Category Archives: Author Interview

Episode 103: Interview with Bobby Finger debut author of The Old Place

September 19, 2022Author InterviewBobby Finger, G. P. Putnam, LGBTQ, penguin random house, Texas, The Old Place, Who? Weeklytopshelfatmerricklibrary

The Old Place by Bobby Finger is a bighearted, moving debut about a wry, retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shock waves through her small Texas town and I loved every page. Emma Straub says, “I loved being…in the heads of some wonderfully tangy old Texan ladies.”

For this episode, we talk about places in our lives: new places and the old places. The people that stay and the people that go, the choices people make, the secrets they keep, and how these characters try to live with those decisions. The Old Place is book club gold, so don’t miss this incredible conversation with Bobby Finger. Thank you so much Bobby!

Bobby Finger recommends: Perish by LaToya Washington; The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty.

Follow Bobby Finger on Instagram & Twitter: @bobbyfinger and listen to his podcast, Who? Weekly right here.

Place your hold for THE OLD PLACE.

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Episode 102: Interview with Bruce Holsinger author of The Displacements

August 8, 2022Author InterviewAuthor Interview, Book Discussion, Bruce Holsinger, Contemporary Fiction, Florida, Hurricanes, penguin random house, Readers Advisory, Riverhead Books, Staff Pick, Texastopshelfatmerricklibrary

“Hypnotic.” ~ NYT

“Cinematic.” ~ USA Today

“A gripping, full-throttle page turner.” ~ Miranda Cowley Heller

The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger is an adrenaline-fueled story of lives upended and transformed by an unprecedented catastrophe. Holsinger weaves the story of a well-to-do family around a catastrophic hurricane that strips them of their privilege and exposes their humanity.

This episode we talk about how The Displacements shatters the complacency of every day life, we get into the mechanics of writing suspense, the book cover, and more. Thank you so much Bruce!

Bruce Holsinger recommends: Appleseed by Matt Bell; How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue; The Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet; How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Reserve the books of Bruce Holsinger here.

Look for Bruce Holsinger on Twitter @bruceholsinger and on Instagram @bruceholsingerauthor

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Episode 101: Interview with Hayley Scrivenor author of Dirt Creek

August 1, 2022Author InterviewAustralia, Crime, crime noir, debut, debut author, Dirt Creek, Flatiron Books, Friday Reads, Hayley Scrivenor, Macmillan, small town life, Staff Picktopshelfatmerricklibrary

“I’m very interested in how we define ourselves to other people…” so says author Hayler Scrivenor about her amazing debut Dirt Creek. Dirt Creek is a suspenseful police procedural about a missing girl that takes place in a very small, rural, Australian town and it is riveting stuff!

For this episode we talk about the origin story of Dirt Creek, what Hayley is working on next, we even discuss Iced Vovos, TimTams, Twisties, and other Australian confections.

I was so fortunate to once again join forces with Cindy Burnett host of Thoughts From a Page podcast, to bring you this special episode and we just had a blast. Thank you Cindy, and thank you so much Hayley!

Hayley Scrivenor recommends: A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara; The Year of the Horses by Courtney Maum

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Episode 100: Interview with Julia Armfield, author of Our Wives Under the Sea

July 27, 2022Author InterviewFlatiron Books, LGBTQ, Macmillan Publishers, Marriage, Our Wives Under the Sea, Salt Slow, Speculative Fictiontopshelfatmerricklibrary

Welcome to the 100th Episode of the Top Shelf Podcast!

I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than with the brilliant Julia Armfield talking about her debut novel, Our Wives Under the Sea. You may remember that Julia was my guest for Episode 32. Back then we discussed her fantastic book of short stories, Salt Slow. For this episode, we talk about her new release, Our Wives Under the Sea, which is a gorgeous debut that is a fathomlessly inventive and original portrait of marriage as we’ve never seen it before. Critics are raving and I wouldn’t steer you wrong in the ocean of books out there – please don’t miss this episode and don’t miss this book. Thank you so much Julia!

Julia Armfield recommends: Devil House by John Darnielle; Matrix by Lauren Groff; X by Davy Davis; Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer; The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Place your holds for Julia Armfield’s books here.

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E 99: Interview with Jess Montgomery, author of The Echoes

July 20, 2022Author InterviewAmerican Historical Fiction, Author Interview, historical fiction, Jess Montgomery, Ohio, The Echoes, The Hollows, The Stills, The Widowstopshelfatmerricklibrary

What a joy to host for the third time author Jess Montgomery for the next book in her Kinship series, The Echoes. Jess and I chatted about her amazing main character Sheriff Lilly Ross, the very personal background behind the title, WWI, keeping the series fresh and more! Remember, you don’t have to read the series in order, that’s the beauty. Please make your next read The Echoes.

Jess Montgomery recommends: Deer Season by Erin Flanagan; The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi; Blackout by Erin Flanagan

Place your holds here for the other books in the Kinship series!

