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Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books™️
Lauren Ling Brown, SOCIETY OF LIES
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In this special episode (a live event at Zibby’s Bookshop!), film editor and bestselling author Lauren Ling Brown discusses her haunting and atmospheric debut (and Reese’s Book Club Pick!), SOCIETY OF LIES, with writer and editor Halley Sutton. The two delve into the novel’s themes of sisterhood, secret societies, and the dark side of privilege at elite universities. Lauren reveals how her own experiences shaped her protagonist, who grapples with belonging and morality. She also shares her creative process, the journey to becoming a published author, the heartwarming moment she shared an advanced copy with her dad, and her exciting plans for her next mystery.
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10. Elizabeth Harris, HOW TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
24:02||Season 23, Ep. 10Award-winning New York Times reporter Elizabeth Harris chats with Zibby about her witty, whip-smart, and compulsively readable debut, HOW TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. Elizabeth delves into the interconnected stories in the novel: a suburban mom struggling with lost ambition, a political reporter questioning her career, and a gay couple navigating political differences and addiction. She touches on the complexities of marriage and parenthood, the theme of love and family ties stretched thin by ambition, the balance of personal and professional ethics, and the evolving representation of LGBTQ+ experiences in literature.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/426k36HShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
8. Zibby on the Palisades Fire: "We Are Safe. But We Are Destroyed."
19:00||Season 23, Ep. 8Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
9. Sash Bischoff, SWEET FURY
21:49||Season 23, Ep. 9Theater director and debut author Sash Bischoff joins Zibby to discuss SWEET FURY, a wildly imaginative, subversive, and breathlessly fun literary thriller about a beloved actress who is cast in a feminist adaptation of a Fitzgerald classic, only to find herself the victim in a deadly game of revenge. Sash explains how her acting and directing background helped shape the novel’s complex narrative—and how her tight-knit writing group helped her, too! She also dives into her novel’s themes of fame, ambition, and the darker sides of human nature.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/40cPxWcShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
7. Fiona Davis, THE STOLEN QUEEN
21:55||Season 23, Ep. 7New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis returns to the podcast to discuss her utterly addictive new novel, THE STOLEN QUEEN, transporting us from New York’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo. Fiona shares how a viral photo of Kim Kardashian inspired this story and then describes her fascinating research, from tours of the Met’s secret tunnels to interviews with security guards and Egyptologists. She also delves into her book’s themes of female friendships, mother-daughter relationships, and the ethics of artifact repatriation—and then teases her next project!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3W9Od52Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
6. Martha Beck, BEYOND ANXIETY: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose
24:31||Season 23, Ep. 6Zibby chats with sociologist and bestselling author Martha Beck about her fascinating, groundbreaking new book, BEYOND ANXIETY: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose. Martha shares her transformative tools, explaining how simple practices—like kind self-talk and “sense drenching”—can calm anxiety and unlock creativity. Together, they discuss the brain’s left-right balance, the science of flow state, and the life-changing power of creative expression. Filled with humor and practical advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking calm, joy, and meaning in a chaotic world.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/407VymVShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
5. Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, THE DISENGAGED TEEN: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better
30:35||Season 23, Ep. 5Zibby is joined by award-winning journalist Jenny Anderson and the Brookings Institution’s global education expert Rebecca Winthrop to discuss THE DISENGAGED TEEN, a ground-breaking exploration of stressed-out teens who have lost their love of learning, and what to do to support their academic and emotional success. The authors discuss systemic issues in schooling, the impact of technology, the role of emotions in learning, and the science behind how kids learn. Then, they share strategies for parents and communities to foster curiosity and problem-solving skills!Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4j93VHJShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
4. Amy Wilson, HAPPY TO HELP: Adventures of a People Pleaser
29:52||Season 23, Ep. 4Zibby Books author alert! Amy Wilson returns to the podcast to discuss HAPPY TO HELP: Adventures of a People Pleaser, a hilarious, insightful, transformative, and incredibly relatable collection of essays about how women are conditioned to be “happy to help”—and what happens when things don’t go that way. Amy reflects on her life as a people-pleaser, from her childhood as the eldest of six siblings to a career in acting to raising three children and managing health crises. She talks about how she, and so many women, have been conditioned to prioritize others' happiness and what it's been like to question that.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4201GAcShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
3. The 2025 Most Anticipated List: Zibby and Kyle Discuss!
31:57||Season 23, Ep. 3My husband Kyle and I discussed my Most Anticipated List of books coming out in 2025!! We talked casually in the car as I read through the draft of my list and shared details about select titles. I'll publish the list, which includes the books I talked about and more, on zibbyowens.substack.com soon -- so you don't have to write all of these down! But you heard it here first. Make sure you're signed up for my Substack to get the email when the full list comes out. (Didn't Kyle do a nice job?)I'd love to hear your feedback on the episode! DM me on Instagram @zibbyowens or email info@zibbymedia.com. Hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into my list!!
2. Olivia Campbell, SISTERS IN SCIENCE: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History
25:21||Season 23, Ep. 2Zibby is joined by New York Times bestselling author Olivia Campbell to discuss SISTERS IN SCIENCE, the extraordinary true story of four resilient women physicists who escaped Nazi Germany and made groundbreaking contributions to science. Olivia describes her fascinating research process and then shares the untold impact of systemic misogyny, anti-Semitism, and fascism on scientific progress. She and Zibby also discuss the parallels between past and present, the themes of resilience and loss, and the haunting “what ifs” of history.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Pj3c8VShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!