Bookwild
On Tuesdays, Kate Hergott talks with authors about their books and writing processes. On Fridays, Kate talks with multiple co-host Bookstagrammers and BookTubers about a variety of bookish topics.
MacKenzie Green is the Global Head of Social for Audible!
MacKenzie Green is back, and she's now the Global Head of Social for Audible!
Listen to hear about:
How MacKenzie grew up dyslexic, relied heavily on audiobooks to keep up in school, and never imagined she would one day become Head of Global Social at Audible. Why people should read what they actually enjoy, DNF books that aren't working, and use whatever format—audio, ebook, or print—helps them engage with stories. How asking people what they were reading helped her build relationships, conduct informational interviews, and create meaningful follow-up conversations throughout her career, which all culm...From Indoctrination to Curiosity: Promise Backlund's Gospel of Lies
In this episode, I talk with Promise Backlund about her book Gospel of Lies! Â She shares her experience growing up in evangelical Christianity, examining how fear, purity culture, certainty, and religious identity shaped her childhood and adult life. We dive into deconstruction, religious trauma, politics, sexuality, pleasure, and the complicated process of rebuilding meaning, identity, and awe outside of rigid belief systems.
Listen to hear about:
How faith was woven into every part of both our childhoods—from sunsets to sickness—creating a worldview where God explained everything and fear explained the rest. How fear of hell...All Our Thoughts About Good People by Patmeena Sabit with Erin Ashley
This week, Erin Ashley is back, and we dive into all our thoughts and reactions to Patmenna Sabit's stunning debut novel Good People! Â THIS IS A SPOILER EPISODE.
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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:
Gare Billings @gareindeedreads
Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland
Halley Sutton @halleysutton25
Brian Watson @readingwithbrian
MacKenzie Green @m...
Palestinian Joy, Stand-Up Comedy and Secret Family History: Sara Hamdan's What Will People Think
This week, I talk with Sara Hamdan about her journey from finance and journalism into fiction, and how writing What Will People Think became a way to explore identity, belonging, family history, and the freedom to define yourself outside of expectations. Through conversations about comedy, Palestinian representation, women’s choices, historical memory, and the many forms of love, the episode explores how fiction can create connection and make complex experiences feel deeply human.
Listen to hear about:
How moving from finance into journalism—and eventually fiction—helped her discover storytelling as both a craft and a way to...Vietnam Vets, Addiction and Deserved Justice: Karen E Osborne's Justice for Emerson
This week, I talk with return guest Karen E. Osborne about her newest mystery Justice for Emerson!
Listen to hear about:
How Karen approached a dual-timeline mystery that blends a present-day murder investigation with the long emotional aftermath of the Vietnam War, addiction, race, and trauma. How Karen’s research process is deeply people-centered—drawing from her husband’s Vietnam experiences, veterans, recovering addicts, and sensitivity readers to create emotionally authentic characters without judgment.
 How she crafted her protagonist: a widowed nonprofit CEO balancing grief, self-doubt, romance, family tension, and danger while unraveling a conspira...
Haunted Houses and the Horrors of Domestic Motherhood: Aimee Pokwatka's Accumulation
This week, I talk with Aimee Poktwatka about her hew horror book Accumulation!
Listen to hear about:
Aimee's unconventional path to becoming an author—from anthropology and veterinary work to creative writing—and how curiosity has shaped her storytelling. How Accumulation was inspired by Aimee’s real 18th-century home, a creepy doll her husband found in the yard, and her fascination with haunted house stories as metaphors for domestic life.
 How the novel blends haunted house horror, psychological suspense, and social commentary to examine motherhood, invisible labor, and the slow erosion of self.
 Aimee's “...
Kara Confer and Emily Hone Are Getting Introverts to Go Out: The Wild Geese Event Staff
This week, you get to meet the book girlies who I haven't been able to stop talking about! Â Kara Confer and Emily Hone are the event team at Wild Geese Bookshop, and they are bringing some incredible authors to Indiana. Â Hear about how they have evolved into their current positions, some book event BTS, starting their podcast Fill Your Cup, and books that define their reading tastes!
Books Kara Mentioned
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies — Deesha Philyaw The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman — Deesha Philyaw Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead — Emily Austin ...Privilege, Payback, and Pay-to-Stay Prison: Elizabeth Rose Quinn's Payback
This week, I talk with repeat guest and friend Elizabeth Rose Quinn about her new, somewhat locked room thriller Payback!
