This is a very special episode for Books, Beach, & Beyond celebrating Elin’s 31st novel written with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham – The Academy, publishing this September 16th. Our guest for this episode is Elin’s daughter Shelby and they dig into the writing of The Academy, Shelby growing up on Nantucket and heading to boarding school at St. George’s Academy in Rhode Island, and how that inspired the writing of the novel and the fictional Tiffin Academy. The three discuss the differen...

Next up is Lily King, the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including Euphoria and Writers & Lovers, and coming in the fall, Heart the Lover. Pre-order today! The three start talking about the expression “writers’ writer” and who they would describe as a “writer’s writer”, and then they continue with Lily’s writing and reading origin stories. They spend time on Margaret Mead, anthropology, a writer’s process, golf, and love in all its forms. Don’t miss this thoughtful conve...

Next up for Books, Beach, & Beyond is the best-selling and award-winning writer Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge, My Name is Lucy Barton, and Tell Me Everything, just released in paperback. Elin and Tim start by discussing why they read and welcome Liz with how she got her start in this literary life along with her one night as a stand-up comedian. They continue with discussion on some of her beloved characters Olive, Lucy, and Bob, and dig into her process, point of view, her...

Next on Books, Beach, & Beyond is Catherine Newman, author of Sandwich, We All Want Impossible Things, and Wreck, (forthcoming from HarperCollins in October 2025.) Elin and Tim begin by gushing about Catherine’s writing and how much they love her books. Catherine takes us back to her first writing projects, and then her pivot into writing auto-fiction with her three novels. They talk about family summer vacations, what keeps them up at night, health scares, grief, food in her books, her b...

Elin and Tim welcome to the podcast Curtis Sittenfeld, the author of Prep, American Wife, and Show, Don’t Tell. They start with Curtis’s favorite books, her time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where Elin and her compare stories, and then segue into her debut novel, “the boarding school book of boarding school books”, Prep. They discuss how much of it was inspired by Curtis’s own boarding school experience and compare and contrast it to Elin’s upcoming boarding school novel, The Academy, as wel...

This bonus episode features the live conversation with your host, Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books, at the Nantucket Book Festival with one of his favorite novelists, Wally Lamb. Wally is the author of seven New York Times best-sellers, three of them selections for Oprah’s Book Club, She’s Come Undone, I Know This Much is True, and most recently, The River is Waiting. The two discuss many of Wally’s books, one of Tim’s favorites of all time, I Know This Much is True, and the newest novel, The...

This bonus episode features the live conversation with your host, Elin Hilderbrand, at the Nantucket Book Festival with Adam Ross, author of Playworld. Playworld is one of Elin’s favorite books she has read in a decade. Adam is the acclaimed author of Mr. Peanut and renowned editor of the Sewanee Review. Sure to be a conversation to remember, these two masters of their craft have much to discuss about contemporary fiction, the publishing industry, and the art of storytelling. A Special ...

Books, Beach, & Beyond’s first LIVE podcast recording was June 14th at the Nantucket Book Festival where Elin and Tim were in conversation with best-selling author Carl Hiaasen, author of Fever Beach. The three talk about Carl’s career as a journalist turned novelist, setting his novels in the state of Florida, writing satire, his outrageous characters, and writing for both adults and children. Carl discusses how publishing has changed in his long career, engaging in politics, the exubera...

Our first official episode of Season 3 is with the force that is GAYLE KING! Gayle is an award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS MORNINGS, also editor-at-large of Oprah Daily and hosts “Gayle King in the House,” a live, weekly radio show on SiriusXM. The three discuss their favorite interview topics to engage with writers about, what Gayle was reading as a young girl, how her journalism career started, and some highlights from that journey. The three continue with their reading habits, bo...

Elin Hilderbrand and Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books are back for Season 3 of Books, Beach, & Beyond! This introductory episode is a catch-up on what the two have been reading, watching, and looking forward to this summer on everyone’s favorite island. They also cover the release of The Blue Book, Elin’s recommendation guide to Nantucket. Joining Elin and Tim for the second half of the episode is Elin’s sister, Heather Thorpe, who will be running the Elin Hilderbrand Blue Book Tours with...

