Shows
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 47: Librarians Who WriteIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, librarians Laura Sims and Kerri Sullivan discuss their alternate jobs as writers and editors and how the two careers mesh together.Laura Sims is the author, most recently, of How Can I Help You, a New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Book Riot, and CrimeReads Best Book of the Year. She works part-time as a children's librarian in Millburn, New Jersey.Kerri Sullivan is the founder of Jersey Collective, one of New Jersey's most popular Instagram accounts. The project has over 34,000 followers and has...2025-05-2043 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 46: Featured Event: Anne and Claire BerestIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Anne Berest and Claire Berest discuss their novel, Gabriële, with moderator Violaine Huisman during a partnership event with the Montclair Literary Festival, the Montclair Public Library, and the Montclair Campus of L'Alliance-New York. Anne Berest’s first novel to appear in English, The Postcard (Europa, 2023), was a national bestseller, a Library Journal, NPR, and TIME Best Book of the Year, a Vogue Most Anticipated Book of the Year, winner of the Choix Goncourt Prize, and runner-up for the 2024 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. It was described as “...2025-05-1348 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 45: Independent Bookstore DayIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we feature a compilation of book recommendations from our customers, recorded in store on Independent Bookstore Day. Enjoy this varied and wonderful list of books!Libro. Fm Audiobook of Walking PracticeBooks:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here. Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers Podcast is produced by Kathryn Counsell and Marni Jessup and is recorded at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. The show is edited...2025-05-0651 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 44: WBP Live Book Club - Loved and MissedTo celebrate the first anniversary of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we share a live recording of a book club discussion of Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt, led by authors Alice Elliott Dark and Dagmara Domińczyk. Alice Elliott Dark is the author of the novels Fellowship Point and Think of England, and two collections of short stories, In The Gloaming and Naked to the Waist. She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and is a professor at Rutgers-Newark in the English department and the MFA program.Da...2025-04-291h 00
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 43: Joy as Resistance in Kids' LitIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, children's book author Alliah Agostini talks with children's book illustrator Olivia de Castro about taking humor seriously, and celebrating the joy of underrepresented voices in kids' books.Buffalo, NY native Alliah L. Agostini has marketed everything from iconic brands to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children's literature. She is the author of over a dozen released and upcoming picture books, early readers, and even a cookbook. Alliah and her work have been featured on Oprah Daily, TODAY with Hoda + Jenna, Essence...2025-04-2240 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 42: Featured Event: Benjamin WallaceIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we feature a recent book launch discussion with Benjamin Wallace, author of The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto: A Fifteen-Year Quest to Unmask the Secret Genius Behind Crypto, and author Jason Tanz.Benjamin Wallace is The New York Times bestselling author of The Billionaire’s Vinegar and The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto. He has been a features writer at New York magazine and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.Jason Tanz is currently a writer at Salesforce and formerly the editor-in-chief at Lyft. Before that he wo...2025-04-1544 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 41: Meet the RegularsIn this week's episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, booksellers Asia and Caroline chat with longtime favorite customer, Edward. Asia Jannah was born and raised in Montclair, and has worked at Watchung Booksellers for a total of 9 years. She is currently the gift buyer for the flagship location. Her favorite genres include dark fiction, short stories, essays and memoirs. When she’s not at the bookstore arranging displays or inquiring about customer’s current reads, she enjoys knitting, crafting, and of course, reading.Caroline Shurtleff is the school event coord...2025-04-0836 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 40: Children's Book IllustrationIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, children's book author/illustrators Kristine Lombardi and Cat Min talk about their process and love of kids' literature.Kristine A. Lombardi has written and illustrated several books for children, including Lovey Bunny, Mr. Biddles, My Wish for the World and The Grumpy Pets, which garnered an International Literacy Association Children’s Choice Selection. She loves quirky characters and tender stories written with lots of heart. Her next book "Crouton" is coming from Random House in 2026! She lives and works in Montclair, New Jersey. Cat Min...2025-04-0144 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 39: Journalism for JusticeIn this week's episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, journalists Candy J. Cooper and Dale Russakoff share their excitement in the triumphs of journalistic writing.Candy J. Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting. She is the author, most recently, of Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and A Town that Looked Away, which was recently named a 2025 honoree by the American Library Association’s YALSA award for young adult nonfiction. She also wrote Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint Michigan Fought for Th...2025-03-2551 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 38: Historical FictionIn this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, authors Laurie Lico Albanese and Anastasia Rubis discuss reading and writing historical fiction.Laurie Lico Albanese is a historical novelist, most recently of the acclaimed novel Hester, which gives voice to Hester Prynne in a retelling of The Scarlet Letter. Hester was a Book of the Month club selection and an Audible and Goodreads Best Books of 2022. Laurie’s previous historical novels include Stolen Beauty, about the famed Gustav Klimt portrait known as The Lady in Gold. She lives in Montclair with her husband, where they raised the...2025-03-1846 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 37: Science WritersIn this week's episode, scientists Charles Liu and George Musser find joy in daily observations through science and writing. Charles Liu is a professor of astrophysics at the City University of New York’s College of Staten Island and an associate with the Hayden Planetarium and Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on colliding galaxies, starburst galaxies, quasars, and the star formation history of the universe. In addition to his research publications, he writes books and online content for students and general audiences, The Cosmos Explained and The Han...2025-03-1149 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 36: Books About the Bottom LineIn this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, journalists Farnoosh Torabi and Grace L. Williams talk about financial writing and books that focus on women and money.Grace L. Williams is a scholar of feminism and economics who moonlights as a financial reporter and podcast co-host. She is the author of the newly released Give Her Credit, a book that spotlights women's banks in the 1970s. She is an alum of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where ironically she wrote a thesis on “Freeganism,” which is the magical art of surviving while buying noth...2025-03-0445 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 35: TroubleshootingIn this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, novelists Marcy Dermansky and Hayley Krischer tackle challenges of a writer's life and troubleshoot helpful writing solutions.Marcy Dermansky is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Very Nice, The Red Car, Bad Marie, Twins, and Hurricane Girl. She has received fellowships from the McDowell Colony and the Edward F. Albee Foundation. In March, she'll release her latest novel, Hot Air, which has been named a March IndieNext pick. She lives with her daughter in Montclair, New Jersey. Haley Krischer is th...2025-02-2445 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 34: For the Love of PoetryIn this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, poets Alicia Cook and Deborah Garrison share how poetry fosters connection and their own work. Plus, at the end of the episode, listen to some of the poetry readings from our special Valentine's Day Pop-Up Poetry Booth in The Kids' Room. Deborah Garrison began her career at the The New Yorker, where she worked for fifteen years and where her poetry first began appearing in the late 80s. She is the author of the bestselling poetry collection A Working Girl Can’t Win, published in 1998, and joined boo...2025-02-181h 00
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 33: Teaching LiteratureIn this episode of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Montclair State Professor Lee Behlman and high school English teacher Nick Hernandez talk about their love of literature and teaching it to their students. Lee Behlman is a professor of English at Montclair State University, where he's taught since 2006. He's a scholar of Victorian literature and his most recent publication is a 2023 book from Palgrave-Macmillan called Victorian Verse: The Poetics of Everyday Life, which he co-edited with Olivia Loksing Moy from Lehman College-CUNY. He teaches classes on nineteenth-century poetry and fiction, the Bible as Literature, The Golden A...2025-02-111h 00
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 32: Shop Talk with the BossesWelcome to Season 2 of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast! In this episode bookstore owner Maddie Ciliotta-Young talks with her mom and former owner Margot Sage-EL about the past, present, and future of Watchung Booksellers.Maddie Ciliotta-Young is the owner and operator of Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ. Maddie grew up in Montclair and at the bookstore with her mom, Margot. After college she was a teacher and principal for over a decade at a New York City public high school. As a school administrator, Maddie had a focus on equity for underserved schools and a passion...2025-02-0449 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastSeason 1 Bonus Episode -- "Pardon Power" with Kimberly Wehle and Jessica HenryIn this bonus episode, we feature an in-store event held the day after the 2024 Presidential election with professors Kim Wehle and Jessica Henry, who discussed Kim’s book Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works–and Why. Kim Wehle is a constitutional scholar and tenured professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law. She was formerly an assistant United States Attorney and an associate counsel in the Whitewater investigation. Professor Wehle is also a legal expert for ABC News, a contributor for BBC World News, and a regular guest on NPR's Morning Edit...2025-01-2158 minThe Watchung Booksellers PodcastSeason 1 Bonus Episode -- Lily Braun-Arnold and Laura Marx FitzgeraldAs we gear up for Season 2 of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, we are re-airing an episode from the first season to celebrate the release of The Last Bookstore on Earth from debut author Lily Braun-Arnold, a Smith College student and employee of Watchung Booksellers.Enjoy this repeat episode of Season 1 - Ep 10: From Reader to Writer with Lily Braun-Arnold and Laura Marx Fitzgerald. Books:A full list of the books and authors mentioned in this episode is available here. Register for Upcoming Events.The Watchung Booksellers P...2025-01-0749 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 31: Shop Talk: The Kids' RoomIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, the dedicated Kids' Room staff talks about their love of children's books and everything the store offers to the Montclair community.Aubrey Cece is the Kids’ Room manager, children’s book and gift buyer, and children’s author event