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This episode marks the latest gathering of our BFF Book Club. This month, we’re discussing The Dressmakers of London with the author, Julia Kelly. Julia is the international bestselling author of emotional historical fiction about extraordinary women and intriguing historical whodunnit mystery novels. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and a tea waitress. Julia called LA, IA and NYC home before settling in London with her husband.

Highlights:

• A meaningful literary gift idea Julia’s mom gives every year.
• Revisiting the classics and why she recommends I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith to aspiring writers.
• The joys and challenges of writing emotional historical fiction.
• Behind-the-scenes insight into the women’s auxiliary branches during WWII and the realities of clothing rationing.

📚 Next BFF Book Club - Meet the Author
🗓️ Sept. 28th | 🕓 4 pm PST

We’re thrilled to welcome Emerson Ford, author of What the Silent Say! Inspired by a remarkable true story and brought to life with cinematic detail, this unforgettable WWII novel explores courage, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds of family. Set in the Pacific, it follows the journey of two brothers on the frontlines and the family waiting for them back home. 👉 Register Here.

Connect with Julia:

• Instagram
• Website
• Julia’s books

Books mentioned:

• The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
• Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
• New Grub Street by George Gissing
• The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
• Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

Book Flight

• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Alle

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
• Website

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In today’s episode, I’m joined by author Phyllis Gobbell, who brings a rich blend of literary insight and Southern storytelling charm. A retired college English professor, Phyllis has written across genres—from gripping true crime (An Unfinished Canvas, A Season of Darkness) to immersive mystery fiction. Her latest novel, Prodigal, released in November 2024, is a contemporary retelling of the biblical parable The Prodigal Son. Set in a small Southern town much like the one she grew up in, Prodigal explores themes of homecoming, community and forgiveness—not only of others, but of oneself. Phyllis speaks about the importance of place as a character and how community shapes story. We also discuss her book flight—stories that inspired Prodigal—and how her background in true crime shaped her fiction writing in unexpected ways.

Episode Highlights:

• What compelled her to write Prodigal.
• The small-town dynamics that breathe life into the novel.
• How “place” can become its own character.
• The emotional complexity of forgiveness and redemption.
• A book flight inspired by Prodigal’s themes and tone.

Connect with Phyllis:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Website

Show Notes

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Agatha Christie books
• The River We Remember by William Kent Kreuger
• This Tender Land by William Kent Kreuger
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Gray Wolf by Louise Penny

Book Flight

• Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kreuger
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Dessert Pairing

• Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
• Website

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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Alison Beder Solway. Alison lives in Toronto, Canada, with her family and starts every day with a strong cup of coffee. She is passionate about fitness and reading and believes that there is nothing powerful than sharing our experiences. Her memoir, The Miles We Run: Lessons From the Arena of Resilience, marks her debut as an author. Alison’s story is a testament to the strength and resilience that lies in us all.

Episode Highlights:

• Alison’s memoir centers around resilience and her personal journey through infertility and surrogacy.
• She shares the resources she wishes had existed 25 years ago, offering guidance and hope to others on a similar path.
• The book uses marathon running as a powerful metaphor for enduring and overcoming life’s challenges.
• While rooted in her specific experiences, Alison’s story resonates with anyone who has faced obstacles in life.
• We discuss the evolving journey of motherhood, including its joys and challenges. Including pivoting careers and finding renewed purpose.
• We explore the importance of establishing boundaries to be fully present with our children—what she calls “the most important work we will ever do.”
• Her book flight includes rereadable favorites and books she’s loved throughout her life.

Connect with Alison:

• Instagram
• Website
• Facebook
• Purchase The Miles We Run

Show Notes

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Book Flight

• Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
• Lessons in Chemisty by Bonnie Garmus
• The Nightingale

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

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• Facebook
• Website

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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Caitlin Miller, represented by The Steve Laube Agency. Caitlin has been writing stories for nearly a decade and self-published two books in 2022. She has also been an English teacher to Japanese students for six years and a freelance editor for two years. When she’s not writing or editing, Caitlin loves frequenting bookstores and coffee shops, and you’ll often find her with her nose in a book or a pen in hand as she jots down storyline ideas. Caitlin is an award-winning author and poet. We discussed both of her novels within this episode, The Memories We Painted and Our Yellow Tape Letters.

Episode Highlights:

• Her experience moving around the world with her family as English teachers, including her favorite place to have lived.
• Writing an epistolary novel inspired by her love of letter writing and how she keeps up a penpal relationship to this day.
• Using fiction as a tool for empathy, healing and self-discovery.
• Crafting stories with representation of physical disabilities and mental health. Her book flight includes books representing this theme.

Connect with Caitlin Miller:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
• The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
• Air by Monica Roe (Ep. 94)
• Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes
• The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano

Book Flight

• An Hour Unspent by Rosanna M. White
• He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox
• The Memories We Painted by Caitlin Miller

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Send us a text

Jennifer’s S. Brown's debut novel, Modern Girls, was a USA Today bestseller, a Massachusetts Book Award “Must Read,” and a 2016 Goodreads Choice semifinalist for Historical Fiction. She teaches writing, both in-person in the Boston area and online through the Loft Literary Center. She holds a BFA in film and television from NYU and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Washington. The Whisper Sister is her second novel.

