Weekly Highlights for Book Lovers

Cybersecurity, Retreats, and Shopping(?!)

May 18, 2026

Cybersecurity Alert

Hi everyone. Please be aware that like many other people, I am part of a phishing scam. Someone is creating new gmail addresses similar to my name and company name, even a fake assistant(!!), and inviting authors onto my podcast — for a fee. (Only Chelsea or Graca will email on my behalf for the podcast.) They’re going so far as to create visuals for upcoming episodes. (We also do this for real as part of doing business, of course!)

Please know: we do not ask guests to pay to be on the podcast. Check the email address carefully on any communication from my team or me. It should be from @zibbyowens.com or @zibbymedia.com, NOT a gmail address, and no other extensions. I’m so sorry that a few authors have fallen for this scam!

After meeting with two cybersecurity experts on Friday, I’ve learned there’s really nothing to be done about it, unfortunately. (Turns out the FBI will only get involved if you’re scammed out of $10 million or more and the NYPD $300K or more. WTF?) In fact, the experts predict more powerful “deep fake” impersonizations in the future, with face, voice, and mannerisms copied so well as to be indistinguishable to even close friends and loved ones. Dear lord. In the meantime, double check everyone’s email addresses. It’s a wild world out there. So let’s get together in person!

Next Retreat - Now on Sale!

Exciting news: Our Chicago-area Petite Retreat is now on sale! Join us on Saturday, July 25th from 10:30 am - 2 pm for a private event at Matchmaker Bookshop in Highland Park, IL with a (very) early signed copy of my upcoming essay collection, Between Books, a moderated conversation with me, personalized book recommendations, book signing, and shopping, followed by a 3-course luncheon at DeNucci’s restaurant and gift bag. It’ll be so fun!

Ticket info here.

Totally Booked This Week

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Don’t miss these conversations!

Jane Costello’s Forty Love: My July Book Club Pick

I’m obsessed with this novel. Perhaps because I also wrote a book called Forty Love but even though my agent sent it out as the start of the pandemic, it didn’t sell. Which is probably for the best. Jane Costello’s novel is so much better! It’s smart, funny, inspiring, a bit steamy at parts, and page-turning. It centers around a 40-something British woman, a widow, whose only child has just “flown the nest.” She decides to join the local tennis league where she promptly runs into an old flame. The book is about what happens to her, yes, but it’s really a battle cry on behalf of women, moms in particular, which gives us permission to find joy, find love, and find ourselves again. We also published it!

Rosie Walsh, The One Day You Were My Husband

Loss, love, expectations and mystery abound in Rosie Walsh’s latest novel about a woman whose husband vanishes on their wedding night. We spoke about how past traumas inform narratives, the importance of a good first chapter, and more!

Aging Reversal?! Kelly Yang on The Take (and Front Desk!!)

My son and I read Front Desk together two summers ago. When I found out blockbuster author Kelly Yang had written a novel for adults, I couldn’t wait to read it! It’s an immersive story about aging, ambition, loyalty, family, and friendship with a unique angle: what if there was a way to reverse aging but in so doing, you sped up someone else’s?! Hear how Kelly ended up graduating college at an absurdly young age, her own family’s origin story, and why writing matters.

Emma Brodie’s Into the Blue: A Reese’s Book Club Pick!

Emma Brodie said she cried every day writing this book which became a Reese’s Book Club pick. (Maybe that’s the secret?!) We connected at Totally Booked: Live about the film/TV world, young love, the what ifs of life, the process of writing, and more!

NBC’s Morgan Radford, Now Then

NBC News Daily co-anchor Morgan Radford is one of the most articulate guests I’ve had on my show with that type of infectious energy and soulful spirit that draws people to her. We discussed her fabulous debut novel about family, relationships, Cuba, and Harvard, at Totally Booked: Live. She’s so impressive!

Zibby’s Book Club

My summer book club is set! Check out my May, June, July, and August picks! Forty Love, my July pick, comes out tomorrow!! Order at Zibby’s Bookshop for 20% off and free shipping with code ZIBBY20 here. We’re also having a small launch party for the book at Love All Tennis! If you’d like to join, email publicity@zibbymedia.com.

Tuesday, June 9th at 7 pm ET: Sarah Damoff, The Burning Side. Register here.

Wednesday, July 22nd at 7 pm ET: Jane Costello, Forty Love. Register here.

Thursday, August 13th at 7 pm ET: Matthew Quick, Dad, Love, Me. Register here. Order at Zibby’s Bookshop here.

Upcoming Events

VIRTUAL. Wednesday, May 27th at 1 pm. National Library of Israel online panel, “The Strength of Jewish Women,” with Lihi Lapid, Annabelle Gurwitch, Lisa Barr, Judy Batalion, and me. Link here.

NEW YORK, NY. Monday, June 1st at 8 pm: 92nd Street Y event with actor Mark Feuerstein, Rabbi Steve Leder, Allison Gilbert and me to discuss On Being Jewish Now. Tickets here.

NEW YORK, NY. Wednesday, June 3rd at 3:45 pm. U.S. Book Show panelist, “The New Book Tour: How Podcasts are Revitalizing Your Entire List” with Lauren Cobello and others, plus a live podcast. Info here.

NEW HAVEN, CT. Thursday, June 4th at 5:30 pm. Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven Women’s Engagement and Philanthropy event speaker. Info here.

POTOMAC, MD. Friday, June 5th at 9:30 am. Teach Give Inspire Fridays speaker with Pam Sherman and Hilary Fordwich. Tickets here.