planner. She’s a born creative with the love of everything books and art. Her favorite color is lime green and her creative touch shows all throughout the store. You’ll almost never see her without a pair of Converse on her feet and when you talk to her she’ll wel...2024-11-2647 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 30: The Book DoctorsIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, authors and entrepreneurs Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry discuss becoming The Book Doctors--their business of teaching writers how to get published.Arielle Eckstut is co-founder of The Book Doctors. She is the author of nine books including The Secret Language of Color: The Science, Nature, History, Culture and Beauty of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Violet. She is also an agent-at-large at the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency, where for over 20 years, she has been helping hundreds of talented writers become published authors...2024-11-1947 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 29: Social CallsIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers, social media mavens Sara Alli and our very own Evelyn Moulton chat about social media in bookselling.Sarah Alli is an Associate Marketing Manager for Hachette Book Group, one of the Big Five book publishing houses in the country. She runs all of Hachette US’s central social media accounts. Outside of her 9-5, Sarah is also a social media influencer and creator of Slow Morning Diaries, a cozy corner of the internet where she chats about intentional and mindful living. In her free time, when she’s not...2024-11-1239 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 28: Featured Event with Jonathan AlterIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, journalist and historian Jonathan Alter discusses his latest book, American Reckoning: Inside Trump's Trial--and My Own, recorded in-store at Watchung Booksellers.Jonathan Alter is the author of three New York Times bestsellers: The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies, The Promise: President Obama, Year One, and The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope, also one of the Times’ “Notable Books” of the year. Alter released His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life in 2020.Since 1996, Alter has been a contributing correspondent and poli...2024-11-0540 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 27: Sports WritingIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, veteran journalists Harvey Araton and Mark McClusky discuss sports writing and sports media. Harvey Araton is a longtime New York sports journalist whose career spanned four newspapers-the Staten Island Advance, New York Post, Daily News and New York Times, where he was a Sports of the Times columnist and also wrote for other sections. He was nominated by the Times for a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 and was inducted into the media wing of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Araton is the author or co-author...2024-10-2948 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 26: The Changing Publishing LandscapeIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Media Relations Director Deborah Broide talks with Voracious and Spark VP/Publisher Michael Szczerban about the changing landscape of publishing.Deborah Broide is the media relations director for the food media company Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, and she also works on select publicity projects for the Mayo Clinic and The Jerome Robbins Foundation and Trust. Before joining forces with Kimball 31 years ago, at what became Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen, she began her career in publicity at Crown Publishing, where...2024-10-2246 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 25: GhostwritingIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, author David Moldawer discusses ghostwriting with Elisabeth Egan of the New York Times Book Review.David Moldawer is a bestselling book collaborator specializing in business, personal development, and other practical nonfiction. Before his freelance career, he was an editor at book publishers including St. Martin's Press, McGraw-Hill, and Portfolio. Elisabeth Egan is a writer at the New York Times Book Review and the author of A Window Opens.Books:A full list of the books a...2024-10-1544 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 24: Reviewing BooksIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, book critics Kate Tuttle and Mark Rotella discuss the process and importance of reviewing books. Kate Tuttle is a book critic, essayist, and editor. A past president of the National Book Critics Circle and judge for the National Book Award, she edits the books pages of the Boston Globe. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere. A Kansas native, she now lives in New Jersey after stints in Boston and Atlanta.Mark Rotella is...2024-10-0845 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 23: Telling It Like It IsIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, audiobook narrators Stephanie Willing, Sura Siu, and Khristine Hvam discuss the craft of storytelling for audiobooks.Stephanie Willing is a local author whose contemporary fantasy middle-grade debut West of the Sea was a Junior Guild Library selection. She’s an award-winning audiobook narrator and voice actor who has narrated for many other kidlit authors such as A. S. King, Sara Pennypacker, and R.L. Stine, as well as across genres for authors such as Jeffrey Deaver, Hank Philippi Ryan, Kim Hooper, and F. Paul Wilson. She has he...2024-10-0144 min
The Watchung Booksellers PodcastEpisode 22: Bookstores Are MagicIn this episode of the Watchung Booksellers Podcast, Margot Sage-EL sits down with author Emma Straub, owner of Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, to talk about writing and running a bookstore.Emma Straub is the New York Times bestselling author of six books for adults: the novels This Time Tomorrow, All Adults Here, The Vacationers, Modern Lovers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, and the short story collection Other People We Married. She is also the author of two picture books, Gaga Mistake Day, which she co-wrote with her mother, and Very Good Hats. She is...2024-09-2448 min