Zibby Owens

Hello, dear listeners and book lovers.

Today on You Are What You Read, we are joined by the ultimate book lover, writer, publisher, podcast host, and book advocate, my friend Zibby Owens.

Zibby is a force in the world of books.

She is founder and CEO of Zibby Media, which brings all of this together in her empire.

And then I went to business school thinking I wanted to start my own company one day, thinking I had to get an MBA to advance in my marketing role at Unilever and everything.

And then two weeks into business school was 9-11, which I know we've talked about, but like so many people in the world, it shifted my perspective and my my ambition and my sense of life and everything.

And so I decided, you know what, if I'm going to get killed at my desk, like I believe my best friend had been killed at her desk on 9-11, then I have to bring my whole self to whatever I'm doing.

So forget that summer I was interning at another ad agency on like the Pepperidge Farm Cookies account and I was like as much fun as this is and it was like I this isn't worth dying at my desk for like I this is not me this is me just like not so I decided like okay now or never I'm gonna write the novel I always wanted to write like I'm gonna just take a stab at being an author and see if I can pull it off and So I took a year after business school and I told everyone I knew that I was going to be a writer.

[gentle music] Welcome to Totally Booked.

I'm Zibby Owens.

I've interviewed more than 2,000 authors on this show and learned endless amounts about storytelling, reinvention, and life itself, because when you talk about books, you're really talking about life.

So get ready to hear from today's best authors, the bestselling and the not yet discovered.

And let me introduce Zibby.

Zibby Owens is the best-selling author and editor of seven books, including her new book, Between Chapters, How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot.

Blank, a novel, Bookends, a memoir of love, loss, and literature, and On Being Jewish Now, reflections from authors and advocates, which has spent 29 weeks on the USA Today bestseller list.

Zibi has interviewed more than 2,000 authors on her award-winning podcast, Totally Booked with Zibi, and weekly TV show, Totally Booked on JBS.

We have a really just a phenomenal woman, really fascinating and smart and interesting.

We've got Zibby Owens today.

A lot of you already know who that is.

Zibby is one of the book world's most tireless and warm-hearted connectors, and that's exactly what I told her today.

I relate to that.

I identify with that.

I'd like to hear more about that." Um, she is a delight, and we are so happy to have Zibby Owens with us today.

[upbeat music] All right.

[upbeat music] Welcome to Totally Booked.

I'm Zibby Owens.

I've interviewed more than 2,000 authors on this show and learned endless amounts about storytelling, reinvention, and life itself, because when you talk about books, you're really talking about life.

So get ready to hear from today's best authors, the bestselling and the not yet discovered.

Welcome to Totally Booked.

I'm Zibby Owens.

I've interviewed more than 2,000 authors on this show and learned endless amounts about storytelling, reinvention, and life itself.

Because when you talk about books, you're really talking about life.

I'm your host, Bradley Tusk.

My guest today is Zibby Owens.

You are a repeat guest and a friend and fan of the podcast and of our general world.

So, Zibby, thanks for coming back.

Welcome to Totally Booked.

I'm Zibby Owens.

I've interviewed more than 2,000 authors on this show and learned endless amounts about storytelling, reinvention, and life itself.

Because when you talk about books, you're really talking about life.