Passions & Prologues

Adam is joined by fellow Clevelander Josh Womack to discuss his new book You Are Not That Funny, how he came to love stand-up comedy, the nuance of being a copywriter, and their shared adoration for their hometown

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Anna Pitoniak had written several novels before the pandemic and planned to take a break when the world changed. She found herself with lots of time and little to fill it. Insert The Artist's Way, a book millions have …

Christina Henry's books are enthralling, heart-wrenching, and will leave you in awe... which makes sense when you hear about her deep love of movies that are much the same. This conversation delves into her love of …

Something About Her, Clementine Taylor's debut novel, tells a story of joy and discovery, something Clementine found when she took up swimming. In this chat, Adam and Clementine dive into her passion, their shared love …

Lyndall Clipstone's books are world-renowned for providing intricate and richly imagined worlds where readers can get lost. And when you learn about the way she loves to spend her free time, you'll understand why. Her …

Matt Singer loved movies so much that he's made a career out of it writing for Screencrush. His passion began as a child watching At The Movies with Siskel and Ebert, the subjects of his latest book, Opposable Thumbs. …

Laurence Leamer, bestselling of nearly 20 books, turns 82 this month, and we spent a morning discussing the many stories he's told throughout those …

Isa Arsén is acutely aware of the rhythms of everything around us. She spends her life thinking about how sound affects us all. It even sparked the inspiration that became her debut novel, Shoot the Moon. We discuss how …

Alexandra Christo is an internationally bestselling fantasy author who knows a thing or two about monsters, myths, and legends. And her love of all three was spawned through her discovery of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In …

Michelle Cameron is an author, creative writing teacher, and avid re-reader of books for myriad reasons. Her new book, Babylon, is one of the reasons …

Kerri Maher is a bestselling author and mom to a newly minted teenager. In this chat, we discuss the experiences she's had raising her daughter, taking her to Paris, and her new book All You Have to Do Is Call, an …

Carissa Orlando is passionate about how the mind works. So much so that she's spent her life studying and teaching about it. She works to improve quality and access of mental healthcare for children and their families …

Lucy Clarke, bestselling author of several "destination thrillers" loves few things more than grabbing her surfboard and finding the perfect wave. It's how she frees her mind and unwinds. She also has a deep passion for …

Angie Kim's debut novel, Miracle Creek, was an international bestselling, Edgar Award winning best book of the year. Her latest novel, Happiness Falls, is a Good Morning America book club pick all about when a father …

Holly James, author of the new RomCom The Déjà Glitch, has spent her adult life understanding sleep. Why we all struggle to get it and how to improve …

Tim Murphy's new book, Speech Team, is a nostalgic and cathartic look back at a traumatic high school experience of several members of a championship …

Marie Benedict has been a bestselling author many times over but her works co-authoring with Victoria Christopher Murray have set the book world on fire with their poignant deep dives into fascinating woman and their …

Andrew Ridker's first book The Altruists took the literary world by storm and his new book Hope is just as captivating. Part of the reason why his books are so relatable is the humor he's able to inject into his …

Josh Winning's new book, Burn the Negative, is an homage to all things horror and when you hear this conversation you'll understand that he has the chops to back up his writing. We discuss his adoration for the Scream …

Learning that Candi Sary thinks a great deal about ghosts won't surprise you when you read her book Magdalena. This conversation dives into her childhood interest in the beyond and how, instead of seeking to be scared …

For UK-based bestselling author Paige Toon getting there is half the fun. She loves taking road trips to new countries to see bands she loves in …

Chanel Cleeton is a bestselling author and was chosen as a Reese Witherspoon book club selection. She knows what it takes a write a mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. Perhaps it's because she has …

Bestselling author Genevieve Gornichec knows a thing or two about Vikings... in fact, she's made it her life's work even before it became her life's work. In this discussion, we chat about her life studying and living …

New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis joins Adam to chat about her brand new book, The Spectacular, but before they get into that, they get …

Jude Atwood is a teacher and author of the award-winning debut middle grade novel, Maybe There Are Witches, but the science of baking is where he finds pure joy. He's baked over 40 different types of pies and cakes and …

Sidney Karger is an award-winning screenwriter for film and television with credits including Billy on the Street, Comedy Central, and Saturday Night Live. Growing up near Chicago, he was raised on a steady diet of …

Margaret Owen creates elaborate and fantastical worlds that feel so vibrant you can almost touch them. Her books are magical and fully realized and …

Anissa Gray was raised in a world of music, specifically gospel music. It's inspired her latest novel, Life and other love songs. In this discussion, we get into how the music of her childhood home shaped her work and …

It's a bonus episode with friend of the show, Mallory O'Meara! We are dishing out loads of book recommendations but before you get to those, go preorder her new book, Girls Make Movies, right now!

