In Episode 21, we interview biologist Catherine Raven about her debut book, FOX & I, published by Spiegel & Grau, which became an instant bestseller when it debuted. It won a PEN Literary Award and was named the E.O. Wilson Science Award winner. It was also named A Christian Science Monitor Best Book of the Year, a 2022 Summer Reading Pick by BUZZFEED, the New York Times Book Review, Kirkus, Time Magazine, Good Morning America, People Magazine and The Washington Post. In this special conversation, we not only learn more about what it means to befriend a fox but we discuss the nature of being part of the natural world, emotional honesty, and the three pillars of the creative writing process: intuition, emotion and wisdom. This is perhaps one of the most powerful conversations I've had on Page One about how we interact and come to love ourselves and the world through our relationship with another animal. Spoiler alert. This book will bring tears and make you want to take a walk in the woods and realize you are never alone in nature. I loved meeting Cathy and I sense you will too. Please enjoy this very special episode and share it with a friend.

In Episode 20, we interview Emmy award winning filmmaker, Kate Manning, about her most recent novel, GILDED MOUNTAIN, published by Scribner and named an Indie Book Pick for November 2022. If you’re a fan of meticulous research rendered in page-turning prose, you can bet on curling up to this captivating story, inspired by Manning’s family ties to a Colorado mining town in the 1910s. This is a story to savor this winter in your favorite reading chair by the fireplace or wherever you find yourself nesting with a book. Kate Manning is one of those rare talents, both remarkable in her craft and in the characters she renders. She’s a writer’s writer and a reader’s dream. She’ll transport and awaken you. And you can’t help but root for the women in this story, who no doubt, shaped Colorado’s tenacity of spirit. In this episode, Kate shares how she crafted this story over the course of ten years, and how she relies on her trusted early readers to identify what’s working or not. Humble, funny and insightful, Kate will inspire anyone who has the courage to tackle history with grace and grit.

In Episode 19, we interview bestselling and two-time Edgar award winning author Deana Raybourn about taking the huge risk to write her first contemporary novel, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE—which became an instant New York Times Bestseller after being published by Penguin Random House this fall. Having written 23 works of historical fiction, Deanna’s courageous foray into contemporary fiction is no less perilous than the journey her four female assassins take in her latest book. In this high energy and deeply honest conversation, Raybourn recounts her struggle with finding the voice of the narrator until it dawns on her, thanks to her husband’s suggestion, to use her ‘Twitter voice.’ From that moment, Raybourn’s contemporary voice was identified and immediately grabbed the page as it will grab you, too. It’s rare to find a writer who shares as much joy for overcoming obstacles during the process as she does for the characters she creates. Deanna Raybourn has lived the hero’s journey in writing this book and the risk she took generously rewarded her in the most beautiful, intangible ways, “Writing about these four dynamic women has been an absolute joy. I’ve never had the chance to explore a set of friendships the way I have in this book, and I found myself thinking of all the incredible women I have known throughout my life—long-lost relatives, colleagues, friends, and even the occasional frenemy! The one thread that connects them all is strength.” If you love badassery, you will love Raybourn and her highly entertaining contemporary novel.

In Episode 18, we interview NYT bestselling young adult fantasy author, Ayana Gray, about the first pages of her second book, BEASTS OF RUIN, published by G.P. Putnam. If you’re interested in knowing how to build a story world that thrills and captivates both young adult and adult readers, tune into this episode to hear how one college course on “Good & Evil” catalyzed her career as a literary force and catapulted her to master storyteller status after her debut, BEAST OF PREY, became an instant best seller. Ayana talks openly about navigating the discomfort of accessing deep emotion, which to her is “scary but satisfying.” While we only had time to discuss book two in her trilogy, I hope it’s enough to have you catch up on the first book and enter a world unlike any you’ve ever encountered. What a gift to explore Pan African myths with one of the most compelling female protagonists you’ll ever meet and hear from the creator herself on what it took to birth this wildly imaginative story world.

In Episode 17, we interview bestselling author Barbara Graham about the stories and struggles behind writing her debut novel, What Jonah Knew, published by Harper this summer. In this very honest conversation, Graham shares her profound joy in writing fiction for the first time—her lifelong dream and the cost of finding her way to this side of writing. “For me, writing fiction, writing this novel, is the most fun I've ever had, the hardest thing I've ever done and the absolute most fun.” In this special episode, we discuss how spirituality can influence and support the writing process and how seeming deadends can lead to fortuitous opportunities. Graham is a Buddhist practitioner and speaks with grace, grit and humor. What a gift to hear her wisdom and learn more secrets about the craft and how writing fiction “opens you to more possibilities for getting to truths that otherwise you would be confined and not be able to write.” I hope you enjoy it!

In Episode 16, we interview award-winning author, Dallas Woodburn, about the first pages of her short story collection, How to Make Paper When the World is Ending, published by Koehler Books in June. If you’re interested in knowing how to hook a reader in a single paragraph, tune into this episode to hear how Dallas crafts deft lines that pull you into her pages. As the author of five books, Dallas is no stranger to the rules of good fiction and what’s more, she surrendered to the process in such a way her words feel almost magical; and the stories beg you to read more. While we only had time to discuss four of the 16 stories in her new book, I hope it’s enough to wet your whistle and read the rest—while you camp, hit the beach or lounge. I can’t think of a more enjoyable afternoon than spending time with Dallas Woodburn’s latest book.

In Episode 15, we interview Karen Winn about her debut novel, Our Little World, published by Dutton. Without any spoilers, we discuss the tricks of building a suspenseful world, digging deep and probing the dark side of human nature, long-held secrets, the effects of tragedy on a small town community and its individuals—and why readers are drawn to that complexity. For anyone considering writing their first suspense novel, Karen Winn is a testament to perseverance and the power of a writing community to support the journey.

In Episode 14, we interview award-winning author Erica Ferencik about the struggles and stories behind the first page of her latest thriller, Girl in Ice, published this spring by Scout Press and declared by the New York Times Book Review as “hauntingly beautiful.” Ferencik is known for taking readers on journeys to remote places and challenging herself with firsthand research in them—which she discusses in detail, admitting terror and a forced growth mindset. Those adventures inspired her other two novels, The River at Night and Into the Jungle which feature Erica’s hallmark badass women protagonists. Erica also discusses how doing standup comedy for ten years built her ‘courage muscles’ to write novels and how to identify good story ideas.

In Episode 13, we interview Lee Kravetz about his debut novel and foray into historical fiction, The Last Confession of Sylvia P published by Harper in March 2022. In 2013, Kravetz stumbled across a worn copy of Sylvia Plath’s only published novel, The Bell Jar, during a visit to the psychiatric ward at the Menlo Park Veteran Affairs Hospital where he was doing post graduate work in psychology. That fateful moment planted the seed for a dramatic career switch years later when he would leave writing non-fiction forever—to become a novelist. It is no wonder that Kravetz, a former psychiatrist turned writer, dove into the world and mind of Slyvia Plath—whose life and work provide a map to mental illness and the confessional power of poetry. Kravetz is a soulful yet relatable writer, the kind of guy you can share a beer with and talk craft and perseverance. Kravetz reveals his grit, grace and gratitude for the art of fiction he had the courage to embrace. This episode is a celebration of National Poetry Month.

In Episode 12, we learn from the "Text Whisperer,” Dr. Mimi Winsberg, M.D. who decodes our relationship texts in her insightful debut, Speaking In Thumbs, published by Doubleday. Winsberg is a Harvard and Stanford-trained psychiatrist with twenty-five years of clinical experience. Her work frequently finds her at the intersection of Big Data and Big Dating. Like all of us, Winsberg has been handed a smartphone accompanied by the urgent plea: "What does this mean?" Unlike all of us, she knows the answer. She is a text whisperer, and this interview will satiate our curiosity about how big data meets big dating. Winsberg feels like the friend we all need, or could ever hope to have, as we navigate the subtext beneath our texts. If only this book had been born years ago, we might have saved ourselves from heartache (I can attest to that). Sigh. It’s finally here. And there is no better time to read it. Winsberg is a first-time author and shares an insider’s guide to the sheer delight she discovered working on this book, comparing it to the joy and satisfaction she has felt competing in Ironmans. She also reads to us from her favorite book, Lolita. Sit back, listen up and share this one with your friends who might need some help knowing if they’ve found ‘the one’ by carefully deciphering what they say and how they say it—inside a text bubble.