Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️

Emmy Award-winning journalist, pilot, philanthropist, and now New York Times bestselling children's book author, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, chats with Zibby Owens about the latest addition to her flying adventure series, The Fly Who Flew to the North Pole. Lauren shares how the story introduces a reindeer named Rio who has an impossible dream of flying with Santa, but gets completely tangled up by numbers and directions. She explains how the narrative follows the creative ways Flynn—a little fly with learning differences—helps his new best friend navigate the globe, acting as a testament to the power of unique strengths and a child's ability to find their own way when the world isn't built for them.Lauren reveals how her own struggles with dyslexia inspired the series as well as how piloting gave her insights about her learning differences. She also reflects on her diagnosis in community college, the clever coping mechanisms she used during her early years as a TV anchor, and the bittersweet transition of navigating a completely empty nest now that all of her children have flown the coop. Learn more about Lauren Sánchez Bezos and her philanthropy work through the Bezos Earth Fund, and follow her on Instagram @laurensanchezbezos. You can purchase The Fly Who Flew to the North Pole here.

Pulitzer Prize finalist and National Book Award finalist and longlist honoree Lydia Millet talks with Zibby Owens about her stunning and original new double novel, Fair Ones. Grounded firmly in reality compared to her past surrealist works, the book focuses on how a sudden, shocking act of violence upends a tight-knit circle of friends in New York City, serving as a catalyst for an exploration of the complex nature of human grief. She explains her deliberate choice to rely heavily on fast-paced dialogue as a shortcut to character, shedding light on her protagonists' blind spots and capturing the unique, shared lexicon that naturally develops across decades of friendship since college.Lydia reflects on the distinct texture of mourning a peer in one's 40s or 50s, diving into how unexpected tragedies instantly jolt us out of the comfortable normalcy of relative privilege. She unpacks the book's dual-narrative structure—spanning the distinct perspectives of best friends Mara and Jen—and details how she created a closely mirrored, Rashomon-style reflection of shared history. Lydia also opens up about why she finds process questions boring, her deep love for hiking among the alligators and swamps of Big Cypress, and how her writing has gradually evolved from the sharp cynicism of her 20s into a mellower, kinder perspective.Learn more about Lydia’s work here, and follow her on Instagram @lydia.millet. You can purchase Fair Ones here.

Four-time Emmy Award-winning actor Tony Shalhoub and his daughter, writer, and producer Josie Adams join Zibby Owens to discuss their moving new collaborative book, We Thought They’d Never Leave: Musings on Food and Family. Josie shares how a culinary school education first sparked her dream of building a permanent repository for their ancestral dishes before it was too late. She explains how the project grew across months of collaborative writing from a standard 100-recipe manual into a rich culinary narrative, acting as a testament to the chaotic beauty of their massive multi-generational summer reunions and a family's unique ability to stay bound together despite disparate worldviews, political friction, and geographic distance.Tony and Josie look back on more than fifty years of annual lakeside traditions in Wisconsin, revealing the intricate, non-catered logistics required to manage an army of relatives and the strict, unwritten kitchen rule that acts of service always supersede personal comfort. Tony opens up about his late parents and how his mother’s unexpected passing when he was 29 years old forced an absolute halt mid-rehearsal on stage, shifting something profound within his concept of adult maturity and theatrical healing. Ultimately, they reflect on testing family favorites like Aunt Maggie's legendary carrot cake and warm Lebanese stuffed grape leaves, sharing why this archive stands as an enduring, love-filled blueprint for the next generation to always keep showing up for one another.Learn more about Tony’s work here along with Josie’s here. Follow Josie on Instagram @josielynneadams. You can purchase We Thought They’d Never Leave: Musings on Food and Family here.

In this special double episode, Zibby Owens talks to author Sarah Wright Olsen and co-authors Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka about motherhood, navigating big family transitions, and helping children find a true sense of belonging.First, actress, entrepreneur, and cohost of The Mother Daze podcast, Sarah Wright Olsen, shares her lyrical new children's book, When I Am Not With You. Inspired by a comforting ritual her husband uses with their own kids to ease separation anxiety, the story follows imaginative scenarios that bridge the distance across life's big and small goodbyes. Sarah reveals how the book helped her process the profound grief of losing her father during pregnancy, shares her journey from a Kentucky farm to Hollywood, and reflects on the strict work cutoff times she sets to protect family life.Then, Zibby speaks with co-authors Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka about their moving debut middle-grade novel, Roxie in Color. They share the story of 12-year-old Roxie, a talented artist desperately trying to navigate the seventh grade while keeping her parents' blindness a secret from her new classmates. Diane and Stacy reveal how their own partnership grew from a Parents magazine interview titled "What Blind Parents Want You to See," and reflect on co-writing across state lines, telling chapters from a guide dog’s perspective, and why we must release the shame around differences to embrace our shared humanity.Learn more about Sarah and her show through The Mother Daze Podcast, and follow her on Instagram @swrightolsen. You can purchase When I Am Not With You here.Learn more about Diane here and Stacy here. Follow them both on Instagram @diane.debrovner and @stacycervenka. You can purchase Roxie in Color here.

