Rephonic
Artwork for Friends & Fiction
Darling Girls
Miss Morgan's Book Brigade
Summers At the Saint
Motherhood
Sally Hepworth
Summer On Highland Beach
Summer Romance
Independent Bookstores
Foster Care
World War I
One Perfect Couple
Highland Beach
Frederick Douglass
Annabel Monaghan
Grief
Wandering Stars
Family Dynamics
Psychological Thrillers
Libraries
The Paris Library

We're four bestselling novelists and friends whose common love of reading, writing, and independent bookstores bound us together. Now we want to share and celebrate stories—of the books we’ve written, the ones we’re reading now, and the art of writing—with each other and the guest authors we invite to join us. If you love books and are curious about the writing world, you’re in the right place.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes458Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksFictionArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Friends & Fiction

Latest Episodes

On this episode, the full F&F family — Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey & Patti Callahan Henry — gathers to welcome this month’s F&F Featured Authors, the #1 NYT-bestselling Virginia Evans to discuss her epistolary novel of con... more

YouTube

On this episode, the full F&F family — Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey & Patti Callahan Henry — gathers with Managing Director Meg Walker and Producer Shaun Hettinger for a special “just us” episode. We’ve got another F&F fami... more

On this episode, Kristy Woodson Harvey & Mary Kay Andrews welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Lucy Score to discuss her new swoonworthy small town rom-com, Mistakes Were Made, which invites us back to Story Lake for a steamy escape full of e... more

On this episode, Mary Kay Andrews & Patti Callahan Henry welcome New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson to discuss her fast-paced new thriller, Missing Sister, a chilling story of sisters and revenge. Joshilyn is the autho... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Open Book with Jenna
Open Book with JennaTODAY, Jenna Bush Hager
From the Front Porch
From the Front PorchThe Bookshelf Thomasville
Sarah's Bookshelves Live
Sarah's Bookshelves LiveSarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves
Literally Reading
Literally ReadingLiterally Reading

Recent Guests

Virginia Evans
The Correspondent author; Masters of Philosophy and Creative Writing from Trinity College Dublin
Author
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Virginia Evans & Allen Levi
Allen Levi
Author of Theo of Golden; attorney, judge, singer-songwriter; Scottish fiction scholar
Author
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Virginia Evans & Allen Levi
Janine Cummins
New York Times bestselling author of American Dirt
Author
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Virginia Evans & Allen Levi
Shaun Hettinger
Best-selling author, musician and producer; guest on episode
Self/Guest musician
Episode: Friends & Fiction "Just Us" with the Fab Four + Shaun & Meg
Lucy Score
New York Times bestselling author known for Things We Never Got Over and Mistakes Were Made
Author
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Lucy Score
Joshilyn Jackson
A New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist; author of Missing Sister
Author
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Joshilyn Jackson
Terah Shelton Harris
Author and former librarian, known for her fiction novels with bittersweet endings
Author of "Where the Wildflowers Grow"
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Terah Shelton Harris
Omid Scobie
British journalist and New York Times bestselling author.
Co-creator, writer, and executive producer of Royal Spin
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Omid Scobie & Robin Benway
Robin Benway
National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of nine novels for young adults.
Author and executive producer of Royal Spin
Episode: Friends & Fiction with Omid Scobie & Robin Benway

Hosts

Mary Kay Andrews
Co-host of Friends & Fiction, frequent guest on show with a focus on publishing and storytelling
Kristin Harmel
Co-host of Friends & Fiction, experienced author and industry voice
Patti Callahan Henry
Co-host of Friends & Fiction, prominent voice in contemporary fiction
Christy Woodson Harvey
Host/participant on multiple episodes, prominent novelist
Ron Block
Co-host and industry insider, regular on Writers' Block segment

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 249 ratings
  • I love this show!

    Haha, I call it a show and not a podcast because hearing authors—beloved favorites and new wonders I get to explore—is so engaging! My precious novel reading time has been enriched by being able to hear authors divulge their process; a behind the curtain joy ride that usually leads me to a deeper reading immersion.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DinaRose27
    United Statesa month ago
  • I love and look forward to this podcast above all the others I follow. I also love the laughs and conversations from all of you throughout your podcasts. You are all such gifted and talented authors. Thank you all for blessing your readers with such entertaining books.

