Book Friends Forever Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 318: Gossip! Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina are together in Brooklyn and gossip with each other! They talk about their relationship with gossip, when it can be positive or harmful, and Alvina shares a piece of funny gossip from her office. They also share some legendary author gossip!

For the Fortune Cookie segment the talk about a group that has formed called "Save Middle Grade" to try to address the challenges the middle grade category has been facing. And they end as they always do with what they're grateful for.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 317: Pivoting and Family with Michele McGonigle DeYoung! Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Michele McGonigle DeYoung! Michele was the first producer/editor of the Book Friends Forever podcast, and they discuss how she pivoted from her career in Audio Publishing to family coaching! Michele talks about how she broke into publishing, and then how she pivoted away! She also talks about her coaching training and the common issues she talks about in her coaching practice.

For the Fortune Cookie segment they talk about what they've been reading lately, and they end as always with what they're grateful for.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 316: Special Sales with Jenny Mandel! Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina continue their Publishing Curriculum series and welcome special guest Jenny Mandel to talk about her job working in Special Sales. You'll learn all about how she got into publishing and what "special sales" entails. And Jenny also shares the "meet cute" way she met her husband! For the Fortune Cookie segment they talk about what they're looking forward to this Fall, and they end as always with what they're grateful for.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 315: CHOP SUEY Publishing News! Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

Grace Lin and Alvina Ling discuss a bunch of different pieces of publishing news, including the launch of Google's Gemini Storybook App, the cancellation of the NEA Creative Writing Grant, the creation of a new MFA program of writers of young people's literature, and the news that S&S's CEO will be stepping down to start a new imprint.

Children's Literature Specialist Alison Morris joins them to discuss two recent studies on the decline of pleasure reading, and about how Gen Z isn't reading to their kids as much as previous generations. And then Alison shares some book recommendations. They end as always with what they're grateful for.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 314: Two Topics, Travel and Scams Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

Grace Lin and Alvina Ling talk about travel and explore the question of whether or not all travel is transformative or opens one's horizons? They discuss how living in a foreign country is more transformative than travel, and how reading can be more transformative than travel.

Then they talk about how scammers are using AI to send very personalized emails to trick authors. They talk about some other recent scams, including fake employment texts and other scam texts.

Then Alvina tells Grace about the book INVISIBLE PARADE by Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio. And, they end with what they're grateful for.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 313: Well-Read and Gender in Animal Books! Aug 17, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina talk about two different topics--they debate the term "well-read" and whether they consider themselves to be well-read or if they even aspire to be so. They also discuss the gender disparity in children's books featuring animal protagonists.

And then, Alvina tells Grace about the Book BEAR CAME ALONG by Richard T. Morris and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. They end as always with what they're grateful for.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1. See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookfriendsforever_podcast/

Episode 312: Freedom to Read with Padma Venkatraman! Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina welcome special guest Padma Venkatraman, author and oceanographer, to talk about a recent bill that she helped pass in Rhode Island to protect librarians, teachers, authors, and publishers from book banning.

For the Fortune Cookie segment they all talk about their favorite ice cream flavors!

Episode 311: Key qualities for success with Libby Koponen! Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina are in CT with special guest Libby Koponen celebrating Libby's 75th Birthday. They discuss what they think the key qualities for success in the book publishing industry are. For the Fortune Cookie segment, Libby tells Grace and Alvina about her newest book, IS THAT THE BUS. And they end as always with what they're grateful for.

See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 310: CHOP SUEY: Ages in Young Adult, Pen Names, and Last Meals! Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina have an odds and ends episode where they discuss several topics, including how protagonists in YA have gotten older over the years, different ways authors use pen names, and then, Alison Morris joins to discuss what they would all eat for their last meals! Alison also gives some book recommendations based on her recent travels, and they end as always with what they're grateful for.

See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com.

Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1.

See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.

Episode 309: Summer! Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

Grace and Alvina talk about summer--what their relationship is to summer, what their favorite childhood memories from summer are, and what their favorite summer reading books are.

For the Fortune Cookie segment, they discuss the recent Mahmoud vs Taylor Supreme Court ruling and read part of a statement written by author Katherine Locke.

Then, Grace tells Alvina about her book DUMPLING DAYS which is about a summer trip to Taiwan. And then end as always with what they're grateful for.

See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1. See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookfriendsforever_podcast/

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