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Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader, hosted by Molly Galler, Stephanie Blackburn, and Kaitlin Mattison. We're three friends who love to read, swap books, and count down until the film and TV adaptations of our favorites are released. Follow us on Instagram, @plansarebooked, or reach out to us directly at plansarebooked@gmail.com.
Molly Galler (00:01)
Welcome to Plans Are Booked, a podcast for every reader. I'm Molly Geller.
Kaitlin (00:01)
Well, the point is, I'm not going to talk about this, but I'll be here. I'm going to talk about this. And I'm Caitlin Madison. Welcome to chapter 29. 29 is Molly's lucky number. Well, in my mind, it's her lucky number because she has a 29 birthday.
Stephanie (00:07)
I'm Stephanie Blackburn.
Molly Galler (00:19)
Before you said that I was just about to say 29 is my favorite number. Those who know me in real life know I'm obsessed with my birthday which is September 29th.
Kaitlin (00:23)
Thank you.
So we are going to be catching up with each other and we're going to be talking about bright young women in this episode. And we are very excited because Jessica Knoll, the author, we, well, I'll speak for myself. I have a love hate relationship with her in that I hated her first book and I liked this book. So that's kind of fun and we can talk about that.
Molly Galler (00:42)
Just a moment.
Stephanie (00:49)
in the African -American community and the African -American community. So that's it.
Kaitlin (00:56)
we've had a lot going on, but I'm going to let Steph start because she had like a whirlwind day. I've never, I've never flown round trips someplace in one day.
Molly Galler (01:06)
Hell yeah.
Stephanie (01:09)
Well, first I should start that I officially finished the second draft of my book on Friday. So I will attempt to start writing query letters, which is going to be so fun. Yes. Sorry.
Kaitlin (01:13)
Woohoo!
So I've been attached to certain writers and I've just been so happy. Yes, she said. They just did. I feel like it was a great life. I was really glad when I just got started. Well, yeah, because you have to compare yourself to other authors and pitch yourself and like come off as super confident and all that jazz. Yeah. Well, Molly and I are going to.
Molly Galler (01:24)
She said with incredible optimism.
Stephanie (01:26)
They just... I feel like the easy part is writing the book. The query letter is where I just get stumped. It terrifies me.
Yeah, I can't. Which I'm not.
Kaitlin (01:45)
we are happy to edit and pump you up.
Stephanie (01:47)
Thank you. Yes, so yesterday I left my house at 530 in the morning. I drove to the airport, got on a plane for two hours, landed in Chicago, and went to my not so little anymore, she's 29, year old cousin's.
Molly Galler (01:49)
Yes, so yesterday...
Kaitlin (01:52)
How appropriate 29 get out what a coincidence So she's getting married on her birthday then
Stephanie (02:07)
She's turning 30 on September 29th. You do? I don't know. No, she's getting married on the 28th, but at midnight she will turn 30.
Molly Galler (02:10)
What? We have the same birthday? Have you told me that in the past?
Kaitlin (02:22)
but at midnight she will turn. fun. This cousin planned her wedding to strike the light into her birthday. I don't think it was purposeful. It was like that was the weekend that this location was available and it's just coincidental that it landed. Okay, otherwise I'm gonna go to the console now. This looks like a new brand. I've never heard of my whole lifetime block. Yeah, I mean she's gonna get mega gifts. It's gonna be like anniversary and birthday. I hope they go on trips.
Molly Galler (02:25)
Wait a minute, this cousin planned her wedding to strike midnight into her birthday?
Stephanie (02:31)
I don't think it was purposeful. It was like that was the weekend that this location was available and it's just coincidental that it landed that way.
Molly Galler (02:38)
Okay, but if it had been purposeful, that is the most Libra energy thing I've ever heard in my whole life and I applaud it.
Stephanie (02:45)
And then they leave, they leave two days later for their honeymoon, which is a Dubai slash African safari. So, yeah. So I landed around, I don't know, like nine o 'clock in the morning, quickly grabbed breakfast, took an Uber into the city, met up with my littlest cousin. And then we went to Cindy's rooftop where.
Kaitlin (02:51)
They leave two days later for their honeymoon, which is a Dubai slash African safari. So, yeah. So I've named dinner around, I mean, at like an o 'clock in the morning, we had breakfast, had a new run to the city, went out with my littlest cousin, and then we went to Cindy's rooftop, where they had breakfast at my bedroom, which Molly has been, but this was like...
Molly Galler (02:58)
casual.
Thank you.
Stephanie (03:13)
They had rented out the library room, which Molling has been, but this is like, I kept saying I wanted to transport this into a home because one wall was just like two story brick fireplace, built -ins, and then the entire ceiling is just glass. So even if it had been like a rainy day, it would have been so lovely in there. We got a portion of the roof deck blocked off. We had...
Molly Galler (03:18)
We kept saying it was...
Kaitlin (03:18)
I kept saying I wanted to transport this into a home because one ball was just like two story brick fireplace built in and then the entire ceiling was just glass. So even if it had been like already dead, it would have been so muddy in there. We got a portion of the roof deck blocked off. We had a lot of cocktails. I ate minimal food. I feel like crap today. And then...
Molly Galler (03:24)
story brick fireplace built in and then the entire scene is just glass.
So we got it.
They had cocktails, I ate minimal food, I feel like crap today. And then... Because there's more of the options? I had eggs and a little bit of fruit. Yeah. Yeah, there weren't gluten free options, but they were for the people who actually act, not the intolerant person. So...
Stephanie (03:41)
unlimited cocktails, I ate minimal food, I feel like crap today. And then...
Kaitlin (03:48)
Because there just weren't a lot of veg options or GF options. Yeah.
Stephanie (03:51)
I had eggs and a little bit of fruit. Yeah, there were gluten -free options, but they were for the people who had celiacs, not the intolerant person. So, didn't eat a lot of food, drank a lot of booze. I was tasked with being the photographer for the event. I took an exorbitant amount of photos. It was beautiful. We had a view of the lake and the bean, which is under construction, and...
Molly Galler (04:04)
I did eat a lot of food, drank a lot of booze. I was tasked with a travel tour for the event. I kept up an absorbent amount of photos. It was beautiful. We had a view of the lake and the beach, the construction, and I was really interested in stuff. I did the air and then I touched my cocktails with my aunt before she drove me back to the airport. And I got into my work and I loved it. So it was fun.
Kaitlin (04:17)
That's a full day, but that's also an awesome day. And also it's inspiring to me to like, if there was ever like a concert or a play or something that I was like dying to go to, I now know that it's doable that I could turn it around in a day.
Stephanie (04:19)
Everyone was just so happy to be there. And then I got to have cocktails with my aunt before she drove me back to the airport. And I got into my apartment at 11 p So it was...
Molly Galler (04:31)
That's a full ticket, that's just been lost today. And also, it's inspired me to make a concert or a play. I now know that it's doable. I don't know what that would do with the national, but if I needed to. Here's the weird thing about flights. I just don't understand how pricing works because I've done a different form of support for Chicago for a graduation. It is so cheap to fly.
Stephanie (04:45)
Here's -
Kaitlin (04:45)
I don't know that I ever would do it to myself, but if I needed to.
Stephanie (04:49)
Here's the weird thing about flights. I just don't understand how pricing works because it was, I've done under 24 hours before to Chicago for a graduation. It is so cheap to fly there and back in one day and I don't understand why.
Molly Galler (05:01)
Probably because it's undesirable. Like, there aren't a lot of people that want that itinerary.
Stephanie (05:12)
I don't know. But I'm glad I went. It ended up being a gorgeous sunny day there. And luckily Bing Lee let me sleep until nine this morning. So, yeah.
Kaitlin (05:15)
It ended up being a gorgeous sunny day there. And we'll be making a lot of students want to come to the school next morning. So... What a gent. Well, before we get into our big event that Molly and I went to, I did resign from my teaching job. That's like my big bit of news. It makes you sad. I'm glad that it makes you sad.
Molly Galler (05:15)
It ended up being a gorgeous sunny day there. And luckily, they didn't let the students run away. So, yeah.
Well, before we get into our next panel, can I ask you a question? This is a question that my teacher dropped, and I have to say, it's a bit of news. It makes me feel sad. I'm not sure.
Stephanie (05:36)
It makes me so sad.
