Totally Booked with Zibby

Zibby Owens

For nearly a decade, Totally Booked with Zibby has been one of publishing's premier podcasts and a regular stop on book tours for today's biggest authors. Hosted by bestselling author, bookstore owner, and publisher Zibby Owens, the show has featured more than 2,000 conversations with bestselling authors, actors, athletes, chefs, musicians, and entrepreneurs.

Known for her warmth, empathy, and genuine curiosity, Zibby has a gift for asking the questions that lead to unforgettable conversations. What begins with the book leads to talks about creativity, ambition, love, loss, family, resilience, and reinvention. With thousands of episodes and dozens of industry honors, Totally Booked with Zibby reminds us all that talking about books is really talking about life.

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68 episodes
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English

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S27 · E57
Friday · 26 min
Dr. Florence Comite on Living Longer -- and Better
Endocrinologist and longevity expert Dr. Florence Comite joins Zibby Owens to discuss Invincible, her new book that dives deep into genetics, aging, longevity, and reclaiming your health. Dr. Florence Comite talks about how having an identical twin made her realize that genetics wasn’t the only answer, learning about disease in medical school instead of health, how a person’s life tells the story of how their genes will react, and the importance of health security over even financial security. She also shares the experience of testing a GLP-1 on herself twenty years ago, how food noise is actually a survival technique, the importance of quality sleep, why protein is vital before any meal, and the magic of books. Learn more about Dr. Florence Comite here https://florencecomite.com and follow her on Instagram @drflorencecomite. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E56
Thursday · 20 min
Audrey Niffenegger on Her Return to The Time Traveler’s Wife
Audrey Niffenegger sits down with Zibby Owens to talk about her new novel Life Out of Order, a follow-up to her bestselling book The Time Traveler’s Wife. Audrey discusses how she ended up returning to this story years later, her artistic childhood, the themes of loss and love in her work, and the novel’s exploration of people trying to teach each other. She also shares the biological mechanism to her characters’ time traveling, writing’s attempt to create a tunnel between the mind of the author and reader, and how composition is largely deciding what to leave in versus what to leave out. Learn more about Audrey here https://www.audreyniffenegger.com and follow her on Instagram @aaniffenegger. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E55
Wednesday · 28 min
Shai Davidai on the October 7 Anniversary
Releasing today in honor of the third anniversary of the October 7th attacks, Shai Davidai joins Zibby Owens to discuss his book American Intellectual Antisemitism, the story of how he went from Columbia business professor to accidental activist. Shai shares the shock he experienced regarding Columbia’s reaction to the attacks, what led to his remarks going viral, how hatred starts in the syllabus, and how regaining agency has driven his activism. He also talks about his attempt to separate his public image from the message, how the first version of this book was a letter to his son, and what gives him hope for the future. We are holding everyone in our hearts today. Learn more about Shai here https://www.shaidavidai.com and follow him on Instagram @shaidavidai. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E54
Tuesday · 20 min
NYT Bestselling Author Michael Lewis on Blockers
Michael Lewis sits down with Zibby Owens to discuss his new book Blockers, a deep dive into the early days of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency through the lens of six targeted public servants. Michael discusses how the title was inspired by an Elon Musk quote, the fascinating work into fire research that the government made difficult, and why narrative matters. He also shares what actions readers can take, how government and politics are related but not the same, the process of “casting” this book out of the thousands of workers he could have focused on, and the experience of having three of his books turned into movies. Learn more about Michael here https://www.michaellewiswrites.com. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E53
October 5 · 25 min
Erin Schlozman on the Myth of the Perfect Mom
Erin Schlozman joins Zibby Owens to discuss her book The Myth of the Perfect Mom, a guide to new motherhood and postpartum that rejects the idea of the perfect mother in place of authenticity, self-compassion, and joy. Erin talks about debunking the aspiration to be perfect, how her experience as a licensed therapist working on an addiction medicine team led her to opening her own private practice, her daughter being born eight weeks early, and launching 4th Trimester Wellness on Instagram. She also shares working through imposter syndrome while writing this book, the importance of transparency, embracing ambition as mothers, what surprised her about the publishing industry, mom guilt, and her hope that readers feel less alone through this book. Learn more about Erin here https://www.erinschlozman.com and follow her on Instagram @erin.schlozman. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E52
October 2 · 28 min
Hank Phillippi Ryan on Storytelling
Hank Phillippi Ryan sits down with Zibby Owens to chat about her new novel Mother Daughter Sister Stranger, a twisty thriller about Eliza’s search for her sister Bea who goes missing on the eleventh anniversary of the plane crash they survived but killed their parents. Hank talks about how stories shape our lives, family lore, the experience of writing a young character on the cusp of growing up, and why reading the end of a book first teaches her about story construction. She also recounts growing up as the oldest of five children in rural Indiana, how her books benefit from her long career as a TV crime journalist, the question of ‘what happens after a story’s happy ending?’, and the touching reason she and her husband celebrate the day before their anniversary. Learn more about Hank at https://hankphillippiryan.com and follow her on Instagram @hankpryan. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E51
