"The Highlights" Newsletter (now on Substack)
Same newsletter. Different platform! Here's how you can take advantage of everything we offer for authors, aspiring authors, readers, and aspiring readers.
Hi! I’m Zibby Owens.
First, a quick note to my previous subscribers.
Not that it really matters, but I’ve joined the migration to Substack. It’s my same newsletter, once a week. You don’t have to do a thing. I’ve moved you over with me. Why?
Everyone else is doing it (haha)
Now we can interact more
My posts are saved and will be easy to find
The interface looks really nice
You can comment - please be nice!
And I already messed up. Apparently Substack emailed all of you before this newsletter went out to tell you how much I liked
’s Substack. Which, you know, I do. But I didn’t realize my liking it would then be broadcast to the world. Bear with me!Threads
In case Substack isn’t enough, I’ve also just joined Threads. (You too?!) It’s the latest app from Instagram, a combination of Twitter and Instagram DMs and I don’t even know. Meet me over there later and we’ll figure it out together.
What else you got, social media universe? I’m trying to keep up over here!
Why I Do What I Do
I love books.
I feel so indebted to authors for writing them — missives that have changed my life in so many ways — that I’ve formed a company and community to express my gratitude and enthusiasm, including a bookstore. I even wrote a memoir that includes a reading list in the back and that celebrated what I read when.
How can you benefit? So many ways!
Community
You’re all a part of this society of word-worshippers. We might not all have time to read. Or maybe we have too much time. We might disagree on the craziness in the world at large, but agree to appreciate the fine art of a well-crafted sentence (which this one isn’t).
Books connect us all. I’m just an intermediary, connecting everyone in this universe of smart, empathetic, fun, curious readers.
And now you’re a part of it. Just by reading the newsletter, you’re an official member of my community: the easiest, lowest-maintenance, highest-reward bookish society around.
(Should we name our community? Suggestions? Winner gets a free book.)
IF YOU’RE AN AUTHOR… OR WANT TO BECOME ONE
It took me almost 20 years to sell a book. But I never gave up. I learned a lot along the way and have now come up with ways to help fellow writers.
Here are some EDITORIAL OFFERINGS that can help amplify your book sales:
You can pitch to be on my podcast; I interview an author every single day but only accept a small percentage of requests (email pitch here)
We host events several times a week at Zibby’s Bookshop which are also live-streamed (email pitch here)
We produce author spotlights and round-ups in Zibby Mag (email pitch here)
We feature several authors in person at our Zibby Retreats
I connect two or three authors in Zibby Salon Events
I choose one book/author a month for Zibby’s Book Club which includes local chapters
I highlight 15 books every month for Good Morning America and regularly in other print and news outlets like Katie Couric Media and “Good Day DC”
I help authors network with others in my private Facebook group for past authors on my podcast and at assorted in-person gatherings
Here are some opportunities for you authors to EARN MONEY:
Teach a Zibby Class with a generous revenue split (email pitch here)
Have a book acquired and published by Zibby Books — one every month — in a way that puts authors at the center of everything (email pitch here)
Here are PAID ways to take advantage of my platform (ask your publishers!):
Advertising and sponsorship of my podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books (inquire here)
Newsletter ads/dedicated issues and display ads in Zibby Mag (inquire here)
Sponsorship and collaboration at our Zibby Retreats and Zibby’s Book Club (inquire here)
Instagram ads (inquire here)
Here’s what you can do to help BECOME a published author:
Take a Zibby Class
Join our aspiring author writer’s community that meets weekly
Attend a Zibby Retreat
Listen to my daily author interview podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books (Sagit Schwartz became an author after listening every single day!)
IF YOU’RE A READER… OR WANT TO BECOME ONE
Here are ways to connect to other readers:
Attend a bookstore event at Zibby’s Bookshop or just spend time in the store
Join a chapter of Zibby’s Book Club, even the virtual one
Come to a Zibby Retreat
Get to know each other in my Instagram comments… or here!
Here’s how to figure out what to read:
Listen to my daily author interview podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
Come to Zibby’s Bookshop where our hyper-curated store will lead you to the right book for you and where our booksellers will help with personalized recommendations… or visit our online shop
Read my round-ups on Good Morning America and elsewhere
Follow my recommendations on Instagram
Join Zibby’s Book Club
If you want to meet an author:
Come to a Zibby Retreat
Attend a bookstore event at Zibby’s Bookshop
Come to Zibby’s Virtual Book Club for 30 minutes of author Q&A monthly
Attend an author event of one of the Zibby Books authors on their book tours
Feel like you know them (even though they won’t know you) by listening to authors open up on my daily author interview podcast or in their personal essays in my two anthologies or on Zibby Mag
EXTRA CREDIT: Which type of reader are you?
A. Too busy to read, but wish you could read more.
B. Used to read a lot but now it’s hard to get through more than one page without falling asleep.
C. Too much time on your hands. Books are your lifeblood. Maybe you feel a bit lonely. (As my old therapist said, “With a good book, you’ll never be lonely.”)
D. Beach reader; read to relax.
E. Read for connection to the community. Want to stay part of the zeitgeist so you read bestsellers, book club picks, or anything reviewed in a major newspaper or magazine to join the larger cultural conversation.
F. Literature fiend. Miss English class. Want to analyze texts and discuss themes.
G. Read to deepen connections to people you know. Book club regular. Don’t always read the book but want to connect with friends.
H. None of the above.
I’m curious. Enter in comments!
Thanks for reading!
Warmly,
Zibby
You named us, Zibby! We are the Word Worshippers! Give yourself a prize :-)
B! I relate to the meme that is 'staying up too late to reclaim your time' which means no time to read because my husband goes to bed so I can't read in it! I've let too many books at the library go because too many came in at the same time, or it took me 6 weeks to read a book I should have finished in three and now I feel guilty that it's overdue.
Started fresh with (hopefully) one book at a time, at least until my hold list gets out of control again!