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Episode 98: Interview with Madeline Kay Sneed

July 5, 2022Author Interview#comingout, #madelinesneed #LGBTQ, #thegoldenseason, Contemporary Fiction, faith, family, Football, graydon house, Harlequin, Queer, rural fiction, southern fiction, Texas, West Texastopshelfatmerricklibrary

“Madeline Kay Sneed has written a Friday Night Lights for a new generation. The Golden Season is a heartfelt story of finding yourself, coming out, and coming home… A tender, bighearted exploration of family, first love, and faith, with a gorgeously evoked west Texas landscape as backdrop.” —Sarah McCraw Crow, author of The Wrong Kind of Woman. An absolutely spot-on review for this remarkable debut, a novel about love, acceptance, and the expansion of your heart.

For this episode, debut author Madeline Kay Sneed chatted with me about writing a debut novel, setting the novel in West Texas and signature cocktails. Madeline even offers to teach me how to say, “y’all” like a true Texan. A must listen, thank you SO much Madeline!

Madeline Kay Sneed recommends: Vigil Harbor by Julia Glass; The Burning Season by Allison Wisdom

Follow Madeline on Twitter: @madelinesneed and on Instagram @madzsneed

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Episode 97 : Interview with Marilyn Simon Rothstein author of Crazy to Leave You

June 27, 2022Author InterviewContemporary Fiction, Crazy to Leave You, Husbands and Other Sharp Objects, Lake Union Press, Lift And Separate, Marilyn Simon Rothstein, summer read, Women's fictiontopshelfatmerricklibrary

“Poignant and funny, Crazy To Leave You is chock full of Rothstein’s signature fast-paced, smart dialogue and brimming with wit. A heartfelt, delicious story.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace

Marilyn Simon Rothstein‘s latest, Crazy to Leave You, is a funny, bighearted novel about the happy accidents that lead to love and second chances. We had such a great conversation…this episode is a must listen and Crazy to Leave You is a must read for this summer. Thank you so much Marilyn – what a blast!

Marilyn Simon Rothstein recommends: Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins

Reserve Marilyn’s previous books right here. Follow Marilyn on Instgram: @marilynsimonrothstein; Twitter: @nounsandverbs1; and follow Marilyn on both her Facebook pages: Marilyn Simon Rothstein Author and Marilyn Simon Rothstein.

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Episode 96 : Interview with Geraldine Brooks author of Horse

June 13, 2022Author InterviewAmerican Historical Fiction, art, Geraldine Brooks, Horse, kentucky, penguin random house, people of the book, pulitzer prize winner, race, slavery, Viking Presstopshelfatmerricklibrary

“Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.”
—TIME

A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, Pulitzer Prize winner G eraldine Brooks braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and racial injustice across American history. Horse is a fascinating and richly compelling story that I could not put down.

What a thrill and honor to host Geraldine Brooks for this episode. We talked about the greatest racehorse of all time, the Kentucky Derby, bone articulation (trust me) and what she’s working on next and our love for The Overstory by Richard Powers. Place you hold here for all work by the fabulous Geraldine Brooks!

Geraldine Brooks recommends: The Overstory by Richard Powers

Follow her on Twitter: @geraldinebrooks and on Facebook @GeraldineBrooks

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Episode 95 : Interview with Nina LaCour, author of Yerba Buena

June 7, 2022Author InterviewCalifornia, Contemporary Fiction, Flatiron Books, LGBTQ, Macmillan, Macmillan Publishers, Nina Lacour, Queer, Yerba Buenatopshelfatmerricklibrary

Here’s what’s being said about the debut adult fiction novel, Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour:

“A love story for our time.” ―Tara Conklin, bestselling author of The Last Romantics

“This book is a precious thing.” ―Casey McQuiston, bestselling author of One Last Stop.

I mean these reviews for Yerba Buena are so true, I needed to include both of them! This lush and lyrical queer love story gave me such joy and hope that when I was finished, I went right back and read it again. For this episode, Nina spoke about writing her first adult fiction novel, writing that book during lock down, her inspiration and more. Thank you so much for joining me Nina LaCour, Yerba Buena is such a special book! I loved this interview…

Nina LaCour recommends We Do What We Do in the Dark by Michelle Hart; and Memorial by Bryan Washington

Click here to reserve all Nina LaCour titles!

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Episode 94: Interview with May Cobb author of My Summer Darlings

June 2, 2022Author Interviewberkley publishing, Contemporary Fiction, East Texas, May Cobb, penguin random house, summer reading, Texas, Thrillertopshelfatmerricklibrary

“My Summer Darlings is spicy enough to make you sweat – until the suspense chills you to your core.” ~ Riley Sager, bestselling author of Survive the Night.

Named A Most Anticipated Novel of 2022 by Crime Reads, Goodreads, and more. My Summer Darlings is the story of three life-long friends and a dangerous, sexy new stranger in town which leads to a scorching summer of manipulation, obsession, and murder. Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia are three main characters in My Summer Darlings you won’t soon forget. For E94, May & I talked about how these women try to keep up appearances and keep their desires a secret. We also chat about Jake Ryan (yes that Jake Ryan), and what May is working on next. Thank you so much May!

May’s interview with the Dallas Morning News

May Cobb recommends: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager; Watch Out For Her by Samantha Bailey; Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Sutanto