Anne Bogel is an author, blogger, and podcast host. You may know her from her blog, Modern Mrs Darcy, where she writes about modern womanhood, often through the lens of great literature. Her podcast, What Should I Read Next?, packs a plethora of book recommendations spanning all genres. But above all, Anne's a reader. Her new book, I'd Rather Be Reading, was just released this month, and is the perfect gift for your favorite bibliophile. Books after all, are a way of life. We can't wait for Anne to visit the shop on Wednesday, September 26 at 7 PM to discuss her book (and books in general). In the meantime, check out Valerie's Q&A with Anne!

Tolstoy was right: There are innumerable ways in which families can be unhappy, and Kevin Wilson illustrates a chocolate box of examples in his second short story collection, Baby, You're Gonna Be Mine. Each of the ten tales is a perfectly-balanced cocktail, magically pairing bizarre circumstances and complex characters to produce narratives that will knock you flat with their eerie empathy and truth. Wilson's work is witty and melancholic, uncanny and relatable, but above all it is yearning—for connection, for understanding, for love. If you're anything like us, you'll be spellbound by this latest collection from a master of the form.

Two married members of our team are particular fans. When they were relocating across the country a couple of years ago, they took a detour—moving truck and all—to catch Wilson on tour for his second novel, Perfect Little World. Naturally, they were thrilled, and a little starstruck, to pen the questions for our Q&A with the author.

This month, we're lucky enough to welcome journalist and author Sarah Smarsh to the shop to discuss and sign her new memoir of growing up poor in rural America, Heartland. Heartland is Valerie's pick for book of the year; it was  also just longlisted for the National Book Award for Nonfiction. So get out the pen and circle the date on your calendar—Sarah visits us on September 20, and we can't wait to see you there. In the meantime, tide yourself over by reading the conversation between Sarah and Valerie below.