Plans Are Booked

This week we're excited to have debut author Carla Vass join us for a discussion about being a library kid, the unlikely path from English Literature major to Goldman Sachs, the 15-year journey from first idea to publication, imposter syndrome as a writer, the cringe of self-promotion on social media, and so much more. Carla shares with us how her love of storytelling started with writing plays in elementary school, how an unusual vacation birthed the idea for her book, the similarities between querying and pitching venture capitalists, the vibes that inspired The Rally's cover art, her hopes for a screen adaptation, what it's really like being on a book tour, and the unlikely place she's finding connection with readers. Carla also shares a list of the top books she has read so far this year. For the full list of titles we mentioned this episode, please join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

We have a special episode for you this week where we round up the best books we've read recently. Steph tells us about Sunrise by Tea Obreht, which is set in Wyoming. She details the setting of the Old West and talks about the tension of an unreliable narrator. She also recommends Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros, which reunites us with our favorite characters from the Fourth Wing series (with spredges to boot!). Molly reviews Forever Never by Lucy Score, a deeply layered romance that blends second chance with family drama and a little bit of attempted murder. She also gives her first impression of Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings, which begins with a banger of an opening sentence. In our catch up this week, Steph tells us about helping to clean out her childhood home, and Molly relives her epic food tour at the Big E Fair in Springfield, MA. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we are delighted to welcome debut author J.K. MacLaren for a conversation about the resurgence of sports romance, F1 super fandom, the appeal of enemies to lovers, and so much more. J.K. shares how her love of books started at the Scholastic Book Fair, how the pandemic lockdown turned her on to Drive to Survive, the nod to Romeo + Juliet with her character names, her love of puns, and why she actually roots for the third act break up. She also tells us about her writing journey on Wattpad, her querying process, her wishes for a screen adaptation, and the book she's reading right now that she can't put down. You can find her romance, Full Throttle, anywhere books are sold. To check out all the titles we mentioned during the discussion, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we're flying high chatting about a romance book we absolutely adored. We talk about the power of writing what you know, how complicated family relationships deepen a plot, the authenticity of the main character's body image issues, how books wind up with multiple covers, and our hopes for the casting of this screen adaptation. In our catch up this week, Molly shares about her first trip to Golden Figs Books and opens a blind date book on air, and Steph updates us on her writing and editing quest, including a few rounds of procrastination baking. In what we're reading this week, Molly finally picks up The Wedding People by Alison Espach, and Steph introduces us to two books: 72 Hours of You by Darianne Schramm and Bones by K.L. Speer. To follow along with all of our book picks, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we're discussing the newest thriller from an author we can't resist. We talk about unreliable narrators, the main character's struggle with self-worth, Knoll's biting writing and obsession with revenge, how the ending exploded our brains and left us with many unanswered questions, and our hope for this story to be adapted for the screen. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin recaps her trip to New York City and Molly details every delicious morsel at the friends & family event for the Hawksmoor Boston. In what we're reading this week, Molly finishes The Rally by debut author Carla Vass, and Kaitlin is reading two books - False Witness by Karin Slaughter and Love Song by Elle Kennedy. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we are delighted to welcome debut author and fellow Bostonian, Meghan Nesmith. We talk about the joy of fan fiction, how One Direction reignited her zest for life, the querying process, the best Reddit threads for aspiring authors, how the idea for her book came to her, why she chose London as her setting, planning vs. pantsing, and the importance of supporting first-time authors. Meghan also shares her top books from her summer reading list, which includes Into the Blue by Emma Brodie, Homebound by Portia Elan, and Nerve Damage by Annakeara Stinson. We close by discussing our favorite indie bookstores in Boston, and our wish for more spaces to add coffee or wine bars for longer lingering. To check out the full list of books mentioned in this episode and to learn more about Meghan's debut, A World Apart, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we took on the particularly fun task of ranking all of the book boyfriends in the Carley Fortune universe. We debate sizzle, relationship history, secrecy, long standing tension, reliability, and more. Do our personal lists match up? You'll have to listen to find out. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin recounts an excruciatingly hot evening at the G Flip concert and Molly gushes about her first visit to the Second Love Social Club mobile bookshop. In what we're reading this week, Molly praises the prose and perfect word choice in Catherine Newman's Sandwich and Kaitlin is completely sucked into the newest Karin Slaughter, The Secrets We Hide. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we're discussing a novella with a premise that really made us think. We chat about putting ourselves in the shoes of these characters, how we might react in this intense situation, the passages that felt like meditations on resilience, and why it's important that you save reading the acknowledgements until the very end. In our catch up this week, Kaitlin recaps Newport Folk Fest and eating her weight in lobster rolls, Molly shares about her trip to New York City and falling in love with Madam George's, and Steph clues us into some drama at the bookstore surrounding a novel based in a north shore town. In what we're reading this week, Steph finishes The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson and has us giggling about mermen, Molly devours Lena Dunham's memoir Famesick, and Kaitlin is completely reeled into The Open Era by Edward Schmit. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we're transported to a family ranch as we discuss the first book in Elsie Silver's Emerald Lake series, Fever Dream. We talk about the allure of small town romance, Silver's gift for great banter, the similarities to the TV show UnREAL, and her other books that we adored and can't wait to see adapted for the screen. In our catch up this week, we commiserate about the heatwave, Kaitlin is charmed by a community sing-a-long, and Molly prepares to go back to summer camp. In what we're reading this week, Kaitlin is juggling two books, including her first Emily Henry, and Molly gushes about Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard, which she describes as Center Stage meets Magic Mike. For the full list of all the books we mentioned this episode, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected]. 

This week we are reminiscing about our love of The Idea of You and diving into Robinne Lee's second contemporary fiction book, Crash Into Me. We talk about her sharp writing, the importance of female protagonists over 40, the multiple meanings behind the title, and how we wish we spoke French to better understand the dialogue. In our catch up this week, Steph is playing wing woman at the bookstore and Molly is hosting her parents for the summer. We also praise a new book-to-screen adaptation, I Will Find You by Harlan Coben. In what we're reading this week, Steph is juggling two books - The Dog Stars and Mile High, and Molly raves about Full Throttle, her third F1 romance of the summer. To follow along with all of our book recommendations, join us on Instagram @plansarebooked. You can also write to us at [email protected].