Episode Details

Looking for your next favorite author before they blow up? This episode is for you. 

Joe is joined by Amy Allen Clark of the Book Gang Podcast, an expert in spotlighting debut authors, for a conversation that starts with a little podcast inside baseball. From prepping interviews to working with first-time authors, they dig into what makes debut conversations so special. 

Then, it’s all about the books. 

Joe and Amy share standout debut novels from 2022 through 2026 that completely delivered. These are the first books that don’t feel like first books: bold, buzzworthy, and absolutely worth adding to your TBR. 

If you loved the Dazzling Debuts conversation, this is your official reading list follow-up. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Book recommendations: 

Amy’s Picks: 

• The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman 

• Harvesting Rosewater by Paria Hassouri 

• The Sign for Home by Blair Fell 

• With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick 

• If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett 

Joe’s Picks:  

• Mayra – Nicky Gonzalez 

• The Dallergut Dream Department Store – Miye Lee 

• Cactus Country – Zoe Bossiere 

• The September House – Carissa Orlando 

• I Want You More – Swan Huntley 

• The Compound – Aisling Rawle 

• Julie Chan is Dead – Liann Zhang 

• How to Survive a Horror Story – Mallory Arnold 

• Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – Anais Flogny  

• Fitting Indian – Jyoti Chand 

• Homebody – Theo Parish 

Who’s in this episode:  

Amy Allen Clark – Links  

Time stamps: 

00:00:00 Title 
00:00:23 Intro to Dazzling Debuts 
00:05:00 Inside baseball – talking to debut authors and the art of the interview 
00:25:35 Dazzling Debut Recommendations 
01:19:35 Outro 

Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our 

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