Totally Booked with Zibby

Latest Episodes:

Sophie Blackall, IF WE WERE DOGS Nov 21, 2025

Show notes

At Totally Booked: Live! at the Whitby Hotel, Zibby interviews two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall about her marvelous new picture book, IF WE WERE DOGS. Sophie shares the charming real-life inspirations behind the story—from an exuberant farm dog to a bookish pup in Prospect Park—and opens up about creating the book during her husband’s unexpected heart surgery. She also reflects on the joys and challenges of writing and illustrating, the dynamics of childhood friendships, and the deep connection she finds with young readers.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4oHiWSD

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Tami Charles, TOGETHER, UNITED (An All Because You Matter Book) Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

At Totally Booked: Live! at the Whitby Hotel, Zibby interviews New York Times bestselling author Tami Charles about TOGETHER, UNITED, a lushly illustrated, powerful, and lyrical children’s book about unity and love. Tami reveals the inspiration behind the series, her passion for helping children understand their worth and history, and the role books play in fostering empathy. She also opens up about navigating book challenges, her unexpected past as a singer, her transition to teaching, and how young readers (and her own son!) continue to shape her work.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4rB9UcB

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Katie Sturino, SUNNY SIDE UP: A Novel Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

At Totally Booked: Live! at the Whitby Hotel, Zibby interviews debut author and entrepreneur Katie Sturino about her sexy, laugh-out-loud romcom, SUNNY SIDE UP. Katie reveals how the book grew from her own post-divorce journey and her desire to portray a confident, bigger-bodied woman navigating dating, friendship, and self-reinvention, without conforming to “revenge body” tropes. She dives into the novel’s bold early scenes, the importance of supportive female friendships, and the real-life inspiration behind Sunny’s entrepreneurial storyline. Finally, she talks about building her personal care brand, Megababe, which offers clean, cute products that tackle “taboo” body issues… like the anti-chafing Thigh Rescue stick and the Le Tush butt mask.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4rGtLqz

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Nate Berkus, FOUNDATIONS: Timeless Design That Feels Personal Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

In this special episode of the podcast (in-person at the Whitby Hotel with a live audience!), Zibby interviews celebrated designer and author Nate Berkus about his beautifully photographed new book, FOUNDATIONS: Timeless Design That Feels Personal. Nate shares the evolution of the project, from a rejected “10 little books in a box” concept to a comprehensive, user-friendly guide built on 30 years of design experience. He shares why design should be personal, honest, emotional, and deeply reflective of one’s life, and explains his unconventional approach to understanding clients: starting in their closets. He also speaks candidly about surviving the Indian Ocean tsunami, losing his partner, and how grief reshaped his life and work.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4iFeuCt

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Penn Badgley, CRUSHMORE: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

As featured in People, E! and BuzzFeed! Actor, director, producer, podcaster, and bestselling author Penn Badgley joins Zibby to discuss his debut essay collection, CRUSHMORE: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age, which he wrote with his podcast co-hosts. Also available on YouTube.

Penn reflects on the origins of his podcast show and why adolescence is such a powerful entry point into storytelling. He opens up about his insecurities (from curly hair to fame itself), sharing what it’s like to grow up on camera and how celebrity shapes and distorts identity. They also dive into middle-school angst, the cultural impact of the selfie, the pressures of visibility, and the parts of fame most people never see. He also speaks vulnerably about miscarriage, marriage, and becoming a father of twins.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4rKqZ3O

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Kate Baer, HOW ABOUT NOW: Poems Nov 14, 2025

Show notes

Recorded live at the Whitby Hotel, Zibby interviews renowned, #1 New York Times bestselling poet Kate Baer about her latest work, a raw, luminous, and urgent collection titled HOW ABOUT NOW. Kate opens up about the health crisis that reshaped her life and work, her evolving relationship with her body, and the lingering impact of past trauma. She also talks candidly about motherhood, marriage, anxiety, and the strange intimacy of writing poems that expose so much and still leave room for humor and tenderness.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4axrY0U

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Amanda Goetz, TOXIC GRIT: How to Have It All and (Actually) Love What You Have Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

Totally Booked: LIVE! In this special episode of the podcast (in-person at the Whitby Hotel with a live audience!), Zibby interviews entrepreneur, 2x CEO, author, and single mom Amanda Goetz about TOXIC GRIT: How to Have it All and (Actually) Love What You Have. Amanda opens up about building a high-powered career while raising three kids, navigating divorce, and redefining what it means to “have it all.” She introduces her concept of “character theory,” encouraging women to embrace the many parts of themselves—career-driven, maternal, fun, sensual—and to eliminate guilt by living with intention. She also explains “toxic grit” as hustle without purpose and explains how to create balance over a lifetime rather than in a single day.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4pX0Vkl

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Lili Anolik, DIDION & BABITZ Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Totally Booked: LIVE! In this special episode of the podcast (in-person at the Whitby Hotel with a live audience!), Zibby interviews journalist Lili Anolik about her vivid, engrossing, and outrageously provocative dual biography, DIDION & BABITZ. Lili describes the obsessive hunt that led her to Babitz, and then delves into the complex friendship between Babitz and Didion, the trove of unseen letters that changed everything, and the surprising love story that shaped Didion’s life and work. Lili also talks about her compulsive curiosity, her unconventional research methods, and what it really means to write about obsession.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/48xBwGz

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi, DON'T FEED THE LION Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

Zibby talks with Emmy Award–winning journalist Bianna Golodryga and Israeli news anchor Yonit Levi about their middle-grade novel DON’T FEED THE LION. The book follows three young teens as they confront antisemitism in their school and community, inspired by the authors’ own experiences as mothers navigating rising hate after October 7. Bianna and Yonit share how the story grew from personal conversations into a poignant resource for families, discuss the challenges of helping children understand prejudice, and reflect on balancing their high-profile journalism careers with motherhood and activism.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3KFyUyy

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.

Jen Butler, MOM, REDISCOVERED: My Midlife Breakup with Drinking and Diet Culture Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Zibby interviews author and speaker Jennifer Butler about her honest and moving memoir, MOM, REDISCOVERED: My Midlife Breakup with Drinking and Diet Culture. Jen opens up about her journey from “wine mom” to mid-life unraveling to self-acceptance and self-compassion, sharing how she broke free from gray-area drinking, diet culture, and the pressure to be the perfect mom. She and Zibby also reflect on their own friendship and the full-circle moment that brought them together, from a Totally Booked event to publication.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3Y71AUe

Share, rate, & review the podcast, and 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.