Ep 500: The little things that add up to a rich reading life

Today marks a major milestone: the 500th episode of What Should I Read Next! To celebrate, Anne is joined by two guests today. First, you'll hear her in conversation with our What Should I Read Next Patreon Community Manager Shannan Malone as they explore what's new in our Patreon community space. Then, Anne welcomes one of our previous guests back to the show to talk about how her reading life has evolved since their first conversation nearly two and a half years ago. Michelle Acierno Loftus joined Anne back in episode 378 to share her experience of rediscovering the joy of reading via her YA book club. As we mark 500 episodes of talking all things books and reading, it seemed a great moment to look back at just one way that What Should I Read Next has shaped an individual's life. While much has changed in Michelle's life since her last conversation with Anne, as you'll hear, her reading life is still going strong. And yet, it's also shifted. Today, she and Anne discuss Michelle's recent explorations into nonfiction and character-driven, introspective stories. They also dive into how Anne's previous recommendations for Michelle landed, what's working for her these days, and what she's looking for right now in her reading life. Anne shares recommendations for Michelle, and each of them recommend titles that might work for many readers. Find the full list of the titles mentioned today and share a comment to help us celebrate our 500th episode on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/500. If you'd like to hear from more past guests or experience the bonus episodes Anne and Shannan discuss at the top of today's show, please come over and join us on Patreon. That's where we share bite-size insights into the reading life and a behind-the-scenes look into the podcast, as well as book recommendations galore. To all of the readers who support us on Patreon, thank you. We couldn't do this without you. If you'd like to join us there, you'll find all the details at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our favorite things to do in our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club is connect with the authors we all love. Every so often we have the opportunity to share one of those conversations with all of you, too. Today you'll be hearing from Kevin Wilson, author of our 2025 Summer Reading Guide selection Run for the Hills and a writer we've long looked forward to hosting in this space. Our conversation covers a lot of ground today, from Wilson's approach to writing his stories to topics like what it means to fit in, how weirdness impacts his writing style, and how a PT Cruiser ended up as a key feature in his book. We kick off today's conversation with a bit of behind the scenes conversation between Anne and our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club community manager, Ginger Horton. We wanted to give you some idea of what you're going to be listening to today. Whether you've read Kevin Wilson or not, we think you'll enjoy this opportunity to hear an author talk about their work and their process in a really interesting way. Find the list of titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/499. In addition to other major milestones, we're about to celebrate our 10-year anniversary of the Book Club. Today we share insights into what exactly we do in Book Club and why you might want to consider joining us in what we call the best corner of the internet. Find out more at modernmrsdarcy.com/club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Returning to favorite TV shows is a common stress management strategy. Today’s guest would love to find books that deliver the same soothing feelings she gets from re-watching her favorite comfort shows. Kayla King lives on a small-scale dairy and hobby farm in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. A lifelong reader, Kayla's recently started to branch out from her usual genres of mysteries, thrillers, and science fiction and fantasy. When Kayla wrote in with her request to help her find books that could offer alternatives to her regular comfort TV viewing, it felt like such a relatable question. Anne explores this idea with Kayla and leaves her with recommendations that she can reach for the next time she wants to channel those comforting vibes and while experiencing a great story in book form. Find the list of titles mentioned today and leave your ideas for Kayla on our show notes page, at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/498. If you love tuning into this show each week, you'll also love our What Should I Read Next? Patreon community. Every Friday, we share bonus episodes with our members. Last Friday's episode featured a deep-dive on library digital collections and how they work. Our Patreon community members enjoy our entire archive of bonus episodes as well as invitations to our seasonal events, like our recent Fall Book Preview Unboxing. The podcast industry has been shifting quite a lot in recent years, and more than ever, we rely on our Patreon community members for financial support. For everyone who is already providing that support, thank you again. And if you've been listening along for years and would like to make sure we continue to show up in your podcast feeds every week, consider coming over and joining us on Patreon. Learn more and sign up at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Book events and festivals are always a favorite around here. Today's conversation dives deep into the art and craft of creating an engaging literary festival as Anne welcomes Sarah Moriarty, the Executive Director of the Charleston Literary Festival, to the show. They talk about what goes into curating such a festival, what you may be glad to know before attending a literary festival yourself, and what makes a particularly satisfying in-person gathering. Especially when it comes to a good conversation about the books we love, or the books we didn't even know about before but are so glad we discovered. Sarah also shares her three-point recommendation for getting the most out of your festival experience. She tells us more about how she came to be in this position and shares details about this November's event, which is welcoming more than 70 writers and thinkers from around the globe, including more than a few names you have heard on this show before. Whether you've got this specific festival or a future one on your wish list, you'll hear great tips in today's conversation. Please share your suggestions or favorite festival moments by leaving a comment over on our show notes page, where you'll also find the list of titles discussed today. That's at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/497. As we get ready to mark our 500th episode, we want to take a moment to thank our Patreon community and the members there that help support the show's creation each week. If you're not yet a member of this community, it's a wonderful time to consider joining us. Each month we share bonus episodes on a rotating theme, including Industry Insights deep-dives, One Great Book episodes, Mini-Matchmaking sessions, Dear Book Therapist responses, and team member features like our Starter Guides. On top of all of the bonus episodes, our community members also enjoy full access to all our Summer Reading Guides and seasonal book previews, as well as our upcoming Team Best Books of the Year feature. Get the details and join us at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world feels heavy, many of us reach for books. Today's guest is looking for a specific style of comfort reads. Jemima Welsh is joining Anne today all the way from Brisbane, Australia, where she lives with her family and her pets, including four chickens named for the March sisters.  