October 1 · 23 min
Rebekah Lowin on Jewish Joy
Rebekah Lowin sits down with Zibby Owens to discuss A Year of Jewish Joy, her new cookbook full of meaningful recipes, homemade crafts, and table guides for the Jewish holidays. Rebekah talks about being inspired by her grandmother, the joy of the Jewish people, her experience working for Martha Stewart in New York City years ago, and how the blog she started in 2019 led to this book. She also shares her experience growing up in Connecticut without a Jewish community, reverence for tradition while making things new, how pressure is part of the joy of hosting, and her dream of opening a brick-and-mortar shop one day. Learn more about Rebekah here https://rebekahlowin.com and follow her on Instagram @rebekahlowin. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E50
September 30 · 24 min
Elizabeth Wellington Rollins on Her Debut Novel
Elizabeth Wellington Rollins joins Zibby Owens to discuss her debut novel and Book of the Month Club Pick The Three Graces of Pearl Street, the story of an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter who must all live together again after years apart and what that collision stirs up. Elizabeth talks about the little threads of home she wove into this story, her inspiration from the Roman myth of the three graces, the story’s intentional conversation with The Godfather, and distilling the big energy of her grandmother and great-aunts into her character Graziella. Elizabeth also shares about growing up in Westchester, her career journey from tech copywriter and travel writer to fiction writing, the impact of having gestational diabetes while pregnant with her daughter, and how living in a small Vermont town gives her the mental space to write. Follow Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethwellingtonrollins. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E49
September 29 · 30 min
Meg Mason: The New Reese's Book Club pick!
Newly minted Reese's Book Club pick Meg Mason joins Zibby Owens to discuss her new novel (and Zibby’s October Book Club pick!) Sophie, Standing There, the story of book lover Sophie Pattison who finds herself living alone and isolated, and how her favorite author provides solace when she needs it most. Meg talks about the surreal success of her first novel, her struggles while trying to write another book, depression after touring, and the moderating mess while interviewing Ann Patchett that inspired Sophie’s story. She also shares how the literary landscape had changed between publishing her first and second books, the temporary but daunting feeling of loneliness, and the authors who have inspired her most. Join Meg and Zibby virtually for Zibby’s October Book Club on October 4, 2026 here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zibbys-book-club-meg-mason-tickets-1994577848036 Learn more about Meg here https://www.megmason.com. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E48
September 28 · 23 min
Susan Coll on the Fictional Bookshop in Her Novel
Susan Coll sits down with Zibby Owens to discuss her new novel Word Salad, a bookish comedy about former economics major Matilda who finds herself working at her hometown bookstore where she must navigate the business of publishing and the people in it. Susan talks about teaching herself to write, structuring each chapter as a scene, the remarkable literary community in Washington, DC, and her endless fascination with the publishing industry. She also shares her own background as a bookseller, the determination that kept her writing after her first novel died on submission, and using different parts of her brain at work versus while writing. Learn more about Susan here https://susancoll.com and follow her on Instagram @susan_keselenko_coll. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E47
September 25 · 30 min
Fran Hauser on Embracing the Twenty-Minute Mindset
Fran Hauser joins Zibby Owens to discuss her new book Twenty Minutes is the New Hour, a guide to help women embrace the twenty-minute mindset, reclaim their time, and take small steps towards better productivity. Fran talks about the techniques she used to launch her bookstore Bedford Books in just eight weeks, how time becomes the enemy of the good, and adding more kairos over chronos in women's lives. She also dives deeper into setting boundaries around notifications, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, the fear connected to procrastination, email management, and what she feels guilty about. Learn more about Fran here https://www.franhauser.com/about and follow her on Instagram @fran_hauser. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E46
September 24 · 25 min
Allison Sweet Grant on Sharing Her Cancer Journey Through Poetry
Allison Sweet Grant joins Zibby Owens to talk about her new poetic memoir Lump, an unconventional, moving collection of essays and verse about her experience with breast cancer. Allison discusses how the book started out as a journal to process the difficult moments of her cancer journey, being diagnosed at the beginning of Covid at forty years old, what kept her from going to the doctor right away, and the psychological weight of this horrible disease. She also shares her initial attraction to poetry in elementary school, how intimidating it is to publish a book while married to a bestselling author, the barometer cancer becomes for daily life challenges, and sharing the book with her daughters. Follow Allison on Instagram @allisonsweetgrant. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E45
September 23 · 25 min
Isabel Allende on The Quiet Happiness of Aging
Isabel Allende joins Zibby Owens to discuss her new memoir Story Telling, a heartfelt love letter to life and writing that recounts the past forty-five years of her career, the philosophy and emotion behind craft, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Inspired by the masterclass she did with the BBC, Isabel writes about the quiet happiness of aging, how the inner critic never goes away, the loss of her daughter, and the bad aspects of life that make great literature. She also shares the challenges of irony and humor in translation, her soul’s need to write, her belief that her stories exist in another dimension, how to overcome feeling stuck while writing, and the benefits of writing a bad novel. Learn more about Isabel here https://isabelallende.com/en/home. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E44
