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This week, I talk with Anna Rasche about her book The Cursed Diamond! Listen to hear about: How author Anna Rasche's background as a gemologist and researcher at the Metropolitan Museum of Art inspired The Cursed Diamond.The real-life mystery of the Brunswick Blue diamond, its connection to the infamous Hope Diamond, and the legends surrounding cursed gemstones.How the novel's dual timelines explore New York City's Gilded Age and the fascinating, secretive world of the modern Diamond District.The complicated relationships between wealth, greed, ambition, and obsession—and whether a curse is supernatural or simply the consequence of human choices.The challenges of writing historical fiction, from researching Gilded Age heiresses to weaving together two timelines separated by a century. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

Over the last two months, AMC has been my Third Place.  In what feels like the Generational Run meme experience, I've seen 7 movies that I enjoyed or loved for many different reasons.   Listen to hear my SPOILER FREE thoughts on: How Digger uses dark satire, unconventional storytelling, and the worship of wealth to examine power, capitalism, and the people we turn into gods.The complicated ethics of consuming entertainment, from supporting controversial actors to the sensationalization of real-life predators in Primetime.Why If I Go, Will They Miss Me? feels like literary fiction brought to the screen, exploring fatherhood, mythology, and the stories we tell ourselves about family.How Wicker delivers an unexpectedly heartfelt, hilarious exploration of individuality, societal expectations, and embracing what makes us different.Why Mike Flanagan's Clayface is so much more than a comic book movie, blending psychological horror, body horror, trauma, and a deeply unsettling villain origin story.How Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother combines high-stakes action with a moving examination of motherhood, faith, grief, and the desperation of survival.Some surprising thematic connections between this year's films, particularly their explorations of mythmaking, identity, power, and morality.What's ahead for Bookwild in 2027, and why I'm reconsidering the balance between author interviews, reader episodes and solo episodes.  DM me about what you enjoy most from Bookwild!Links: You Can See Everything Episode with Halley Sutton Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer  All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

In this episode, I talk with Patricia Knight Meyer about her new book Wonderland: A Black Market Adoption. Listen to hear about: The shocking story of Patricia Knight Meyer's black-market adoption and how an illegal transaction shaped her identity, childhood, and relationships.Growing up with an alcoholic, abusive mother and learning to balance compassion for flawed parents with accountability for the harm they caused.The complicated emotions of reuniting with biological family, from the joy of finding belonging to the painful realities of rejection, grief, and unmet expectations.How childhood trauma, codependency, and generational patterns influence our relationships—and why establishing boundaries is essential to healing.The dark history of America's adoption industry, the lasting effects of maternal-infant separation, and why Patricia believes adoption reform is urgently needed.Follow Patricia or check out the event she mentioned: WONDERLAND memoir page: https://myadoptedlife.com/wonderland-the-memoir/Book website: https://www.wonderlandthememoir.comAudiobook on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7EZEbVZQAAFVyeaDvcnG2iFree livestream, Nov 6, Down the Rabbit Hole: The Fight for Texas Adoptee Rights Then and Now. A scene from WONDERLAND unfolds live on stage, then a panel on the fight to open Texas adoptees' birth certificates: https://bit.ly/TXADOPTEERIGHTSMy Adopted Life: https://www.myadoptedlife.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriciaknightmeyerInstagram (book): https://www.instagram.com/wonderlandthememoirFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WonderlandthememoirTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myadoptedlifeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@myadoptedlifeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-ann-meyerBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/myadoptedlife.bsky.social All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

*ALL SPOILERS* This week, Halley Sutton and I break down everything in a 2 hour time period that we could about You Can See Everything. Listen to hear: Nathan Fielder's unconventional documentary approach and how his strategic silences expose more than traditional interviews ever could.Elizabeth Holmes, white woman tears, privilege, and why society remains so fascinated by certain types of scammers.Billy Evans's increasingly bizarre behavior, his attempts to control the documentary, and the power dynamics within his marriage to Elizabeth Holmes.The psychology of narcissism, manipulation, gaslighting, and the possibility that Elizabeth and Billy are more alike than they initially appear.Elizabeth Holmes's emotional performances, contradictions, and the difficulty of distinguishing genuine vulnerability from calculated manipulation.Amanda Seyfried's unexpected involvement and how her portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes complicates our understanding of authenticity, performance, and identity.The disturbing implications of Theranos 2.0, Silicon Valley's culture of deception, and the blurred lines between ambition, innovation, and fraud.The film's shifting narrative, shocking revelations, and why its refusal to provide definitive answers makes it so compelling.How personal experiences with manipulation and uncertainty shape our interpretations of the documentary—and why two people can watch the same scene and come away with entirely different reactions.The larger questions surrounding accountability, empathy, wealth, gender, and whether someone can be both a victim and a perpetrator. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

