Off The Shelf with Morgann Book

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with bestselling author Elle Kennedy, the writer behind the beloved Off Campus books. Elle shares how she knew she wanted to be an author at just six years old, what it felt like selling her first novel, and why she almost never self-published The Deal. They also dive into the biggest behind-the-scenes secrets from the Off-Campus series, including the original plans for Tucker, why Dean...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Matt Haig, bestselling author of The Midnight Library, The Midnight Train, and Reasons to Stay Alive. Matt opens up about the mental health crisis that changed the course of his life, how writing became part of his recovery, and why The Midnight Library was the most freeing book he's ever written. We also discuss the upcoming film adaptation starring Florence Pugh, the inspiration ...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with bestselling author Lauren Kate to talk about the teacher who inspired her to keep writing, the 76 rejection letters she still has, and how Fallen became a global phenomenon. Plus, Lauren shares the latest on the Fallen TV series and why she returned to the world of angels with her newest novel, White Lights.

CHAPTERS: 

00:00 Introduction

01:04 International Emmy & The...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with bestselling fantasy author Kristen Ciccarelli to talk about the journey from writing stories on her dad's old laptop with no internet to creating the global romantasy phenomenon Heartless Hunter. Kristen shares the inspiration behind Rebel Witch, the surprising moment she realized Heartless Hunter was taking off around the world, why the book has two different titles, and more!

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This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Brooke Averick to talk about her debut novel Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It, going from teaching preschool to building a career online, and why writing a book felt more intimidating than going viral. Brooke opens up about imposter syndrome, pulling from her own experiences with anxiety, BookTok favourites, and the story behind bringing Phoebe to life. 

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This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Haley-Grace McCormick to talk about the journey behind her debut novel The Enemy of Time. Haley-Grace opens up about living with dyslexia and ADHD, going viral on TikTok after one unexpected video, and how heartbreak shaped some of the book’s most emotional moments. Plus, we get into fantasy romance, hidden easter eggs, designing her own cover, The Vampire Diaries hot takes, ...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Louisa Levy, the creator and showrunner behind Off Campus. From adapting one of BookTok’s biggest romance series to casting Hannah and Garrett, Louisa breaks down the real process of bringing Off Campus to the screen. We talk chemistry reads, the pressure of adapting such a beloved fandom, why the “spice” was so important to keep in the show, and how the writers b...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with romance author Kandi Steiner. She opens up about writing A Love Letter to Whiskey in just 9 weeks during one of the hardest times in her life, and how that book went on to change everything. Plus, we dive into her newest release Love Overboard, how a second date conversation turned into a full-blown novel, and why this story feels like you’re watching reality TV unfold in rea...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Jessica Cunsolo to talk about her journey from writing anonymously on Wattpad to becoming a published author. From gaining millions of reads in real time to balancing law school and a book deal, Jessica shares how it all started. Plus, we dive into her latest novel The Blind Date Agreement, her evolving writing process, and more!

CHAPTERS: 

0:00 - Introduction

1:41 - How ...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Indigo romance buyer Kaitlynd Carmichael to break down what actually makes a romance book blow up. From BookTok’s influence to spotting trends before they hit, Kaitlynd shares how books go from shelf to sold out. They also dive into the rise of dark romance, slow burns, and why emotional love stories might be the next big trend, plus favourite reads and what to pick up if you...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Joey Kidney to talk about turning 30, becoming a dad, and what it means to grow up in public. They get into Joey’s early days on YouTube, how creating content became an outlet during some of his hardest years, and why connection still matters more to him than numbers. Plus, Joey opens up about writing Just Remember, his evolving relationship with reading, and why people don&r...

This week on Off The Shelf, Morgann sits down with Leanne Toshiko Simpson to talk about her novel Never Been Better and the deeply personal journey behind it. From living with bipolar disorder to navigating creativity, teaching, and storytelling, Leanne shares what it really looks like to build a life and career while managing mental health.

CHAPTERS: 

0:00 - Introduction

2:15 - Teaching Creative Writing at U of T

6:00 - W...

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...

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 Book...

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 upco...

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 t...

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.

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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.

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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 ...