Rooted Lauren Rhoades

In April, Harrison Scott Key joined our book club to talk about his heartbreaking and hilarious memoir How to Stay Married. I think we were all struck by how open and honest Harrison was about his life and writing. He talked to us about his writing process, why religion and spirituality is such an important piece of the book, and what it’s been like to have a deeply personal and vulnerable memoir out in the world. I think you will enjoy this discussion even if you haven’t read the book.
You can now listen to these recordings on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to the show in your app to get notifications when new episodes are released. (Warning: there is some cussing in this episode.)
If you want to go the extra mile, leave How to Stay Married a five star review on Goodreads and Amazon (even if you didn’t buy the book on Amazon), share a picture of the book to your social media, or recommend it to a friend. These small actions can make a big difference to the authors whose books mean so much to us.
Thank you, Harrison! And thanks again to our partners: Mississippi Book Festival, Lemuria Books, and Friendly City Books. Thank you to the team at Red Squared for recording our production with intention and care at their studio in The Hangar.
Catch up on past book club discussions here:


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In March, I talked with Katy Simpson Smith and Rooted book club members about Katy’s layered and immersive novel, The Weeds. Katy spoke about her research process, how her experience in academia shaped the narrative arc of one of the protagonists, and the surprising ways in which her home state creeped into the novel. This was a fun discussion. Even if you haven’t read the book, I think you will enjoy listening in. There are no spoilers in this one!
If you want to go the extra mile, leave The Weeds a five star review on Goodreads and Amazon (even if you didn’t buy the book on Amazon), share a picture of the book to your social media, or recommend it to a friend. These small actions can make a big difference to the authors whose books mean so much to us.
Thank you, Katy! And thanks again to our partners: Mississippi Book Festival, Lemuria Books, and Friendly City Books. Thank you to the team at Red Squared for recording our production with intention and care at their studio in The Hangar.


Get full access to Rooted Magazine at rooted.substack.com/subscribe

In February, I talked with Tyriek White and Rooted book club members about Tyriek’s lyrical and award-winning novel We Are a Haunting (Astra House, 2023). Tyriek spoke about the meaning behind his beautiful book cover, his unique approach to crafting setting and character, and the ways in which living in Mississippi influenced the writing of this book. This was a deep and valuable discussion. Even if you haven’t read the book, I think you will enjoy listening in. Just know that we do discuss a couple light spoilers.
If you want to go the extra mile, leave We Are A Haunting a five star review on Goodreads and Amazon (even if you didn’t buy the book on Amazon), share a picture of the book to your social media, or recommend it to a friend. These small actions can make a big difference to the authors whose books mean so much to us.
Thank you, Tyriek! And thanks again to our partners: Mississippi Book Festival, Lemuria Books, and Friendly City Books. Thank you to the team at Red Squared for recording our production with tons of intention and care at their studio in The Hangar.


Get full access to Rooted Magazine at rooted.substack.com/subscribe

In January, I talked with Ellen Ann Fentress and the book club squad about her brilliant memoir The Steps We Take: A Memoir of Southern Reckoning (University Press of Mississippi, 2023). Ellen Ann always speaks with candor and clarity about even the most complex and uncomfortable of topics. I enjoyed diving into this rich discussion with her and the rest of our fabulously insightful participants. Talking about The Steps We Take was a great kick-off to the Rooted Book Club! I hope you enjoy this replay.
If you want to go the extra mile, leave The Steps We Take a five star review on Amazon (even if you didn’t buy the book on Amazon) and Goodreads, share a picture of the book to your social media, or recommend it to a friend! These small actions can make a big difference to the authors whose books mean so much to us.
Thank you, Ellen Ann! And thanks again to our partners: Mississippi Book Festival, Lemuria Books, and Friendly City Books. Thank you to the team at Red Squared Communication & Design for recording our production with tons of intention and care at their studio in The Hangar.
Get updates on all future Rooted Book Club meetings and replays.






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