Bookaholic | Author Interviews | Book Reviews | Book News

Deirdre Pippins
  • 4.7 (13)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Introducing the Bookaholics Podcast, a safe place for reading junkies who obsess over books, authors, bookstores, book news, and book trivia. You’re invited to nerd-out with book reviews, author interviews, our habit, and other bookish things . Enjoy Interviews with those in the book business. Meet new authors. Explore curating your library with new genres and discover new authors. revisit the classics with a twist. Your host Deirdre Pippins, also known as Ms. Media Content, is a board member for her local library, content creator, copywriter, and business owner. She has traveled extensively throughout the world because of the influence of books she’s read. Remember to subscribe to the podcast, follow us Instagram @truebookaholic. You can also email us at readingjunkie@book-a-holic.com. Don’t forget to support your local library and independent bookstores. The Bookaholics Podcast ”For those who can’t get enough of that bookish stuff.”

  1. 4d ago

    A Hidden Town. Retired Spies. One Impossible Choice. | Episode 152

    Is your TBR list giving you anxiety? Find out how you can read FASTER! Check it out! https://speechify.com/text-to-speech-... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 📚 BUY THE BOOK 👉Purchase Welcome To Cottonmouth https://amzn.to/4p0VoKf What does the US government do with spies and special operators when they pass their expiration date? They retire them to a small town deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas, where they're certain to cause no trouble.   Check out author Jay S. Bell here - https://www.jaysbell.com/ That brilliant premise is at the heart of Jay S. Bell's thrilling new novel, and in this episode of The Bookaholic Podcast, we dive into the story behind one of the most original espionage thrillers in recent years. Cottonmouth, Texas appears to be an ordinary East Texas town—but beneath its quiet streets lives a community of retired intelligence officers, former double agents, covert operatives, and special operators who have spent their lives protecting America. Their mission now? Stay hidden. Devlin Mahoney has one job: keep everyone in Cottonmouth out of sight and out of trouble. But when two women running from a ruthless criminal stumble into town, Mahoney must decide whether to follow government orders or do what's right. Join us as we discuss: ✔️ The inspiration behind Cottonmouth, Texas ✔️ Writing authentic spy fiction ✔️ Espionage, covert operations, and retired special agents ✔️ Character development and moral conflict ✔️ Jay S. Bell's writing journey ✔️ What readers can expect next Whether you love spy novels, political thrillers, military fiction, CIA stories, espionage, suspense, or action-packed mysteries, this conversation belongs on your watch list. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It's summer! Here are my beach read recommendations! Summer Reads - https://www.amazon.com/shop/bookaholi... 🎁 BOOKAHOLIC FREEBIE Want more book recommendations and author interviews? 📩 Join the Bookaholic Newsletter: https://www.book-a-holic.com/newsletter 💛 SUPPORT THE PODCAST ⭐ Leave a review on my website and socials. 📌 Subscribe on YouTube 📌Follow me on my TikTok, Facebook, Instagram @truebookaholic

    24 min

  2. Jun 26

    Ruta’s Closet: A Holocaust Story from Lithuania | Episode 151

    Is your TBR list giving you anxiety? Find out how you can read FASTER! Reader's Anxiety Relief 📚 BUY THE BOOK 👉Purchase Ruta’s Closet here: https://amzn.to/4gzMr8n 🎁 BOOKAHOLIC FREEBIE Want more book recommendations and author interviews? 📩 Join the Bookaholic Newsletter: https://www.book-a-holic.com/newsletter/ 👩🏽‍💻 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Keith Morgan was born in January 1954, in Blackpool, England. He began his career as a reporter for his hometown newspaper in Blackpool in 1975, moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1980, where he is currently the Driving Editor, for The Province and Vancouver Sun newspapers. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Keith Website: https://www.rutascloset.com 💛 SUPPORT THE PODCAST ⭐ Leave a review on my website and socials. 📌 Subscribe on YouTube 📌Follow me on my TikTok, Facebook, Instagram @truebookaholic On The Bookaholic Podcast, Keith Morgan discusses his book Ruta’s Closet, centered on Ruth Krone-Siegel’s family surviving the Holocaust in the Šiauliai (Shavel) Lithuania ghetto while also recounting major events in the wider ghetto. Morgan explains how his childhood friendships with Jewish classmates, his reporting career in Vancouver, and a 1997 assignment led him to Ruth’s testimony, which inspired a successful four-part newspaper series for young readers and ultimately the book. He details the ghetto’s purpose as controlled, fenced slave labor, the role of the leather factory in survival, and Ruth’s traumatic loss of her sister Tamara during the children’s roundup. The conversation highlights Lithuania’s largely unknown Holocaust history, ongoing antisemitism, the need for “never forget/never again,” and educational tools on rutascloset.com, including a study guide and book-club talking points, plus plans for youth adaptations and expanded media projects. 00:00 Welcome and Premise 00:07 Why This Story Matters 02:25 Finding Ruth’s Story 02:46 Teen Promise to Journalist 04:45 First Talk at Center 05:45 Tamara’s Heartbreak 08:11 From Series to Book 09:38 Lithuania Hidden History 10:51 Sir Martin Gilbert’s Help 13:48 Baltics and Mass Killings 17:06 What a Ghetto Was 17:58 Survival Through Work 19:41 Life Inside the Ghetto 21:03 Returning to Lithuania 21:47 Smuggling and Public Hangings 22:56 Last Words Remembered 23:52 No Trigger Warnings 25:43 Never Forget Never Again 27:56 Warnings Before Nazis 29:02 Genocide Echoes Today 30:09 Propaganda Social Media 33:33 Denial And Education 35:08 Youth Version With AI 38:45 Podcasts And New Formats 41:32 Final Thanks And Tease Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    43 min

