Books With Your Besties

Hosts: Emily & Ashley
Episode: Catch up with us and retreat recap
Date: March 6, 2026

Episode Overview

Emily and Ashley return after a month-long break to update listeners on their whirlwind experience hosting a massive retreat for thriller book lovers and to share a lively catch-up. The episode provides an inside look at organizing a book retreat with celebrated authors, bonding with their community, behind-the-scenes moments, and what’s on the horizon for the podcast and their book club. All delivered in the besties’ irreverent, candid, and laugh-out-loud style.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Retreat Recap: Behind the Scenes and Highlights

• Intense Planning Process
  • The past months have been dominated by retreat planning, which was “literally a year of work.” (00:43)
  • Most of their recent energy also went into researching the local true crime case of Rachel Hansen, presented live at the retreat and launching as a podcast miniseries. (00:43–01:53)
• Community Vibes
  • Ashley shares the standout moment: “The best part is the most obvious part and it’s always the people...You could feel that everyone was having the time of their lives. But just looking through the pictures, I'm like, people don't have their phones out. They're like reading books, drinking espresso martinis.” (03:43)
  • Emily echoes: “For sure, the whole vibe is magical. It really is just so much joy, so little negativity, no drama.” (04:14)
• Author Interactions and Expo
  • The retreat featured 24+ “stellar authors” as expo guests, with special shout outs given to Miranda Smith, BA Paris, Sarah Pekkanen, Ashley Winstead, Jason Rakulik, Heather Goodenkopf, Lucinda Berry, and Kara Ruda.
  • BA Paris received a standing ovation at her keynote: “That's the book that started this whole book club...Having her there...to talk about the book and what she’s up to next was really incredible...our 450 guests gave her a standing ovation at the end.” (04:38)
  • Jason Rakulik won over readers for his humor and unique process: “At one point was like, no, my hand’s not cramping up...I actually hand write out all my books.” (15:00)
  • Non-book events were a hit, like the tattoo station, which “everyone” did except Emily and Ashley. (12:00)
• Candidly Sharing Challenges
  • The hardest moments were “all the behind the scenes stuff that you don’t see,” like logistical stress, book deliveries, and worry about guest experience pre-retreat. (13:15)
  • Both expressed pride that “most of the expo authors...sold out of their books” thanks to a supportive community. (16:24)

Book Chats: What They’re Reading & Upcoming Discussions

• Current Reads
  • Emily is reading “Smile for the Camera” by Miranda Smith and just finished “Hey Hun” by Emily Paulson (on MLMs as cults).
  • Ashley is listening to “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir on Emily’s recommendation, praising the audiobook: “I can’t stop listening to it, and it’s beautiful and I love it.” (21:03)
  • Both are excited for upcoming picks: “Ask for Andrea” by Noelle Eiley (next episode focus), plus titles from Mary Kubica and Amy Green.
  • Book recommendation banter: Ashley shares sending “Strange Sally Diamond” to runner/author Kara Goucher—and then shifting gears to “The Life We Bury” by Allen Eskens for something gentler. (17:49–18:37)
• Book Opinions & Tropes
  • Commentary on “First Lie Wins” (Ashley Elston): Both DNFed, citing disinterest in “con game” stories, preferring domestic thrillers, locked room mysteries, and “creepy kid” stories instead. (24:06–25:53)
  • Observations about memory and reading: “My memory’s going faster and faster.” (20:13)

Signature Humor and Memorable Moments

• Can’t-Tell-Us-Apart Bit
  • Running joke about retreat goers confusing their identities, leading to frequent reintroductions on stage. (26:12–26:46)
• Volunteering, Friends, and Real Talk
  • Real-life friends who volunteer only now get what Emily & Ashley “do” in their book biz: “It feels like self-aggrandizing to go to people and be like, well, I run this retreat. It’s massive.” (27:13)
• On Podcasting Chaos
  • Emily: “Can I just say, being an amateur podcaster, that it’s a little annoying that...all the trees in my neighborhood maybe are getting cut down today, and it’s really loud out there...and at your house, there’s a dog barking.” (20:29)
• Shout-Out to Social Media Manager
  • Introduction of their new social media manager, Allison (“the bookish camper”), who “is keeping us in line and she’s the reason any of our socials look a little better.” (27:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We disappeared for about a month and a half, maybe more…because we just hosted a massive book retreat with thriller authors and guests. And boy, it turns out that takes some work.”
  — Emily (00:13)
• “I’m not a big crier, but I had to say it because I was crying at retreat, like, to the point of, you know, doing that weird breathing. Like, get a hold of yourself, Ashley.”
  — Ashley (05:30)
• “She’s like, our Michael Jordan of thriller authors...for her to come and to tell us like, this has been the highlight of my writing career...I couldn’t believe that.”
  — Ashley on BA Paris (06:09)
• “Authors aren’t expected to teach the readers how to write...They’re kind of just there to entertain our readers and ask the questions we have of them…they get to show these little sides of their personality.”
  — Ashley (08:35)
• “We took the authors...to dinner in Scottsdale. And the server was, like, weak in the knees over the fact that these were thriller authors.”
  — Emily (07:02)
• “Everybody I talked with got a tattoo...I was so jealous as I was watching people with those.”
  — Emily (12:12)
• “As the hosts of retreat...I loved being a fly on the wall and hearing the conversations authors have with their readers. I would do signings all day.”
  — Ashley (14:00)
• “I love almost anything about family dynamics, relationships, that’s—I’m into domestic stuff…You just like certain tropes more than others.”
  — Emily (24:19)
• “People who came to retreat probably are going to say, I’m not coming back. Mainly because they are the hosts.”
  — Ashley, deadpan (26:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:13] — Why the hiatus: prepping for and running the retreat
• [01:53] — Upcoming podcast series: Rachel Hansen true crime deep dive
• [03:43–05:30] — Retreat highlight reels: Keynote and community moments
• [08:35–10:26] — Author personalities and funny dinner stories (flaming dessert and hand talkers)
• [12:00–14:00] — Tattoos and non-book fun at retreat
• [14:00–16:35] — Book signings & reader/author interactions
• [16:44–21:03] — Books they’re currently reading/listening to; funny gifting story
• [24:06–25:53] — Rant on favorite and least favorite book tropes
• [26:12–26:46] — Identity mix-ups and behind-the-scenes hilarity
• [27:50] — Introduction of their social media manager, Allison
• [28:36] — Next episode preview: “Ask for Andrea” by Noelle Eiley

What’s Next

• Upcoming Book Chats:

  • Ask for Andrea by Noelle Eiley (read along for next episode)
  • Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy Green
  • It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica

• Patreon Content:

  • Early access to book chats
  • Planned interviews with authors (potentially Alice Feeney)
  • Behind-the-scenes footage

Final Thoughts

This episode perfectly captures the unfiltered, book-obsessed, chaotic yet endearing energy that Emily and Ashley bring to their show. It’s a peek into the hard and joyful work of community-building for thriller fans—where the love for stories and friendship is as important as any plot twist.

“I’m just going to call us a multimedia company and say, leave us alone.”
— Ashley (27:30)