Bad On Paper
Join Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter every Wednesday for a dose of books and banter, along with interviews with women who inspire us.
Episodes
October 2026 Three Things
We have things on things on things this week! We're talking about Back Where We Started's pub week, something that's a bit meaty for a Three Things episode, new favorite fragrances, book promo we loved, book tour tips, and writing for readers vs writing for yourself. Oliva's Things Becca's feelings about Back Where We Started (what she's proud of, worried about, and hopes readers find in the b
PREVIEW: Listen To The First Chapter of Becca's New Book
Audio excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random House Audio from BACK WHERE WE STARTED by Becca Freeman, read by Brittany Pressley. © 2026 Becca Freeman, ℗ 2026 Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.
Early 2010s Pop Culture Nostalgia
Becca's upcoming book Back Where We Started, which is set partially on the set of a 2010's teen soap, got us feeling nostalgic and inspired to talk about the early 2010s! We chat about what our lives were like during that era, the pop culture touchstones that stick out to us, our celeb crushes, celebrity ships, iconic albums, the launch of Instagram, and more! October Book Club Pick - Prep by C
Main Characters Book Club
We can't wait to talk about our September Book Club Pick, Main Characters by Bobby Palmer! Keep listening to hear about our thoughts on the novel's 80+ point of view format, how it tackled the interplay of motherhood and ambition, and if we were convinced the main characters were "meant to be." Plus, the one POV we felt was missing! October Book Club Pick - Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld Obsession
Would You Rather: Book Edition
This week, we're debating some bookish "would you rather" scenarios: open= or closed-door sex scene? Prologue or get right into it? US or UK cover? Get ready to take a stance on tenses, endings, POV, and more! September Book Club Pick - Main Characters by Bobby Palmer Obsessions Olivia - Crossplay Becca - Out of Print Bookworm Cap What we've read this week Becca - Alan Opts Out by Courtney
The Parisian Heist Bonus Book Club
Time for our final Summer of Sol Bonus Book Club, The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza! We loved chatting about the dual timeline narrative, art crime, and the real-life history that inspired the book. We also have some recs for your post-reading rabbit holes! Want more art heist content? Listen to Last Seen Season 1, read Fake by Erica Katz, The Art Forger by B A Shapiro, Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr,
Fall 2026 Catch Up
This week we're doing a fall catch up! We're getting into what's been going on in our lives that don't make our weekly highs and lows, from writing stuff, home projects, personal updates, and more! September Book Club Pick - Main Characters by Bobby Palmer Obsessions Becca - American Girl shirt What we've read this week Bacca - The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza Sponsors Caraway Home - Visit
September 2026 Three Things
New month, new Things! This week, we cover big milestones, geographic anomalies, buzzy TV, travel, reading strategies, and more! Our Things: Becca turning 40 A mysterious disappearing island The three-course reading method How we're thinking about travel Sterling Point A new app for book events September Book Club Pick - Main Characters by Bobby Palmer Obsessions Becca - Arrtx markers
Our 2026 Reading Stats (So Far)
This week we're reviewing our reading stats from this year! We walk through how we track, our reading habits this year, and discuss everything from ARCs to backlist books, re-reads and more! September Book Club Pick - Main Characters by Bobby Palmer Obsessions Becca - The Four Seasons on Netflix Olivia - Having a microwave What we've read this week Olivia - Ruins by Lily Brooks-Dalton Becca
The Book Witch Book Club
Happy Book Club Day! Time to chat about our August Book Club Pick, The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer. We chose this ode to books and book lovers for an uplifting read, and we can't wait to chat about its surprising twists, meta moments, author commentary, and more! We also ask ourselves: if you could visit any fictional world or hang out with any fictional character, which books would be first on your
One & Only Bonus Book Club
It's Bonus Book Club Time! We loved reading One & Only by Maurene Goo, and we can't wait to discuss it today. And if you're in the Miami area, get tickets to our Miami Bonus Book Club on August 24! August's Book Club Pick - The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer Events Get tickets for our Miami Bonus Book Club on August 24 Get tickets for our NYC Bonus Book Club on September 30 Sponsors Sol de J
Summer 2026 Listener Q&A