  3. Jun 25

    Belle Burden’s Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage | Solo Pod 1

    Is your TBR list giving you anxiety? Find out how you can read FASTER! Check it out! 📚 BUY THE BOOK 👉Purchase Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage here: https://amzn.to/4aeWBaI It's summer!  Here are my beach read recommendations!  Sumer Reads 🎁 BOOKAHOLIC FREEBIE Want more book recommendations and author interviews? 📩 Join the Bookaholic Newsletter: https://www.book-a-holic.com/newsletter 💛 SUPPORT THE PODCAST ⭐ Leave a review on my website and socials. 📌 Subscribe on YouTube 📌Follow me on my TikTok, Facebook, Instagram @truebookaholic

    8 min

  4. Jun 13

    Her Family Talks To The Dead | Irish Ghost Story | Episode 150

    In this episode of the Bookaholic Podcast, host Deirdre sits down with author Gail Grant Park to discuss her cozy paranormal mystery trilogy — We Are Shadows: An Irish Ghost Story and its sequels. Gail shares how real-life family experiences with the afterlife inspired her stories, including a breathtaking account of a spirit saving a cousin from a car accident, and a humorous but heartwarming visit from her late father. She also dives into how her 24 years following her husband's military career — including time in Brussels, Belgium — helped her connect with Irish cousins whose culture, slang, and recipes are woven throughout the books. We also talk about her journey to becoming a published author later in life, joining a writing group, self-publishing, and winning multiple awards for Book One. In this episode: *The stunning cover art created by an Irish designer *The true ghost stories behind the fiction *How her family's writing tradition spans generations (including her 96-year-old poetry-writing mother!) *Gail's new children's book Rain or Shine, It's Camping Time and upcoming memoir 🔗 Visit Gail's website: gailgrantpark.com 📚 Purchase We Are Shadows: https://amzn.to/4etnVmW 📚 Purchase the trilogy: https://amzn.to/4fDq29P 💛 SUPPORT THE PODCAST ⭐ Leave a review on my website and socials. 📌 Subscribe on YouTube, Like this Video, Comment 📌Follow me on my TikTok, Facebook, Instagram @truebookaholic #irishghoststory #tbr #beachreads

    24 min

  5. Apr 29

    Sasha Preston on Cozy Heist Mysteries, Female Friendship, and Diverse Leads | Episode 149

    Sasha Preston on Cozy Heist Mysteries, Female Friendship, and Diverse Leads in the Sweet Escape Series | Episode 149 In this episode of the Bookaholic Podcast, I’m joined by Sasha Preston  author of The Sweetest Escape. We talk about her cozy, female, caper, what inspired this story, and why readers who love cozy mysteries  will absolutely want to add this book to their list. 📚 BUY THE BOOK 👉 Grab The Sweetest Escape  here: https://amzn.to/3OK6GVx 🎁 BOOKAHOLIC FREEBIE Want more book recommendations and author interviews? 📩 Join the Bookaholic Newsletter: https://www.book-a-holic.com/newsletter/ ✨ WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE Why she writes cozy mysteries with a heist twist Her focus on female leads to highlight women’s friendships and themes Women’s economic empowerment and financial freedom The standalone prequel to The Sweetest Escape 👩🏽‍💻 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sasha Preston  writes cozy mysteries  and is known capers and heists featuring diverse women. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Sasha Website: https://www.sashapreston.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sashaprestonwriter/ 💛 SUPPORT THE PODCAST ⭐ Leave a review on my website and socials. 📌 Subscribe on YouTube 📌Follow me on my TikTok, Facebook, Instagram @truebookaholic 📌 BOOKS MENTIONED The Sweetest Escape (Book 2) - https://amzn.to/3OK6GVx A Sweet Scheme (Book 1) - https://amzn.to/4n0wv0a 🔍 Keywords #cozymysteries #mysteries #capers #heists #femaleleads #oceans8 Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 00:00 Welcome to Bookaholic 00:21 Why Cozy Heists 01:24 Friendship and Empowerment 03:02 Quick Tech Glitch 04:02 Oceans Eight Inspiration 04:59 Series Order Explained 05:15 A Sweet Scheme Plot 07:31 Why Diverse Characters 08:54 Meet The Sweetest Getaway Cast 11:59 Wrap Up and Farewell