Listen to hear us discuss:
Payback’s fascinating “weekend prison” premise and how it critiques privilege within the carceral system Balancing social commentary with a genuinely fun, propulsive thriller Crafting a large cast of distinct, memorable characters The psychological implications of our current judicial and carceral systems How Quinn's work as a therapist informs how she creates character arcsCheck Out Author Social Media Packages
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More Than Dragons & Spice: Bridget Howard's The Romantasy Lover's Journal
This week, MacKenzie Green and I talk with Bridget Howard about her new Romantasy Lovers' Journal.
Listen to hear about:
Bridget’s journey from book blogger to Bookstagram creator to marketing professional for publishers and authors How romantasy evolved from YA and paranormal roots into today’s booming genre Why romantasy, fantasy, and romance deserve the same literary analysis and cultural respect as “serious” fiction The creation of the Romantasy Lover's Reading Journal and how it helps both seasoned readers and newcomers engage more deeply Beginner-friendly romantasy recommendations, from gateway reads like ACOTAR to duologies and standalo...Books that NEED Adaptations with Gare
This week, Gare and I talk about books we think deserve adaptations ASAP! Â Gare also brought a messy icebreaker to the episode.
Books We Talked About
Good People by Patmeena Sabit
The Anniversary by Alex Finlay
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson
Secret Lives of Murderers Wives by Elizabeth Arnott
Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
Night Watcher by Stephanie Woolsoncroft
She Drinks the Light by Yasmin Angoe
Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy
T...
Katharine Hepburn, Old Hollywood and Performed Authenticity: Priya Parmar's The Original
This week, I talk with Priya Parmar about The Original, her fictionalized portrait of Katharine Hepburn’s early life and Hollywood reinvention, diving into how academic rigor, obsessive research, and creative intuition shaped the book.
We discuss:
Priya’s transition from academic and PhD research into fiction writing—and how scholarship still shapes her creative process The accidental Google rabbit hole that led her to Katharine Hepburn’s hidden early struggles A fascinating look at 1930s Hollywood as a surprisingly progressive, image-conscious, and socially fluid ecosystem Fame, performed authenticity, grief, reinvention, and how public myths are intentio...Memoir Isn’t Dead (and Never Will Be) with Rachel Kramer Bussel
This week, I chat with Rachel Kramer Bussel—editor, essayist, and founder of Open Secrets Magazine—about a lifelong love of reading, writing and editing.  Listen to hear about:
How memoirs allow readers to experience others' lives in highly personal ways Rachel’s journey from editing 70+ erotica anthologies to building a personal essays literary magazine How “ordinary” lives still make compelling, meaningful essays The behind-the-scenes reality of running a submission-based publication The emotional and ethical tightrope of writing about real people, relationships, and personal strugglesRachel's "Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to ban books" T-shirt
Books...
Follow the Rules… or Else: Marcus Kliewer's The Caretaker
You all know how excited I am to say that this week, I got to chat with Marcus Kliewer about his newest horror book The Caretaker! Â We dive into his unconventional path to writing, our shared fascination with psychological horror, and how he plants his Easter eggs in multiple mediums.
Listen to hear more about:
The Caretaker’s premise, tone, and how it connects to We Used to Live Here Marcus Kliewer's origin story—from Reddit horror posts to book deals and adaptations Insight into psychological horror, ambiguity in endings, and why “not knowing” is so unsettlin...All of My Thoughts on Yesteryear, The Drama, and Trust Me: The False Prophet
Today is a solo episode, and I share all of my thoughts on Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, The Drama and Trust Me: The False Prophet. Â I briefly discuss the discourse around Yesteryear and The Drama without spoilers, and go in depth on Trust Me: The False Prophet, WITH spoilers. Â Then, for anyone who wants spoilers, I discuss spoilery aspects of Yesteryear and The Drama at the end of the episode. Â
Here is the link for the Substack article I mentioned about The Drama.
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A Con Woman, A Wealthy Woman, and a Dead Husband: Rebecca Sharpe's Harmless Women
In this episode, I talk with Rebecca Sharpe about her debut con-thriller Harmless Women. Â
Listen to hear about:
Rebecca's long, bumpy publishing journey How the book explores the way society underestimates women, and how that perception can be both a vulnerability and a weapon How Rebecca's fluid, character-driven writing process focuses on emotional pacing, moral complexity, and letting the story evolve organically rather than rigid outliningHarmless Women Synopsis
Avalon Dale is a masterful grifter. She researches her victims thoroughly, kidnaps and sedates them, cleans out their bank accounts, and uses injections and h...
