Award-winning author, Lisa Barr, shares the inspiration for her latest novel. Woman on Fire is the story of a young journalist who gets embroiled in a dangerous international art scandal centered around a Nazi looted masterpiece.

We chat about how Lisa found inspiration for a fabulous character like journalist Jules Roth. Plus why Lisa's focus on stolen art, and how some of the story draws from real life headlines. Also why she has been able to successfully cross genres, what she’s learned from that, and great writing advice.

Nikki May joins from the UK to chat about her debut novel, Wahala, which was named a most anticipated book of 2022 by Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, Essence, and more. Wahala, which means trouble, follows three Anglo-Nigerian best friends living in London, and the lethally glamorous fourth woman who infiltrates their group.

Mansi Shah talks about The Taste of Ginger, which Booklist calls “a poignant debut novel, that touches on the immigrant experience in America”. We chat about how Mansi weaved important themes into a novel which many readers have called “thought-provoking” and makes for great book club conversation.

Kimmery Martin is an emergency medicine doctor-turned novelist. In this episode she talks about her latest novel, Doctors and Friends, which is set during a pandemic. Written before Covid 19, the novel is prescient in how it follows a group of doctor friends as a contagious virus spreads around the world.

Lyn Liao Butler shares the inspiration behind her debut novel THE TIGER MOM’s TALE, a book that takes you to Taiwan as Lexa, the main character, looks to reclaim her heritage.

Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, chats about The Mountains Sing; a New York Times Editors’ choice, winner of several awards including the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship. Plus it’s been named a best book in 2020 by the Washington Post, *O, The Oprah Magazine, and more.

Patricia Sands chats with Lainey Cameron about her debut, THE BRIDGE CLUB (just re-released!), came to be ten years ago, along with book recommendations and writing advice.

Suanne Schafer, author of Hunting the Devil shares inspiration for a novel about a physician in Africa, who finds herself becomes entrapped and endangered in the maelstrom of Rwandan politics during the genocide. Challenges of novel length, and recent reads.

Lauren Ho, author of Last Tang Standing and Lainey chat about correlations to Bridget Jones, story inspiration, where she finds all the funny, recent reads, learning from stories outside your culture and background.

Alison Ragsdale, multiple time Amazon #1 best selling author of heartwarming novels set in Scotland, including her latest Dignity and Grace talks about where she finds inspiration after 7 novels, and what led to writing abut a cellist and her daughter in the latest.

Samantha Verant, author of The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux talks about being inspired by how the ‘magic’ of how food brings a family together, her admiration for a famous top chef, and misogyny in professional kitchens.

Ehsaneh Sadr, author of A Door Between Us shares her inspiration to write about Iran in 2009 during the period after the contested elections, a desire to provide a “portal” inside Iranian life.

Barbara O’Neal, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author talks about her latest novel, The Lost Girls of Devon, how she keeps finding inspiration after so many bestsellers and her advice for early career authors

Ava Homa, author of Daughters of Smoke and Fire, the first novel written by a female Kurdish writer. Ava talks about the universality of oppression, how standing up to injustice can feel hopeless, but we are never too small to help, and how literature has the power to show us we are not alone.