Totally Booked with Zibby

John Searles was an editor at Cosmopolitan back in the Helen Gurley Brown days. That’s why he’s the perfect person to have written Single Girls, this juicy, page-turning read. John and I spoke about his own personal history of loss and how it related to Helen’s past, the evolution of magazines, why he was in the mood to deviate from his typical darker fiction, and how important coworkers really are. Plus, of course, Helen Gurley Brown! After our interview, I was invited to a very swanky launch party at Love Shack Fancy. They even gave me a dress which made me the coolest mom to my daughters who are rarely impressed these days! So an extra special thank you to John!
** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend!
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New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll joined me live at the Whitby Hotel to discuss Helpless, her gripping new psychological thriller (her "slimmest, tightest novel yet") about a Hollywood power player forced to confront a toxic relationship from her past. Jessica shares how her own experiences informed her writing, reflects on the lasting impact of trauma (trigger warning: we discussed sexual assault), and dives into the novel's complex themes of power, desire, violence, and memory. She also talks about Hollywood, adapting her work for the screen, and the unforgettable ending that will leave readers desperate to discuss the final page. I literally had to DM her when it ended!
** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby chats with Ben Reeves about EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT, an imaginative and deeply moving novel about finding beauty in the brevity of life, as narrated by the one who knows it best: Death. Zibby and Ben explore how a story about mortality ultimately becomes a celebration of life, love, family, and the fleeting moments that make our time meaningful. Ben shares the inspiration behind his unforgettable protagonist, reflects on how parenthood transformed his perspective on time and loss, and explains why thinking about death can help us live more fully.

New York Times bestselling author Ariel Sullivan returns to the podcast to discuss BENEATH, a gripping dystopian novel that explores grief, survival, rage, and the resilience of the human spirit. She opens up about how her own journey through postpartum depression and therapy shaped the novel's emotional core, why she wanted to write an unapologetically angry female protagonist, and the healing power of confronting shame rather than running from it.
** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby welcomes back Robinne Lee to discuss CRASH INTO ME, a stunning, emotionally layered novel about identity, desire, beauty, race, and motherhood. Robinne shares how she moved beyond the success of THE IDEA OF YOU to write a fearlessly intimate story inspired by her own experiences living in Los Angeles and Paris, reflecting on beauty standards, interracial marriage, aging, privilege, and the power of embracing every facet of womanhood.

Bestselling author Beatriz Williams returns to discuss WHEN YOU LOVED ME, a sweeping novel that intertwines a colonial-era pirate mystery, a second-chance love story, and the high-stakes world of professional football. She and Zibby talk about the real-life inspiration behind the novel's unforgettable opening, Beatriz's unexpected path from Stanford football manager to bestselling novelist, and the novel’s themes of family, violence, resilience, and redemption.
** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zibby welcomes New York Times bestselling author Amanda Eyre Ward back on the podcast to discuss ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES, a transporting novel that reunites readers with the beloved family from THE JETSETTERS. Amanda shares the real-life inspiration behind the story—from interviewing romance scammers and drawing on her own experiences being scammed to writing about complicated family dynamics, mental illness, addiction, sibling relationships, and travel.

Zibby also sits down with debut novelist and screenwriter Laura Lekkos to discuss ALL THE LITTLE WAYS, a heartfelt novel about two expectant mothers whose unlikely friendship is tested by a shocking twist. Laura reflects on the inspiration she found in motherhood, mommy groups, and female friendship, shares her journey from screenwriting to fiction, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at adapting bestselling books for film while balancing a busy career and family life.
** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.