Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
Kara Infante
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Bookish Flights is the place to talk books and reading. This podcast focuses on connection, storytelling and the transformative power of books. Each episode invites guests to share the three books that have influenced them, unlocking their wisdom and how it changed their lives. Books are a bridge that connects us, a remedy for loneliness, and the best conversational currency to be the most interesting person in the room! Rooted in the belief that stories shape who we are, this podcast brings people together through a shared love of literature. Perfect for book lovers, Bookish Flights inspires listeners to discover the books that can shape their own lives.
You will love this show If you have ever asked:
- What are the best fiction and non-fiction books to read?
- Which books should I add to my reading list?
- How can I find more time to read?
- What are the best books for exploring new genres?
- What books are perfect for my kids?
- What is the publishing journey like for authors?
- What books do my favorite authors love to read?
Discover book recommendations across a wide range of genres, including historical fiction, romantasy, rom-coms, mysteries, thrillers and personal development. Check out the website www.bookishflights.com to see book club picks and the wide range of book flights.
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Top 10 Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Saltwater and Upmarket Suspense Fiction to Take You Places with Katy Hays (E138)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
03/26/25 • 33 min
In today’s episode, I am chatting with Katy Hays. Katy is a Californian, writer and cake aficionado. She lives in the shadow of the Sierra with her husband and their dog, Queso. In addition to writing, Katy works as an adjunct Art History Professor teaching rural students from Truckee to Tecopa. Her academic writing has been published by Ashgate, an imprint of Routledge. Her fiction explores how far humans are willing to go to believe the unbelievable, strange-but-real worlds, and complex female friendships.
We chatted about Katy being an ex-academic having moved to the mountains to write the novel she always wanted to write. She talks about writing her sophomore novel and all that goes into it. Saltwater is not just about rich people behaving badly, Katy loves looking at family dynamics and the length people are willing to go to maintain appearances. If you are a writer, she suggests using a process journal when you get stuck to include the date, number of words written, where you are at in the writing and how you are feeling. Her book flight features thrillers/upmarket suspense fiction that will transport you somewhere.
Key Highlights:
- Katy shares her journey as an ex-academic who moved to the mountains to write the novel she always wanted to write.
- She discusses the process of writing her sophomore novel and the unique challenges that come with it.
- Saltwater is not just about rich people behaving badly—it delves into family dynamics and the lengths people go to maintain appearances.
- Katy offers advice for writers: she suggests keeping a process journal when stuck. This journal should include the date, number of words written, where you are in the writing process, and how you are feeling.
- Katy’s book flight features thrillers and upmarket suspense fiction that will transport you somewhere intriguing.
Connect with Katy Hays:
Books and authors mentioned:
- The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani
- The Keep by Jennifer Egan
- The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
- Scrap by Calla Henkle
- Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Book Flight
- A Beautiful Crime by Christopher Bollen (Venice)
- Other People’s Clothes by Calla Henkle (Berlin)
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
2 Listeners
Writing the Books You Want to Read: Stephanie Storm on Urban Fantasy, Publishing, and Pushing Boundaries (E140)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
04/02/25 • 48 min
There is an unspoken rule of being an author: "if you can't find the book you want to read, write it." That's exactly what Stephanie Storm did. Now, she prides herself on creating unique stories in action packed worlds full of strong female characters and inclusivity. Her books include plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat and a touch of romance too. With the stories being fast paced, she always tries to keep the books focused on being a quick and easy read. Now based in Amsterdam with her husband, Stephanie spends her days immersed in the world of technology at her day job. In her spare time, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, going to Barre classes and writing the next story in her very intense publishing schedule.
Episode Highlights:
📖 How moving across continents shaped her mindset
🔥 Her Titan Syndicate Series: The Rule of the Damned & The Clash of the Damned (coming 09/11/2025)
✍️ The benefits of hiring a book coach for indie authors
📝 Finding the balance between plotter and pantser writing styles
🚀 Marketing, imposter syndrome, and what it takes to succeed in indie publishing
Plus, while we didn’t chat about it in this episode, Stephanie is also a newly minted podcast host—so be sure to check out The Fantasy Grimoire Podcast!