Today, we're turning the reins over to you and doing a listener Q&A! It's been a while since we've done one of these, and it was so fun to see the questions that came our way about reading, writing, home renovation discoveries, fall shopping, and more! August's Book Club Pick - The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer August Bonus Book Club Pick - One & Only by Maurene Goo Obsessions Olivia - Becca - Wi
August 2026 Three Things
Happy Three Things Day! We have one overlapping thing that we got a LOT of DM's about, keep listening to find out what that is! Plus, petty complaints, Hot Ones requests, and a tender time-travel q. Our Joint Thing The Wicker Trailer Becca's Things The pettiest complaints we have right now Who will take the Beach Read crown? Olivia's Things Celebrities we want to see on Hot Ones What is a m
Our Favorite Novel First Lines
Today we're diving into a topic we've been wanting to cover for a while: first lines in books! We chat about preferences as both a reader and a writer, our own first lines, and play a guessing game to name the book by its first line. August's Book Club Pick - The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer Summer of Sol Bonus Book Club Picks 8/20 - One and Only by Maurene Goo 9/17 - The Parisian Heist by Jo
The Burning Side Book Club
We are so ready to discuss our July Book Club Pick, The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff. This was our listeners' pick that beat out 27 other nominations, and we're bursting with thoughts about this book! Keep listening to hear every single one of them. August's Book Club Pick - The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer Summer of Sol Bonus Book Club Picks 8/20 - One and Only by Maurene Goo 9/17 - The Pari
Celebrity Book Matchmaker
In today's ep we're assigning reading syllabi to some of our favorite celebrities and telling them what we think they should be reading! And if you didn't already guess, we took the assignment VERY seriously. Becca's Celebs Glen Powell - Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, The Guncle by Steven Rowley, The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Tree Pa
Summer of Sol Bonus Book Club: The Five-Star Weekend
We're so excited about the first installment of our Summer of Sol Bonus Book Club, discussing The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand! We break down our thoughts on the book, our favorite Elin Hilderbrand novels, and how the TV adaptation compares! Summer of Sol Bonus Book Club Picks 7/16 - The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand 8/20 - One and Only by Maurene Goo 9/17 - The Parisian
July 2026 Three Things
Happy Three Things Day! We have some hot topics to discuss, from T&The pop culture wedding of the century, the Odyssey movie, drafting habits, Gen Z fiction, and more! Becca's Things Mayflower or Oregon Trail? Resisting the urge to write backwards Gen Z authors entering fiction Olivia's Things The Odyssey movie Ideal book lengths The T&T Wedding July's Book Club Pick - The Burning Side by S
2026 Reading Preview Part 2!
We're back with more book recs! We asked friends of the pod Corey Ann Haydu, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Sanjana Basker, and John Glynn to share the books they're most excited about in 2026. Amazing book recs ahead! Becca's Picks - Habits of the Sea by Shea Earnshaw (Out July 7), Sophie Standing There by Meg Mason (Out September 8) Corey Ann Haydu's Picks: Luna, Phoenix, Queen by Julie Oringer (Out
Catching up with Robinne Lee
We are SO thrilled to chat with Bad on Paper all-star, Robinne Lee! We caught up with Robinne all about her experience seeing The Idea of You go from book to film and her new book, Crash Into Me, out July 7! She shares the seedlings of inspiration for her new book, how it differs from writing The Idea of You, and more! July's Book Club Pick - The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The July 16 bonus
Almost Life Book Club
It's time to discuss our June Book Club Pick, Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave! We chat about how our feelings on the characters evolved as we got deeper into the book, whether we view this as a romance (and if the characters were MTB), and break down the jarring ending. July's Book Club Pick - The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The July 16 bonus book club pick - The Five Star Weekend b
Our Book Travel Agency
Whether you're traveling this summer, or want to do so without leaving your couch, we're reporting for duty as your book travel agents! This week we're sharing some favorite reads that take place in popular (and personally beloved) travel destinations. London Olivia - Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, Good Material by Dolly Alderton Becca - Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hast
Mid-Year Goals Check-In