Medicine, Machines, and Meaning: Justin C. Key's The Hospital at the End of the World
In this episode, I talk with Justin C. Key about his speculative novel The Hospital at the End of the World.  Justin shares how his medical training and fascination with AI, consciousness, and ethics informed the novel’s evolution from a short story into a full-length work. We dive into the tension between technological advancement and human connection, particularly in medicine, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of empathy and lived experience. Justin also discusses worldbuilding choices, balancing speculative ideas with grounded realism, and both the promise and risks of AI in healthcare and learning.
Listen to hear about:
...How John Marrs Writes Out of Order (And Still Nails the Ending)
In this episode, Gare and I chat with our long time favorite John Marrs! John shares his journey from journalist to author, his out of order writing process, why he doesn’t always think his books are that dark (LOL), and a wild group of frogs in his yard (yes, I said frogs).
Listen to our whole conversation to hear about:
What it was like getting his first book idea, writing it, and self publishing it
His transition to traditional publishing
His hybrid plotter-pantser process
The snacks he has ne...
Exploitation, Empowerment and Enlightenment: Courtney Kocak's Girl Gone Wild
In this episode, I chat with Courtney Kocak about her debut memoir Girl Gone Wild!  She shares how it is both a personal reckoning and a cultural critique, tracing her journey from a “too much” small-town girl to a woman navigating ambition, sexuality, religion, and creative identity. She reflects on how early influences—strict religious messaging, shame around the body, and a lack of role models—shaped her relationship to power, pleasure, and self-worth, while her experiences in Hollywood and the entertainment industry reveal the harsh realities behind the myth of “making it.”Â
Listen to hear about:
How the m...Deconstructing Without Losing Jesus: Jeremy Jernigan's The Edge of the Inside
In this episode, I talk with Jeremy Jernigan about his deeply personal and intellectual journey behind The Edge of the Inside, unpacking how Jeremy’s lifelong love of writing evolved into a healing-driven project that blends memoir and theology. We discuss how time and emotional distance were necessary to move from bitterness to clarity, allowing Jeremy to structure the book into reflection, belief, and application. We also discuss shared experiences as pastor’s kids, the disorienting process of deconstruction, and the realization that faith is far broader than what we were taught.
Listen to hear about:
Writ...Racial Trauma and Culturally Responsive Care: Ashley McGirt-Adair's The Cost of Healing in Silence
In this episode, MacKenzie Green and I talk with Ashley McGirt-Adair about her new book, The Cost of Healing in Silence, and the deep, often overlooked impact of racial trauma within healthcare systems. Ashley shares how her personal experiences, her grandmother’s legacy, and over a decade of work as a trauma therapist shaped her approach to culturally responsive care.Â
Listen to hear about:
The concept of racial trauma as real trauma, and why naming it explicitly matters in both therapy and broader cultural conversations. How systemic bias in healthcare shows up in real, life-threatening ways (mis...First Quarter Favorite Reads of 2026 with Gare and Steph
Gare, Steph and I share and discuss our favorite reads from the first quarter of 2026!
Kate’s Books
Queen of Faces by Petra Lord
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
She Drinks the Light by Yasmin Angoe
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson
These Heathens by Mia McKenzie
Gare’s Books
The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives
Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding
Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Seraphina Nova Glass
Sorry for Your...
Secrets, Spirits, and the Stories We Inherit: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru
This week, I talk with Olesya Salnikova Gilmore about her historical-suspense The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru.
We dive into:
Her writing process as a "plantser" Why she's drawn to dark genres: historical fiction, gothic, fantasy, mystery How blending genres creates tension and unpredictability How she has experienced and writes about the “in-between” feeling of not fully belonging to one culture How she processed grief through this story Her research of Slavic folklore and Western spiritualism movementsThe Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru Synopsis
Spirited twenty-something Zina and her secretive grandmother, Baba Valya, own...
Toxic Masculinity and Female Rage: Katherine Greene's Where the Truth Lies
This week, I talk with writing duo Katherine Greene, aka Claire C. Riley and A. Meredith Walkters, about their new small town thriller Where the Truth Lies!