Kaitlin (05:42)
I am really looking forward to having one commute and for people that don't know, like I go to the school that I teach at and I teach sixth grade English and I'm there at, you know, by eight o 'clock in the morning. And then by 10 o 'clock in the morning, I'm at my brother's dental practice and I'm managing that. And so it's just like a lot of driving. And then I also have a side gig where I tutor. So I would say three to four nights a week or three to four days a week.
Molly Galler (05:59)
minutes.
So I have been working for a few more days since I got my first eye.
Stephanie (06:06)
So I...
Kaitlin (06:11)
Since September, I've been gone from like 730 in the morning to 730 at night, between tutoring, podcasting, two jobs. it's just been a lot. It's been a lot and I'm, I'm house hunting. So I feel like taking one of these things off my plate is like, going to be kind of a game changer. and it doesn't like change my finances or anything. And I'm not saying like, I'm never going to go back to teaching, but I also.
Molly Galler (06:16)
It's really, I would say, two jobs. This is so hard. It's been a long time.
Stephanie (06:18)
and two jobs. It's just been a long time. It's been a long time. I was so busy. So I didn't like taking time off to get laid. I didn't like taking time off to get ready. And it's not just Instagram. I'm not saying I'm free or anything, but I also didn't like me. I couldn't find a way to do it. So I was like, I can't just be doing it.
Molly Galler (06:26)
So I thought taking one of these and adding it to the other one, and then that's it.
Kaitlin (06:41)
me, I couldn't, I couldn't find anything that was full time. So I was like, for my sanity, I need to just be doing one thing. Well, plus tutoring and podcasting, but, but one actual full time job instead of two part time jobs where one of the part time jobs is still full time, but, but I'm like finagling it in a way where I'm shaving hours here and there. So that was like my big thing that happened in the last like two weeks that I didn't dive into when we were.
Molly Galler (06:41)
I couldn't find a way to find it, so I was waiting in my studio to do just one thing. Well, I was too busy with my work, but both actually happened to be off of a tube that had been stuck in one of the other tubes. It was still on fire. But I was able to figure out how to get it out. So that was my end and happy end. The last two weeks that I did that.
Stephanie (06:48)
thing. Well, plus, but what actual. Still full time. So that was like.
buzzed on.
Kaitlin (07:11)
buzzed on wine talking about Nicholas Galatian. So that's like my big piece of
Stephanie (07:14)
So that's like my...
Molly Galler (07:18)
I don't have anything travel or work related to share, but I will say, Caitlin and I went to this epic event last night at the bougie bookstore in Norwood. If you've listened before, you've heard us talk about it a bunch. Caitlin and I had both been there actually separately. And we've shared a lot of content from them on our Instagram. This was their first ever, what they were calling the Bookstagram bash. So people who are book lovers and who like to share their thoughts on Instagram and TikTok were...
Stephanie (07:21)
I'm going to share a couple of things that I learned from this event. Last night, I flew to the post office in Norwood. If you've been watching this, you've probably heard us talk about food. I actually saw food. And we actually bought some. This was our first ever food -computer poster and we had so many food for our mothers. I'd like to share their thoughts on this.
Kaitlin (07:22)
Okay, one, two.
share their thoughts on Instagram and how to take out their all over this place. Everyone would come do take us to roll and they sold every single one. And I just want to shout out some particular things that they did. I plan all of the events in my workplace so I notice these things. First of all, when we got there, the social media manager Cassie recognized us immediately.
Molly Galler (07:47)
all up in this place. There were a hundred tickets total and they sold every single one. And I just want to shout out some like particular things that they did. I plan a lot of events in my work life. So I noticed these things. First of all, when we got there, the social media manager, Cassie recognized us immediately. And she was like, my God, Molly and Caitlin from the podcast, which is just like,
Kaitlin (08:09)
From our faces like we hadn't even checked in yet. We did I didn't even give him a name and she goes from the podcast the podcasters are here. I was like, excuse me
Molly Galler (08:19)
It was so great. That's the type of person you want like front of house who knows who's on the list and who's showing up. They made name tags that were magnetic. The reason I'm mentioning that is I can't stand when name tags are on like a pin and it punctures your outfit. So I love that they thought of that.
Kaitlin (08:36)
a sticker and my hair gets caught in it. Also, the inflow stickers you could add to your name tag with pronouns. I had never seen that before. I thought it was awesome. Caitlin mentioned she's seen it in other events, so I was like, wow, this is so... Schools are pretty big on it now. ...considering. So once we passed the entrance point, we got a swag bag that was full of... I know that includes a scavenger hunting. They have these hot pink ducks.
Molly Galler (08:39)
Also that they did have little stickers you could add to your name tag with pronouns. I had never seen that before. I thought that was awesome. Caitlin mentioned she's seen it at other events, but I was like, wow, this is so considerate and amazing. So once we passed the entrance point, we got a swag bag that was full of a million different things, including a scavenger hunt. They had these hot pink ducks all over the space and the ducks had book titles on their.
Stephanie (09:02)
a scavenger hunt. They had these hot dogs. All the same. The dogs had more titles than their fathers.
Kaitlin (09:06)
space and the next type of book titles on their bottoms and if you could find all of them you could get extra raffle tickets.
Molly Galler (09:08)
bottoms and if you could find all of them you could get extra raffle tickets.
Molly Galler (09:13)
There was also a bingo board. And instead of letters or numbers on each square, there was a fact that you had to learn about somebody like, I use Goodreads, or like, I love Romanticie, or I just started my book talk. And the person would sign their name on whatever square was applicable to them. So it was a really fun way to chat with people. And it's how I wound up following a bunch of people on social media. And if you're not following me, you're not following me.
Kaitlin (09:19)
Because everyone's social media handles were also on those magnetic name tags. Super organized. Yeah.
Stephanie (09:27)
and the present site are squared.
and.
Stop.
Molly Galler (09:45)
yes, I should have said that. I should have said that. So.
Stephanie (09:48)
Wait, the amount of preparation that they had to do for this.
Kaitlin (09:49)
that so I asked Jamie when we got there, I was like, so is this your entire career? Do you have another and she that's when she said she was a full time nanny in my in the car ride with Molly, I was like, they have to be teachers. Like the amount of emails that we got with what to expect there will be a place to hang your coat if you want to buy alcoholic beverages like
you name it and they were like, you will have to carry your purse around. This is an event where you're going to be like doing a lot of activities and walking around. So like everyone knew what they were getting into. And then you got this folder itinerary with the duck scavenger hunt and the book bingo and everybody started with two raffle tickets. So even if that wasn't like your shtick, you still got raffle tickets just by showing up. It was
Molly Galler (10:14)
you
and we'll see you next time.
and I'm going to start with a trap that's in a other trap that I see.
Stephanie (10:28)
Yeah.
You still have a problem to justify the law. It was un -
Molly Galler (10:36)
You still have time to justify your conduct. It was under...
Kaitlin (10:41)
unbelievably organized. I told Molly I felt like I was on a field trip.
Stephanie (10:44)
Thank you.
Molly Galler (10:44)
It was awesome. And the bougie bookstores inside of the unknown marketplace, which is this sort of like shopping thrift place. And if anyone's been to the Crompton Collective in Worcester, it's very similar. They closed it just for this event from seven to 10. Throughout the space, they had high top tables, which had, you know, more pins and beautiful floral decorations. They had a friendship bracelet making station. They had a bookmark making station.
Kaitlin (10:51)
shopping directions.
They had high -top tables, which I can't, you know, want. And they had beautiful floor decorations. They had a friendship bracelet making station. They had a bookmark making station. And then we got into the very back room, the big room, I would find the star of the story. And then the bookmarkers would have a budget table and here, food salesman. They also had all these fun desserts, and they had themed meals. So it was like...
Molly Galler (11:13)
And then when we got into the very back room, the big room where the like final stall store areas, they had set up a bar so you could pay if you wanted, you know, wine, beer, truly seltzer. They also had all of these fun desserts and they had themed names. So it was like bookish blondies or like the blondie brownies. They had paranormal pretzels, which were like chocolate dipped pretzels. They had, I think it was like.
Stephanie (11:18)
sort of things, and of art, and of logic, and of mind, and of dreams, and of things. They also had all these fun desserts, and they had themed things. So it was like the Polish blondes wrote their blondie graphics. They had a pair of gold pencils, and they had chocolate and presents. They had, I think it was, like, true art, true art.