Award-winning author Kit de Waal chats with Zibby Owens about her beautiful new novel, Sweet Pea, which was just chosen as Read with Jenna's November 2026 pick! Kit shares the story of her main character, Paulette, a 29-year-old woman who wants nothing more than life's modest necessities: a home, good neighbors, a child, and to be loved. Kit explains how the narrative follows Paulette’s life across decades, acting as a testament to her profound kindness and her unique ability to welcome the most unexpected people into her world.Kit reveals how Paulette originally outgrew her role as a side character in a failed manuscript, and shares her own unique childhood as the daughter of an African-Caribbean father and an Irish mother. She also reflects on starting her own writing journey later in life at age 45, the "magical, secret love affair" of plotting a book, the deep power behind the kindness of strangers, and why the publishing industry needs to embrace vibrant debut writers over 50.Learn more about Kit de Waal and her work here and follow her on Instagram @kitdewaal. You can purchase Sweet Pea here.

James Beard Award-winning writer and food journalist Tarajia Morrell speaks with Zibby Owens about her beautifully written new book, Desire Feeds the Feast: A Memoir, a coming-of-age story about food, family, loss, love, and finding your way, published by Zibby Publishing. It’s also Zibby’s December Book Club pick! Returning as a single mother to the apartment where she grew up, Tarajia began writing to make sense of life's unexpected twists. As she shares, happiness can look very different from what we once imagined.Born into one of New York's most celebrated wine families, Tarajia grew up where food was a love language and every meal told a story. In this conversation, she reflects on growing up on Manhattan's Upper East Side, searching for belonging, and finding herself through food, travel, grief, and unexpected detours. Along the way, she shares how food became both a language and a throughline, connecting her family history, travels, and deepest memories.Learn more about Tarajia Morrell here and follow her on Instagram @tarajiamorrell. You can purchase Desire Feeds the Feast here and register for the virtual book club meeting here.

Psychotherapist, writer, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Tools, Barry Michels joins Zibby Owens to discuss his powerful new memoir, Ahead of All Parting: On Learning to Live with an Open Heart. After being diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a disease that also affected his father, Barry found himself facing profound questions about mortality, identity, and connection.Barry shares how his diagnosis unexpectedly opened him up to deeper friendships, greater vulnerability, and a surge of creative energy that inspired hundreds of poems. He also reflects on the difficult family experiences that shaped him, the practical tools that helped him navigate fear and grief, and the role music continues to play in his life.Along the way, Barry offers advice for writers, discusses the importance of community, and shares what it means to live fully in the face of uncertainty.Learn more about Barry Michels and his work here, and follow him on Substack. You can purchase Ahead of All Parting: On Learning to Live with an Open Heart here.

Writer and producer Blake J. Harris spoke to Zibby Owens about his latest book Emperor of Nothing: The Making of Larry David, an inside look at the real man behind the comedy empire that includes TV hits Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Blake shares how he convinced Larry to participate in the book (spoiler: it involved the Yankees). Blake recounts how Larry David pulled many bits from his own life for his career, from a real-life Kramer neighbor to his eventual catchphrase on Curb. Despite what his character may be like on the show (and some say the real-life counterpart is similar), Blake reports that Larry David is a loving, happy man and devoted father. Blake J. Harris is also the writer of Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation. Learn more about him and his work here and follow Blake on Instagram @blakeharrisnyc. You can purchase Emperor of Nothing: The Making of Larry David here.

Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Good Neighbors Sarah Langan joins Zibby Owens in person to chat about her new book Trad Wife, which takes readers on a scary ride with a cancelled journalist out to save her reputation by interviewing a “trad wife.”Sarah discusses the online phenomenon around the “trad wife” trend, the research she did for the book, and the ways social media distorts what information we may see. She also touches upon the isolation and lack of agency women can face, especially related to femininity.Sarah shares the books she’s been reading lately and the next project she’s already working on.Learn more about Sarah Langan and her books here and follow her on Instagram @sarahlangan. You can purchase Trad Wife here.