    13 min

  6. Mar 20

    When Doctors Say “Never”: What Every Parent Needs to Hear | Episode 148

    Check out my website and store! ---------------------------------------- At birth, doctors gave Suzy Fischer a devastating prognosis: she would never walk, never talk, never live independently, and never form meaningful relationships. Born with severe brain abnormalities and the rare condition Joubert Syndrome, Suzy’s life was expected to be defined by limitations. But her mother, Jane Fischer, refused to accept a future built on “nevers.” In this deeply moving episode, we explore Suzy’s extraordinary journey—one marked by unimaginable challenges, relentless perseverance, and a mother’s unwavering belief in what could be instead of what doctors said would never be. Today, Suzy is the oldest living person with Joubert Syndrome, and her story continues to challenge medical assumptions and inspire families around the world. Her journey is captured in the powerful memoir: If You Knew Suzy: Pushing Past the Boundaries of Never. This episode is a testament to love, resilience, advocacy, and the extraordinary strength found in both caregivers and children.

    40 min

  7. Jan 15

    Listen To This Podcast Before Your Next Relationship | Episode 147

    Today's episode is brought to you by L'Oreal Magic Root Cover-up!  Cover gray in just three seconds. CONNECT WITH BOOKAHOLIC // INSTAGRAM: @truebookaholic // FACEBOOK: @truebookaholic // PINTEREST: @truebookaholic // TIKTOK: @truebookaholic // LINKEDIN: Deirdre Pippins/deirdre-pippins-38338a214 // EMAIL: support@book-a-holic.com WARNING: This episode contains discussions of drug manufacturing, violence, and assault. Brenda Coffee shares her extraordinary memoir "Maya Blue: A Memoir of Survival"—a story described as a Netflix series come to life. From falling in love with the genius who invented the first personal computer to surviving a cocaine lab, threats from Big Tobacco, and a harrowing escape from the Guatemalan army, Brenda's journey is one of resilience and transformation. 0:00 - Introduction & Sponsor1:33 - Brenda's Childhood: Military Father & Role Reversal with Mother5:29 - Meeting Philip Ray: The Genius Behind the First Personal Computer8:58 - Living on the Edge: Racing Cars & Dangerous Adventures9:24 - Philip Decides to Make Cocaine from Scratch15:12 - The Cocaine Lab: Discovery & Addiction21:30 - Inventing the Vape: Coining "Vaping" in the Late 1970s24:31 - Threats from Big Tobacco & the Government28:00 - Philip's Death & Financial Devastation (1987)28:26 - Sponsor Break30:00 - Journey to Find Herself: Trip to Guatemala32:30 - Captured by Guatemalan Army35:18 - The Escape: Fighting Back & Survival38:16 - The Meaning of Maya Blue: Strength & Resilience41:31 - Transformation: Finding Brenda Coffee43:34 - Therapy & Reclaiming Personal Power45:25 - Closing & Book Information How I edit my podcast and videos - Descript How I record my podcast and videos - Streamyard Where I source music - Epidemic Sound DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you!

    46 min

  8. 12/20/2025

    EX-CIA Agent Unveils Thrilling Secrets | Episode 146

    In this episode of the Bookaholic Podcast, host Tracy Abramson discusses her latest book, Victim Number Eight. With over 45 bestselling novels to her name, Tracy shares insights into her writing process, how her background in the CIA influences her thrillers, and the intricate research behind her stories. She talks about her visits to Istanbul, the personal experiences that shape her characters, and her commitment to maintaining a clean, character-driven narrative. Tracy also reflects on the importance of emotional authenticity in thrillers and her unique experiences interacting with other well-known authors like Brad Thor. Tune in to hear more about Tracy's journey, her writing expertise, and what keeps her motivated to excel in her genre. 00:00 Welcome to the Bookaholic Podcast 00:39 Inspiration Behind Victim Number Eight 01:41 Real-Life Experiences in Fiction 04:42 Exploring Istanbul and Cultural Insights 06:40 Researching Serial Killers for Authenticity 08:42 Balancing Action and Emotional Depth 09:53 Meeting Brad Thor and Industry Insights 14:54 Writing Clean Thrillers for a Broad Audience 17:39 Advice for Aspiring Thriller Writers 19:14 Where to Find Victim Number Eight

    20 min
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4.7
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About

Introducing the Bookaholics Podcast, a safe place for reading junkies who obsess over books, authors, bookstores, book news, and book trivia. You’re invited to nerd-out with book reviews, author interviews, our habit, and other bookish things . Enjoy Interviews with those in the book business. Meet new authors. Explore curating your library with new genres and discover new authors. revisit the classics with a twist. Your host Deirdre Pippins, also known as Ms. Media Content, is a board member for her local library, content creator, copywriter, and business owner. She has traveled extensively throughout the world because of the influence of books she’s read. Remember to subscribe to the podcast, follow us Instagram @truebookaholic. You can also email us at readingjunkie@book-a-holic.com. Don’t forget to support your local library and independent bookstores. The Bookaholics Podcast ”For those who can’t get enough of that bookish stuff.”

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