Kaitlin (11:31)
bookish blondes are like that blondie brownies. They had a pair of little pretzels, and they were like chocolate dipped pretzels. They had a top. I think it was true crème de crème. Crème de crème. Crème de crème. And they were like, because they had a section that was like stickers on it. Like, I need to read. I need to read. I mean, they were inside of everything. It was so much fun. I loved it.
Molly Galler (11:43)
true crime charcuterie or like crime story charcuterie. We were thinking of you because they had a whole section that was like had stickers on like I'm meat free, I'm dairy free. Like they really thought of everything. It was so fun talking to other people. We also brought our bookmarks out in public for the first time. It was awesome. People were so excited about it. They were so complimentary about the designs. It was a great way to chat with people.
Stephanie (11:50)
Amazing. Yeah, how did that go?
Kaitlin (12:01)
The bingo really gave us opportunities when we were getting our bingo card signed by people, not only to like follow each other on Instagram, but be like, here's a bookmark for our podcast, like if you're interested. So that was like a really nice segue to like network at the event. I also want to say, because Molly didn't point this out and I'm shocked.
Stephanie (12:15)
not a college entrance.
is that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am saying that I am
Kaitlin (12:30)
everything was pink themed. So like all of the raffle gifts and like the whole like raffle gift area, everything had like pink backdrops, all the high top tables, pink linens, they had pink pens, like at every station, we got a little pink notebook in our grab bag, like everything was pink, because that's, you know, how the bougie bookstore rolls.
Molly Galler (12:33)
So, I always talk to kids and when I'm with them, I talk to them.
Stephanie (12:40)
all the time.
Molly Galler (12:42)
take minutes. They have to be at hand.
Stephanie (12:49)
everything is paint because that's how the conclusion is from this. And it's hard to have a dark paint with a lot of...
Kaitlin (12:55)
and a lot of people wore pink, like Molly wore like a magenta and I had a shirt that had magenta in it also. And so there was like kind of a theme going on. And I will, there were also guys there, which was like kind of surprising with the ones. I think the guys that were there, at least one of them works at a bookstore. So he was like, I wanted to come and see what all this was about. People drove from all over the state to come to this event.
Stephanie (13:01)
So, I eat a lot and I'm always hungry. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. I eat
Molly Galler (13:02)
So I think that's the answer. And I want to say hi. Hi. Hi.
work. So.
all hold the same to come to this event. I hope our airplane is not a trap for unarmed smart people. One thing I want to say is that I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event. I am very grateful to the people who have helped me to get this event.
Stephanie (13:22)
this week comes to the set. I don't always care like to get off the top of the store and unpack the market. One of the things that I don't care about is the quality of the product.
Kaitlin (13:24)
I don't know how they're like in the know about bougie bookstore and like the uncommon marketplace, but like one of the bingo items was like, I drove more for more than an hour away. And that was like a spot that you could sign on the bingo card. It was unbelievable.
Stephanie (13:36)
And that was the best part because I don't think it was the first. It was the one that helped me. They also helped us to shop the other part of the place with what was around. They were so kind to people that could get to us. So I'm happy to be here.
Molly Galler (13:36)
and they also made it possible for us to shop the unknown marketplace with no one else around. Like it was only open to the people who had tickets to this. So after you finished finding all the ducks or finishing your bingo, you could just browse and shop. I bought a hat that says dog mom on it.
Kaitlin (13:44)
Thank you.
So after you finish finding all the notes and finishing your...
Stephanie (14:01)
And it's this one right puffy like color. It's awesome.
Kaitlin (14:01)
and it says dog mom in like really bright puffy like like almost like crochet poked into the hat it's awesome.
Molly Galler (14:10)
I'll post a picture of it on our Instagram so everyone can see. I'm going to wear it today in honor of Mother's Day on one of my scout walks. But there were so many cute and fun things. And there was a photo booth. Also, they set up a very cool backdrop that looked like... They used real books to make what looked like wallpaper almost behind. And then at the very end of the night, everybody gathered to find out who the raffle winners were for the 20 plus prizes. Caitlin and I both went hard on securing extra...
Stephanie (14:17)
but there was some, you know, there was a lot of things, and there was a lot of also, very common drug -induced like, they used drugs to make cold -type walking problems on it, and very, very, very, very average by a lot of the drug -induced drug -induced drug -plus prizes came out of Harvard, or the Sacred Health, or other things, like we were very much, I don't know how much. I don't know.
Kaitlin (14:17)
But there was something about Q and some things, and there was Oda Q also who set up a very cool backdrop that looked like, they used real books to make it look like wallpaper almost died. And then at the very end of the night, everybody gathered to find out who the Raffle Hunters were for the 20 plus prizes. Keanu was a hard, unsecuring actor at Raffle. We were very much underrated. I dumped all the...
Molly Galler (14:40)
raffle tickets, like we were very much on a mission. I dumped all of mine into the same two items, just praying it would improve my chance. I won not one, but two of the raffle baskets and two of the biggest ones on the entire table. The first one Jamie had put together from the bougie bookstore, I had a mix of like bookmarks and candles and it has a key chain that says hot girls hit curbs.
Kaitlin (14:45)
I think the same two items just praying would improve my chances. I want to know what I'm doing too. Of the Raffle X -Fest. And she was the biggest one selling an entire table. The first one she put together was a bookstrap hanging next to like bookmarks and candles and it has a keychain that says Hot Girls, Fiat Curds. Which is like 16, I would say.
Stephanie (14:46)
same two items just right for what came from the channel. I want to know what the channel of the rap was. And you can just find this on the entire channel. The verse page of the channel, the original track, it makes it like, there's a piano there. And it has a key channel that says, hot, aggressive, and hot, and it's like 16 -year -old. Mommy, I'm going to show you the piano.
Molly Galler (15:09)
which just like 16 year old Molly, 100 % true.
Kaitlin (15:11)
Molly picked that up and showed it to me while we were browse shopping and she was like, this is me as a teenager. And then she won it in the basket. The karma was like through the roof.
Stephanie (15:16)
this.
Molly Galler (15:16)
This is it.
Stephanie (15:21)
It's a.
Molly Galler (15:21)
It was unbelievable. And then I also was interested in the basket from Berkeley publishing, which has a romance, my fave has a romance division. I noticed it because Kate Spencer's book in a New York minute was on the top. I've read that book. I loved it. I wound up also winning that basket, which had six books in it. Six! Like.
Kaitlin (15:26)
in the next year for the publishing, which is a year's pay line, as a real news division. I noticed it because Kate Spencer spoke in New York.
Stephanie (15:27)
Your favorite.
Kaitlin (15:39)
Also, we're going to give away a copy of In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer because now Molly has two and so we'll figure out what we want to do.
Stephanie (15:44)
Six. Six. Like the chance for these.
Molly Galler (15:48)
The tickets to these events, depending on if you got an early bird or regular, were between $35 and $40. I like made money attending this event. It was thrilling.
Stephanie (15:54)
need attention. It was through. Also,
See you now.
Kaitlin (16:09)
We're also thinking about maybe doing a giveaway because we hit 200 followers on Instagram after going to this event and meeting so many cool people. Steph, one of the first people that I talked to to get to sign my bingo card, her name's Kalisha and she's the manager of Porter Square Books. Yes. Yep. And I was like, my gosh, I was just there on Indie Bookstore day. And she was like, my God, did you have a good time? And I was like, loved it.
Stephanie (16:28)
Stop!
Kaitlin (16:38)
But I don't remember seeing her there, but she was probably behind the scenes. There were so many things going on that day.
Stephanie (16:40)
Thank you.
Molly Galler (16:44)
It was awesome. Major shout out to Jamie and Cassie and Erin and everybody else from Bougie Bookstore who worked on this. And before we move on from this, one of the things in the raffle basket that I won was another blind date book. Those who've been listening for a while may remember I bought a blind date book the last time I was there. It wound up being a book called Famous for a Living. So I thought we would open this one together.
Kaitlin (16:51)
Alright.
Yeah, it's like there's calligraphy and like gems glued on to it. And it's Yeah, I mean, you should have seen this bookmark bar to some some of the like,
Stephanie (17:04)
Can I just interject for a second? As someone with horrible penmanship, that is beautifully done.
Molly Galler (17:14)
Yeah, it's like, there's like a jam full of it. It's, yeah. I mean, you.
Stephanie (17:19)
It's, yeah.
