For Episode 206, fellow podcaster Jason Blitman, host of the Gays Reading podcast, joins Sarah to go behind the scenes of producing book festivals. They talk about how he came to reading later in his life and how his journey as a reader led him to his current role. Also, they discuss how he approaches author interviews. Plus, Jason shares his book recommendations.
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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.
Highlights
- Jason’s experience with becoming a “later in life reader”
- How Jason got his start in podcasting and started the Gays Reading podcast
- The method and madness behind choosing which authors to feature
- Jason turns the tables on Sarah and asks her an interview question
- With 2 different book festivals under his belt, Jason shares what producing these events entails
- How authors and special guests are chosen for book festivals
- Managing authors’ expectations, difficulties, and comfort levels at these large events
- Plus, ALL of Jason’s book recommendations are from LGBTQIA+ authors!
Jason’s Book Recommendations [39:38]
Two OLD Books He Loves
- A Star is Bored by Byron Lane (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:00]
- Still Life by Sarah Winman (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:01]
- Other Books Mentioned
Two NEW Books He Loves
- Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:02]
- The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:26]
One Book He DIDN’T Love
- Blackouts by Justin Torres (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:48]
- Other Books Mentioned
- Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig (1976) [50:14]
One NEW RELEASE He’s Excited About
- Lean Cat, Savage Cat by Lauren John Joseph (February 17, 2026) | Amazon
| Bookshop.org [51:40]
Books From the Discussion and Other Links
- The Slip by Lucas Schaefer (2025) [1:01]
- Gays Reading | Season 4, Episode 36: Lucas Schaefer (The Slip) feat. Mike Curato, Guest Gay Reader [1:04]
- We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (2021) [1:39]
- Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (2022) [1:48] <
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