Always Authors

Jill Bialosky and Lynn Steger Strong ”I Write to Embarrass my Ancestors”

Lynn and Jill examine Jill's latest novel, The Deceptions, to take a deep dive into a variety of issues, such as personal power, shame, and the complicated ways patriarchal systems affect feminine sensibilities within the creative process, and inform their receptions in the world.

Rebecca Makkai and Aleksandar Hemon ”Around the World in 84 Books”

In addition to sneak peaks of their  books arriving in early 2023, Rebecca and Aleksandar discuss her new literary initiative Around the World in 84 Books, wherein she will read a single book from 84 different countries beginning in September 2022. 

”Nostalgia Is an Inherited Trait.” with Jess Walter and Amor Towles

On this episode we are excited to bring you former National Book Award finalist and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Jess Walter, author of the number one NY times bestseller The Beautiful Ruins, which spent more than a year on the bestseller list, as well as the national bestselling novel Cold Millions, and his latest short story collection The Angel of Rome and Other Stories. Jess is joined by Amor Towles, the NY Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility, A Gentleman From Moscow, and his latest novel, The Lincoln Highway that debuted at number one on the NY Times best seller list and was on the annual book recommendation lists of Bill Gates and Barack Obama. These two friends compare their early story-telling inspirations from Hollywood and music, parse the merits of timely vs timeless writing and examine their yearning to have lived in other eras. 

”Shut Up, Lindsey.” with Bakari Sellers and Jonathan Martin

​This episode debuts an occasional special series called "Live At…" wherein we record a live conversation at an independent bookstore. From Charleston, South Carolina, we bring you Live at Buxton Books.
CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers, author of the NY Times bestseller My Vanishing Country, speaks with  CNN political analyst and NY Times national correspondent Jonathan Martin. 
Set against the backdrop of the January 6th hearings, these two friends and colleagues discuss Jonathan’s new book This Will Not Pass, which he co-authored with Alexander Burns. This riveting work presents an inside look at the political events leading up to the January 6th insurrection, first hand reporting inside the Capitol on that fateful day and a detailed look at the political aftermath over the past 15 months. You will hear never before revealed stories, both hilarious and horrifying, of current figures who have been at the center of this political maelstrom.

”Write the Story You Want To Write.” with Zakiya Dalila Harris and Kellye Garrett

Zakiya Dalila Harris is the author of the debut novel The Other Black Girl, which she is adapting into a Netflix series produced by Rashida Jones. Zakiya received her MFA in creative writing from The New School then spent nearly three years in editorial at Knopf/Doubleday. Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Guernica, and The Rumpus. 
Zakiya is joined by Kellye Garrett, author of the suspense novel Like A Sister which was featured on the TODAY show and was a Book of the Month April 2022 selection. She also wrote the Detective by Day lightweight mysteries, which have won the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty and IPPY awards and have been featured on the TODAY show as a Best Summer Read. Kellye also wrote for the hit TV series Cold Case and is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color.
Speaking for the first time, Zakiya and Kellye share with each other the role TV writing has played in their book authorship, the courage it takes to write unapologetically about their experience, and how to make the current "golden age” of BIPOC mystery writing more than a trend.

”I Am My Wildest Dream.” with Keah Brown and Ryan O’Connell

Keah Brown is the creator of #DisabledAndCute, journalist, screenwriter, author and whose writing has appeared in Teen Vogue, Elle, and The New York Times, among other publications. Her debut essay collection, The Pretty One is out now and her debut picture book, Sam’s Super Seats will be out in the Fall of 2022. 
Keah is joined by Ryan O'Connell, actor, director and writer whose work has appeared in Vice, BuzzFeed, and other publications including The New York Times. He is the author of the memoir, I'm Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, which he adapted into the Emmy nominated TV series Special on Netflix. His new novel, Just By Looking At Him, is set to drop on June 7th and he plays Julian on Queer as Folk, which debuts June 9th on Peacock.
In their first ever conversation with each other, these multi-hyphenate authors get real about the benefits of their Virgo-driven ambition, the constant struggle to push back against the limitations placed on them as disabled artists and the importance of savoring their success.

”I Did It All In My Pajamas” with Jean Hanff Korelitz and Emma Straub

Jean Hanff Korelitz is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels including The Latecomer, The Plot, You Should Have Known (which aired on HBO as The Undoing, starring Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Grant) and Admission (adapted as a film in 2013 starring Tina Fey), The Devil and Webster, The White Rose, and Interference Powder, a novel for children. Her company BOOKTHEWRITER hosts Pop-Up Book Groups in which small groups of readers discuss new books with their authors. 
Emma Straub is the New York Times-bestselling author of five novels - This Time Tomorrow, All Adults Here, The Vacationers, Modern Lovers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures - and the short story collection Other People We Married. Her books have been published in more than 20 languages, and All Adults Here is currently in development as a television series. She and her husband own Books Are Magic, an independent bookstore in Brooklyn, New York. 
These Manhattan natives share their love of all things New York (especially the Museum of Natural History), the pleasure of incorporating childhood nostalgia into their novels and how opening a bookstore may be harder than writing. 

”Art Out Of Chaos” with Nicole Chung and Taylor Harris

Nicole Chung is an editor, essayist, and the National Bestselling author of All You Can Ever Know, which was named a Best Book of the Year by nearly two dozen outlets, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography, and was long-listed for the PEN Open Book Award. 
 
Taylor Harris' work has appeared in TIME, O Quarterly, The Washington Post, Longreads, and The Cut, to name a few, and her memoir, This Boy We Made, was one of the Indie Next List's picks for January 2022.
 
These good friends delve into their approach to creative non-fiction, the emotional layers of parenting, and the mental health benefits of puppies and cheeseburgers.

”That Would Be My Rap Name: Young Curmudgeon” with Glory Edim and Blair Imani

Glory Edim is the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a book club, digital platform and now a podcast that celebrates the uniqueness of Black literature and sisterhood. Her Well-Read Black Girl Anthology was named a best book of the year by the Library Journal and her latest release, On Girlhood, was one of NPR's Best Books of 2021. 
Blair Imani is an award-winning educator, historian, influencer and the LA Times best-selling author of three books: Read This To Get Smarter, Making Our Way Home, and Modern HERstory.
Glory and Blair share their joyful perspectives on literature as a tool for healing, the continuing work of self-discovery, and their delight in making diverse stories accessible to all.

”If a Monster with Claws Attacked a Man in Armor...” with Tracy Wolff and Brigid Kemmerer

Tracy Wolff is a New York Times bestselling author of 60 novels including the wildly successful Crave series. The latest installment, Court will be released on November 8th, 2022. The series has been optioned by Universal Films.
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Brigid Kemmerer is a New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen YA novels including Defy the Night and A Curse So Dark and Lonely.  
 
Both Tracy and Brigid are mothers of three boys and they will discuss the challenges of writing books and motherhood, staying true to your process, and going all in on your dreams. And if you need to know what color dragon blood is - tune in!