In this episode, I talk with Tara Goedjen about her new gothic triller Please Enjoy Your Stay. We had some technical difficulties at the end, so it ends somewhat abruptly! Listen to hear about: How Tara Goedjen's love of gothic fiction, mysteries, and horror inspired her adult debut, Please Enjoy Your Stay.The inspiration behind the novel's atmospheric Austrian castle setting and its blend of true crime, psychological suspense, and supernatural horror.The complicated ethics of true crime entertainment, from the impact on victims' families to the power of public perception.How unreliable memories, buried trauma, and family secrets shape the stories we tell ourselves—and the truths we're willing to believe.A behind-the-scenes look at Tara's writing process, including dual timelines, crafting twists, and learning to embrace discomfort while writing. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

This week, Erin Ashley, Kayla Hardy and I chat about books that have been on our TBRs for waaaay too long. Kate's Books Babel by R.F. Kuang The House of the Spirits by Isabelle Allende Fingersmith by Sarah Waters Kayla's Books House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson Astarion: Baldur's Gate 3: by T. Kingfisher Erin's Books On Time: A Princely Life in Funk by Morris Day The Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham  A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams   All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

This week, I chat with Mathilda Zeller about her new horror It Looks Like You in the Dark.  Listen to hear all about: How Inupiat folklore, family history, and a troubling account of cultural appropriation inspired this chilling Arctic horror novel.The intersection of supernatural horror, colonialism, capitalism, and environmental destruction—and how the real monsters aren't always supernatural.The complicated relationships between mothers, daughters, and sisters, and the ways generational trauma shapes our identities.The tension between honoring Indigenous traditions, protecting ancestral land, and finding your own path forward.How Zeller's remarkable family history influenced her writing, her pen name, and her approach to storytelling. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

In this episode, I chat with Sara Fashandi about her book From Tehran to Tomorrow, which chronicles her brother Mohsen's story as the first in their family to immigrate to America. Listen to hear all about: How a family storytelling contest inspired Sara Fashandi to become an author and preserve her older brother's extraordinary life experiences.The hidden hardships of immigrating to America in the 1970s, from language barriers and homesickness to financial struggles and homelessness.How Sara's brother Mohsen helped bring all five of his siblings to the United States, transforming his own difficult journey into opportunities for his family.The role of education, cultural exchange, friendship, and family in building a new life—and how the Iranian Revolution changed the family's plans to return home.Why preserving family histories matters, especially the sacrifices, resilience, and untold stories that can disappear between generations. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

In this episode, Gare and I chat with Tessa Wegert about her new thrill The River Runs Black! Listen to hear about: How the Thousand Islands and North Country become characters themselves, creating the perfect mix of cozy fall atmosphere, isolation, and underlying dread.Why Tessa set The River Runs Black around Halloween and how trick-or-treating, pumpkin festivals, orchards, and other seasonal details actually play into the mystery.How she uses multiple POVs, secrets, cliffhangers, and carefully timed reveals to keep readers guessing—and why she changed one major character’s perspective while writing.The real-life inspiration behind the novel’s drug trafficking storyline, including a late-night police encounter on the St. Lawrence River and the uniquely porous U.S.–Canada border.How the novel explores the impact of drugs, boredom, isolation, and vulnerability among teenagers in a small community, plus what’s next for Tessa’s North Country series and her hopes to eventually publish a standalone thriller.  All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

This week, I talk with Sarah Langan about her novella Bloody 13 and her horror novel Trad Wife! Listen to hear about: The inspiration behind Bloody 13, and the conflicting reactions to it when she initially published it.How Sarah Langan turned the trad wife movement into horror, using the seemingly idyllic online lifestyle to explore control, gender roles, motherhood, and the systems operating beneath the aesthetic. Why accusations of “selfishness” can be so powerful against women, and how Trad Wife examines the difference between selfishness, agency, and basic survival. How neglect, isolation, and high-control environments affect mothers and children, and why Langan uses supernatural horror as a way to make those less-visible forms of harm tangible. Why Langan loves ambiguity in horror, how The Yellow Wallpaper and other classic horror influenced Trad Wife, and why she’d rather leave readers thinking than explain every mystery. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

