Episodes
Feb. 19, 2024
Writing Communities: The Man Who Played Hache Carrillo
We take a look at the case of Hache Carrillo, who lied about his ethnicity, and put it in context with his contributions to the communities he worked in. We talk to former colleagues Luis Bayard and Lisa Page, and Bethanne reveals her first-hand experience working with Hache on the board of the PEN…
Feb. 12, 2024
Writing Communities: The Bad Art Friend Saga
We cover the story behind Bad Art Friend. In this episode, we plan to observe how the publishing industry is built on trust and investigate what happens when that trust is broken. We speak with Rebecca Meacham, a fiction writer who wrote about literary theft and its consequences, and Becky Tuch, a …
Feb. 5, 2024
Ghostwriting: Bonus - Big Business
We’ve been talking a lot about ghost writing, because ghosting – that’s the industry term – is BIG business. This is a bonus episode of our series about ghostwriting. In this episode, you’ll hear from Madeleine Morel who is an agent for ghostwriters and Andrew Crofts, a successful ghostwriter.
Jan. 29, 2024
Ghostwriting: Bonus - Cookbooks
How does a ghostwriter capture the subject’s voice when writing a cookbook? And for the ghostwriters behind the stories, how does ghostwriting cookbooks differ from non-fiction? We talk to JJ Goode, a Brooklyn-based food writer, to get inside the mind of a cookbook ghostwriter.
Jan. 22, 2024
Podcast Perspectives: The State of the Audiobook Industry
Today we’re looking at audiobooks. While the explosive growth of podcasting has dominated headlines in the audio world, the audiobooks market has slowly and steadily grown alongside it. Today, the international audiobook industry can claim $5 billion in revenue, while podcasting boasts around $2 bi…
Jan. 15, 2024
Ghostwriting: Fiction - Will The Real Tom Clancy Please Stand Up?
We explore what ghostwriting looks like for fiction. For genres like spy novels and fantasy, how does book publishing capitalize on ghostwriters to unlock lucrative IP extensions on streaming? We talk to Jeff Rovin, who has written Tom Clancy novels, and Andrew Crofts, who wrote the memoir Confessi…
Jan. 8, 2024
Ghostwriting: Non-Fiction - The Literary Chameleon
In this episode of Missing Pages we examine the lucrative culture of non-fiction ghostwriting and all its thorny edges, with a focus on what the elusive and often secretive practice means for a publishing industry ever on the brink of combustion. We talk to ghostwriting veterans like Daniel Paisner…
Dec. 26, 2023
Nerdette Best Books of 2023
This week we're excited to share an episode from Nerdette, a fun weekly interview show produced by our friends at WBEZ. In this episode, fellow professional book lovers Miwa Messer and Andrew Limbong joined Nerdette host Greta Johnsen to discuss their top picks for the year.
Here are the books m…
Dec. 18, 2023
Bans & Violence: Bonus - Gaby Wood Interview
Bans & Violence: Bonus - Gaby Wood Interview
Dec. 11, 2023
Bans & Violence: Bonus - The Full Jodi Picoult Interview
If you listened to our episodes about the rise of book banning, you heard about the efforts around the U.S. to censor books on sexual or racial grounds. However it seems there's a lot more going on than that. One of the guests that we spoke with – NYTs Bestselling author Jodi Picoult – has firsthan…
Dec. 4, 2023
Book Banning Part II: The Current State of Banned Books
In episode 1 of this series, we looked at the history of banned books in America. Today, we look at its current state. Is there more nuance to book censorship than is at the surface? We speak with two people on opposite sides of the spectrum: A parent, who seeks to explain why she wants more contro…
Nov. 27, 2023
Book Banning Part I: The History of Banned Books
When it comes to books, America has had the same cultural arguments since its founding. One group perpetually focused on the moral ramifications and societal threats a story poses, while another group argues that questioning morals and societal norms makes for a healthier individual, and democracy.…
Nov. 13, 2023
Paradigm Shift: DOJ v. PRH: The Hidden Peaks of a Flat Industry
With Simon & Schuster and Penguin Random House barred from merging, are publishers losing substantial power as gatekeepers to the industry? What is the current state of publishers, and did this decision take into account the readers or the authors?
Nov. 6, 2023
Paradigm Shift: Botched Initiative: The Dungeons and Dragons Story
As an extension of our last episode on the paradigm shifts in the fanfiction community, we take a look at the complicated history of Dungeons and Dragons and how the game’s creators have had a rocky relationship with the game’s fans. We talk to Ben Riggs, author of Slaying the Dragon, about Dungeon…
Oct. 30, 2023
Paradigm Shift: Copyright & Fanfiction: Who Owns What?
Are fanfiction communities becoming stronger than traditional publishers? In this episode, we’ll look at how fans, publishers, and creators are (or aren’t) working together, examining a fanfiction lawsuit between former fanfic writers Zoey Ellis and Addison Cain. We speak with Elizabeth Minkel, co-…
Oct. 23, 2023
Paradigm Shift: The Colleen Hoover Story
Colleen Hoover created a book empire through self-publishing, in part due to the power of social media. Is her career a sign of a changing landscape where publishing gatekeepers are losing power while readers are gaining power? We speak with Laura Miller, Books and Culture columnist at Slate, Jim M…
Oct. 2, 2023
Missing Pages Season 2 coming October 23
Book bans are on the rise across America. With the rise of social media, book publishers are losing their power as the industry gatekeepers. More and more celebrities and influencers are publishing books with ghostwriters. Writing communities are splintering because members are at cross purposes ab…
May 1, 2023
Missing Pages Unabridged: Constance Grady on How the Book World Works
Missing Pages Unabridged: Constance Grady on How the Book World Works
April 3, 2023
Missing Pages Unabridged: The Full Kaavya Viswanathan Interview
In Kaavya Viswanathan: The Full Package, we looked back into "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life," and the plagiarism scandal that brought everything down. As we unearthed new details about the fiasco, we thought it was important to talk to Viswanathan herself to find out what real…
Oct. 3, 2022
Greg Mortenson: Cups Half-Full
He enlightened millions with his writings and built dozens of schools in the Middle East. But despite his praiseworthy deeds, author-philanthropist Greg Mortenson suffered an immense fall from grace. Was Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, a manipulative scammer or an idealist in over his …
Sept. 26, 2022
Dreams vs. Reality
In writers’ dreams, every published author is a millionaire, every title sells at auction, every editor is brilliant and attentive, and every book hits the bestseller list. Alas, writers’ dreams and the publishing industry’s reality don’t always mesh. Bethanne breaks down the lifespan of a book and…
Sept. 19, 2022
Anna March: Inventing Anna
Bethanne doesn’t just talk about scandals after the fact: Sometimes she’s embroiled in them as they happen. In this episode, Bethanne spills the tea on the story of “Anna March,” a notorious figure who racked up big bills in the service of literature — and left others to pay them.
Sept. 16, 2022
An Apple Books Collection: How Books Get Featured
In this short bonus episode, Bethanne chats with Missing Pages Executive Producer Jeff Umbro about a new Apple Books collection of books and authors featured in the podcast. You can explore the collection at apple.co/booksmissingpages.
Sept. 12, 2022
Caroline Calloway Part II: Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Flower Crown
Some stories are too big, or at least too entertaining, to fit into a single episode. In part two, Bethanne speaks to authors, publishers, and NYC night life reporters to find out what Caroline Calloway might have up her sleeve next. Make sure to listen to part one if you haven't yet.