Kaitlin (17:25)
equipment, I guess I would say, like to make the bookmarks. I mean, like they had tassels for you to tie into it. And like, it was like no detail when without careful consideration. It was super fun. Okay.
Molly Galler (17:33)
it.
Okay, I'm gonna read you the description and then we'll see if either of you have a guess of what it is. This is a mystery slash thriller book. It says perfect life equals perfect lie. High school girl endures public humiliation. Now she's older and so close to her perfect life, but she has a secret. And then the last bullet says twists and pressure. there's a quote on the back.
Kaitlin (17:43)
from this.
perfect life equals perfect life.
Now she is older and so close to her perfect life that she has a secret. And then the last one, it says twists and pressure. What's on the bathroom? there's a polar. Moving on, it doesn't mean we don't talk about it. We're pretty about it. It's polar.
Stephanie (18:00)
and fresh.
Molly Galler (18:04)
Moving on doesn't mean you don't talk about it or heard about it. It's always going to.
Kaitlin (18:11)
luckiest girl alive is my guess. That would be so I know because she got she won this last night. I only have
Stephanie (18:13)
That would be so weird though if that... I only have... Is my copy a hardcover? It must be a hardcover, so I don't know what the paperback looks like. If that's what it is... No hard...
Molly Galler (18:21)
Why don't we just keep it that way.
Kaitlin (18:23)
If that's what it is, I don't know. The karma, again, would be wild.
Molly Galler (18:29)
Okay, I'm gonna unwrap it.
It is indeed. Luckiest girl alive, Jessica Noll.
Stephanie (18:34)
Shut the fuck up.
Kaitlin (18:34)
CRUSH IT!
And we're reviewing her second book. Is it her second book? Okay, her third book, Bright Ann Women.
Stephanie (18:42)
Is it? No, it's her third book. How? How?
Molly Galler (18:47)
I didn't, and what's funny is I didn't even pick that. That was in the basket.
Kaitlin (18:50)
know it was in the basket.
Stephanie (18:53)
But are we going to win? Yeah, I know. You need to enter the lottery tonight.
Kaitlin (18:54)
Molly needs to go to the casino right now. She won two raffles last night after saying she never wins anything. And then tonight or today she unwraps a mystery book that happens to be the same author that we're doing for our 29th episode right now.
Molly Galler (19:12)
When they announced my name the first time, you know, there's people are like cheering and clapping when my name got announced again for like a huge prize. People were like, Yeah.
Kaitlin (19:22)
Yeah, it got a little testy, but it's okay. It's fine. It's fine. It was hilarious. I loved it. I loved it because Molly was like, I never win anything. I'm just starting to get back into the Goodreads giveaways. La de da de da. It was hilarious. I loved it.
Molly Galler (19:27)
It was.
Stephanie (19:38)
You should go buy scratchies or something later. Yeah.
Molly Galler (19:38)
I think I will today. Just keep the good vibes rolling.
Kaitlin (19:42)
Just keep the good vibes. There's something going on for you. I don't I can't explain it, but it was just and I mean, she was Molly was in her element last night. It's not that like I wasn't having a ball, but like she thrives apparently with competition because she was she had all the ducks in like five minutes. I was like too busy talking to people with the bingo sheet. So she like hooked me up with the other like.
Molly Galler (19:53)
It's not.
here.
Thank you.
Stephanie (20:07)
So sure.
Kaitlin (20:10)
Duck book titles. I think I found three of them and she found the other seven. And not only that, but she was just like, chatting it up with people and was like, I'm Molly, this is our podcast. Like, well, you know, and like, I know how to talk to people. Like I'm, I'm perfectly capable of schmoozing, but like every time I turned around, Molly had like a group of people. So I was just like completely, I was just, it was just so funny because I was like, I know that.
Stephanie (20:14)
And that's it.
Molly Galler (20:14)
And that's it for this chat.
So I'm sorry. It was.
Stephanie (20:35)
If.
Kaitlin (20:39)
I know that this is who Molly is and like she's the perfect person to go to an event like this. But I also was like, she accomplished so much. Like I didn't get to the Ducks because I was meeting people. She got all the Ducks and had met a million. I was like, how did she do this? Like what is going where? How does she have a time turner? Is she Hermione? Like, I don't understand what's going on. So Molly really maxed it out, hit it out of the park and came home with all of the best prizes, in my opinion.
Molly Galler (20:43)
But I'm so glad. Like, I'm.
Stephanie (20:43)
But I also like to apologize so much. Like I get seduced because I'm reading people. She has a stuffy nose. I'm so sweet.
Molly Galler (20:50)
meaningful. She has got in.
So, I'll wrap this up. Thanks for watching.
Stephanie (21:01)
So while we're at that step, in that part, and came out of all the best practices in my life, we're also going to be able to do a lot of research on the benefits of the program.
Molly Galler (21:09)
Where is that thing happening out? I was sitting on the couch because my ear was open. I was just supposed to be on the couch. And I was like, how is this happening out there? I was just like, my god.
Kaitlin (21:09)
We're hoping this is an annual event because Steph, you have to go.
Stephanie (21:12)
I was sitting on the tarmac because the plane did not take off exactly when it was supposed to. We sat for quite a while and I just was like, how do I beam myself back to Massachusetts so I don't have to be on this plane and I don't miss this event?
Kaitlin (21:19)
And I just was like, how do I get myself back to master system?
Molly Galler (21:26)
We also, you know, obviously we introduced ourselves to a lot of people, but we were like live following each other. And every single time I was like, we have a third cohost, her name is Stephanie. And anytime we discovered as we were starting to follow someone and knew that like they had things in common with you, we were making sure that they knew if they listened to plans or both, they will hear about cats. There were so many cat moms. We talked about Taylor Swift. We talked about so many different things. So you were definitely represented even if you were not physically there.
Kaitlin (21:26)
we also, you know.
I think that each time we discover, as we were starting to call someone a new, that like, they have this requirement that we need to be completely sure that they knew what they were saying, and they were not there to catalyze the whole problem. We talked about that. So whenever we talk about something, it's like, so you were definitely were at the executive, even if you were not physically there. I appreciate that. Do you want to say anything else before we get into the webinar? I think it's important to add that we need to get like, the universe going to us, and this random, boring day long is the author that we're discussing.
Stephanie (21:53)
I appreciate that. Do you want to say anything else before we get into the book?
Molly Galler (21:58)
I think let's get right to it. I can't believe like the universe winking at us that this random blind date book is the author that we're discussing today.
Stephanie (21:59)
Good.
Kaitlin (22:06)
I mean, maybe I should write my query letters today because I just feel like there's really good energy. I'm so lucky. Okay. Do you remember when Luckiest Girl came out? We read it a while ago. 2016, I'm going to guess.
Stephanie (22:06)
I mean, maybe I should write my query letters today because it just feels like there's really good energy in here. Lucky energy. Okay, do you remember when Luckiest Girl came out?
Molly Galler (22:10)
I support that.
Stephanie (22:19)
I mean I have it in hardcover. Hold on. Hold on.
Kaitlin (22:24)
2018? 2015. So, Caitlin and I wrote The Most Faced Girl Alive. Both of us came away, I mean, maybe we should have started talking back then, because we had strong feelings about that book, which we'll get into, but I've been following Jessica Moore on Instagram for a couple years now. I did not read her second book, but
Stephanie (22:26)
2015. So, Caitlin and I read Luckiest Girl Alive. Both of us came away. I mean, maybe we should have started the podcast back then because we had strong feelings about that book, which we'll get into. But I've been following Jessica Knoll on Instagram for a couple years now. I did not read her second book, but
Molly Galler (22:28)
So can you come back and talk to us?
came alive to get fresh office openings. So we had to call the only.
Stephanie (22:49)
I've been following her on Instagram for a few years. I fell in love with her bulldog Beatrice who it literally brought tears to my eyes in her acknowledgments because Beatrice has since passed on this book. She also has recently had a daughter. She's friends with Jenny Han. There's a lot of great content if you follow her on Instagram.
Molly Galler (22:57)
It's really a question of how to get the best out of this and the best out of this.
Kaitlin (23:07)
She's from the Chen Column. There's a lot of great content. Her cooking videos came from something to be desired. I don't know if someone has a tripod for her phone because she is holding her phone and stirring or chopping or something with the other hand. And it drives me nuts. If someone could give me her address, I will nail her a tripod for her phone. I pre -ordered this book the moment she came down from the phone.