In this episode, I chat with Chital Mehta about her literary mystery Have You Seen Romit? Listen to hear all about: How motherhood, an MFA, and a lifelong love of reading led Chital to pursue her dream of becoming a novelist.The real-life missing-person article that inspired Have You Seen Romit? and why shifting the story's focus from a father to a mother changed everything.How adoption, sibling resentment, and parental expectations, create the complicated challenge of loving your children equally.How Usha's search for her missing son becomes a journey of self-discovery, challenging patriarchal traditions and finding agency later in life.The extensive research, discarded drafts, alternate endings, and character development that helped Chital turn a missing-person mystery into a deeply human family drama. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

In this episode, I chat with Marcia Chatelain about her new non-fiction book How Bright the Path Grows: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the March on Washington. Listen to hear about: How Marcia Chatelain’s love of storytelling, journalism, and deep historical research shaped her path to becoming a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and narrative nonfiction writer. Why How Bright the Path Grows reframes the civil rights movement by centering the Black women whose organizing, artistry, advocacy, and sacrifices are often overshadowed by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. The complicated, deeply human lives behind historical icons like Rosa Parks, Josephine Baker, Marian Anderson, and Anna Arnold Hedgeman—and why understanding their struggles and contradictions matters.How misinformation about women at the March on Washington inspired Marcia to investigate who was actually there, who was recognized, and whose contributions have been left out of our collective memory. What researching these women revealed about sexism, class, celebrity, competing strategies within the movement, and the many different ways ordinary people can contribute to social change. All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

This week, Cassie Goodwin and I chat with Deesha Philyaw about her fiction debut The True Confessions of Lady Freeman! Listen to hear about: How The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman evolved over nearly 20 years, and why Deesha had to become a different, more experienced writer before she could finally tell Sharice’s story. Why Deesha transformed Sharice from a character modeled on herself into a woman who genuinely loves being a First Lady—and therefore has something meaningful to lose. How embracing satire, humor, and an actual First Lady beauty pageant unlocked the novel and allowed Deesha to interrogate church culture without making the story overly earnest. A nuanced conversation about Black church culture, respectability politics, patriarchy, white supremacy, and the tension between what people profess to believe and how they actually behave. Why Deesha wanted her characters to be contradictory rather than simply good or bad, and how she explores shame, desire, marriage, family, faith, power, and the complicated reasons people stay connected to institutions that may also harm them. Books Deesha Recommends: Good, God by Kiese Laymon Friends and Family by Natalie Baszile These Girls Out Here by Dawnie Walton When It Gets Cold in the South by Exodus Oktavia Brownlow Desperate Bodies by Lydia Mathis    All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

This week, I talk with Deena Helm about her debut literary horror novel Our Cut of Salt! Listen to hear about: How Deena Helm turned a haunted house into a living embodiment of history, memory, and inherited trauma.Why Our Cut of Salt follows three generations of Palestinian women, and how trauma changes the relationships between mothers and daughters across decades. The tension between preserving family history and being consumed by it—and what happens when younger generations want answers their elders may not be ready to give. Why Deena chose horror to explore real historical violence, and how genre fiction can make readers connect emotionally with experiences far outside their own. How Deena approached the novel’s most painful scenes, balancing the need to show the reality of violence without sanitizing it or turning suffering into spectacle.   All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we wish we could wipe from our brains and reread! Kate’s Books Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian The Ursulina by Brian Freeman But Won’t I Miss Me by Tiffany Tsao  Gare’s Books Fruit Fly by Josh Silver The Last Winter of Dani Lansing by P.D. Viner A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice   Steph’s Books The Push by Ashley Audrain Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Allison Espach   All the Bookwild Links: Check Out the Bookwild Substack Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube Get Bookwild Merch Follow @imbookwild on Instagram Check Out Author Social Media Packages Follow Co-hosts On Instagram: Gare Billings @gareindeedreads Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland Halley Sutton @halleysutton25 Brian Watson @readingwithbrian MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba Erin Ashley @bellametaphor