This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with content creator Simona Stallone to talk about all things BookTok, reading habits, and building a real-life book community. From overhyped books and underrated favourites to fanfiction, audiobook speeds, and “reading based on vibes,” they get honest about what they’re actually reaching for lately. Plus, Simona shares how Book Girls Toronto turned into a space where readers can show up, connect, and make friends through books.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:10 - 1 Year Anniversary of Off The Shelf

2:10 - Overhyped and Underhyped Booktok Books

7:05 - What Simona is Reading Right Now

13:10 - The Book Girls Toronto

24:35 - Rachel Reid Showing Up at Heated Rivalry Trivia

28:35 - 24 Hour Read-A-Thon

32:25 - Out of Shape Olympics

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Morgann Book

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Simona Stallone:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theotherstallone/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theotherstallonedaily

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theotherstallone

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with BookTok creator Cassie to talk about her journey from posting her first TikTok to building a dedicated reading community online. They also dive into Cassie’s reader personality: her love of romantasy, favourite tropes like second-chance romance, and auto-buy authors including Abby Jimenez and Mariana Zapata. Plus, the two play Buy It, Borrow It or Skip It featuring viral BookTok titles like Fourth Wing, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Throne of Glass, and more.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:20 - Starting Out On TikTok

4:00 - Rapid Fire Reader Questions

5:30 - Buy It, Borrow It, or Skip It

36:50 - Read It, Watch It or Miss It

50:00 - What Are You Reading and Watching Next?

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/morgannbook

CassiesBookTok:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiesbookss/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cassiesbooktok

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cassiesbooks

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with award-winning audiobook narrator Ray Porter, best known for narrating Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary. With more than 500 audiobooks under his belt, Ray shares how he approaches storytelling, creates distinct character voices, and what it was like bringing Project Hail Mary to life.

They also talk about the emotional impact of the book, the science behind the story, and the upcoming film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - Acting to Narrating Audiobooks

2:10 - Process From First Audiobook to Now

3:55 - How He Got Project Hail Mary

4:55 - Creating The Characters

8:05 - Hardest Thing to Narrate in PHM

10:00 - Do You Take Away The Same Thing as Readers?

11:35 - What to Listen to After Project Hail Mary

12:13 - Ryan Gosling

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/morgannbook

Ray Porter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ray.porter/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealrayporter

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with editor turned author Emily Ohanjanians to talk about her leap from shaping stories to writing her own. Emily shares what life as an editor taught her about storytelling, how her debut character Ana first came to her, and the moment she finally decided to chase the idea that became The Book Tour.

They chat about drafting versus editing, writing bold women who take up space, and the support system that helped Emily bring her first novel into the world. She also drops her top book recs and gives us a glimpse of what she’s working on next.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:45 - A Day In The Life of an Editor

5:35 - What Are You Reading Right Now?

6:15 - What’s A Common Mistake You See Authors Make?

7:10 - How Did You Decide To Write Your Own Novel?

9:15 - How Did Your Degree in Literature & Linguistics Shape Your Career?

11:20 - The Book Tour

12:50 - What Inspired The Characters?

19:10 - Explaining The Acknowledgements

26:45 - Book Recommendations

37:10 - 2026 Reading List

39:00 - What’s Next?

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/morgannbook

Emily Ohanjanians

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.ohanjanians/

Find her books at Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-book-tour-a-novel/9781039013407.html

Find her book at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-book-tour-emily-ohanjanians/1147531644

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Ellie K Wilde and dives into the world of the Oakwood Bay series to explore the pop culture moments, tropes and real life sparks that shaped the beloved trilogy. We talk about how the series found its voice through character driven storytelling and slow burn tension. We also chat about reading recs, writing routines, reality TV and what Ellie is writing next.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - 2025 Reading List

2:20 - The Start of the Oakwood Bay Series

8:54 - If Only You Knew

16:10 - Ellie’s Writing Cave

19:15 - What The Character’s Taught Her

21:06 - 5 Out of Context Things That Inspired If Only We Knew

28:45 - The Slow Burn

30:00 - Blind Ranking Reality TV

35:55 - Biggest Lesson Learned as an Author

37:02 - What’s Next

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/morgannbook

Ellie K. Wilde

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliekwildeauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliekwildeauthor/