Molly Galler (23:07)
which is a trend. There's a lot of great content in this program. For a few minutes, you can take exactly what you want to do. Try to focus on the issues that are holding the clock and start to watch out for other things. It's all in the chat. If someone's looking for a way to...
Stephanie (23:12)
Her cooking videos leave something to be desired and I don't know why someone has not bought her a tripod for her phone because she is holding her phone and stirring or chopping or something with the other hand. And it drives me nuts. If someone could give me her address, I will mail her a tripod for her phone. I pre -ordered this book. The moment I was following her so I knew she was editing this book, she started promowing it months beforehand.
Molly Galler (23:32)
I just feel like I'm in a different moment. I mean, it's always been a strange week. I don't know if you know, but it's always been a strange week.
Kaitlin (23:35)
I knew she was editing his book. She started promoing it months beforehand. I went to all her books and I pre -ordered it. And the day it came out, I went and picked it up and I started reading it. As I established, I am a word right now. And so he has not mentioned this book for good reason. This is a story based on the true orders that Ted Bundy did at, was it University of Florida? Florida State? I can't remember. Florida State University.
Stephanie (23:39)
I went to Belmont Books and I pre -ordered it and the day it came out, I went, I picked it up, I started reading it. As we've established, I am a murderino. And though he is not mentioned in this book for good reason, this is a story based on the true murders that Ted Bundy did at, was it University of Florida? Florida State? I can't remember. Florida State. I...
Molly Galler (23:42)
Now we're going to get to that.
and she felt he was not interested in this book for reference. This is a story based on the true work that's been marketed to the University of Florida for a state of Florida state for a state. I want to say that I think this book is necessarily the only one that I think is worth reading.
Kaitlin (24:06)
I want to say that I don't think this book is necessarily only for people that are into murder. I think that she has done this book in a way where it's a story about female survivors, female friendships, female love, with a backdrop where some really horrible, brutal things happen. You kind of get the brutality out in the beginning of the book.
Stephanie (24:08)
I want to say that I don't think this book is necessarily only for people that are into murder. I think that she has done this book in a way where it's a story about female survivors, female friendships, female love, with a backdrop where some really horrible, brutal things happen. You kind of get the brutality out in the beginning of the book. So if you're a little squeamish, just...
Molly Galler (24:14)
And so she was on this bulletin board where it says stories about female survivors, male punishments, female crimes, with a backdrop where someone could even fall over.
you kind of get the brutality out in the beginning of it. So if you have a little bit of a mission to try to get the way out. I mean, you're not going to be able to do this for these next few weeks on the engine, but then you're going to have to do it now. And it is helpful with the engine.
Kaitlin (24:36)
So if you're a little squeamish, just try your best to get through it. I mean, she would purposefully say that he is out -mentor, because it is not a story about him. It is about the way she is sexualized and their survival. I don't know what else to say. I just started off, I just want to add a little bit to this. Male, female, not a veteran. I just think this is a piece of -
Stephanie (24:38)
try her best to get through it. I mean, she did it purposefully so that he is not mentioned because it is not a story about him. It is about the women who she has fictionalized and their survival or not. I don't know what else to say. I'm just starting it off. I just want everyone to read this. Male, female, non -binary. I just think this is a, it's a beautifully researched and beautifully written book.
Molly Galler (24:56)
I just wanted to say I just started off, I just want to say that male female, not just female, but so beautiful research and beautiful way of thinking about it. And it's interesting that I did not want to talk about it because I enjoyed this.
Kaitlin (25:04)
beautifully written book. And it's interesting that I did not like the first book because I adored this book. Her first book was, I'm sorry to say very clunky and there were too many conflicts in it. That's what we talked about. It was two stories kind of spliced together. Yeah. So her first book has a
Stephanie (25:08)
And it's interesting that I did not like her first book because I adored this book.
That's what we talked about how it felt like it was two stories kind of spliced together.
Molly Galler (25:21)
There were two of them on the next event. So two stories, so this one's after that. So Robert's book has really.
Kaitlin (25:33)
really tragic school shooting happened. She also, the main character has like a videotaped sexual assault. And she also is pretending that none of those things happened to her in her adult life to just like propel herself forward. And it was too many things. And some people would probably argue like, okay, well that all those things could have happened to one person. And it's like, yes, but it would have been
Molly Galler (25:37)
the main threat of the crisis from the city of Central California and also that the crisis happened in the Great Lakes area. So just help us look forward. And it was two years ago. And some people would have thought that if it had been a crisis, it would have been better.
Stephanie (25:49)
And it was too.
and some
Kaitlin (26:01)
better if it had been three separate books where like the character was dealing with each of those things. I thought that this was much more like well edited and I thought that it flowed a lot better and that she was much better at the character building. She definitely has a knack for creating some unlikable women like she.
Molly Galler (26:06)
I thought this was more for women.
It's closed.
She definitely has a lot of creative groups in her own life.
Kaitlin (26:28)
This isn't gonna be all women that you're like rooting for and you're like, my gosh, you know, the title bright young women, bright young women can be brutal and bright young women can be difficult and they might not be people that you were friends with, but they still have a ton of potential. And because some of the characters were killed so young, it's like, we don't know what they would have gone on to become and they could have been really great people. It also takes place in the late 70s. So this was like,
Molly Galler (26:34)
The time is right.
And we have some other council members that are here.
Stephanie (26:44)
and be for someone.
Molly Galler (26:54)
You know, I think this is like, I would answer this, like, you know, each time.
Kaitlin (26:57)
you know, they talk about like some of the characters not wearing bras, like, unless their parents are around. And like they talk a lot about female liberation and like, learning about having equality in the workplace. And so these are women that, you know, were in school at a pretty pivotal time in a southern state, and they really could have gone on to make a pretty large impact in whatever capacity their professional lives took them in their communities.
Molly Galler (27:05)
I've seen more stories of people learning about the college and what they saw in the service. You know, we're in school at the age of about five to seven, eight, and they...
Stephanie (27:05)
I see no point in learning about the quality of our place. So it's like, you know, we're in school at a station called Plymouth, so it's a...
communities. And so, it was very self -orchestrated that she showed that sometimes the wood had a successful and so had a fair. Like, out there in the country, sometimes it was hard times.
Kaitlin (27:26)
and so I think that it was very well orchestrated that she showed that sometimes the women that are successful and go -getters and, like have very lofty goals, like sometimes they have a really hard time with the more emotional things and vice versa. Sometimes the really emotional people that are in touch with their feelings, like don't have.
Molly Galler (27:29)
it was there was a work strength that she told that sometimes the way she
Yeah.
And I hope that really helps you.
Stephanie (27:48)
And I think that's a really important thing to remember.
Kaitlin (27:55)
huge success in their professional careers and just kind of navigating that and showing all different kinds of women and how it can just be gone in a blink.
Stephanie (27:55)
to sit down and have a professional career, study math, and have a choice. All of those things. And then how is it?
Molly Galler (28:04)
And I'll, it's just a lot.
I hadn't read Luckiest Girl Alive, so this is my first book of hers, so I don't really have anything to compare it to. I am not, like, typically a person that goes for the murdery genre. I loved this book from the first chapter. I think I texted the two of you to be like, holy crap, I am all the way in on this. I felt like it hooked you immediately. The fact that they never use his name makes it really intriguing, because you're only really hearing about...
Stephanie (28:23)
I think that's a good question.
All right.
Kaitlin (28:34)
system.
Molly Galler (28:40)
the people who are victims of or part of the community of wherever he found himself. I agree with everything Caitlin said about how some of the women are not necessarily so likable, but they're also kind of like forces to be reckoned with, the characters in Pamela and Tina especially. I have a thing about understanding where titles come from. And often when I'm reading a book, I like make a note of where it's clear what the title is or what the origin is.
Kaitlin (28:42)
I think that's what I was more proud of because I was able to find myself. I agree with everything you said about how some of the women are not necessarily so recognizable, but there are also kind of like forces to be recognized, the characters in the game are especially. I have to think about understanding where titles come from and often when I read them often I like to make a note of where it's clear what the title is or what the org in it.
Stephanie (28:48)
I have to think about the title of the book and what kind of idea it would be of where it's clear what the title is and what the core is. And I just want to make sure that I'm not just trying to say that.
Molly Galler (29:09)
And I just wanted to read the first time it is mentioned here.