It's somehow halfway into the year, and we are ready to check in with our annual goals! Keep listening for personal and professional updates for 2026. June's Book Club Pick - Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave What we read this week Olivia - Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns Becca - The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Ungodly Rich by Katharine McG
June 2026 Three Things
Happy Three Things Day! We have a very bookish set of Three Things, from buzzy book discourse, upsetting rebrands, first lines, bedding recommendations, and a call to action for you! Shared Things Join our Facebook Group to cast your vote for our July Book Club Pick! Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Becca's Things Polar Seltzer's visual rebrand Our sheets philosophies Olivia's Things "High Co
Into the Blue Book Club
Time to discuss our May book club pick: Into the Blue by Emma Brodie! In addition to sharing our own thoughts about this epic romance, we hear from our listeners and some voice notes from Emma Brodie herself! May's Book Club Pick - Into the Blue by Emma Brodie What we read this week Olivia - Maine by J Courtney Sullivan, Kaaterskill Falls by Allegra Goodman, Lake Effect by Cynthia D'Aprix Swe
Book to Screen Adaptations
In our opinion, we are in a golden age of book-to-screen adaptations! We share our recent faves, the upcoming releases we're excited about, if we'd like to see our own books adapted to the screen, and more! Watch the trailers for Every Year After, Five-Star Weekend, and Verity to get excited for these releases. May's Book Club Pick - Into the Blue by Emma Brodie What we read this week Olivi
May 2026 Three Things
We're so excited to chat through a fresh batch of new things. What are our character naming rules? What teachers made an impact on us? Do we still care about the Met Gala? Find out this and more in this week's episode! Olivia's Things Naming Book Characters Teachers who have made an impact on us Do we still care about the Met Gala? Becca's Things Famesick by Lena Dunham Author Career Mileston
Spring 2026 Catch Up
This week, we're catching up and going deep on our writing and reading lives, home updates, and what we're looking forward to this summer. May's Book Club Pick - Into the Blue by Emma Brodie What we read this week Becca - Famesick by Lena Dunham, Found Time by Caroline Goldstein Obsession Olivia - Her Crocs Becca - Ladies of London Sponsors Quince - Head to Quince.com/bop for free shipp
Good People Book Club
So excited to dive deep into our April Book Club Pick: Good People by Patmeena Sabit! We chat about the news story that inspired this novel, its inventive structure, the POVs we connected to the most, the book's (intentionally) vague marketing package, and what we think happened at the end! For more references for the content in this episode, read more here and here. May's Book Club Pick -
Hidden Gem Reads Redux
This week, we're diving back into our reading history and pulling out the books we think deserve a little more love. TBR Fillers ahead! Olivia's Hidden Gem Reads: Fellowship Point by Alice Elliot Dark Vantage Point by Sara Sligar Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connell Sam by Allegra Goodman The Bombshell by Darrow Farr Becca's Hidden Gem Reads: Family Drama by Rebecca Fallon This Love by Lot
April 2026 Three Things
We are bursting at the seams to talk about our April Things! We're talking juicy reads, sharing some grievances, debunking rumors, discussing book thoughts, and more! Olivia's Things Strangers by Belle Burden Things that make us irrationally angry Writing and reading sequels Becca's Things What constitutes literary fiction? Good Hang with Amy Pohler, specifically the episode with Steve Care
2026 Publishing Trends
This week, we chatted with literary agent Alyssa Morris and East City Bookshop Buyer Emilie Sommer about 2026 publishing trends! We pick their brains about customer shopping behavior, what editors are looking for, how they know something is going to hit, and their big bets for the year. Alyssa's 2026 Picks In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson One & Only Mau
The 8th Anniversary Episode
How time has FLOWN! Eight years into the podcast, we wanted to look back and re-listen to our first episode with Olivia as a co-host! We reflect on how our lives have changed since 2022, listen back to highs and lows of the time, and revisit the questionnaire we used to break the ice! April's Book Club Pick - Good People by Patmeena Sabit Obsession Olivia - Project Hail Mary (The movie!) Bec
So Old, So Young Book Club
Time is flying—both in this book and you know… in life—and we're clocking back in for another book club! We're excited to discuss this month's pick, So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder! We chat about why we chose it, its unique structure, the dynamic of friends with vs without kids, and what 5 parties define our adulthood! If you liked this book, you may like - The Celebrants by Steven Rowley, The
Grace Is Back! (With Big Book News!)