We dive into:
Writing a thriller inspired by real-life events and the challenge of balancing fiction with truth How this story came from Abbi’s family history and a decades-old newspaper clipping The emotional difficulty of writing characters based on real people vs. fictionalizing them Crafting multiple POVs + dual timelines to build tension and a fuller picture of the crime Exploring toxic masculinity and how it develops, including how “nice...Taylor Frankie Paul, Another Duggar, The Manosphere, Age of Attraction and More with Halley Sutton
Halley broke the news to me that The Bachelorette was cancelled after the video of Taylor Frankie Paul was sold to TMZ, so we start off right in the mess of pop culture. Â Listen for our thoughts on:
Cancellation/pause of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul due to domestic violence allegations Ethics of airing real-life trauma and abuse on reality TV Trad wife culture vs. reality of women as breadwinners Religious conditioning and spiritual bypassing Purity culture and its connection to shame and abuse Grift culture (influencers, politics, capitalism) Age of Attraction's age gap dating approach The M...The Divine Feminine, Matriarchy and Dreams: Andrea M. Butler's Mother
This week, I talk with Andrea M. Butler about her debut speculative fiction Mother.
We dive into a wide range of topics, including:
The origin of the novel’s idea Dreams and spiritual communication Energy work and spirituality Speculative fiction grounded in reality The “predictive” nature of fiction Capitalism, wealth inequality, and food insecurity Religion and evangelical culture Community as resistance Divine feminine energy Hope through storytellingÂ
Mother by Andrea M. Butler Synopsis
Having gained control of the world’s food supply, a single corporation, SunRay, holds the fate of humanity in its ha...
Oscars Reactions (Some Choices Were… Interesting) with MacKenzie Green
As promised, MacKenzie Green and I share our Oscars reactions, and thoughts on just about everything:Â
- Awards season and Oscar campaigningÂ
- TimothĂ©e Chalamet discourseÂ
- Misty Copeland’s performanceÂ
- Sinners on Broadway??Â
- Criticism of Sean Penn winning Best Supporting ActorÂ
- The historical context of Black Oscar winners, and why Michael B. Jordan's win is so HUGE
- Comparisons to past controversial Oscar wins (think Green Book vs Black Panther)Â
- Distinctions between authentic cultural storytelling (like Sinners) and films...
Buddy Review of Kin by Tayari Jones with Erin Ashley
Erin and I both adored Kin by Tayari Jones, and we decided to do a whole episode discussing it! Â The first 15ish minutes are spoiler free, so if you haven't read it yet, you can listen and decide if the vibes sound right for you. Â After that, we get into everything we loved about the characters, the prose, the plotting and the themes!
Kin by Tayari Jones Synopsis
Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Ra...
Quantum Theology: Where Science Meets the Soul
This week, I talk with Keith Giles, Mary Terhune, Zac Cannon and Nish Dubashia about their collective work in Quantum Theology: Volume One.
Listen to hear about:
How science and spirituality may not be opposites, but different ways of exploring the same underlying reality How ideas from quantum physics—like interconnectedness and entanglement—echo concepts found in mysticism and religious traditions Why many contributors believe the sense of separation between people, cultures, and religions is an illusion, and what recognizing our interconnectedness could mean for humanity. How mystical experiences challenge the limits of language—why some spirit...Last, Current and Next Reads with Gare and Steph
Steph has been traveling the world, and now she is back with Gare and me, talking about our Last, Current and Next Reads!
Kate’s Last, Current and Next
Kin by Tayari Jones
The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunaseker
When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson
Alexis Henderson’s Substack About When I Was Death
Gare’s Last, Current and Next
The Final Hunt Audrey J Cole
The Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson
The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass
Step...
Fame, Family & the Cost of the Spotlight: Juliet Izon's The Encore
This week, I talk with Juliet Izon about her debut contemporary fiction novel The Encore.
Listen now to hear about:
How Izon, a longtime journalist pivoted into fiction, writing secret scenes at night, cold-DMing composers on Reddit for research, and building a debut novel from pure creative obsession Fame, artistic ambition, and complicated family dynamics, especially the mother-daughter tension between Anna and Lottie, and what happens when talent and identity collide The craft details that make this fictional music world feel real: tour bus logistics, conservatory life, perfect pitch, scoring scenes with playlists, and why the...Reflecting on My First In Person Interview, And Getting Emosh About Bookish Communities
It's a solo ep today! I get into the full story of my first ever in-person author interview at Wild Geese Bookshop with Kate Alice Marshall! Â I give a play by play of what was going on in my head, and share some fun facts about Kate Alice Marshall.
