Bookish Flights: Themed Book Recommendations & Author Interviews

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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Alli Dyer. Alli was born in Tennessee and raised in the mountains of Virginia. Alli is the author of Strange Folk and her latest novel, Night Songs. For the last decade, she worked in the entertainment and book publishing, bringing a unique perspective to the stories she tells. 
We dive into Night Songs and the inspiration behind its story of family legacy, music, and discovering where we come from. Alli shares how growing up in the mountains of Virginia shaped her writing and why sensory details are so important when bringing a setting to life. We also talk about the stories that expand our understanding of the world and the special place audiobooks hold in Alli’s reading and writing life.
Episode Highlights:
The childhood fantasy of discovering there is something special hidden in your family history
How place, memory, and sensory details find their way into fiction
Writing about family legacy and the stories we inherit
Alli’s love of audiobooks and how listening influences her storytelling
The books that have expanded her understanding of the world
Her book flight includes audiobooks that have influenced her writing and storytelling
Connect with Alli:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
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 Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn & George Vescey
The Real Americans by Rachel Kuong
Heart Food album - Judee Sill
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Children by Melissa Albert
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Book Flight
Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood
The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Support the show
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
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Facebook
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Today's episode features Thao Thai, bestselling author of Banyan Moon. She joins us to discuss her latest novel, The Seekers of Deer Creek, a captivating story of two estranged sisters whose search for a lost painting uncovers long-buried family secrets stretching across generations and continents.
In our conversation, we explore the many ways art preserves history and memory, the fascinating world of art conservation, and what it truly means to be an artist. Thao shares how her travels inspired the settings in the novel, why creativity is essential even in the busiest seasons of life, and how motherhood has shaped her writing. We also discuss the joy of reading physical books, the importance of making space for creativity, and why everyone has an inner artist waiting to be discovered.

Episode Highlights

The inspiration behind The Seekers of Deer Creek
Why art is one of history's greatest storytellers
The unseen work of preserving paintings and cultural artifacts
Vietnamese identity and artistic legacy
Balancing motherhood and a creative career
The value of reading physical books
Why everyone should embrace their inner artist
Thao's book flight includes books about art and artists

Connect with Thao:

Instagram
Website
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 Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley
Sula by Toni Morrison
Clutch by Emily Nemens
Book Flight
Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Support the show
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
Instagram
Facebook
Website

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This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by New York Times bestselling author Rhys Bowen to discuss her latest novel, The Castle in the Glen. We explore the inspiration behind the story, why the Isle of Skye was the perfect setting, and how Rhys layers mysteries "like peeling away the layers of an onion."
Rhys also shares why she always travels to every location she writes about, how switching between her beloved mystery series and standalone novels keeps her creatively energized, and why returning to longtime characters feels like attending a high school reunion with old friends. Rhys’ book flight includes dual-timeline novels.

Episode Highlights:

The inspiration behind The Castle in the Glen and writing a novel in another author's voice
Why the Isle of Skye became the perfect setting
How traveling to each setting shapes her storytelling
The differences between writing standalone novels and a long-running series
Why revisiting recurring characters feels like reconnecting with old friends
Why she believes she'll always have more stories than she can write

Connect with Rhys:

Website
Facebook
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:
Tony Hillerman books
Agatha Christie books
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bowen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester
Book Flight
The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley
The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes
Homecoming by Kate Morton
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Support the show
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
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Facebook
Website

Send us Fan Mail
This week on Bookish Flights, internationally bestselling author Anna Johnston of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife and she  returns to discuss her heartfelt new novel, When Lemons Give You Life. Inspired by her years working in aged care, Anna shares why she loves writing older characters who remind us that every stage of life still has purpose, dignity, and the capacity for joy. 

Episode Highlights:

The inspiration behind When Lemons Give You Life and why she calls it "an antidote to despair"
Writing Lisa's character from her own experience of receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis
The misconceptions surrounding ADHD in women and why she hopes readers feel seen
Researching the unique challenges older LGBTQ+ adults can face in aged care
Why cooking can become its own love language and a powerful way to care for others
How stories help us build empathy and compassion—especially for older generations
Anna's book flight features 3 memoirs

Connect with Anna:

Instagram
Facebook
Website

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North / The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Book Flight
Don’t Buy What I’m Selling by Lu Chekowsky
Imogen in Waiting by Lindsay Bartels
The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku
This episode is sponsored by Baker Book House, they brought a sweet, summer contemporary book flight. Enjoy 30% off and free shipping on any books ordered directly through their website.
Bookmarked for Love by Sarah Monzon
In a Word, Yes by Kit Tosello
Almost by Design by Jenny Erlingsson
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Support the show
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
Instagram
Facebook
Website

Send us Fan Mail
This week on Bookish Flights, I'm joined by Ginny Kochis, author of Quirky Catholic Kids. Ginny shares what inspired her to write a practical guide for parents raising neurodivergent children through the lens of faith, while reminding us that many of these lessons apply to parenting children of all ages.
We discuss what neurodivergence really means, why emotional regulation begins with us as parents, and how learning to respond instead of react can transform our homes. Ginny also offers practical next steps for families who suspect their child may be experiencing developmental or learning differences, including resources available through schools, Child Find, and neuropsychological evaluations.
Above all, this conversation is an encouraging reminder to celebrate the unique children God has entrusted to us rather than comparing them to someone else's expectations.
Episode Highlights:
What inspired Ginny to write Quirky Catholic Kids
What neurodivergence is—and what it isn't
Why emotional regulation can't be taught in the middle of a meltdown
Practical ways parents can respond instead of react
Learning to embrace your child's unique gifts
Finding evaluations and support through schools, Child Find, and neuropsychologists
Parenting with faith, grace, and confidence instead of comparison
Connect with Ginny:
Website
Purchase Quirky Catholic Kids
Instagram
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:
Episode 46: A Book Flight Representing Neurodivergent Teens with Ginny Kochis
Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Scheedy Kurcinka
A Million Junes by Emily Henry
Annabel Monaghan’s books
Ashley Poston books
Katherine Center books
Book Flight
Physica by Hildegaard van Bingen
A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus by Louis and Zelie Martin
God Loves the Autistic Mind by Father Matthew Snyder
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Support the show
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
Instagram
Facebook
Website