    Audible
    5
    Kindle Customer
    United Statesa year ago
  • My #1 podcast of all

    I love and look forward to this podcast above all the others I follow. I also love the laughs and conversations from all of you throughout your podcasts. You are all such gifted and talented authors. Thank you all for blessing your readers with such entertaining books.

    Audible
    5
    Kindle Customer
    United Statesa year ago
  • Way too many spoilers!

    Listening to Michael Connelly episode while reading his new book” the waiting”. I’m halfway through the book and the podcast already gave away THREE big spoilers that haven’t been discussed yet! Not cool!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    El Gato SA
    United Statesa year ago
  • Enjoyable listening experience

    This is a great podcast, the energy that the hosts bring is exactly what you’d want for a show that highlights fiction books and their authors. Extremely well done and thankful to have found this podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alex J Sanfilippo
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Mixed sound quality and pacing cited by some critics.
Engaging discussions with top authors and insiders.
Lively, friendly hosts with strong author guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#75
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#226
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#151
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#207
China/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Friends & Fiction "Just Us" with the Fab Four + Shaun & Meg
Q: Have you ever written a musician character into a novel, and why does that idea appeal to you?
All four authors describe how musician characters help explore themes of fame, artistry, and personal growth, with Patti and Mary Kay noting their experiences weaving musicians into their books, while Shaun explains the crossover between music production and storytelling.
Friends & Fiction with Joshilyn Jackson
Q: What makes Penny's sister relationship with Delilah and Thalia work narratively?
The three-way dynamic allows exploration of light and dark sides of sisterhood and mentorship, with Delilah representing stability and progress toward a more diverse police force, while Thalia embodies a radical, morally nuanced counterbalance that propels Penny into danger and self-discovery.
Friends & Fiction with Joshilyn Jackson
Q: Can you pinpoint the inspiration for this story?
Joshilyn describes drawing from small-town Georgia life, the suburban college town setting, and experiences with mentorship to craft Thalia and Penny's world; she also notes how a vigilante figure emerged from examining local dynamics and real-world police culture.
Friends & Fiction with Lucy Score
Q: What has readers' feedback been like on returning to Story Lake and expanding the world?
Reader enthusiasm has been strong; she discusses how feedback helps guide future installments and how she balances staying true to the core community with new storytelling directions.
Friends & Fiction with Paula McLain
Q: What part of Paris will inspire you to return?
I'll return to Paris a million times; it doesn't really work at all.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Friends & Fiction

What is Friends & Fiction about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A conversational book-focused show hosted by four bestselling authors who frequently invite fellow writers and industry guests to discuss craft, publishing, and the literary world. Episodes mix author interviews with behind-the-scenes storytelling, publishing dynamics, and reader communities, often highlighting indie bookstores, writing processes, and theme exploration across genres from romance to historical fiction. A standout is the collaborative, friendly dynamic among the female hosts, plus occasional male co-hosts, which creates an intimate, reader-friendly atmosphere that appeals to devoted book lovers and aspiring authors alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for Friends & Fiction?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Friends & Fiction. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Friends & Fiction and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Friends & Fiction get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Friends & Fiction, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Friends & Fiction?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Friends & Fiction, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Friends & Fiction have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Friends & Fiction has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Friends & Fiction?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Friends & Fiction:

1. Open Book with Jenna
2. From the Front Porch
3. Sarah's Bookshelves Live
4. Adriana Trigiani's You Are What You Read
5. Literally Reading

How many episodes of Friends & Fiction are there?

Friends & Fiction launched 6 years ago and published 458 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Friends & Fiction?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Friends & Fiction?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Friends & Fiction from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Friends & Fiction?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Friends & Fiction. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Friends & Fiction?

Recent guests on Friends & Fiction include:

1. Virginia Evans
2. Allen Levi
3. Janine Cummins
4. Shaun Hettinger
5. Lucy Score
6. Joshilyn Jackson
7. Terah Shelton Harris
8. Omid Scobie

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days