Find her books at Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/ellie-k-wilde/

Find her book at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Ellie%20K%20Wilde%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with E. Lockhart to talk all things We Were Liars and the evolution of the Liars universe. She shares how the book found a whole new life on BookTok, what it was like expanding the story into Family of Liars and We Fell Apart, and how she crafted THE shocking twist. We also dive into writing bold characters, trusting your creative instincts, and what she’s working on next.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

0:55 - Plot Twists that E. Lockhart loves

2:18 - We Were Liars Universe

5:35 - How E. Lockhart Crafted the Twist in We Were Liars

6:52 - *SPOILERS AHEAD WARNING*

9:50 - Next Steps in Writing the Book

11:34 - Why Are They Called the Liars

13:20 - Easter Eggs in the Book

15:28 - Family of Liars

20:55 - What’s Next for the We Were Liars Universe

21:55 - What Kind of Role Do You Play in the Adaptation?

24:15 - Season 2 of We Were Liars

24:35 - Genuine Fraud

25:50 - What’s Next

FOLLOW US:

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/morgannbook

E. Lockhart

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elockhartbooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elockhartbooks

Find her books at Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/e-lockhart/

Find her book at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/contributor/e-lockhart/_/N-2xr8

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Jennifer Iacopelli, the author of Finding Her Edge, about how the book began, how her life as a school librarian shaped her writing, and the spark that led to its sports romance world. Jennifer shares the inspiration behind the story, the challenges she faced along the way, and how the book eventually became a Netflix adaptation. She also takes us behind the scenes of casting, set visits, and the moments she was most excited to see on screen.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:40 - Jennifer’s Childhood

3:35 - Working as a Librarian

9:30 - How Jennifer Got Into Writing Her First Book

12:40 - Why Jennifer Wrote About Sports

18:35 - Setbacks and Rejections

20:20 - Finding Her Edge

27:55 - The Adaptation

47:10 - Game, Set, Match

49:35 - Difference Between YA, New Adult, YA Plus

54:15 - What’s Next

FOLLOW US:

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Jennifer Iacopelli

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jennifercarolyn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifercarolyn

Find her books at Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/jennifer-iacopelli/

Find her book at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Jennifer%20Iacopelli%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Off.TheShelfPodcast

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with fantasy author Imani Erriu to talk folklore, fairytales, and the creation of her celestial universe. Imani shares how growing up in the English countryside shaped her imagination, the moment Heavenly Bodies first formed, and how TikTok helped launch her story to a wider audience.

We chat about her shift from indie to traditional publishing, the evolution of her writing process, the collaborative work behind her maps and covers, and what readers can expect from Holy Monsters and the expanding five-book saga.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

2:07 - Early life & Growing Up

6:04 - How Imani Started Writing Heavenly Bodies

10:40 - How Imani Came Up With The Names of the Characters

12:32 - How Mythology Influenced Her Writing

14:50 - Creating The Map

16:05 - Indie Publishing to Traditional Publishing

18:23 - Imani’s TikTok Account

25:32 - Writing Career Timeline

20:20 - Olivia Rose Darling

32:25 - Book Covers

34:21 - Knowing It Was Going To Be A Series

38:18 - Imani’s Day to Day Life

42:20 - Holy Monsters

45:45 - What’s Next

FOLLOW US:

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/morgannbook

Imani Erriu

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorimanierriu

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorimanierriu

Find her books at Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/imani-erriu/

Find her book at Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Imani%20Erriu%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

Off The Shelf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheshelf.podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offtheshelf.podcast?lang=en

Hosted by: Morgann Book

Created by: Bookish Media, Morgann Book, and Thomas Johnston

Executive Producers: Morgann Book & Thomas Johnston

Produced by: Stefanie Macchiusi

Associate Post Producer and Editor: Ricki Biramontes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.