Alone At Lunch

This week we are joined by Hannah Orenstein! Hannah is the author of Maine Characters, Meant to Be Mine, Head Over Heels, Love at First Like, and Playing with Matches, as well as the Deputy Editor of Lifestyle and Wellness at Bustle. She splits her time between Brooklyn and Maine.

In this engaging episode, Hannah Orenstein shares her journey as a writer and editor, discussing the balance between her professional and creativ...

This week we are joined by Phil Sloves! Phil Sloves is a self-proclaimed Actorpreneur based in New York City. He has appeared on Broadway in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical and on television in Law & Order: SVU, as well as a recent guest spot on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Phil is also the founder of Actor Reboot, a supportive space designed to help actors build confidence and sharpen their audition techniques.

In this e...

This week we are joined by Karissa Vacker! Karissa Vacker is an award winning narrator of over 500 audiobooks, and can most frequently be heard in the thriller, YA, and rom com genres. She is a classically trained actor with credits from major regional theaters, and also enjoyed a career in film and TV. Some credits include NCIS, Castle, How I Met Your Mother and Chuck. She also is passionate about spreading her love of me...

This week, we are joined by Catherine Mack! Catherine Mack (she/her) is the pseudonym for Catherine McKenzie, the USA Today and Globe & Mail bestselling author of over a dozen novels. Her books are approaching two million copies sold worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages including French, German, Portuguese, and Polish. Television rights to Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies and its forthcom...

This week we are joined by Ashley Poston! Ashley Poston is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of The Dead Romantics, The Seven Year Slip, and A Novel Love Story. She has also written over half a dozen young adult novels. Her latest novel, Sounds Like Love, comes out on June 17th, 2025.

After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a BA in English, she pursued a career in the publishing indust...

This week we are joined by Kevin McCaffrey! Kevin appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, was a regular on truTV’s World’s Dumbest, VH1’s I Love the 2000s, and was a 2-time winner on truTV’s Comedy Knockout. He has 2 albums: “Nice & Drunk” (2018) and “Not Helping” (2024). He hosts two podcasts: “Sex and the Cidiots” and “The Bridgerton Bros,” with WGA award winner Jon Daly.

In this discussion, we explore growing...

This week we are joined by Jamie Shriner! Jamie Shriner is what would happen if Bo Burnham and Jenna Marbles were cryogenically frozen together in a pair of cat lady glasses. A former theatre kid, current queer & hard of hearing divorcé, Jamie uses humorous original songs to discuss her struggles with dating, body image, womanhood, and being queer in Indiana where she grew up.

Jamie was named Best of the Fest at Big Pin...

This week we are joined by Shelley Gruenberg! Shelley Gruenberg is an Atlanta Based standup comedian and sex symbol! You may have seen her on dish nation, or roast battling as Atlanta’s champion around the county. See her live at Laughing Skull Lounge!

This week, we discuss growing up in Myrtle Beach, navigating school with autism, the importance of fashion and self-expression, aspirations in film and college life, and the ...

This week we are joined by Jane L Rosen. Jane L. Rosen is the author of six novels, Nine Women, One Dress, Eliza Starts a Rumor, A Shoe Story, On Fire Island, Seven Summer Weekends and Songs of Summer. She has a monthly column in the Fire Island and Great South Bay News called Cake Or Pie? where she whimsically interviews her fellow authors. She is also a screenwriter and New York Times, Tablet and Huffington Post contribu...

This week we are joined by Sophie Stava! Sophie has loved to read as long as she can remember. Her passion for reading led her to study English Literature at University of California Santa Barbara, where received her B.A. She spent a number of years as (among other things) an event planner, executive recruiter, and ghostwriter before pursuing her own writing. She currently resides in Southern California with her family. Wh...

This week we are joined by Patrick Holbert! Patrick Holbert is a former TV producer-turned-standup comedian who has appeared on Sirius XM, TruTV, The Travel Channel, and was the host of the internationally syndicated TV show “The Movie Loft” for two years. The New York Times called him the “charming M.C.” of the children’s variety show he helmed for multiple tours.

An accomplished director, camera operator, and video editor...

This week we are joined by Katherine Center! Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels, including The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, Things You Save in a Fire, and The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes deep, nuanced, laugh-and-cry rom-coms that brim with hope and healing. The movie adaptation of her novel Happiness for Beginners became a Netflix movie in 2023 and hit the Global Top Ten in 81 countr...

This week we are joined by Kate Posey! Kate Posey writes thriller romcoms for readers who hanker after true crime and true love. She lives in BC with her family. Check out her debut novel Serial Killer Games!

In this episode, we discuss the importance of reading as a coping mechanism during awkward middle school years and how it led Kate to discover her passion for writing and fan fiction. Kate shares her journey from a sec...

This week we are joined by Dotun Olubeko! Dotun Olubeko is a dynamic functional health expert, content creator, and winner of ABC’s The Bachelorette, where he got engaged to his now fiancée Charity Lawson. Blending clinical expertise with authentic storytelling, Dotun creates engaging, impactful content that resonates with diverse audiences.

Beyond his time on The Bachelorette, Dotun has showcased his charisma and on-camera...

This week we are joined by Lauren Connolly! Lauren Connolly is an award-winning author of contemporary and magical romance stories, including PS: I Hate You. She’s lived among mountains, next to lakes, and in imaginary worlds. Lauren can never seem to stay in one place for too long, but trust that wherever she’s residing there is a dog who thinks he’s a troll, twin cats hiding in the couch, and bookshelves bursting with st...

This week we are joined by Trish Smart! Trish Smart is a nomadic stand-up comic that flies under the radar and into your watering hole. Right now she’s living in a van down by a walmart parking lot painting a toilet selfie to sell at a show near you. She is an edgy comic that pushes the envelope of what women should be allowed to say out loud.

Amidst her renditions of her quixotic lifestyle choices, Trish has smooth transit...

This week we are joined by Byron Lane! Byron Lane is an author, playwright, and screenwriter. His debut novel, A Star is Bored, is hailed by The New York Times Book Review as "wildly funny,” inspired by his time as assistant to actress Carrie Fisher. He also wrote the celebrated novel Big Gay Wedding, the series Last Will & Testicle, the acclaimed play Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad On Craigslist, and the award-winning fe...

This week we are joined by Deanna Colon! Deanna is a singer, songwriter, actress, vocal coach, and chef. Deanna was a contestant on Season 8 of NBC’s #1 rated show, “America’s Got Talent”, making it to the live, quarter semifinal round at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. She was also the lead singer/dancer/actress for 2 years of BIG LOTS holiday commercials.

Deanna has sung background vocals for many recording artists, includi...

This week we are joined by Marty Cunnie! Marty Cunnie is a New York based comic originally from San Francisco. He produces shows in Bushwick and Astoria. Make sure to check him out!

In this episode, Marty shares his deep love for cats and rugby, including the unique culture surrounding the sport, and the community it fosters. We discuss finding direction in college and  transitioning into comedy, highlighting the motiv...