Connect with Stephanie Storm:
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:
- Grave Matter by Karina Halle
- Never After series by Emily McIntyre
- The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare
- Anathema by Keri Lake
- One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
- Burning Glass (book #2 in series) by Elle Kaelee
Book Flight
- Relentless by Karen Lynch
- The Bombshell Devil’s Advocate by Nikkita Bell
- Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole
- Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
2 Listeners
BFF Book Club - Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller (E134)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
02/28/25 • 41 min
Welcome to today’s episode of Bookish Flights! This episode is the latest installment in the BFF Book Club! If you love books, author meet-and-greets, and in-depth conversations, the BFF Book Club is for you. Each month, we dive into a new book, and this month’s selection is Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller.
Nicole lives in Southwest Washington state with her husband and three sons, along with her two purebred Arabian horses, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, and guinea pigs. When she is not writing or tending to her animals, she works in human resources.
Episode Highlights:
- Nicole shares what it’s like to have both a book baby and a human baby in the same year.
- A deep dive into the journey to publication for Until Our Time Comes, including the pitching process and the years spent crafting her novel.
- Fascinating insights on what happened to horses, animals, and the land in countries ravaged by WWII.
- A sneak peek into what she is currently working on.
This was such a fun BFF Book Club discussion, and we loved hearing from Nicole about her writing journey and historical research.
If you’d like to join us next month, we are switching gears to a contemporary domestic suspense novel, What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange. This poignant novel explores family resilience, community, and the unexpected magic of middle school hockey.
When Kyle McCray returns to his hometown after his father’s debilitating stroke, he must face the consequences of his sudden departure years ago, including fractured relationships and unresolved emotions. Stepping into the role of coaching the struggling local hockey team, Kyle embarks on an unexpected path to redemption. But can he and his estranged wife, Casey, finally confront their past and find peace? Register here to join us on March 23rd at 130 pm PST!
Connect with Nicole M. Miller:
Book Flight
- The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson
- Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White
- Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
Animals in Fantasy Book Flight with Books Are Magical Podcast (E54)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
11/29/23 • 58 min
I am chatting with the ladies of the Books Are Magical Podcast. Books Are Magical is a podcast hosted by 3 friends who truly believe books have the extraordinary power to help us understand and even change the world around us. Hosts Analicia, Rachael and Hannah all have degrees in English and met through their Dungeons and Dragons group, where they immediately bonded over their shared love of reading and fantastic worlds.
You can tune in to their podcast HERE.
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
- Medusa's Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- Happy Place by Emily Henry
- Robert Frost books
- William Blake books
- Brandon Sanderson:
- Terry Pratchett:
- Neil Gaiman books
- Jason Bourne series by Robert Ludlum
- Eragon by Christopher Paolini
- The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
- David Sedaris books
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Odyssey by Homer
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Call of Cthulhu by HP Lovecraft
- A Promised Land by Barack Obama
- Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons
- Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
- Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake
- The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
Book Flight
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
Exploring the People Behind the Stories of History with Author Sharon Virts (E111)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
10/30/24 • 56 min
In today’s episode, I am chatting with Sharon Virts. Beyond her business acumen, Sharon is a gifted visual artist, intertwining her artistic expression with extraordinary storytelling to breathe life into intricate characters and vivid settings that captivate the heart and ignite the imagination. She has authored two bestselling novels, Masque of Honor and Veil of Doubt. Her latest novel, The Grays of Truth, was published yesterday. Sharon lives at the historic Selma Mansion in Virginia with her husband, Scott Miller, and their three Labrador retrievers.
Key Highlights:
- Sharon’s extensive research process and how it enhances her storytelling
- Insights on how reading shapes a writer’s journey
- The power of personal stories in bringing history to life
- Sharon’s book flight includes historical fiction novels that has influenced her writing
Whether you’re a history buff, aspiring writer, or simply a lover of great stories, you’re sure to enjoy this episode with Sharon.