SO excited to have bestie of the pod (and co-host emeritus), Grace Atwood, on to talk about what she's been up to lately, specifically the joy of starting to write a novel! What we read this week Olivia - You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon, Under Story by Chloe Benjamin, Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra, A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan Becca - Lake Effect by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
March 2026 Three Things
New month, new installment of Three Things! We're ready to get introspective, set goals, get random, and more! Becca's Things Reece Witherspoon's Reel about talent vs. passion. Is contemporary romance dead? How to set writing goals. Olivia's Things Things from our childhoods that aged poorly (and well). What we're excited about this year. The last internet rabbit hole you fell into. Obsession
Our Favorite Non-Fiction Reads
This week, we're diving into a topic we haven't covered in 8 years of this podcast: Non-fiction! We aren't experts on the genre, so we asked our listeners about their favorites, too, and wow, did they have some books to share! Becca's Favorites Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Open Book by Jessica Simpson I'll Have What She's Having: How Nora Ephron's 3 Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy by E
Little One Book Club
🚨 Spoilers ahead! 🚨 We're so pumped to dive deep into Olivia's novel, Little One! Becca asks Olivia all about the book, including the seed of the idea, how real world cults (and other cult novels!) influenced the book, how the book evolved across crafts, her thoughts on her main character's likability, how she perceives the ending, and So! Much! More! Listen to Little One's companion podcast Li
February 2026 Three Things
Happy Three Things Day! Reporting live post Becca's move and Olivia's book tour, and we can't wait to dive into bookish topics, pop culture Q's, perfect relaxing solo days, and more! Becca's Thing What is your all seasons, all moods song? Book Tour 101 The Traitors Dream Casting Olivia's Things Plans for Becca's new place Restorative + relaxing day off plans Writing Book 3 Approach Obsessi
Obscure Erotica 2026
Happy Valentine's Day from our twisted brain to yours. It's time for the third annual Obscure Erotica episode 💞 If this series taught us anything, it's that you can make comedy erotica featuring just about anything! Tune in to see what new delights (horrors?) we've brought for you this time. NSFW content ahead! Becca's Pick - Cold Sweat by Vera Valentine Olivia's Pick - My Macaroni And Cheese
'Little One' Audiobook Preview
Surprise! Enjoy this audiobook preview of Olivia's novel LITTLE ONE, available NOW. Order LITTLE ONE now wherever you get books! Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Buy our Merch! Join our BFF Group! Preorder Olivia's Book, Little One, and order Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Ne
The Heated Rivalry Episode
Highly requested, highly desired, it's TIME for our Heated Rivalry episode! We feel a lot of pressure to adequately express how much we love this show, and we have multiple pages of notes at the ready with all of our thoughts. 🏒 Obsession Olivia - My bed Becca - Splits Extra Salt pretzels What We Read This Week Becca - The Long Game by Rachel Reid Olivia - Let's Not Go Overboard by Erica Hendr
Best Offer Wins Book Club
Time for our first Book Club of the year! Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino was such an exciting read, and we can't wait to discuss! We talk about how we relate to the house hunting process in this book, what makes an unlikable main character work, and the story's class dynamics, twists, ending, and more! If you want to read something similar, books that came to mind include A Good Person by
2026 Reading Preview
New year, new additions to our TBR! We spoke with some of our bookish pals about the 2026 releases they're most excited about. Great recommendations ahead! Olivia's Picks Missing Me by Ayana Lage (Out March 17) Whidbey by T Kira Madden (Out March 10) Grant Ginder's Picks George Falls Through Time by Ryan Collett (Out January 20) Big Nobody by Alex Kadis (Out March 10) Brady Lockerby's Picks
January 2026 Three Things
New year, new things! We're so excited to dive into what's been exciting us this month, like romance adaptations, medium joys, events, moving quandaries, and our 2026 mood boards! Becca's Things Heated Rivalry People We Meet on Vacation When you move, do you bring your condiments with you? Olivia's Things Dolphins/Medium Joys Book Events (check out Olivia's dates here!) 2026 Moodboards Obse
