Friends & Fiction
Four bestselling novelists interview their peers about new books, the writing process, and the publishing world in a weekly, collegial chat.
This is an author-on-author interview show where two of the four hosts chat with a fellow novelist about their new release. It functions as a warm, supportive book club for commercial fiction, blending plot summaries with craft talk and career insights. The hosts' peer relationship with their guests creates a uniquely candid and collegial conversation that's less an interrogation and more a celebration of the writing world.
“Unlike most author interview shows, Friends & Fiction is hosted by four currently successful, bestselling novelists. This peer-to-peer dynamic fosters an insider conversation, and their explicit, recurring mission to champion independent bookstores is a core part of their identity.”
Who hosts this show
Friends & Fiction is a weekly web show and podcast hosted by four bestselling authors: Mary Kay Andrews, Patti Callahan Henry, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Kristin Harmel. Born during the 2020 pandemic when book tours were canceled, the show features the hosts in conversation with fellow authors about their latest novels and the writing life. With a mission to support independent bookstores, the hosts offer an insider's peek into the publishing world for a large community of readers and writers.
Credentials & credits
- Mary Kay Andrews: New York Times bestselling author, former journalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, B.A. in Journalism from The University of Georgia.
- Patti Callahan Henry: New York Times bestselling author, recipient of The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year award, former Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist with a Master of Science in Nursing from Georgia State University.
- Kristy Woodson Harvey: New York Times bestselling author, B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill's school of journalism, M.A. in English from East Carolina University.
- Kristin Harmel: New York Times bestselling author, former writer for PEOPLE magazine, B.A. in Journalism from the University of Florida.
Other ventures
- Friends & Fiction Facebook Group
- Friends & Fiction Substack Newsletter
- Friends & Fiction LIVE (touring events)
- Friends & Fiction Book Club
- Friends & Fiction Subscription Box
- Friends & Fiction Bookshop.org affiliate store
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Lisa Jewell | Friends & Fiction #327Jun 24, 2026 · 43 min
- 02Lisa See | Friends & Fiction #326Jun 18, 2026 · 47 min
- 03Ann Patchett | Friends & Fiction #325Jun 10, 2026 · 47 min
- 04Annabel Monaghan | Friends & Fiction #324Jun 3, 2026 · 40 min
- 05Mary Kay Andrews | Friends & Fiction #323May 28, 2026 · 55 min
- 06Steven Rowley and Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke | Friends & Fiction #322May 21, 2026 · 59 min
- 07Kathryn Stockett | Friends & Fiction #321May 13, 2026 · 44 min
- 08Christina Baker Kline | Friends & Fiction #320May 6, 2026 · 48 min
Notable episodes
- 01Lisa See | Friends & Fiction #326
Lisa See discusses how her novel is based on the real-life 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles, an event that was deliberately erased from history, and how her own ancestors were affected by it.
- 02Ann Patchett | Friends & Fiction #325
Ann Patchett shares a key insight from Zadie Smith that autobiographical fiction is often about an author's fears, not just their direct experiences, reframing how to read her work.
- 03Lisa Jewell | Friends & Fiction #327
Lisa Jewell reveals how a fan's dog on Instagram ended up in her novel and tells the story of how a backlist title became a #1 bestseller years later due to a celebrity book club pick during quarantine.
What you'll be asked on this show
The hosts create a warm, collegial atmosphere, often framing questions with their own personal reactions to the guest's book. A signature opening move is to ask the author what their book is about, and then, more pointedly, what it's *really* about. This kicks off a guided conversation that flows from plot and character origins to deeper themes and the technical craft of writing. They frequently relate the guest's experiences back to their own as authors, creating a sense of shared understanding. The interview closes by giving the guest a chance to promote their tour dates and social media.
Typically, two of the four hosts conduct each interview in a relaxed, conversational format. The show often opens with a 'housekeeping' segment promoting the hosts' own ventures before a warm introduction of the guest. The video version on YouTube and Facebook shows the hosts and guests in a casual, multi-screen chat.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“Could you tell us what your new book is about, and then what is it *really* about?”