Books mentioned in this …

H.G. Parry's newest book, The Magician's Daughter has a few magical animal characters and when you learn about her interests, you'll understand why. She adores mice and rabbits both in the literary sense and the "own a …

J. Ryan Stradal is the author of New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota but somehow his latest novel Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, …

Rebecca Makkai is borderline obsessive with language. When you read her books, it feels like every sentence and every word is exactly where it should …

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline has written 35 books in 35 years but her true passion is her love of of animals all shapes and …

Kristin Loesch joins the podcast to discuss her new book The Last Russian Doll as well as her love of flash and experimental fiction. It was a …

Jenny Jackson has taken the literary world by storm with her new book Pineapple Street and the heart of that story lies in the heart of her own community. During the pandemic, Jenny found herself obsessing over her …

What would you do if your entire town lived in a single building, couldn't leave, and then found yourself trapped? That's what Iris Yamashita's novel

Melissa De La Cruz is well know for her bestselling young adult novels, incredible book festivals, and her experience creating stories in Hollywood. …

Alma Katsu built an entire career in intelligence before the literary world discovered her talent for writing historical horror with The Fervor, The Deep, & The Hunger. Now, with Red London, she returns to the world …

Hannah Whitten took the literary world by storm with her debut For the Wolf & it's follow up For the Throne. Now she's back with a magical, …

GennaRose Nethercott's book Thistlefoot, is all Adam has been able to talk about for months. It's macabre, spooky atmosphere starts to make a lot more sense when you learn about her life long fascination with all things …

Leah Konen knows how to craft a thriller. She's made a career out of writing page turning stories that keep you on the edge of your seat and You …

We're back with another bonus episode loaded with book recommendations! Adam's buddy Tina, from the popular Book Talk, etc., podcast , stops by to …

Mimi Herman's new book, The Kudzu Queen, is all about a mysterious man who comes into town looking to shake things up. In her own way, Mimi was that strange person when she bought a house, nearly site unseen, that she …

Nick Brooks is an author hip hop artist and an award-winning filmmaker. All his life, he's find stories in the music he listens to, transforming them into films, lyrics, and, now, his massively awaited new novel, …

Grady Hendrix’s new novel, How to Sell a Haunted House, is the culmination of what his career as a horror novelist has been all about: building …

Jennifer Herrera's new book, The Hunter, is a psychological thriller that will leave you guessing every step of the way. When you learn about her …

In Victoria Garza's new memoir, The Field, she writes about the unspeakable tragedy that took place in her family when she was a child. Between that time and now, Victoria has gone on a journey to understand what took …

Millions of copies of Cornelia Maude Spelman's books have been sold thanks to their ability to help children understand emotions and come to terms …

Lesley Livingston, author of QUEEN AMONG THE DEAD, adores uncovering the history of place. She seeks out cities and countrysides to explore and learns about the pockets of forgotten lore that lie within them. There, she …

Judith Turner-Yamamoto spent three decades attending dance glasses and it's brought a new perspective to how she interacts with the world. In this discussion, Adam and Judith chat about the connections between movement …

Judith Lindbergh has spent her life dedicated to storytelling. It started through dance and acting and extended into becoming an author, teacher, and creator of The Writers Circle. There, writers of all age and …

A picture is worth a whole novel with Kerri Schlottman

Kerri Schottman has always been fascinated by photojournalism. She loves the stories that can …

Wow does this episode cover a lot! Iconic romance author Penny Reid opens this discussion by discussing her obsession with crafting before getting why and how she learned to make soap before getting into her deep dive …

Nikki Payne, debut author of Pride and Protest, is a cultural anthropologist by day who spends her time thinking about big questions and how to …

Bestselling rom-com writer Sophie Cousens lives on Jersey Island in the UK and it has changed the entire way she lives her life, in the best possible way. In this discussion, Adam and Sophie chat about what living on a …

Surprise! It’s a bonus episode absolutely loaded with book recommendations! Adam is joined by his good pal, Amy Clark from momadvice.com and the …

Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, has always loved to unwind after a busy day. Her favorite way to do so …

Martha Anne Toll has lived a musical life. She was raised with siblings who formed a family string quartet, studied with a world class teacher for …

Horror novelist Dawn Kurtagich deeply understands what makes a story memorable. She seeks out the small details and aspects that make stories special. She learned these things by watching Xena, Warrior Princess. 

The …

New York Times bestselling author Claribel Ortega knows about world building. She's been doing it since she was a child when she first discovered The …

Melissa Urban, co-creator of Whole 30, joins Adam to discuss her new book, The Book of Boundaries. Melissa has built her career by being someone …

Rachel Harrison has quickly established herself as one of THE defining voices of the horror genre. She exploded onto the scene several years ago with …

Alexis Henderson took the world by storm with her debut novel, The Year of the Witching, back in 2020 and now she’s back with another gothic book just in time for spooky season! Eventually, we discuss House of Hunger, …

Emily Austin has thought a great deal about religion and anxiety in her life. Growing up in a blended religious household, she saw first hand the …

Claire North, author of the new book Ithaca, interacts with words and colors in a different way than almost anyone you have ever met. Claire has …

New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is a theater nerd to her very core. She was raised in a house of musicals, having been introduced to the likes of Sweeney Todd and Phantom of the Opera early on in her …

For Gilly Segal, hockey is about family. It’s one of her connections to her dad and now it’s a massive part of life for Gilly and her son. In this discussion, Gilly and Adam chat about how sports bond us to family in …

Kimberly Jones knows the importance of history. Her powerful book, How We Can Win is all about the history of systemic racism in the United States …

Jen Doll is delightful and that is not up for debate. The author of the new young adult book, That’s Debatable, joins the show to discuss a passion …

The internet’s Ryan La Sala is this week’s guest! You might know Ryan from such massive books like Reverie and Be Dazzled and he has a new book that …

On episode three of Passions & Prologues, Julia Whelan chats with Adam about her unique passion- packing for vacation! Julia is well known for …

On the second episode of Passions & Prologues, Brad Meltzer joins the podcast to discuss a passion that he and Adam share- THE MUPPETS! They talk …

On the first episode of Passions & Prologues, Adam brings on his good friend Mallory O'Meara to talk about her passion for powerlifting! Mallory, …

Every week, host Adam Sockel interviews a popular member of the literary world about their passions beyond the books they're known for. These …