Gays Reading

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Lucy Foley, Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Jason talks to author Lucy Foley (The Guest List) about her experience working with the Agatha Christie estate to create a new Miss Marple book, Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel. They talk about what makes a Foley Christie book, the things one can do on a ski vacation, her research trip to St. Moritz, and much more.

Lucy Foley studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of five novels including The Paris Apartment, The Guest List, The Hunting Party, and The Midnight Feast. She lives in London. For updates about the book and tour, follow Lucy on social media at @lucyfoleyauthor.

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What Are You Reading? feat. Nik Sharma Sep 18, 2026

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Molecular biologist turned award-winning chef, food writer, photographer, and bestselling cookbook author Nik Sharma shares what he's been reading lately and talks about his forthcoming cookbook, Fundamentals of Flavor.

Nik Sharma is the bestselling author of cookbooks celebrated for blending culinary science with deeply personal storytelling: Season, The Flavor Equation, and Veg-Table. A former molecular biologist, Sharma brings a unique lens to the kitchen, where flavor is both a feeling and a formula. He serves as Editor in Residence at America's Test Kitchen, where he hosts the YouTube show Flavor Forward with Nik Sharma, is a co-host of the show In the Test Kitchen on Netflix, and is a cast member on the upcoming America’s Test Kitchen show on PBS. Sharma is the creator of the award-winning blog Nik Sharma Cooks (formerly A Brown Table), and his writing and photography have been featured in The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where he's always dreaming up his next recipe.

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Emily St. John Mandel, Exit Party Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Jason is joined by author Emily St. John Mandel to talk about her new novel, Exit Party. They share how the end of the world is going for each of them, the state of knowing and not knowing something, Emily's evolution of embracing her bisexuality in writing this new novel, among other things.

EMILY ST. JOHN MANDEL is the author of six novels, most recently Sea of Tranquility, which has been translated into 25 languages and was selected by President Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of 2022. Her previous novels include The Glass Hotel, which was also on Obama’s list, was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and has been translated into 26 languages; and Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, won the 2015 Arthur C. Clarke Award among other honors, has been translated into 36 languages, and aired as a limited series on HBO Max. She lives in New York City and Los Angeles.

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What Are You Reading? feat. Alexis Nikole Nelson aka Black Forager Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

The internet's favorite forager, Alexis Nikole Nelson aka Black Forager, talks to Jason about what's she's been reading and shares insights about her new book, Happy Snacking, Don't Die!

Alexis Nikole Nelson, best known to most people as Black Forager, is a social media creator, vegan, urban forager, and outdoor educator who has amassed millions of followers. Her mother first showed her how to forage at the age of five by introducing her to onion grass. Now Alexis posts videos of her foraging finds in a playful, humorous way, whether she is exploring a nearby park or searching in her neighbor’s front yard, proving that anyone can try their hand at foraging. Alexis also takes these plants home with her to use in her creative vegan cooking. Her posts often address topics such as the indigenous roots of foraging in America, the history of American foraging laws, and sustainable ways for her viewers to include wild plants and mushrooms in their diets. Alexis has been featured in a broad range of media from The New York Times to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and she was named a Time100 Creator in 2025. Alexis lives in Columbus, Ohio. Follow her on X, Instagram, and YouTube @BlackForager.

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Marlon James, The Disappearers Sep 08, 2026

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Jason is joined by Marlon James to talk about his Booker Prize longlisted novel, The Disappearers. They cover topics like Dolly Parton, growing up gay in Jamaica, the ballet that changed his life, and much more.

Marlon James is the Booker Prize–winning and New York Times bestselling author of A Brief History of Seven Killings; the bestselling and National Book Award finalist Black Leopard, Red Wolf; as well as the bestselling Moon Witch, Spider King; The Book of Night Women; and John Crow’s Devil. In addition to the Booker Prize, James’s novels have won the American Book Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, and the Los Angeles Times Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, and have been finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the NAACP Image Award. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and named in 2019 one of Time magazine’s one hundred most influential people in the world, James lives in New York City.

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Josh Silver, Fruit Fly Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

Jason talks to author Josh Silver about his breakout hit that everyone's talking about, Fruit Fly, this month's selection for The Nod™️ by Gays Reading with Aardvark Book Club.

Josh Silver is the author of HappyHead, which was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and nominated for the Carnegie Medal, its sequel, Dead Happy, and Erase Me. His experience working with teenagers as a mental health nurse inspired the critically acclaimed duology.

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Chloe Benjamin, Under Story Sep 01, 2026

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Jason talks to author Chloe Benjamin, whose latest novel, Under Story was just announced as September 2026's Good Morning America Book Club pick. They discuss the various adventures writing the book took Chloe on, mushroom and psychedelic experiences, our relationship to time, and more.

Chloe Benjamin is the author of The Immortalists, a New York Times bestseller, and The Anatomy of Dreams. A Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, LibraryReads favorite, and #1 Indie Next pick, The Immortalists was named a best book of 2018 by NPR, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and others. The Anatomy of Dreams received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award and was longlisted for the 2014 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Originally from San Francisco, CA, Chloe is a graduate of Vassar College and the M.F.A. in fiction at the University of Wisconsin. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages. She lives with her husband in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Liane Moriarty, Big Little Truths Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Jason talks to author Liane Moriarty about her newest novel (and first sequel), Big Little Truths. They discuss what makes her feel like a queen, the lyrics to "Come on Eileen," and that time she may or may not have been a taxi driver.

Liane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, Apples Never Fall, The Husband’s Secret, Truly Madly Guilty, and Here One Moment; the New York Times bestsellers Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary; The Hypnotist’s Love Story; and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.

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Re-release | Rosie O'Donnell Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Re-release | In honor of Rosie O'Donnell hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live this week, we're re-releasing her episode of Gays Reading!

Host Jason Blitman sits down with often-mentioned Rosie O'Donnell to discuss her newest project, Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children with Autism. They also talk books, Broadway, bootlegs, and more.

You can learn more about Guide Dogs of America by visiting guidedogsofamerica.org.

Unleashing Hope is produced by NY27 Productions with distribution across Hulu, ABC Owned Stations (linear and digital streaming channels) and ABC News Live. Rosie O'Donnell, Terence J. Noonan, and Hilary Estey Mcloughlin are executive producers for NY27 Productions and directed by Zeberiah Newman and Michiel Thomas.

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Re-release | V.E. Schwab, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Re-release | In honor of the publication of the paperback edition of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, we're re-releasing this conversation with V.E. Schwab

Host Jason Blitman welcomes bestselling author Victoria "V.E." Schwab for a conversation about her remarkable milestone—her 25th book, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. They discuss the profound power of names, exploring how identity shapes both fantasy storytelling and LGBTQIA+ narratives, the impact of representation in literature, and the moment that nearly drove Schwab to walk away from writing altogether.

VICTORIA “V. E.” SCHWAB is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books. Schwab's series and standalone titles for readers of all ages have made her a major literary figure, whose notable works include the Villains series, the Shades of Magic universe, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. When not haunting Paris streets or writing in the corner of her favorite coffee shop, she lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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