Watch Our LIVE Show with Chris Bohjalian TONIGHT!
Weekly News from Friends & Fiction—March 13, 2024
Tune in LIVE to watch TONIGHT’s episode!
Join us Wednesday, March 13th LIVE at 7pm Eastern on the F&F Facebook page and YouTube channel as the Fab Four gather to welcome this month’s F&F Featured Author, the #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, screenwriter and playwright, Chris Bohjalian, to discuss his forthcoming novel, our March 2024 Pick of the Month, THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS, in which a Princess Diana impersonator and her estranged sister find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of money and murder on the Las Vegas strip.
Chris Bohjalian is the #1 NYT bestselling author of 24 books, including The Lioness, Hour of the Witch, and The Flight Attendant, which was made into a MAX limited series starring Kaley Cuoco. His novels Secrets of Eden, Midwives, and Past the Bleachers were made into movies, and his work has been translated into more than 35 languages. His new play, “The Club,” premiered at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ in February. He joins us from his home in Vermont before heading out on book tour to discuss his new twisting tale of organized crime and family secrets, THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS, which has been called “a well-calibrated satire of cryptocurrency culture” by Publishers Weekly and a “lively romp” by Kirkus.
Watch the LIVE video broadcast of this interview Wed 3/13 at 7pm ET on the F&F Facebook group page & YouTube channel. Catch the audio version on our podcast Fri 3/15.
Pre-order Chris’s book on Bookshop.org!
Shop all of our guests’ & hosts’ books in our F&F Shop on Bookshop.org!
Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for a bonus Q&A with Chris which includes a writing tip, book recommendation, and information about his work-in-progress, plus other great material not covered on the show!
Latest News from the Fab Four!
MARY KAY ANDREWS had a full house and a full heart last week while her family hosted their second Shamrock Shenanigans fun(d)raiser for the Katie Trocheck Abel Scholarship Fund. The F&F sisterhood was well-represented by Meg Walker and her mom Kathy Ahl, who flew down from New Jersey to attend, our own PCH, who came in from Birmingham, and Lisa Harrison of the F&F Book Club, who brought her own crew to play trivia. Thanks go out to all who donated online, attended, or sent good wishes. Now it’s back to planning the May 4th Atlanta book launch party for Summers at The Saint. Go here to get your ticket! Full book tour details coming soon!
What MKA is reading and why she’s loving it: Watch Where They Hide by Tamron Hall. The second in her Jordan Manning thriller series deals with the case of a missing mom and domestic violence.
KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY spent the weekend cheering on her son at the State All-Stars Basketball tournament. It was so fun and… basketball season is officially over in the Harvey household! Guess it’s time to write another book… She is looking forward to several upcoming events and would love to see you—and can’t wait to share her full tour schedule for A HAPPIER LIFE soon! Did you see that she shared the pre order freebies for A HAPPIER LIFE? Check out her website to find out how to get your “Reading is the Secret to A Happier Life” bookmark, a print of a precious painting of Salt + a bottle of champagne, a signed bookplate, and an exclusive Q&A!
What Kristy is reading and why she’s loving it: Some Doubt About It by Marion McNabb. This charming debut is full of feisty female characters and the former teacher-student relationship between the two women is so fun!
PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY has been editing like mad, trying to find a title for her 2025 book (we think she might have done so with the help of some writer pals), and sending out a newsletter where she tells you all that is inspiring her lately! (Have you subscribed?). She wrote a guest post for Book Tide substack about Pat Conroy, and an article for Career Authors. She also had a sweet time celebrating our MKA’s daughter, Katie and raising money for a scholarship with our Meg Walker, Lisa Harrison and some book club members in Atlanta!
What Patti is reading and why she’s loving it: The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild. A book that came out in 2015, it is a beautiful journey through an accidental art heist, some glorious food, and an enchanting story.
KRISTIN HARMEL is celebrating turning in the first draft of her 2025 novel… woo hoo! There is still a long road ahead, but she’s looking forward to her longtime editor Abby Zidle’s expert notes on how to move the book forward. She’s also off to New York this week to speak at the Komen Impact Luncheon to benefit breast cancer research. She’s very honored to have been asked to emcee the event and to share her own breast cancer story. Tonight, she’ll be coming to you live from New York on Friends & Fiction!
What Kristin is reading and why she’s loving it: Lisa Scottoline’s The Truth About the Devlins. As usual, the brilliant Lisa has hit a total home run with this fast-paced, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your seat story about a family unraveling as a criminal conspiracy unfolds around them. I read it in a single day!
Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for an ongoing series of roundtable discussions and personal essays by the Fab Four about their careers, writing processes, and all things book and publishing related!
Upcoming Events
Click HERE to see Patti Callahan Henry’s full book tour for the April 2nd release of the trade paperback edition of The Secret Book of Flora Lea.
Sunday, May 5, 3pm ET—See all four founders and hosts of Friends & Fiction—along with Managing Director Meg Walker, podcast host extraordinaire Ron Block & producer Shaun Hettinger—all together in-person for a launch celebration for MKA’s Summers at the Saint hosted by The BookMark in Neptune Beach, FL. Get tickets HERE.
In Case You Missed It
Last week on The Friends & Fiction Show, Kristy interviewed NYT bestselling author, producer and screenwriter, Rebecca Serle about her forthcoming novel, EXPIRATION DATES. Told with Rebecca’s signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, this book has been called “a romantic gem” by Laura Dave, “sometimes heart-wrenching, often heartwarming” in a starred review by Publishers Weekly, and “compulsively readable” by Booklist. Pre-order Rebecca’s book (coming 3/19!) from the F&F Shop on Bookshop.org, where you’ll also find books by all our hosts and guests, all at a discount—and where all your purchases support our show and our beloved indie bookstores nationwide!
You can WATCH that episode on Facebook or YouTube, or LISTEN to it on our podcast.
Coming Up on The Friends & Fiction Show
All shows can be watched on Facebook & YouTube each Wednesday evening at 7pm ET, and listened to on our podcast each Friday, all year long.
Already aired: 2024 Sneak Preview with the Fab Four
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Grady Hendrix, How to Sell a Haunted House
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: F&F January Pick of the Month: Kristin Hannah, The Women
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Abbott Kahler, Where You End
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Jennifer Moorman, The Magic All Around
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Amy Jo Burns, Mercury
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Kate Quinn & Janie Chang, The Phoenix Crown
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: F&F February Pick of the Month: Tia Williams, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Tommy Orange, Wandering Stars
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
Already aired: Rebecca Serle, Expiration Dates
WATCH now! | LISTEN now!
F&F March Pick of the Month: Chris Bohjalian, The Princess of Las Vegas
Watch LIVE: Mar 13 | Listen: Mar 15
Anna Quindlen, After Annie
Watch: Mar 20 | Listen: Mar 22
Allison Pataki, Finding Margaret Fuller
Watch: Mar 27 | Listen: Mar 29
Stay tuned for the Spring 2024 season line-up which will be revealed soon!
Bonus Episodes!
The Fab Four are taking turns interviewing some additional authors in short 10-minute video segments we are calling “Behind the Book.” Check out a few recent bonus interviews that our host authors have run on the F&F YouTube channel!
WATCH MKA & Meg’s interview with Lisa Unger about The New Couple in 5B.
WATCH MKA & Meg’s interview with Susan Elizabeth Phillips about Simply the Best.
WATCH Patti’s interview with Karen Spears Zacharias about No Perfect Mothers.
WATCH MKA’s interview with author Ashley Elston and her editor Pam Dorman about First Lie Wins.
WATCH Patti & Ron’s interview with Roxana Robinson about Leaving.
F&F Merch Store & 2024 Subscription Box
We have a Friends & Fiction merch store with t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs and a book bag on Bonfire. We also have other items like wine tumblers, reading journals, and our original white v-neck logo tees available through Oxford Exchange. You can also order the F&F 2024 SUBSCRIPTION BOX exclusively through our friends at Oxford Exchange. You get the two first-edition autographed hardcover books (plus the adorable pouch!) shown below, plus the option to add Patti’s & Kristin’s 20204 paperback editions of last year’s books. All details HERE!
F&F Official Book Club & 2024 Reading Challenge
Join Brenda Gardner & Lisa Harrison this coming Monday, March 18th at 7pm ET on the Facebook page for the F&F Official Book Club with Brenda & Lisa as they welcome author Tia Williams to discuss their March pick, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. You can also follow the Book Club on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel where you can catch past discussions, including their most recent chat with Virginia Kantra about her book, The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Galey. With the help of Annissa Armstrong, the Book Club is also hosting the 2024 F&F Reading Challenge. Join them for a different category prompt each month to read outside your comfort zone. The March prompt is to read a book with some variation of “book club” or “bookstore” in the title.
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Shop our guests’ & hosts’ books in our shop on BOOKSHOP.
Join the F&F Official BOOK CLUB with Brenda & Lisa.
Upgrade to our PAID Subscription for bonus content from our hosts and guests.