In this bonus episode to close out Season 2 of Books, Beach, & Beyond, your hosts gab about favorite moments and books of the year, Elin's new merch at ElinBrand.com, plus take listener questions submitted on Instagram. Hear about Elin's thoughts on The Perfect Couple and other upcoming Hollywood adventures for Elin's novels, writing advice from Elin, Tim's dance moves, how Elin and Tim met, outrageous behavior on Nantucket, most anticipated reads coming in 2025, and other book related co...

Season 2 of Books, Beach, & Beyond ends its regular season with the icon that is Ina Garten and her new memoir Be Ready When The Luck Happens. Ina Garten is the author of a dozen cookbooks and the host of Be My Guest and Barefoot Contessa on Food Network and Max, for which she has won five Emmy Awards and three James Beard Awards. Elin, Tim, and Ina talk about the process of writing the memoir, the courage it took for her to take risks throughout her life, the support and love she feels f...

Barbara Kingsolver is the Pulitzer Prize winning, #1 best-selling author of Demon Copperhead, The Bean Trees, and The Poisonwood Bible. Elin, Tim, and Barbara start by telling listeners their favorite literary quotes inspired by a character in Demon Copperhead and then continue into Barbara’s origin story as a reader and a writer. They talk about the importance of setting in Barbara’s books, the Belgian Congo in The Poisonwood Bible, and Charles Dicken’s inspiring Demon Copperhead. They cover...

Our next guest is Liane Moriarty, the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, Apples Never Fall, The Husband’s Secret, Truly Madly Guilty and her newest, sure to be a best-seller on shelves this month - Here One Moment. Liane comes to us live from Australia and begins with how she got her start writing, the differences in publishing and reading between Australia and the US, the word "bubbler", and favorite places from the land down under. The three dig into Liane’s latest...

Our guest today in this special bonus episode of Books, Beach, & Beyond is Academy Award, Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy Award winner Nicole Kidman. Elin and Tim ask Nicole about what books she loved throughout her life and how that love of literature turned into the passion for storytelling as an actor. They discuss many of Nicole’s book to screen acting portrayals from the Paddington Bear film to playing Virginia Woolf in The Hours. Discussion quickly and enthusiastically segues into The P...

You asked, we listened! Our guest today is #1 New York best-selling writer Emily Henry, author of Beach Read, Book Lovers, People We Meet on Vacation, Happy Place, and Funny Story. We start with Emily’s origin story as a YA writer turned romance queen we know today. We talk about her first novel Beach Read, the pressure for each new book, introverted writers being in the spotlight, naming characters, Emily’s favorite date night, and the qualities she looks for in new friends. We chat Hollywoo...

Kevin Kwan is the author of the international bestsellers Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, Rich People Problems, Sex and Vanity and new this year, Lies and Weddings. Elin, Tim, and Kevin tell us some of their favorite scenes in literature and some personal funny wedding stories, discuss Kevin’s upbringing in Singapore and origin story as a writer, and the Hollywood adaptation of Kevin’s debut, Crazy Rich Asians. They highlight the artistry that is Kevin’s newest novel Lies & Wedd...

Claire Lombardo is the best-selling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had (the April 2024 Reese’s Book Club pick) and the recently released Same As It Ever Was. We start with Claire’s origin story, her social work and family therapist background, as well as her time at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. Claire discusses teaching writing classes, point of view, first sentences, writing flawed characters, and growing up in the Midwest and how that comes across on the page. We dive into her new book Same ...

Steven Rowley is the best-selling author of Lily and the Octopus, The Editor, The Guncle (Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor), The Celebrants (a Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club pick) and the recently published, The Guncle Abroad. Steven begins with his writing talents as a child through his publishing journey to his status as bestselling novelist, the love of our pets, queer voices in fiction, writer and editor relationships, writing a sequel, killing your darlings, being mar...

Emily Giffin is the #1 bestselling novelist of Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and on shelves yesterday, The Summer Pact. Elin, Tim, and Emily dissect their college experiences and friendships, and similar to the plot of The Summer Pact, how those relationships are some of the closest you can have in your lives. They segue into the underlying themes in Emily’s 12 books, perspective and point of view in her writing, and her law degree before her career as a writer. Elin and Emily gab about...