Books on the Radio

I've been an avid radio and podcast listener for years. My favorites include This American Life, Fresh Air, Radiolab, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me (the NPR News Quiz), Here's the Thing, and a host of shows from BBC Radio 4, like Desert Island Discs, the News Quiz with Sandi Toksvig, and the Today Program... I listen to a LOT of radio. But I'd never been on the radio myself until a couple of weeks ago when my publicist for THAT'S NOT ENGLISH, Casey Maloney, and her colleague, Heather Mill, set me up in a sound booth at Penguin's New York office to give about 20 back-to-back interviews in one morning. I walked into the booth knowing I'd be there for five hours. Some of the shows would be live, others recorded. Some short, some long. I will admit I was nervous: who wouldn't be? But nothing prepared me for what I'd learn, to my surprise: I love doing radio! The hosts were so much fun to talk to. They had nearly all read the book (at a time when not even my mother had had a chance to finish it). Their questions were as smart and interesting as could be. I was so grateful and flattered to be on the air with each and every one of them. I'll link to two of my favorites here. Norman B is the host of a program called Life Elsewhere, a warm and engaging Brit who has lived in America for many years. We talked for 15 minutes but could have chatted for hours. Then, a couple of days later I was thrilled to find myself in the NPR studio in New York, recording an hour with Krys Boyd of KERA Dallas for her THINK program. Thanks to Norman, Krys, and all the others who've hosted me on their shows in the past couple of weeks! I've really enjoyed every minute of our conversations.