September 22 · 37 min
Zibby Owens on Between Chapters, Her New Essay Collection
Live from Matchmaker Bookshop in Highland Park, IL! Bestselling author Renée Rosen interviews Zibby Owens about her new book Between Chapters, a heartfelt and candid collection of essays centered around her decade of extreme change and where it all led. Zibby discusses overcoming intense social anxiety as a young girl, the impact of her first published piece in Seventeen Magazine after her parent’s divorce, her editing process, and launching a Between Chapters essay platform on Substack featuring stories from her community. She also talks about the overwhelming aspects of motherhood, the rocky journey with weight loss and food noise that ended with Mounjaro, the pain and devastation of the Palisades wildfires, the start of her podcast, and navigating the online hate after speaking about October 7th. Order Between Chapters here https://zibbymedia.com/products/between-chapters or follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E43
September 21 · 21 min
Laura Moriarty on her Read with Jenna pick
Laura Moriarty sits down with Zibby Owens to discuss her new novel and August 2026 Read With Jenna Pick Sunlight Finds You, a deeply felt love story set in 1949 that ends in heartbreak and shame, and changes the course of seventeen-year-old Nora’s life forever. Laura talks about the book’s look into dealing with uncertainty, her extensive research into the time period, and the conversations with her mother that shed light on both the joys and challenges of being a woman during that time. She also shares the hardship of being diagnosed with oral cancer while writing this book, letting go of writing expectations to free the story, and her gratitude for the perspective into life that reading gives us. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E42
September 18 · 34 min
NYT Bestseller Harlan Coben with the Best Writing Advice Ever
NYT Bestseller! Harlan Coben sits down with Zibby Owens to discuss his new book Plot Twist, a memoir that blends personal narrative and writing advice, acknowledging that both are inevitably connected. Harlan talks about the importance of critical thinking in fiction, incremental ambition, accepting adaptations as a different perspective, and how insecurity makes good writers. He also shares personal experiences, from loving and losing his parents, his time at Amherst College, navigating the blurry line between memoir and fiction, and the magic behind creating from a blank page. Learn more about Harlan here https://www.harlancoben.com and follow Harlan on Instagram @harlancoben ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E41
September 17 · 29 min
Dara Horn on Antisemitism, History, and Hope
Instant New York Times bestseller! Dara Horn joins Zibby Owens to discuss her new book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question, an exploration into the lies of antisemitism throughout history and her vision for the future. Dara discusses how Holocaust education fails to do its job, her surprise at finding so much more ignorance than malice, how the hate movement has taken over AI, and the big lie of antisemitism. She also shares her own personal experiences, from serving on Harvard’s Antisemitism Advisory Group to wrestling with how to help herself, and the struggles her son has already faced. But Dara also leaves us with an important, hopeful reminder: “the opposite of hate isn’t love, it’s curiosity”. Learn more about Dara at https://www.darahorn.com. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E40
September 16 · 27 min
Sona Movsesian on Being the World's Worst Mom
USA Today bestseller Sona Movsesian sits down with Zibby Owens to discuss her new book The World’s Worst Mom, a funny and relatable look into motherhood. Sona discusses her experience with IVF and the conversations that it demands, her obsession with mortality after having kids, the trauma of losing her home in the 2025 Southern California wildfires, and betraying her preconceptions about motherhood. She also shares the need for laughter, her experience working with Conan O’Brien for over seventeen years, and how she hopes her sons will see her in twenty years. Follow Sona on Instagram @sonamov. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E39
September 15 · 21 min
Elizabeth Castellano on Her Follow-Up Novel to the GMA Book Club Pick
Elizabeth Castellano joins Zibby Owens to talk about her new novel Proof of Progress, the humorous story of B-list actress and comedian Maria Astorini whose second book is thirty-seven years overdue. Elizabeth shares how this book was inspired by her own difficulties while writing her second novel under contract, the impact of pressure on her writing, and the pieces of real life that made it into the story. She also discusses unconventional friendship, debunking the myth that book deals are impossible, and imparting little truths through humor. Learn more about Elizabeth here https://www.elizabethcastellano.com. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S27 · E38
September 14 · 25 min
Amy Chozick, live from CMEE, on Her Friendship Novel
Live from the Children’s Museum of the East End, Amy Chozick sits down with Zibby Owens to talk about her new psychological thriller With Friends Like You. In the novel Emily, a struggling new mom in Manhattan, embarks on the search for her long-lost friend Daisy who disappeared years ago. But when Emily finally finds her, the question becomes: Is Daisy saving her life or destroying everything? Amy discusses how her own experiences have influenced her characters, the resentment in postpartum that has nowhere to go, female friendship, and the unique challenges of raising kids in New York City. She also recounts her career as a journalist, the piece she wrote on Stormy Daniels three weeks postpartum, the fascinating collision of new motherhood and sex work, and her current work as a TV writer. Follow Amy on Instagram @amychozick. ********* A story for the messy middle. Zibby's essay collection Between Chapters is out now! Love to listen? She narrated the audiobook. Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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