Connect with Sharon Virts:
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
- Trixie Belden books
- The Erection Set by Mickey Spillane
- Stephen King books
- Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
- All the Glimmering Stars by Mark Sullivan
- The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan
- Diane Chamberlain books
- Amy Harmon books
- Susan Meissner books
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck
- Stephanie Dray books
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
- A Time to Kill by John Grisham
- Rednecks by Taylor Brown
- The Unicorn Woman by Gayl Jones
Book Flight
- Homecoming by Kate Morton
- Hamnet by Maggie O’Farre
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
Books That Rocked Her World: The Original Romance Novels for Sasha Peyton Smith (E136)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
03/12/25 • 38 min
In today’s episode I am chatting with Sasha Peyton Smith. Sasha is the New York Times best-selling author of fantasy novels for young adults including The Witch Haven and The Rose Bargain. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages world-wide. She lives in a 100-year-old house in the mountains of Utah, with her husband and (allegedly) two ghosts, though she has yet to see them.
This episode was as much fun to record as it was to read The Rose Bargain. What you’ll find in today’s episode - About Sasha. Her childhood, she started her career in biology and is now a full-time writer. Tips for new writers, difference in writing her first series to writing The Rose Bargain. Her book flight includes books that have rocked her world and shaped her as a reader and a writer.
Episode Highlights:
- Sasha’s childhood and how she found her way to writing
- Transitioning from a career in biology to becoming a full-time author
- Advice for new and aspiring writers
- The differences between writing her debut series and The Rose Bargain
- Sasha’s book flight and the books that have influenced her the most
This episode was just as fun to record as it was to read The Rose Bargain! Tune in now.
Connect with Sasha Peyton Smith:
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:
- Cold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
- Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
- Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
- Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett
Book Flight
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- Marrying Winterbourne by Lisa Kleypas
- I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
The Science of Reading with Dr. Irene Daria (E144)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
04/23/25 • 56 min
Today’s guest is Dr. Irene Daria, a developmental psychologist and passionate literacy advocate who has helped hundreds of children learn to read—including the children of celebrities. She’s also trained teachers in the science of reading and created the Steps to Reading program for parents.
Before entering the world of psychology, Dr. Daria worked as a journalist and editor, with bylines in The New York Times, Parents, Money, and more. She joins us to talk about what actually works when teaching kids to read—and what doesn’t.
Highlights:
Why balanced literacy and sight word learning often fall short
- What the Science of Reading says really works
- The five key components of reading:
- Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics
- Vocabulary
- Fluency
- Comprehension
- How parents can advocate for change—and teach reading at home if needed
- Reading myths debunked
- The power of parent advocacy
- Tools to help your child become a confident reader
Connect with Irene Daria:
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:
- Why Johnny Can’t Read by Rudolf Flesch
- Colleen Hoover books
- The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
Book Flight
- This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
- Year of Yes by Shonda Rimes
- Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel
Dessert Pairing
- Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
Exploring Dark Urban Fantasy with Author Elle Kaelee (E128)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
01/29/25 • 40 min
We're chatting with Elle Kaelee today. Elle has always been a student of storytelling, and her career over the years has involved theater, photography, and, of course, writing. She released Glass Wings, a dark urban fantasy, as initially a way of coping with the death of family members, but it turned into something much bigger—a full trilogy that will be fully released by the end of Fall 2025. The second book of the trilogy, Burning Glass, was released in late December 2024. She lives with her family, a mother of two little boys, in Seattle and can often be found at farmers' markets and breweries. This episode covers adult themes, so you may want to pop in a pair of headphones. Either way, this episode is a must-listen!
Episode Highlights:
- Elle’s Creative Career Journey: From theater to costume design to photography, Elle shares stories from her fascinating creative career, including how she perfected getting people to "do with their face what she needed them to do" during photoshoots.
- The Origin of Glass Wings: Elle talks about how her writing journey began during childhood (sometimes being grounded sparks creativity!) and how her dark urban fantasy trilogy grew from personal grief into a full immersive world.
- Parenting Adventures: Hear Elle's perspective on parenting, plus insights from her unique experience living van life for a year.