2026 Goals
We are so BACK!!! Soak in the new year energy and listen to us break down our 2026 goals. But first, we reflect on what we accomplished in 2025 and share how we're feeling at the start of the new year. Olivia's Personal Goals Continue strength routine and scale to heavier weights Start a young writers program in the community (or volunteer for one that already exists) Home projects! Kitchen re
Best Books of 2025
It's time for us to share our favorite books of 2025! Get your notebooks ready because WE! HAVE! RECS! 📚 Becca's Fave Books The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland Heart the Lover by Lily King One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley Loved One by Aisha Muharrar Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden The Road to Tender Hearts by Ann
A Very Festive Three Things
The holidays are (almost) here! We're talking about all the things we're excited about this season, from most anticipated events, white elephant gifts, holiday movie rankings, festive FMK's, and more! Olivia's Things Most anticipated holiday events Admin Advent calendar Holiday Movie Battle Becca's Things White elephant gift ideas Festive FMK's Reflecting on the year Sign up for Olivia's vir
Best of 2025
The year is coming to a close, and you know what that means! It's time to look back at our highs of 2025. We reminisce on work wins, new hobbies, mantras, and more! Best New Artist Discovery of The Year (Author, Artist, Filmmaker, Dancer, etc.) Olivia - Allegra Goodman, Joshua Burnside Becca - Francis Featherstone, Anna Kwan, Sarah Martinez, Barbara Bourland Best Song of The Year Olivia - B
The Correspondent Book Club
It's time for our final book club episode of 2025! We're discussing a book we've been seeing everywhere, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. We talk about why we think this book has become so popular, if we've read epistolary novels before, our thoughts on the novelty of the mother/daughter relationship, how it brought up feelings about retirement for us both, and more! Also, the Wall Street J
Our 2025 Gift Guide
It's time for this year's Bad on Paper Gift Guide! We're so excited to dive into our picks that are very us-coded. Becca-Coded Picks Gifts for People Who Love NYC Katie Kime NYC Toile Tea Towels ($58) Chefanie - I Love NY cocktail napkins ($48) All the restaurants prints (5x7 $55) - John Donahue - also Paris, London, DC, Philly, Chicago, Napa W/ Hudson & Mark acrylic frame (A5 size) - Reg $44
What's A Portfolio Career?
This week, we're talking all about portfolio careers! We discuss the current iteration of our own careers and then chat with Leigh Stein and Ali LaBelle—two other professionals with portfolio careers—to break down the work they do, time management, and advice for people interested in transitioning to a portfolio career. Obsessions Becca - West End Girl Olivia - Beth's Dead What we read this w
November 2025 Three Things
November Things are coming in HOT! Keep listening for podcast recs, supernatural talk, guessing games, and more! Also, donate to your local foodbank! Find one local to you here. Olivia's Things Emma Straub's newsletter about David Harbor's pseudonym Do you believe in ghosts? 1 new habit we like, 1 that we want to kick to the curb Becca's Things Current Podcast Listening Lineup (Olivia's is B
Heart the Lover Book Club
We can't wait to discuss our October Book Club Pick, Heart The Lover by Lily King! We're talking about Lily King's favorite shape (the triangle!), the surprising crossover with Writers & Lovers, crying on airplanes, male friendship, and so much more. Obsessions Becca - The Diplomat Season Three Olivia - Twinless What we read this week Olivia - Heart The Lover by Lily King, The Correspondent
2025 Debut Author Anthology
This week, we're chatting with 4 debut authors about their experience bringing a book into the world in 2025! They share the pitch for their book and what surprised them about their debut experience. Our debut authors & their books! Katie Yee - Maggie; Or A Man and A Woman Walk Into A Bar Natalie Guerrero - My Train Leaves at Three Laura Leffler - Tell Them You Lied Aisha Muharrar - Loved One
Nic Stone on making the jump from YA to adult fiction
We're so excited for you to hear our conversation with Nic Stone! We chat with Nic about her author origin story, why she made the jump from YA to adult with her (very!) adult debut Boom Town, writing off her strip club visits for research, and more! Obsessions Becca - Shonda Rhimes on Call Her Daddy Olivia - Floor lamp from Wayfair What we read this week Becca - The Idiot by Elif Batuman, T