For me, the experience ended up being a reminder of how far Bookwild has come. I reflect on the journey from starting a bookish podcast with no audience to finding a community of readers, authors, and indie bookstores who now feel like found family. Â
Get a co...
Slashers, Final Girls, and Mannequins: Interview with Stephen Graham Jones
This week, I talk with Stephen Graham Jones about his new short story Night of the Mannequins, and the many horror books he's also written.
Listen to hear:
A behind-the-scenes look at how Stephen Graham Jones writes horror: following first sentences, trusting surprise endings, and letting stories unfold without outlining or theme-driven intent. Insight into why teenage perspectives, slashers, and “final girl” narratives resonate in his work, and how horror can function as a justice fantasy in an unfair world. A deep dive into Night of the Mannequins, including its origin from a title and prank idea...Empathy, Research, and Resistance: Interview with Susana M. Morris about Positive Obsession
This week, I talk with Susana M. Morris about her Octavia E. Butler cultural biography Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler.
Listen to hear about:
Octavia Butler’s journey from a shy, self-diagnosed dyslexic student to a groundbreaking sci-fi author, and how her relentless “positive obsession” with writing shaped her career. How Butler’s work reflects deep research, historical pattern recognition, and sharp social insight—explaining why her stories feel prophetic even though she chaffed at that comparison.
 The personal costs and creative rewards of dedicating your life to meaningful work, and ho...
Secrets, Lies and Murder In Flight: Susan Walter's Murder at 30,000 Feet
This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new airplane thriller Murder at 30,000 Feet. Â She shares her inspiration from the story, how she writes such cinematic thrillers, and how she managed multiple POVs.
Murder at 30,000 Feet Synopsis
It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to th...
The America's Next Top Model Syllabus with MacKenzie Green
This week, MacKenzie Green (who auditioned for ANTM) and I talk about the cultural implications of America's Next Top Model documentary Reality Check. Â We also share fiction and non-fiction books that relate to the themes of the documentary.
Hear us dive into:
How pop culture—especially America’s Next Top Model—shaped beauty standards, body image, and the way women learned to critique themselves and each other. A broader conversation about “girl-on-girl” dynamics: internalized patriarchy, reality TV as a mirror of culture, and why shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race offered a more affirming counterpoint. How being a consc...Skates, Snow, and Secrets : Wendy Walker's Blade
This week, I talk with Wendy Walker about her new ice skating thriller Blade! We dive into her past with ice skating, how she developed her cast of characters, and how she chose the unique plot structure.
Blade Synopsis
Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she’s a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana land...
Valentines Day Adjacent Book Recs from Not Quite Romance Readers with Halley Sutton
This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we catch up on what we've been reading and watching, as well as our thoughts in Emerald Fennell's upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation. We also share romance-adjacent book recommendations for Valentine's Day.
Kate's Books
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
History Lessons by Zoe E Wallbrook
This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum
The Long Game by Rachel Reid
My Husband by Maud Ventura
Halley's Books
Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel
<...Art As Resistance: Breaking Down Benito Bowl with MacKenzie Green
BONUS EPISODE!!
MacKenzie Green and I were set to record yesterday (the morning after the Benito Bowl) for a Friday episode, but all we could talk about was Bad Bunny's performance, so I decide for timing's sake, it made sense to release it today!
We discuss it all: why it felt historic rather than merely entertaining, how the show functioned as protest art, communal storytelling, and cultural affirmation, especially for Latino and Afro-Latino audiences. We also dive into how intentional details—language, symbolism, ancestry, refusal to translate or explain—created a moment that centered people who...
Family, Fear and the Final Frontier: Jeff Rake's and Rob Hart's Detour
This week, I talk with Jeff Rake and Rob Hart about the first installment of their new series Detour. Jeff shares how he got the idea for the story originally for TV, but when he mentioned it to a friend they said it sounded like a novel. When he got connected to Rob, their partnership was instantly born, and they went on to write an entire full-length novel without meeting in person until the very end.
They share what their process was like, how they developed such a large cast of characters, and how being fathers themselves...
Big Hair and Big Secrets: May Cobb's All The Little Houses
This week, Gare and I chat with May Cobb about her new, messy thriller All the Little Houses! She shares the inspiration for the story, how she managed multiple POVs, and what it was like on the set of The Hunting Wives.
All the Little Houses Synopsis
It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself… well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, bl...