- Books, Hoarding and Trigger Warnings: We discuss our shared love for books and how Elle navigates all the books she wants to read with her van lifestyle. She also explains the importance of trigger warnings and why she includes them at the start of her books.
Connect with Elle Kaelee:
Books and authors mentioned:
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- Gild by Raven Kennedy
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
- Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadband
Book Flight
- Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
- One Dark Window / Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
- When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
Fake Dating & Full-Cast Audiobooks: Creating Know Your Newlywed with Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum (E131)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
02/12/25 • 40 min
In today’s episode, we have not only one guest but two! I am chatting with HEATHER TAYLOR and HILLARY NUSSBAUM. Together they wrote Know Your Newlywed, a full-cast audio production starring Mary Mouser of Cobra Kai and Tyler Posey of Teen Wolf. Know Your Newlywed is set between Boston and Chicago, and the female main character is an anthrozoologist—how cool is that? Heather writes and directs TV, film, and audio projects about complicated family relationships. She strives to destigmatize mental illness, disabilities, and poverty in her work. Hillary is a writer, director, and producer with a background in television development.
Episode Highlights:
- Writing Exclusively for Audio – The challenges of storytelling without visual descriptions.
- Creating Connection Through Sound – How to portray emotions & chemistry using audio.
- Sound Environments – Using sound design to transport listeners between settings.
- Casting & Voice Acting – The fascinating process of selecting voice actors and how they create authentic relationships despite recording separately.
- Collaboration in Audiobook Production
- Book Flight: Rom-Coms with the Fake Dating trope.
Connect with Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum:
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
- Ann Patchett books
- L.M. Montgomery books
- The Shennara Series by Terry Brooks
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Kitchen Science
- Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella
- The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
- Population: 485 - Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time by Michael Perry
- The Night Shift by Dr. Brian Goldman
- Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Aknar
Book Flight
- The Spanish Love Decepetion by Elena Armas
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
1 Listener
Editing, Publishing and Books to Get You Out of a Reading Slump with Nicole Frail (E115)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
11/20/24 • 43 min
Nicole Frail is the owner of Nicole Frail Edits, a small editing business that offers services to indie and querying authors, publishers, and small business owners. She is also the publisher of Nicole Frail Books, a super small passion-project-based publishing company with a community-focused approach that released its first two titles—As the Snow Drifts: A Cozy Winter Anthology and Another Chance to Get It Right: A New Year's Eve Anthology—under the And You Press imprint this November.
Nicole started her editing career 15 years ago in educational book production before moving to New York City to work at a traditional independent publishing company. 12 years later, after editing more than 500 books and working up to the titles of senior acquisitions editor and lead children's book editor, she turned her focus to taking Nicole Frail Edits from a part-time side hustle to a full-time small business. And somewhere along the way, Nicole Frail Books/And You Press became a reality. Nicole is a board member for Revise & Resub (#RevPit), an editor-led writing community that supports authors by offering editing-focused chats and mini-events throughout the year as well as an annual contest wherein querying authors can win feedback and edits on their full manuscripts from professional developmental editors.
Connect with Nicole:
- Facebook for Nicole Frail Edits / Instagram for Nicole Frail Edits
- Facebook for Nicole Frail Books / Instagram for Nicole Frail Books
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
- Trouble in the Stars by Sarah Phineas
- Crash Into Me by Darci St. John
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- Amy, Number Seven by Marilyn Kaye
- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
- Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott and Mikki Daughtry
Episode Introduction
You may have caught the episode instroduction from Bookish Flight Alum, Jared Michaud. Jared was featured in Episode 78 and he is here today introducing Book 2 of the Energematrice6 series, The Vale of Mystery (The Epimyth). You can find out more about the serie
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.
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
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FAQ
How many episodes does Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations have?
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations currently has 148 episodes available.
What topics does Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations cover?
The podcast is about Leisure, Podcasts, Books and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations?
The episode title 'Saltwater and Upmarket Suspense Fiction to Take You Places with Katy Hays (E138)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations?
The average episode length on Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations is 43 minutes.
How often are episodes of Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations released?
Episodes of Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations are typically released every 6 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations?
The first episode of Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations was released on Nov 21, 2022.
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