A Deep Dive Into Our Reading Lives
This week, we're sharing an inside look at our reading habits! We dive into how we choose what to read, our favorite times to read, who we talk about books with IRL, our rules of thumb for DNF-ing, and more! Becca's TBR - The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers, Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck, Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston What we read this week Becca - Boom Town by Nic Stone (Out October 1
October 2025 Three Things
Time for another round of three things! And this one's very bookish: we're talking about 2025 books that flew under the radar, plot twists, mood writing, what we want to learn about this fall, and more! Becca's Things Underrated Books of 2025 Becca's - Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine, Loved One by Aisha Muharrar | Olivia's - Tilt by Emma Pattee, Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild. How mood
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance Book Club
September is coming to a close, and you know what that means! Time to talk about this month's book club pick, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach. We discuss our expectations going into this book based on the cover, how it balanced its dark themes with humor, what we thought of the relationships, and more! Obsessions Olivia - One Trick Pony Peanut Butter Becca - Westman Atelie
Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham on Their New Mother/Daughter Book Collab
We are SO excited to chat with Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, about their new book, The Academy! We ask how their collaborative writing process worked, about Shelby's boarding school experience that inspired the book, and Elin's feelings on venturing into a new world outside Nantucket. We also have adaptation updates and some exclusive behind the scenes gossip! These days,
September 2025 Three Things
What do we want? Things! When do we want them? Now! It's time to talk about big pop culture moments, focus tools, and what we're excited about for fall. Olivia's Things Taylor Swift getting engaged What's on our Q4 Radar Our Fall TBR (Olivia's are The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild, What a Time to Be Alive by Jade Chang, Becca's are The Wilderness by Ang
How A Book Cover Gets Made with Molly von Borstel
People who judge books by their covers, this ep is for you! This week, we brought on Art Director and Book Cover Designer Molly von Borstel to talk about how book covers come to life. She shares how she got into book design, the surprising parts of the job, how she deals with feedback, cover trends, and more! Obsessions Olivia - Sorel Roam'n Clogs Becca - Travel mahjong set from Oh My Mahjong
The Knight & The Moth Book Club
It's Book Club day! We're excited to chat about The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig. We discuss the book's setting and world-building, the main characters (and their romance), how this fits into the romantacy genre overall, and more! Obsessions Olivia - Night Moves by Bob Seger Becca - J.Crew yellow suede bucket bag This Month's Book Club Pick - STAY TUNED! (have thoughts about this boo
E. Jean Carroll on writing, grabbing joy, and beating Donald Trump in court
We are SO excited for this week's conversation with journalist E. Jean Carroll! We chat with her about why she decided to write her book about her experience in court against Donald Trump, her 30-year tenure as an advice columnist, and more! E. Jean Carroll is the author of five books, including a biography of Hunter S. Thompson, and the New York Times bestselling book NOT MY TYPE: One Woman v
August 2025 Three Things
It's time for the most August 2025 Three Things to Ever Three Things. From AI to face shapewear to Labubus, and more, there's so much to discuss! Let's get into it. Olivia's Things DNF-ing Skims Face Shapewear Labubus Becca's Things The articles "I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students" by Meghan O'Rourke [gift link] and "The Force-Feeding of AI on an Unwilling Publi
Chelsea Bieker on Comparison & Competition in Publishing
As a bonus to our episode discussing comparison and competition, we invited Chelsea Bieker to continue the conversation, and how comparison and competition manifest for her, specifically within her publishing career and the strategies she's learned to quiet these emotions. Read more from Chelsea in her newsletter Make Up Your Life, fountainpractice.com, and her latest book Madwoman is out now!