Kaitlin (29:09)
I just wanted to read the first time. It says, I've tried to make sense of how someone who didn't stop his victims in advance ended up going after the best and the brightest. And I think that's it. The thing they all have in common. I would like to let out Joe. He targets college campuses, sorority houses, because he's looking for the cream of the crop. He wants to extinguish us. We are the ones who are not smart, not that good looking.
Molly Galler (29:14)
It says, I've tried to make sense of how someone who didn't stalk his victims in advance ended up going after the best and the brightest. And I think that's it. The thing they all have in common, a light that outshone his. He targets college campuses and sorority houses because he's looking for the cream of the crop. He wants to extinguish us. We are the ones who remind him that he's not smart, not that good looking. There's nothing particularly special about him.
Stephanie (29:14)
It's as I tried to make sense of how some of you didn't stock his victims in advance. Did it after the last and the greatest. And I think that's the thing that I think is common. I wasn't the one to talk about this. He targets college campuses, those who already have this as he worked with the cream of the crop. He wants to extinguish us. We are the ones who are going to do that. He's not smart. We're not that smart. There's not particularly special.
Kaitlin (29:37)
There's nothing particularly special about it. Can I tell you that I kept getting confused? I kind of tried to tell someone about this book as a promising opponent because yes, it's very similar to the title of that movie, but it's also kind of similar meaning -wise about someone who survived and is kind of going down this path because of what happened to their friend. Also, you should watch the movie if you haven't and it is brutal.
Stephanie (29:41)
Can I tell you that I kept getting confused? Anytime I tried to tell someone about this book, I would say, Promising Young Woman, because yes, it's very similar to the title of that movie, but it's also kind of similar theme -wise about someone who survived and is kind of going down this path because of what happened to their friend. Also, you should watch that movie if you haven't, and it is brutal, but it's worth it.
Kaitlin (30:08)
But it's worth it. I also thought about constant. And even if you don't go to court, the witness becomes a part of your daily experience for the rest of your life. And her story is more recent.
Molly Galler (30:09)
I also thought about constantly as I was reading this, the memoir called Know My Name by Chanel Miller, who was also a victim of sexual violence. Both that book and this book heavily focus on what happens afterward. And even if you don't press charges or even if you don't go to court, the way this becomes a part of your daily experience for the rest of your life. And her story is more recent, Chanel's story.
Kaitlin (30:38)
Chanel story. But it just kind of helped me think about those two as kind of in the same universe where, yes, it developed a crowning, but it's more so about that ripple effect that was honestly for the rest of the first time on this planet. I was actually going to bring up Chanel as well. Because Promising Young Women, Promising Young Woman, the movie.
Molly Galler (30:39)
but I just couldn't help but think about those two as kind of in the same universe where, yes, it's about the crime, but it's more so about that ripple effect that lasts honestly for the rest of the person's time on this planet.
Stephanie (30:40)
I'm not going to think of these two as evidence, and I swear, yes to up to the crime.
That last, honestly, last year, the Christmas time was fun.
I don't think I realized that.
Kaitlin (31:05)
is based off of what the judge referred to Brock Turner, which I don't think I realized. so, okay. So in the Brock Turner case, and he is the man boy garbage person who assaulted Chanel while she was blackout drunk. He, you know, went to Stanford and was on the swim team. And when he got off easy, the judge said, well, you know, he's just, he's a promising young man. I'd hate for this to ruin his whole life.
Stephanie (31:24)
Thank you.
Which is literally the same thing the judge said about Ted.
Kaitlin (31:35)
which is what we're seeing in the film. Correct. So, Promising Young Woman, the movie, is a play on what the judge said in the Brock Turner case. And then Bright Young Women, when I found out what this book was about, I was like, okay, so we're playing off all of this, you know, misogynistic, unfair judicial system that we kind of operate in. And honestly, I...
Stephanie (31:41)
is played.
and right.
Molly Galler (31:53)
you know, you must have a judicial...
Stephanie (31:53)
You know, it was hard to say. Unfair. Judicial.
Kaitlin (32:02)
you know, I've read a lot of different books about assaults and various different things. And, you know, one of the things that comes up again and again is that and it comes up in this book too, is the judicial process is so long that these people just have to keep reliving it. And the main character in this book, Pamela talks about like,
Molly Galler (32:06)
series and you know what comes up.
Stephanie (32:06)
very, very, you know.
Molly Galler (32:13)
The judicial process is so long that these courts keep rewinding.
Stephanie (32:19)
the people.
Kaitlin (32:26)
how long it was before she had to get on the stand and say everything that she saw, like the day that her best friend was murdered. And like, it's just, it's so excruciating and so intense and damaging. And then for somebody like Chanel or a lot of these people, they don't even get a result that's even like tolerable or like manageable. And...
Stephanie (32:28)
Yeah, same.
Molly Galler (32:29)
And so I'll just...
It's tough. It's so emotional and so intense and difficult and then for some people it's hard. For some people it's just so much more than just a holler. It's a man of its own. And to go from that, I have to have the courage.
Stephanie (32:34)
It's just, it's so, it's so tense and it's, yeah, for some reason.
Or he becomes a Supreme Court justice. Just saying.
Kaitlin (32:53)
To go through all of that, to have that to be an end result is just, it's mind boggling and it's like, it just makes me feel like so awful for people.
Molly Galler (32:58)
It's just, it's mind -boggling. It makes me feel like so awful.
Kaitlin (33:09)
That too, that too. I will say I said this to Molly last night. When I still had like 80 pages left to go in the book, I was like, I like this book. I'm not sure I was in the mood for it. We like had planned that this was going to be like our podcast episode. And sometimes, sometimes people the reading becomes homework. And so we knew that, you know, both of them had read it and I was the last one to go. And so I just I don't know that I was.
Molly Galler (33:09)
I will say, when I say when I say I'm not sure what we like to plan.
Sometimes.
So I don't necessarily.
Stephanie (33:36)
So I just feel like that's not necessarily the case. It's basically like I just come off as like...
Kaitlin (33:39)
Like, not necessarily in the right head space, but like I had just come off of like a really great YA read. And then I had to like kind of plunge into this and I did really like it, but I just, I'm not sure. It feels like a wintry book and maybe not a May book, you know, like I'm feeling like let's get the shorts out and the sandals and the pedicures. And I'm like, no, I got to read about some asshole murderer who just destroyed these women in this.
Molly Galler (33:47)
And then I'm in this and I really, I'm not sure. It feels like it's just working out. You know, like I'm feeling like it's just working out.
Stephanie (33:47)
And I think that's the way to put it to this. And I did hear one.
It feels like it's really, really hard to think about a day off. I feel like we're gonna spend four hours in this tent.
Molly Galler (34:04)
some ass with no hope to destroy the identity of this sorority. It's the most important thing. Well, suppose our spiritual leader, I feel like this is the major reason for it. Yeah, I feel like I just take breaks. You know, what I feel about to be a part of this board, I can't even imagine myself taking a story of me and my people and the weight of that, the responsibility of that.
Stephanie (34:04)
Well, since I was the first one to read it, I took my time with it. I feel like this is the kind of book you do need to read slower.
Kaitlin (34:08)
sorority house and I was like not in the mode
Yeah, that's probably true too.
Stephanie (34:18)
just like take breaks, you know? What I want to commend Jessica for, I can't even imagine doing this myself, taking a story of real people and the weight of that and the responsibility of that and like fictionalizing it and praying you do not offend somebody and also that you get it right and sort of do the people that were murdered justice. I would not sleep, so I could never take on this kind of book.
Kaitlin (34:31)
and responsibility about fictionalizing it.
Molly Galler (34:34)
fictionalized, praying to God and somebody, and also to the people who are right, and sort of to the people that want justice, I would not see. So I could hurt people. You know, it's like too, too, too, too, too
Kaitlin (34:37)
somebody and also like, get in the light and sort of do the people that will murder justice. I would not sleep. So I would never take on this kind of thought. You know, and it's interesting because like Taylor Jenkins Reid does this all the time, right? Like she takes, you know, the Rat Pack or Fleetwood Mac and Serena Williams, like she fictionalizes.
kind of like a loop that she takes their life story like the loose parts of it and then she cultivates something that's fictionalized. But there's not as much at stake with those stories like because it's so loose. It's like is it about is it inspired by them? Is it not? And she you know, she kind of like remains low key on that and this like she used the same school like like it's very clearly like Ted Bundy and so.