Right now, Jemima is specifically looking for books that feel, quite literally, close to home. She's looking for stories that feature warm, rambling houses, complex but inherently lovable and perhaps found families, and scenes of cheerful domesticity.  Anne shares ideas for Jemima and other readers seeking a similar reading experience. Find the full list of the books discussed at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/496. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

,The team at MMD HQ has always been enthusiastic about fall reading. We shared our first Fall Book Preview back in 2019, and last week we released the seventh annual edition. Today, we’re sharing a sneak peek into this year's event that concludes with Anne describing the first three books in our literary and contemporary fiction category.  Our Fall Book Preview offers the gentle guidance you’re looking for in selecting your fall reads. This preview and its 35 books are all hand-selected by Anne, and in our Unboxing event recording, she tells you about why she chose every title and why it might (or might not!) appeal to YOU. If this excerpt makes you want to go deeper into this particular type of book talk, you can access your own copy of this year's Fall Book Preview and the Unboxing replay immediately by joining our Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club, our Patreon Community, or purchasing your a la carte ticket. Find all of the details and choose your preferred way to get your Preview at modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp. Find out more about today’s episode at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/495.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're diving into what feels like a particularly nerdy niche of the reading life as Anne is joined by an expert reader. Sarah Kellogg is a cover designer at a big five publisher, and today she and Anne are exploring what goes into the art of cover design. Sarah answers many of our burning questions and sheds light on some of the lesser known aspects of her work. Of course, they also discuss Sarah's reading life and her search for books that balance old and new while infusing creativity and grace into her reading experience. Anne recommends titles that Sarah may enjoy reading when she's not working on her latest book cover project. Find the titles mentioned today at our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/494. Our Fall Book Preview is here to help gently guide your reading all season long, and it's coming this week. In this seasonal preview, Anne shares her top recommendations for books releasing from September through the end of the year. Grab yours anytime this season by visiting ModernMrsDarcy.com/FBP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is facing a shift in her reading life now that she's an empty nester. Candice Brown-Murray lives in South Florida with her husband, children, and dogs. Her career in public relations keeps her very busy along with her hobbies like kayaking, travel, renovating a historic home, and of course, reading. Candice has always been a reader. She describes herself as a sucker for a good story, but she also struggles with finding enough time to read and dealing with real-life distractions—a challenge we hear from so many readers. Today, Anne and Candice explore what's happening with Candice's reading life lately, and also dive into discussion about her love affair with a specific author. Find the list of titles mentioned today and leave your recommendations for Candice on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/493. modernmrsdarcy.com/fbp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We love fielding very specific readerly requests that will also appeal to a wide range of readers, and today's episode is just that. Lynn Bain describers herself as an accidental entrepreneur. While she loves to read a wide range of genres and styles, she's here today to get Anne's help in identifying good business books to read alongside her beloved stack of fiction. Lynn's tried a bunch of business books and found they haven't worked out well for her. But Lynn is also confident that there are good titles out there and she would love to find them, because she knows they will really benefit her, personally and professionally. She and Anne explore this today and Anne makes recommendations that fit this particular section of Lynn's reading life. If you have ideas for Lynn, please share those by leaving a comment on our ​show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/492​. That's where you'll also find the list of titles discussed in today's episode. Our Fall Book Preview is right around the corner! This signature event includes our live unboxing party on Thursday, September 18th, and our 12-page digital booklet featuring the selected titles. It's always a great time. Enjoy this event and access our library of bonus episodes and past previews by joining our Patreon community. Find out more at patreon.com/whatshouldireadnext. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're sharing Part 2 of our summer superlatives episode, featuring four more of our team members talking about the books they've loved most this season. Our executive producer Will Bogel joins Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club Community Manager Ginger Horton to talk about their favorite summer reads. Then, you'll hear from Modern Mrs Darcy Editor and Social Media Manager Leigh Kramer and What Should I Read Next Media Production Specialist Holly Wielkoszewski. Today's picks feature our team members and their wide-ranging preferences: romance to sci-fi, classics to outdoor adventure, literary fiction to narrative nonfiction, and beyond. No matter your reading tastes, we bet you'll hear a title that appeals. Find the list of titles mentioned today on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/491. While we're soaking up the rest of summer, fall is just around the corner, and we have the best new and timeless back-to-school book merch in our shop. Check out all these items and more at modernmrsdarcy.com/shop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices