Episodes

  • Me, Myself and I: Celebrating Five Years of Podcasting with a Special Guest
    Jun 3 2024

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    These week, on episode 127 I take it back to the OG days of the podcast five years ago when I struggled to get a guest on the show. Now, I am so lucky to get to pick amazing guests!

    This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by The Year We Danced: A Memoir by Stephen E. Smith

    Books Recommended:

    I am Not Sydney Poitier by Percival Everett

    The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

    Johanna Porter is Not Sorry by Sara Read

    The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

    The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman

    Other Books Mentioned:

    Kairos by Jenny Erpenveck

    Additional Links:

    Silent Book Club

    1000 Words of Summer

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    29 mins
  • Let's Talk Picture Books
    May 20 2024

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    This week, on episode 126, I speak with picture book author Nell Cross Beckerman. We discuss how authors find illustrators, some of our favorite picture books and Nell’s recently published book, From Park to Playa: The Trails That Connect Us.

    From Park to Playa: The Trails That Connect Us by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by Sophie Diao

    This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by The Year We Danced: A Memoir by Stephen E. Smith

    Books Recommended:

    The House of East 88th Street by Bernard Waber

    Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu

    Big Sister and Little Sister by Charlotte Zolotow

    In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

    Dear Tree Frog by Joyce Sidman

    Follow Nell on Social Media:

    Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about her classes on her website: www.nellcrossbeckerman.com

    Instagram @nellcrossbeckerman

    Bluesky @nellcrossbeckerman

    X @nellbeckerman

    Click here to learn more about my Books Are My People Substack and Read With Me program.

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    32 mins
  • How to Start an Independent Press
    May 6 2024

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    This week, author and Drag Queen Story Hour founder Michelle Tea visits and talks to us about her new Press, Dopamine, its forthcoming anthology, Sluts and how she generates so much writing.

    This episode of Books Are My People is sponsored by The Year We Danced, A Memoir by Stephen E. Smith

    Books Discussed:

    Sluts Anthology edited by Michelle Tea

    My Child The Algorithm by Hannah Silva

    Skunks by Fiona Warnick

    Candy Darling : Dreamer Superstar by Candy Darling

    Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett

    Luster by Raven Leilani

    Other Things Discussed:

    MISA: Madeline Island Arts School

    Sign up for my Read With Me Series in May where we are reading The Book of Ayn by Lexi Freiman

    Apartment Guide’s on 7 Guidelines for building a home library featuring some bookshelf advice by yours truly.

    Visit Michelle Tea’s Website here.

    Find Michelle Tea on Instagram @michelleteaz

    Find Michelle on Facebook @MichelleTea

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    28 mins
  • Turning Discarded Books Into Art
    Apr 22 2024

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    Collage artist and printmaker Sarah Z. Short talks about her creative process, how language figures into her art, the books she used to love to teach and, she recommends some of her favorite reads on episode 124 of Books Are My People.

    Books Discussed:
    The Hunter by Tana French
    Real Americans by Rachel Khong
    Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarrow
    One Hundred Days by Alice Pung
    The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel

    Sarah Z. Short Website
    Sarah Z. Short on Instagram

    Other Things Discussed:
    The Women by Kritsin Hannah giveaway closes 5/9/24 US mailing addresses only.

    Click here to be taken to my Substack
    Read with me series in May is The Book Of Ayn by Lexi Frieman

    FSG Poetry hotline 385 3425374 Monday - Friday in April

    Instructables Competition

    George Orwell’s 1984 audiobook link

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    28 mins
  • Murder in Sicily with Jo Piazza author of The Sicilian Inheritance
    Apr 8 2024

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    #123 with Jo Piazza The Sicilian Inheritance

    This week, I talk food and books with The Sicilian Inheritance author and podcaster extraordinaire, Jo Piazza.

    Book Recommended

    The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza

    The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry

    The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

    Finlay Donovan is Killing it by Elle Cosimano

    Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

    Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

    The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

    Breaking and Entering by Don Gilmore

    Other things mentioned:

    The Sicilian Inheritance Podcast (Watch the trailer)

    Under the Influence Podcast

    Where to find Jo Piazza:

    Substack: Over the Influence @Jopiazza

    Instagram: @joypiazzaauthor


    Book Giveaway: Monsters We Have Made closes Wednesday, April 17th

    To Enter: Visit and post a comment on my Instagram Page and make sure you subscribe to my Books Are My People newsletter on Substack. Open to US mailing addresses only. Gain extra entries by tagging friends and sharing in your stories.

    Link to LA Times Festival of Books.

    Sponsorship: reach out to booksaremypeople@gmail.com

    Link to my Books Are My People Substack

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    34 mins
  • Changing Legislation through Books with Garrard Conley
    Mar 25 2024

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    Author Garrard Conley (Boy Erased) speaks with me about his latest novel, All The World Beside. We talk about the research involved in writing historical fiction, how he helped change legislature, and some scandalous letters he discovered while conducting research. ,

    Books Recommended:

    All the World Beside by Garrard Conley

    Exhibit by R.O. Kwon

    James by Percival Everett

    The Son of Man by Jean-Baptiste del Amo

    The Morningside by Tea Obrecht

    The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    Other Books Mentioned:

    Anamalia by Jean-Baptiste del Amo

    Ramona Ausebel, author of The Last Animal, recommends Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

    Garrard Conley's Links:
    Instagram @gayrodcon
    Twitter @gayrodcon
    podcast : History Unerased

    Giveaway for Amy Lin’s Here After closes on 3/27/24

    Open to U.S. mailing addreses only.

    My Read With Me series on Substack begins in May. We Will be reading The Book of Ayn by Lexi Freiman

    March 27th at 9 am PT Free Book Cover Art Along and Book Discussion. You must be registered here to attend.

    April 2: Substack Paying Subscriber Discussion on The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee and the TV series, The Expats time: TBD

    Hugo awards Article
    Tournament of Books

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    31 mins
  • How to Write A Graphic Memoir
    Mar 11 2024

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    In episode #121, graphic memoirist, Kelcey Ervick joins the show to talk about her graphic memoir and what it’s like to write about and draw her lived experience.

    Books Recommended:

    I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib

    The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft

    Good Talk by Mira Jacob

    The Painter’s Daughter by Emily Howes

    Give Me Space But Don't Go Far by Haley Weaver

    Kelcey's books:
    The Keeper: Soccer, Me, and the Law that Changed Women's Lives
    Field Guide to Graphic Literature

    Find Kelcey online:

    Website

    Substack

    Instagram

    Join the Books Are My People Bookclub on Substack

    Find a Silent Book Club Near You

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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    33 mins
  • Roxana Robinson
    Feb 26 2024

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    Roxana Robinson (Leaving) and I discuss novels that move us, Parisian sewers and best approaches to teaching writing.

    Books Recommended:
    Leaving by Roxana Robinson

    Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert MacFarlane

    Piglet by Lottie Hazell

    Trespasses Louise Kennedy

    Alice Sadie Celine by Sarah Blakley-Cartright

    Late in the Day by Tessa Hadley


    Guest Author Recommendation:
    Mrs. Gulliver by Valerie Martin

    Twitter: @ValerieMmart

    The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgaard

    Other Things Discussed:

    The Expatriates in March and Expats on Substack

    Find Roxana on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roxana.robinson

    And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxanarobinsonauthor/

    Wesbsite: https://www.roxanarobinson.com

    Find me on Instagram @jennifercaloyeras


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    I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

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    28 mins