Stephanie (35:00)
I'm trying to explain it in a few, but to make sure I'm sure.
But they're not supposed to speak with those four people.
Molly Galler (35:19)
I think it's her acknowledgment. She talks about...
Stephanie (35:19)
like she was the same school like, like fair, fair, fair. And so I...
Kaitlin (35:29)
I do, I agree with you, I think that there is a pressure there when you make enough of the important aspects of the story identical to real life.
Stephanie (35:36)
You maybe didn't have time, but at the end, I think it's in the acknowledgments. She talks about the article that sort of spawned this. Do you remember what medium it was from? Was it Moenstone? Okay, that's what I thought. I think it was the night I finished it, I went and read that article and it sat so heavy with me. I mean, I just...
Molly Galler (35:49)
I think it was Rolling Stone.
Kaitlin (35:53)
Okay, that's what I thought. I think it was the night I finished it. I went and read that article and it sat so heavy with me. I could never just pull a surrogate like, hey, I'm not afraid of this. I just don't have a function for that, clearly she does. I hope she wants awards for this book. I think it was a necessary book. Who else was gonna write this?
Stephanie (36:05)
I could never just cold email a survivor and be like, hey, I want to write about this. I just don't have the assumption for that. Clearly she does. I hope she wins the award for this book. I think it was a necessary book. Who else was going to write this?
Molly Galler (36:05)
Never, never, never, never,
We've also talked a lot about cover art and the way that covers jump off a table or jump off of a shelf. This cover is bright yellow. It has a hot pink look at a woman's, you know, upper part of her face and then very bold font and text at the bottom. This is a book that is impossible to ignore if you saw it in a bookstore.
Kaitlin (36:22)
We've also talked about cover art and the way that covers jump off a table or jump off a shelf. This cover is bright yellow. It has a hot pink look at the woman's upper -cutting foot base and then very bold, fond, and text at the bottom. This is a book that's impossible to ignore if you saw it in a book store. It also looks straight out of the 60s or 70s. Yeah, that's what I thought it would be about.
Stephanie (36:45)
It also looks straight out of like the 60s or 70s.
Molly Galler (36:48)
Yeah, it has sort of like a Twiggy vibe to it.
Kaitlin (36:52)
I think the other compelling aspect of it and what made me, I don't want to say more willing to read it, but more willing to give it a chance because on the surface, I think a fictionalized story about Ted Bundy, well, about the women that were victims of Ted Bundy, that could be a hard sell. But Jessica Knoll is also a survivor of sexual assault. And so that to me, I was like, this was probably the research might've been cathartic for her.
Writing the book probably was fairly empowering. And I'm imagining that she made some connections with people, that that was part of their story, and that maybe it was like really healing for both parties. That's at least my hope. And now that I finished the book, I definitely will go and dig into some interviews and some other things that she did around this book because I'm curious.
Molly Galler (37:27)
and
Stephanie (37:38)
Yeah.
Molly Galler (37:45)
I'm serious.
Kaitlin (37:50)
What are we reading?
Stephanie (37:53)
so I've been, well first, okay, so I binged Jessa Hastings Magnolia Parks, which Caitlin had given me.
Molly Galler (37:55)
So I did, first. Okay, so I have been just in recent times. I've been in the K -12.
Stephanie (38:02)
after we finish recording, I'm going to hop up to Belmont Books because I pre -ordered the rest of the series and I have to go pick it up because it's arrived. What I want to say about this series.
Molly Galler (38:02)
When I want to say it on the series, the viewers want to hear it.
Kaitlin (38:10)
What I'm going to say about this series, if you were someone who was 20s, had this like connectional person that was like totally couldn't get out of your head, the chemistry was boneless, and then they betrayed you, and then you fell apart and you explored that room to talk to them again and you hated them, and then you fell back together, and then every time you fell back together again you remembered...
Stephanie (38:13)
If you are someone who in your twenties had this like connection with a person that was like toe tingling, couldn't get them out of your head, the chemistry was bananas, and then they betrayed you. And then you fell apart and you swore never to talk to them again and you hated them. And then you fell back together. And then every time you fell back together again, you remember in the midst of it that they're just going to hurt you again.
Molly Galler (38:36)
And that's it.
In the business, the cost of research is less. You mean?
Kaitlin (38:40)
in the midst of it, that they're just going to hurt you again. You mean how Taylor wrote a 31 song double album called The Tortured Poets Department about a decade long situationship that she went back and forth to like that? Yeah. Obviously, this is theoretical. I'm not speaking from personal experience. Never. This book. Well, first of all, who doesn't love their parents? Okay, I just love to like sit in that.
Molly Galler (38:51)
We have to do it like that.
Stephanie (38:53)
Exactly, exactly. Obviously this is theoretical. I'm not speaking from personal experience or anything.
This book, well, first of all, who doesn't love billionaires? Okay. I just love to like sit in that for a day in the sun and just read it. So Magnolia Parks is the daughter of a music mogul and ex -model. They have exorbitant amount of wealth and her fixation is she can spot when someone walks in the designer, the year, every single detail of the person's outfit. So,
Molly Galler (39:02)
This book, well first of all, who does this book? Okay, I just love the way it's written. It's important for a dead person to come in, and it's just really so magical and fair. It's the job of a music novel and an X -Mobile. They come in and they're written in that book. And her book is the kind of book that's really spot on when someone walks in, the designer, the computer, everything is held in one of those two scalpels. So that's something that's really on point.
Kaitlin (39:09)
Good day in the sun and just read it. So Magnolia Park is the daughter of a music mobile and text model. They have absorbed it in a lot of work. And her fixation is she can spot once unboxed in the designer, the theater, every single detail of the person's outfit. So that sometimes threw me off, but I also kind of loved it. I did not look it up because that would have slowed this book down once like.
Stephanie (39:30)
That sometimes threw me off, but I also kind of loved it. I did not look it up because that would have slowed this book down immensely. She fell in love when she was little with this boy, BJ. He's the older brother of her best friend, Henry, and he is also, you know, a one -percenter. And there's this group of them that they get together for dinners and they call it full box set when all of them are at the dinners. And they are all so messy.
Molly Galler (39:32)
I did not look up. Slow this down for a second. She was so much, she was a mother of this boy, Jay. He sold a car to a certain head, right? And he was also, you know, the one for someone. And there's a lot of things that happens with Jennings. They call it full box set, and all of them are action sets.
Kaitlin (39:37)
She fell in love when she was little with this boy, BJ. He's the older daughter of her best friend, Henry. And then he is also, you know, a one percenter. And there's this group of families that they get together for dinners and they call it full box set when all of them are out for dinners. And they are all so messy. And we know at this point, she's 22, he's 25, that he has betrayed her. We don't know exactly what you get.
Molly Galler (39:56)
And they are awesome. So, that's it. And you know that she's coming to you with the same idea that she was afraid of, including what you get to understand Vanessa, what goes on in her mind. And they fall back. And they're a different part, and they're a different part of her life.
Stephanie (39:59)
And we know at this point, she's 22, he's 25, that he has betrayed her. We don't know exactly what you get to understand it as the book goes on. And they fall back together and break apart multiple times throughout this book.
Kaitlin (40:06)
to understand that the book was on. And fall back together and break apart multiple times throughout this book.
Stephanie (40:13)
What makes this book interesting is like, at one point she starts dating a pilot and she's like, he's a pilot, let's go on vacation.
Kaitlin (40:13)
book. What makes this book interesting is like, at one point she starts dating a pilot and she's like, he's a pilot, let's go on vacation. And one of the friends is like, we all have our own planes, why do we have to take his plane? Like it's that level of like,
Molly Galler (40:13)
what makes it so interesting on this one. I want to start taking a highlight, and she knows, these highlights are all big and true. And while it comes to like, we all have our own needs, I would just like to point out like, it's not limited to feelings in regards to health. Maybe it's just my opinion, because the arrest of a female that has been de -escalated, this was like such a huge mistake.
Stephanie (40:21)
And one of the friends is like, we all have our own planes. Why do we have to take his plane? Like it's that level of like silliness in regards to wealth. Maybe I just liked reading it because of theoretical stuff in my own life that have happened in the past, but I, this was like such a juicy escape.
Kaitlin (40:27)
silliness in regards to love. I mean, I've read it because of theoretical stuff in my own life that have happened in the past, but this was like such a juicy escape. I feel like the whole thing is kind of like crazy with Asians because as successful as it was. Exactly.
Molly Galler (40:41)
I feel like the wealth bit is kind of why Crazy Rich Asians was as successful as it was.
Stephanie (40:47)
Exactly.
Kaitlin (40:51)
I'm reading two books. One of them I got on Indie Bookstore Day. I wanted to get this book that's by, I don't know how to say her middle name, but it's Sasha Taksablou Lapointe. She is an Indigenous person. She's from the Salish community, which is in the Pacific Northwest. And...
Stephanie (41:16)
Yeah.
Kaitlin (41:18)
She has a book of essays that just came out that I was really interested in, but they didn't have it. And so then they asked me if I had read her first book, which was a memoir. And I said, no. And then that's what I bought. And it is a really interesting story. I would call it like coming of age in some ways, because she talks about like when she moves out of her parents' house for the first time and like her first real romance and.
identifying as an Indigenous woman, even though she like didn't participate in a lot of the more like ceremonial things growing up. It's just like a glimpse of life that is totally unfamiliar to me. And she also is like a self identified punk. So that's kind of fun. And like, she's around our age. And so like,
Molly Galler (41:59)
It's just a waste of money that is really...
Stephanie (42:02)
is real.
Molly Galler (42:05)
She always has a lot of friends on when she's around. And so the night I was with her, I was like,
Stephanie (42:10)
She's a -
Kaitlin (42:14)
the 90s grunge scene in Washington and like all of that, like she's very much a part of that. so I'm about halfway through that. And then I got Carly Fortune's new book, which is called This Summer Will Be Different. And I'm about 50 pages into that. And that one is like a forbidden romance. two women, one of them is from Prince Edward Island. and she takes her roommate that she lives in Toronto with home.
Molly Galler (42:19)
So I'm going to ask that. And then I'm going to switch to the other one.
Stephanie (42:19)
So I'm back. And then I.
Molly Galler (42:26)
And that's it. That's it. That's it. That's it. That's it. So, two, three, one,
Stephanie (42:26)
And it's a fact, again, that this is a bit of a mess. One of the problems is that we're running out of room -mates. And two of our roommates are home for like two weeks, one's up and one's out. And one of the problems is we don't have a job. We don't have a job, so we have to do it.
Molly Galler (42:39)
is we may be able to get home for like weeks once we have a break. And one of the problems that has occurred is that we have to get home.
Kaitlin (42:43)
for like two weeks, one summer when they are 23. And one of the girls has just quit her job and hasn't told her parents yet. And so they're like escaping the PEI for two weeks of just like oysters and wine and beach and being besties. And the first night that she's there, she's there solo and she meets a boy and the boy...
Molly Galler (42:52)
And so the difference is not just the numbers 1, 2, and 3, and the S is in the first figure there, the first row, and the second row. And the way ends up like this. And we'll come back to do it.
Stephanie (42:56)
of judgment.
And so, the boy ends up being something that she couldn't do it, and I'm not getting it right. And I just want to stop it from being a bad situation. And it happens in that summer when they're like, not doing anything. And to present day, I'm the best friend. It's like 10 days out of the day.
Kaitlin (43:11)
ends up being somebody that she shouldn't have had anything to do with. I'm not going to give anything away. And so there's like a forbidden romance aspect to it. and it flashes between that summer when they're like 23 ish and then to present day when the best friend is like 10 days out from getting married. And so obviously the best friend has to go back to PEI where this for
Molly Galler (43:16)
And when we have it, only it sounds like it should be. And in the next month, when the pandemic is over, and to present day, one of the best friends is attending something like a meeting.
And so, obviously, that's when I had to go back to EDI, or this work, Bidding's Way. And it started, it started off with, well, it's not choosing, it's a choice. And now, it's a choice. It's a choice.
Stephanie (43:35)
So, I think that's kind of a past look back to the EMI for this work that it's doing. And, it's sort of a not cheesy troll -them and not a real character -themed project. It's a true, right -for -tentative fun, fun, free -for -all thing.
Kaitlin (43:40)
Bitten Boy is. And it started off a little like, not cheesy, but like trope heavy. And now that like I'm getting to know the characters better, it's like a, it's a true Carly Fortune, fun time, beach read thing.
Molly Galler (44:01)
I loved her book every summer after, so I can't wait to read this. I also read the second book, Meet Me at the Lake, but the first one I really loved, loved Capital L. I am reading a book called One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy. I've followed Kate for a really long time. She actually left her corporate job to pursue something that was a side hustle and became a full -time business where she was making doormats that said funny things like, turn off your curling iron.
Kaitlin (44:08)
I.
Stephanie (44:17)
She actually worked on two personal, some of the societies that we came up with. This is where she came from, Georgia. Let's see how it goes.
Kaitlin (44:17)
she actually got the job to pursue something that was a side job.
Molly Galler (44:28)
And it became so successful. She was able to sustain herself just with that. And then she launched this pop culture podcast called be there in five. She is a huge Swifty. She watches every TV show movie that is, you know, on the top of every list. And I just find her commentary so smart and also so funny. So when I learned that she was going to be coming out with a book about nostalgia of the eighties and nineties, I couldn't wait to read it.
Kaitlin (44:29)
and then she was able to sustain herself just with that. And then she launched this pop -pager podcast called Lita 5. She is a huge swifty. She watches every TV show that is, you know, on the top of every list. And I just find the commentary so smart and also so funny. So I learned that she was going to be coming out with a book about nostalgia from the 80s and 90s. I couldn't wait to read it.
Stephanie (44:29)
This was a disaster. She was able to sustain herself just fine. And then she got into this. She was a huge slur. She walked through every T -shirt shop that was on the top of every list. And I just, I thought she was so smart and also so funny. So she was kind of coming back.
Molly Galler (44:58)
They're mostly personal essays and there are these deep dive moments within them like she has a long tangent about American Girl dolls. I'm currently in a chapter where she's talking about popular girl handwriting. It's just very relatable for anyone who was born I would say between maybe 1980, 1988 is kind of the range.
Kaitlin (44:58)
They're mostly personal essays and there are these deep dive movements within them like she has a long tangent about in girls' house. I'm currently in a chapter where she's talking about popular girl. It's just very, very valuable for anyone who is born or is aging.
Stephanie (45:11)
It's just very beautiful.
Kaitlin (45:18)
1980, 1988 is kind of the range. I'm about 120 pages and it's about 350 pages. I'm excited for the upcoming essays to see what else she covers. She's currently on tour promoting this book. She does powerpoint presentations at her tour stops. That's how she brings people into her universe. And pre -COVID she has done a lot of township dance parties. She just has a lot in common with us.
Stephanie (45:21)
It's kind of a...
Molly Galler (45:24)
I'm about 120 pages in, it's about 350 pages. I'm excited for the upcoming essays to see, you know, what else she covers. She's currently on tour promoting this book. She does PowerPoint presentations at her tour stops. That's like how she brings people into her universe. And pre -COVID, she used to host Taylor Swift dance parties. She just has a lot in common with us. So I'm excited to finish and hopefully pass on to you gals.
Stephanie (45:27)
excited about coming out of this to see what else she covers. She's covered for a lot of people. She does cover.
It's like how it brings people into their own universe. And we hope to use it with some of the city's most dance -freezies as a lot of fun with us. So we're excited to finish and hopefully get some good nights.
Kaitlin (45:45)
So I'm excited to finish and hopefully pass on to you guys. I'm really looking forward to reading that one, but I do not listen to her podcast. I just follow her on socials. She's such a fan of tampons and deep dives and can get off the highway and take 10 rows, you know, down the left. It's fantastic. All right. I'll have to check it out. If you want to go read it, you want to enter some of the links that are in the description below.
Stephanie (45:54)
She is such a fan of tangents and deep dives and can get off the highway and take 10 roads, you know, down the left. It's fantastic.
Molly Galler (46:08)
If you want to keep up with everything we're reading, if you want to enter some of these upcoming giveaways that we're going to have, follow us on Instagram over at PlansAreBooked. If you have a recommendation for a book you think we should cover, please shoot us a note. You can write to us at plansarebooked at gmail .com.
Kaitlin (46:14)
Instagram, on that Facebook. If you have a recommendation or something that you should cover, please do let us know. And until next time, our plans are booked.