Highlights:

• How Jennifer’s background in film influences her approach to writing fiction.
• The significance of cultural and familial traditions in storytelling.
• Why research is one of her favorite parts of the writing process.
• The importance of being honest about what you don’t enjoy in a book.
• A book flight of historical fiction novels set in the 1920s

Connect with Jennifer:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Website

Books and authors mentioned:

• Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
• Ep. 73 with Huda Al-Marashi
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
• Iona Iverson’s Guide to Commuting by Clare Pooley
• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
• Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
• Matrix by Lauren Groff
• The Liar’s Gospel by Naomi Alderman
• At the Wolf’s Table by Rosella Postorino
• The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gillman
• Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
• The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honore Fanonne Jeffers
• The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

Book Flight

• The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Send us a text

In today’s episode, I am chatting with Sandra Schnakenburg. She is a dual American/Australian citizen. Sandy earned a BS in finance and international business at Arizona State University and an MBA specializing in finance and accounting at the University of Southern California. She left a career in corporate finance in 2010 to sutdy creative nonfiction. She has completed writing courses at Rice University. Writespace, and The Writers University in Houston. When not writing, you will find Sandra enjoying her family, nature, hiking, skiing, biking, cooking, yoga and walking her dogs. She and her husband, Karl, currently split their time between Houston, TX and Park City, Utah.

Episode Highlights:

• Sandy shares the deeply personal story behind The Housekeeper’s Secret, a memoir written from her point of view that uncovers the life of Lee, her beloved housekeeper and a guiding light in her youth.
• Reflections on childhood, identity and the privilege and responsibility of telling someone else’s story with care.
• A meaningful discussion on parenting and the importance of fostering a sense of purpose in our children’s lives.
• Insights into Sandy’s transition from a finance career to creative nonfiction writing and how she approaches the craft.
• Thoughts on perseverance in writing, including the staggering statistic that 97% of people who want to write a book don’t finish.
• Encouragement for aspiring writers about the ever-evolving journey of authorship and the humbling lessons each new project brings.
• Sandy’s book flight includes the books she devoured that influenced her voice and helped shape her memoir.

Connect with Sandra Schnakenburg:

• Instagram
• Website
• Facebook
• Purchase The Housekeeper’s Secret

Show Notes

Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Book Flight

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
• The Fact of the Body by Alex Marzano-Lesnevich

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Send us a text

This episode marks the latest gathering of our BFF Book Club—a monthly celebration of reading, author conversations, and book-loving community. If you enjoy deep-dives into unforgettable stories and chatting with the minds behind them, you’re in the right place!

This month, we’re discussing The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski, an Edgar Award-nominated author of multiple books for both kids and adults. Claire lives in small-town Wisconsin with her husband and three children, where she splits her time between writing and bread dough wrangling.

Episode Highlights:

• How motherhood teaches us to value time and not waste it
• The importance of loving your neighbor and embracing community
• Real-life “funeral ladies” and the comforting food traditions of the Midwest
• Why Claire reads—and how reading enriches her craft
• Her book flight includes the three books that influenced the writing of The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County.

Whether you’ve read the book or just love great conversations about life, literature, and the magic that happens when they meet, this episode is for you.

📚 Next BFF Book Club Meeting: June 1st at 11:30 AM PST
We’ll be joined by Julia Kelly, author of The Dressmakers of London—a heartfelt novel about estranged sisters, a WWII-era dress shop, and the healing power of love, letters, and legacy. 👉 Register Here.

Connect with Claire Swinarski:

• Instagram
• Website
• Purchase Claire’s books

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen
• The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
• I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

Book Flight

• The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradahl
• Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
• Cloud Cuckoo Landby Anthony Doerr

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Send us a text

Today’s guest is Lindsay Flanagan. Lindsay writes fantasy adventures that empower girls to embrace their unique traits and weave their own spells into the world. Her debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, is the first runner-up in the middle reader category of the Eric Hoffer Book Award and a First Horizon Medal Finalist. Her newest novel, Little Red Wraith, is her debut young adult book. She is also an award-winning editor and has edited fiction and nonfiction, and is currently a senior editor at Eschler Editing. Additionally, she took on the role as co-publisher of Mad Cat Books, the young adult Imprint at Roan and Weatherford Publishing.

Highlights:

• The inspiration behind AnnaGrey and the Constellation and Little Red Wraith.
• What developmental and substantive editing really mean.
• Empowering young girls through storytelling.
• The importance of audiobooks in a reader’s life
• Behind the scenes in the world of publishing
• Her book flight features books with an alternate history set in the American West.

Connect with Lindsay Flanagan:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Website
• Purchase:
  • AnnaGray and the Constellation
  • Little Red Wraith

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• Embrace the Beautiful Chaos of Motherhood by Stacey Pereira
• Luck of the Titanic by Stacy Lee
• The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn
• Horseman by Christina Henry
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
• A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
• Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray
• Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Book Flight

• Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
• Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
• Elysium Girls by Kate Pentecost

Ready for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can’t make it live? Don’t worry—we’ll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE.

Support the show

Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website