COUNTING BACKWARDS
Zibby welcomes back author Jacqueline Friedland to discuss COUNTING BACKWARDS, a bold, gripping, and timely dual-timeline novel about how women’s bodies have been used against them in American society, both past and present. The book follows a young attorney who takes on a pro bono immigration case, only to uncover a shocking pattern of medical abuse at a detention center. Jaqueline shares the real-life inspirations behind the story, including her background as a lawyer and her deep fascination with the history of eugenics. The conversation also dives into the novel’s exploration of marriage, infertility, trauma, and personal resilience.
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72. Kate Price, THIS HAPPENED TO ME: A Reckoning
26:41||Season 24, Ep. 72Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4mu1xvLShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!71. Mallary Tenore Tarpley, SLIP: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery
29:06||Season 24, Ep. 71Journalist and professor at UT Austin Mallary Tenore Tarpley joins Zibby to discuss her groundbreaking new book, SLIP: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery. Mallary describes her messy, nonlinear path to recovery from anorexia, sharing what it’s like to live in the “middle place” between sickness and full recovery. She reveals how she combined personal stories with research, immersive reporting, and cutting-edge science, touching on the emotional toll of revisiting her childhood journals and treatment records. Finally, they discuss identity, grief, motherhood, healing, and how Mallary is raising her own children with compassion and awareness.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4m8yrm5Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!70. Brian Buckbee and Carol Ann Fitzgerald, WE SHOULD ALL BE BIRDS: A Memoir
25:38||Season 24, Ep. 70Zibby chats with co-authors Brian Buckbee and Carol Ann Fitzgerald about their debut memoir, WE SHOULD ALL BE BIRDS, a charming and poignant story about chronic illness, unlikely friendship, and a pigeon named Two Step. Brian shares how his debilitating condition led to a transformative bond with a bird who literally landed in his hands, while Carol explains how a series of Facebook posts turned into a full-length book that is equal parts heart-wrenching and heartwarming. Together, they reflect on pain, connection, humor, and finding meaning in the smallest creatures.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4m2LComShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!69. Sarah Spain and Deland McCullough, RUNS IN THE FAMILY: Runs in the Family An Incredible True Story of Football, Fatherhood, and Belonging
33:06||Season 24, Ep. 69Emmy and Peabody Award–winning sports journalist Sarah Spain and celebrated football figure Deland McCullough join Zibby to discuss their remarkable new memoir, RUNS IN THE FAMILY: An Incredible True Story of Football, Fatherhood, and Belonging. Deland, now a Super Bowl–winning coach, opens up about his journey from a difficult childhood in Youngstown, Ohio, through college football, fatherhood, and ultimately, the life-changing discovery he unearthed when unsealing his adoption records. Sarah, his co-author, shares how she brought nuance, research, empathy, and emotional insight to Deland’s story. Together, they discuss adoption, identity, chosen family, and the book’s broader message: that our past doesn’t define us, and healing and growth are always possible.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4mxwPSIShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!68. Amber Rae, LOVEABLE: A Memoir: One Woman’s Path from Good to Free
24:56||Season 24, Ep. 68Zibby chats with bestselling author and speaker Amber Rae about her deeply intimate, raw, and courageous memoir, LOVEABLE: One Woman’s Path from Good to Free. Amber shares the emotional journey behind her decision to leave a “good on paper” marriage in pursuit of true connection and joy. (While building a home with her husband in Mexico, she met the man she knew she was meant to spend the rest of her life with.) She and Zibby unpack generational patterns, the difference between selfishness and self-honoring, navigating sexual insecurity, and how synchronicity and spirituality guided her toward a new life.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/451lgx5Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!67. Emma Rosenblum, MEAN MOMS: A Novel
27:13||Season 24, Ep. 67Totally Booked: LIVE! In this special episode of the podcast (in-person at the Whitby Hotel with a live audience!), Zibby interviews bestselling author Emma Rosenblum about her delicious, addictive, and slyly observed new novel, MEAN MOMS. Known for her sharp wit and insider takes on elite social circles, Emma dives into the world of competitive moms at a NYC private school, where one mysterious new arrival shakes everything up. She and Zibby talk about writing satire with heart, the insanity of mom groups, and why sometimes entertainment is the message. Plus, Emma shares the scoop on her next novel—based on an idea Zibby gave her!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3HePSlBShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!66. Lee Kofman and Tamar Paluch, RUPTURED: Jewish Women in Australia Reflect on Life Post-October 7
29:24||Season 24, Ep. 66Zibby interviews anthology co-editors Lee Kofman and Tamar Paluch about RUPTURED, a powerful collection from thirty-six Australian Jewish women responding to the October 7 attacks and the surge of antisemitism that followed. Tamar shares the grassroots origins of the project, born from women-led activism, while Lee discusses her personal experience with doxing and the painful silencing of Jewish voices in creative and academic circles. Together, they reflect on intergenerational trauma, fear, resilience, and the urgent need to document Jewish experiences in their rawest, most authentic form.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3HcgxQ0Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!65. Kate Hash, GRACIE HARRIS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION: A Novel
25:22||Season 24, Ep. 65Zibby welcomes debut author Kate Hash to discuss GRACIE HARRIS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, a resplendent, moving love story that unfolds for tenderhearted Gracie—a mom of two and recent widow—as she navigates grief, reinvention, and second chances. The two dive into Kate’s unexpected journey to becoming a published author, the personal experiences that informed her portrayal of loss, and the book’s layered exploration of motherhood, fame, and healing. They also chat about the novel’s charming small-town setting, the meta experience of writing about writing, and the freedom found in starting over.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4fb5NOqShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!64. Mary Catherine Starr, MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE!: A Candid, Funny, All-Too-Relatable Comic Memoir about Surviving Motherhood
18:00||Season 24, Ep. 64Mary Catherine Starr, the artist behind the @momlife_comics Instagram account, chats with Zibby about her utterly hilarious and relatable illustrated memoir about modern motherhood, MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE! Mary opens up about the emotional toll of early parenthood, the sleep deprivation that rocked her first year as a mom, and the mental load that continues to weigh on mothers today. She also shares how her comics—born out of personal overwhelm—have struck a chord with women around the world, and how motherhood reshaped her marriage and creative life.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4ocFJXmShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!