This is their signature opening question, used to get both the plot summary and the deeper thematic core right away.
- Q.02
“What was the origin story or inspiration for this novel?”
Asked early on to understand the creative spark that initiated the project.
process
2- Q.01
“How did you create the character of [character name]? Did they come to you fully formed?”
This question probes the specifics of the character development process.
- Q.02
“Do you come up with your own titles, or what is that process like?”
A process-oriented question about a specific, often mysterious, part of publishing.
craft
3- Q.01
“Can you talk us through your narrative choices and finding the right way to tell the story?”
This explores the technical writing and structural decisions behind the book.
- Q.02
“Can you discuss the importance of [recurring theme, e.g., female friendship] in your novels?”
This is used to explore a recurring thematic thread across the guest's body of work.
- Q.03
“How did you decide to use a specific trope, like 'fake dating'?”
This question addresses the intentional use of popular genre conventions.
personal
1- Q.01
“How has your other work, like owning a bookstore, impacted your writing life?”
Used to explore the intersection of the author's writing career with their other professional ventures.
mindset
1- Q.01
“How do you handle writing about difficult or dark elements? Does it ever scare you?”
This question delves into the author's emotional experience and mindset while writing challenging scenes.
money
1- Q.01
“Was there a particular book or moment that was a turning point for your career?”
This question seeks to identify key milestones in the author's professional journey.
advice
1- Q.01
“What is one piece of writing advice you would give to emerging writers?”
A closing question designed to provide a key takeaway for the writer-focused portion of their audience.
future
1- Q.01
“Where can readers find you online and on your book tour?”
This is the standard closing question, allowing the guest to promote their own channels and events.
Signature segments
- · Asking what a book is about, and then what it's *really* about
- · Weekly highlight of an independent bookstore
- · "Four Bestselling Authors. Endless Stories." tagline
- · Opening 'housekeeping' segment for host promotions
- · Two of the four hosts conduct each interview
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are almost exclusively established, bestselling authors with a new book to promote, often in genres similar to the hosts' own work (commercial, historical, women's fiction, and thrillers). Past guests include Lisa Jewell, Ann Patchett, Lisa See, and Kathryn Stockett.
- Lisa Jewellon Lisa Jewell | Friends & Fiction #327
- Lisa Seeon Lisa See | Friends & Fiction #326
- Ann Patchetton Ann Patchett | Friends & Fiction #325
- Annabel Monaghanon Annabel Monaghan | Friends & Fiction #324
- Kathryn Stocketton Kathryn Stockett | Friends & Fiction #321
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is primarily self-sponsored, promoting its own brand extensions. These include a Substack newsletter, a seasonal subscription box from Oxford Exchange, and an affiliate store on Bookshop.org, all of which are regularly mentioned during 'housekeeping' segments.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Friends & Fiction?
- The show is hosted by four bestselling authors: Mary Kay Andrews (pen name for Kathy Hogan Trocheck), Patti Callahan Henry, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Kristin Harmel.
- Is Mary Kay Andrews a real name?
- No, Mary Kay Andrews is the pen name of author Kathy Hogan Trocheck. She began using the pen name in 2002.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a weekly web show and podcast. Typically, two of the four hosts interview a guest author about their new book, the writing process, and their career.
- When does the show air?
- The show airs live on Facebook and YouTube every Wednesday at 7pm ET. The audio podcast version is released on all major platforms the following Friday.
- How can an author be a guest on the show?
- The show primarily features bestselling and highly anticipated authors, likely booked through publicists. There is no public submission or pitching process mentioned on their website.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the show has been running weekly since 2020 and continues to produce new episodes.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websitefriendsandfiction.com
- [02]The Show - Friends & Fictionfriendsandfiction.com
- [03]Mary Kay Andrews (Kathy Hogan Trocheck) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Patti Callahan Henry - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Kristin Harmel - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [06]Kristy Woodson Harvey - Official Websitekristywoodsonharvey.com
- [07]Inside the Friends & Fiction Podcast - Deep South Magazinedeepsouthmag.com
- [08]Friends & Fiction - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
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