Chatting About Comparison & Competition
We've been trying to make an episode about comparison and competition (an Olivia Muenter favorite topic!) happen for a while, and it's finally here! We're discussing our personal histories with comparison and competition and how it manifests in our personal and professional lives. We're even diving into whether we ever compare ourselves to each other. We're talking about if we define ourselves a
Atmosphere Book Club
It's book club day! We're so excited to talk about our listener-selected book club pick, Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. There's a lot to cover in this story set during the 1980s space race. We discuss our feelings about the main characters, the aspects of the book we gravitated towards, our favorite space songs, and more! Obsessions: Becca - Ruby lobster roll off watercolor painting Olivia
Desert Island Picks - Part 2
Our last desert island episode was so popular, we hopped a quick trip back to the island for part 2. This time we're talking all things clothing and travel. Jeans Becca - Frame Le Slim Palazzo Olivia - Gap Ultra Soft Barrel Leg Jeans Bra Becca & Olivia - Skims T-Shirt Bra Underwear Becca - Skims fits everybody thong Olivia - CUUP high waisted Shoe Becca - Onitsuka Tigre Mexico 66 Olivi
Navessa Allen on writing Spicy Romance
We are so excited to have Navessa Allen on the pod to talk about all things spicy romance! We hear about how she got started writing romance, how she handles taboo topics, what it's like having viral success, and her experience as self-published author who began working for a traditional publishing house. Her books Lights Out and Caught Up are out now. Obsessions Becca - Watercolor set & w
Desert Island Picks
This week, we're going to be sharing our desert island picks for categories from entertainment, to food, clothing, beauty, and more! Shoutout to Hillary Kerr's newsletter for the episode inspo! Some of our picks Books to read for the rest of time: Becca - The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer The Wedding People by Alison Espach Olivia - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, The God of The Woo
July 2025 Three Things
It's time for July Three Things! Tune in for a game, fantasy dinner parties, writing process dives, best books of the year (so far), Materialists thoughts, and more! Becca's Things Materialists Hallmark Movie Game Dream Summer Dinner Party Olivia's Things Materialists Favorite Reads in 2025 so far (Becca's includes One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, Hea
All the Other Mothers Hate Me Book Club
We're excited to dive into our June Book Club Pick: June Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman. We had a great time reading this hilarious and Scaredy Cat approved mystery, and can't wait to hear what you think! Watch the full interview with Sarah Harman Olivia mentioned here. Obsessions Becca - Milk Duds Olivia - Vitality Leggings/Shorts (Bonus: Olivia's High is Yoga
2025 Reading Preview Part 2
It's time for Part 2 of our 2025 reading preview! We invited some friends of the pod to chat about the books they're most excited to pick up this year! Lauren Puckett-Pope's Picks - Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (Out August 26), Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab Kristen L. Berry's Picks - Greenwich by Kate Broad (Out July 22), It's Different This Time by Joss Richard (Out Septemb
2025 Mid-Year Goals Check In
It's time to check in on our 2025 Goals! Are we on track with our writing goals? Did Becca reduce her screen time? Did Olivia manage to give up Jarlic? Keep listening to find out! Obsessions Olivia - Bose Ultra Open Headphones Becca - Stick Season (Her Version) by Deeps What we read this week Becca - Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross (out 6/17), The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig, P
June 2025 Three Things
It's time for our June Three Things! But first, vote for our July Book Club Pick in our Facebook Group! Stay tuned for discussions about TJR getting the star treatment in Time magazine, the state of indie podcasting, a book battle mini-game, and more! Becca's Things Taylor Jenkins Reid's Time Profile The efficacy of learning languages via Duolingo Podcast Longevity Olivia's Things Hailey Bi
Katie Kitamura on Writing Audition
We had the pleasure of recording a bonus episode with Katie Kitamura, the author of our May Book Club Pick, Audition! We ask her about the book's inspiration, the writing process of such an experimental novel, what's ~actually~ going on in the plot, and the origins of the scenes that have stuck with us the most. This Month's Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have tho
Audition Book Club
We're SO excited to discuss Audition by Katie Kitamura! While this book may be hard to recap (uh, what actually happened??), we can't wait to dive into theories and themes. We share our feelings about the ambiguous plot and discuss the theme of performance throughout the book. We also explore overlaps with two other past pieces of favorite content. And get ready, we'll have a bonus episode out t
Writing Young Adult Fiction with Jessica Goodman
This week, we're chatting about the ins and outs of writing Young Adult Fiction with Jessica Goodman! We talk with her about getting started in the genre, the challenges of writing YA, how she gets inspiration for her books, and more! Read more from Jessica in The Meadowbrook Murders, The Counselors, The Legacies, They'll Never Catch Us, and They Wish They Were Us. Obsessions Olivia - Oce
Our Summer Backlist Reading
Whether you're a library reader, a used bookstore connoisseur, or just buy books faster than you read 'em, this episode is for you! We're chatting about the backlist books (AKA books released over 1 year ago) on our TBR. Olivia's List Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin (2020) Seawife by Amity Gaige (2020) Godshot by Chelsea Bieker (2020) The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018) Parable of the Sowe
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