Vault: Author Emily Giffin In-Studio

Summary

The Bert Show — Vault: Author Emily Giffin In-Studio (July 30, 2026)

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Episode Overview

In this vibrant, engaging episode, The Bert Show welcomes best-selling author Emily Giffin to the studio for a candid and lighthearted discussion about her writing journey, her books’ themes, and the exciting adaptations of her novels into films. The conversation ranges from Emily’s personal experiences as an author to relatable stories and writerly advice, giving listeners both a peek into the literary world and a chance to connect with Emily’s down-to-earth personality.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Emily Giffin’s Writing & Inspiration

• Complex Relationships at the Heart of Her Books

  • Emily describes the common thread in her novels:
    “They're all sort of about the complexity of relationships. So, you know, toxic female friendships or romantic relationships. Sisters and mother, daughter. Yeah, a lot of love, a lot of romance.” (01:22 - Emily Giffin)
  • Her stories explore universal themes, ensuring broad appeal.

• From Law to Literature

  • Emily shares her career switch:
    “I practiced law for five years and just finally quit and decided I would give myself a year, self imposed deadline to try to try to write something. And the first book that was Something Borrowed...” (05:23 - Emily Giffin)
  • She encourages aspiring writers by revealing that even successful authors face rejection:
    “Everyone has that early rejection, so you just have to keep after. It's sort of like training for a marathon. It's a war of wills... for the writers out there, just don't give up. Keep doing it.” (06:16 - Emily Giffin)

• Dealing with Reader Engagement and Reviews

  • Emily discusses how her readers influence her writing:
    “I definitely write with my readers in mind, for sure. I mean, I want to appeal to women and men who feel comfortable enough in their manhood to crack the pastel books… So I think there's just a great universal appeal to reading about relationships.” (02:23 - Emily Giffin)
  • She opens up about her approach to reviews:
    “I don't read Amazon reviews anymore from the individual readers because I just get too worked up. I do read the ones in the media.” (03:51 - Emily Giffin)
  • With humor, she addresses the temptation to review her own books:
    "If you click on Past Reviews and you see that this person has only ever reviewed my books, it's either my mother or my sister. You know, it's E. Griffin. That's right." (04:21 - Emily Giffin)

• Relatable Moments from Her Life

  • Emily recounts a memorable encounter with a fan reading her book on a flight:
    “This girl's reading the book and her husband recognized me. And there was a moment when I was going to deny it because my picture on the back is retouched. I look pretty good. But I was like, yeah, that's me.” (03:05 - Emily Giffin)

The Road to Publication

• Early Rejection and Breakthrough

  • Emily talks candidly about her first, unsuccessful novel and the blunt rejection messages she received:
    “I actually wrote a young adult novel… and that one was turned down. And... my first agent... just wrote back this one line email. They all rejected it.” (06:16 - Emily Giffin)
  • She displays a good sense of humor about it:
    “I actually scammed that email. I have it on my website. So I think it's probably inspiring for writers who are trying to get published.” (06:16 - Emily Giffin)

• Universal Experiences for Writers

  • On the challenges of writing and perseverance:
    “Everybody imagines that they could sit down and actually write a book… But you just have to keep after. It's sort of like training for a marathon.” (06:16 - Emily Giffin)

Book-to-Movie Adaptations

• Something Borrowed & Something Blue Films
  • Emily shares the exciting news that her debut novel is coming to the big screen, with Kate Hudson starring as Darcy:
    “It's my first book, Something Borrowed. It's actually a two movie deal... Kate Hudson is playing the difficult friend that I just described as Darcy and Jennifer Goodwin's Rachel. And then John Krasinski is another male lead.” (07:30 - Emily Giffin)
  • On her level of involvement in the movie adaptation:
    “I would say I was included. More than, you know, involved. I don't think I had any real say, but they were very kind about making me feel as if I did so, like a good consultant of sorts.” (08:00 - Emily Giffin)
  • Release date and events:
    “It's June of next year. So June 2011.” (08:30 - Emily Giffin)
  • Navigating the “book vs. movie” debate:
    “I almost want it to be like, I love the book, but I love… And I think it could happen. I'm really impressed with the direction they've taken and the ways they've adapted the book. You know, it's not going to be exactly like the book and people... you need to make some changes for it to work.” (08:47 - Emily Giffin)

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Memorable Quotes

• Emily Giffin on Universal Appeal:
  “I just try to write about things that women care about, people care about… every conversation you have with friends and your family, potential material there.” (04:46 - Emily Giffin)

• Advice to Aspiring Writers:
  “It's sort of like training for a marathon. It's a war of wills, I think to a large extent. So for the writers out there, just don't give up. Keep doing it.” (06:16 - Emily Giffin)

• On Seeing Fans with Her Book:
  “I've actually gone up to them and said that. So it's very, very…” (03:35 - Emily Giffin)

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Noteworthy Moments (with Timestamps)

• Emily’s Lighthearted Banter with the Team: (00:35 - 01:15)
• Description of Her Book Themes: (01:22)
• Funny Admission About Not Reading Reviews: (03:51)
• First Encounter with a Fan Reading Her Book: (03:05)
• Insight Into Writing Journey and Rejection: (06:16)
• Film Adaptation Announcement: (07:30)
• Movie vs. Book Reflection: (08:47)
• Upcoming Signing Event Mention: (09:11)

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Final Thoughts

The conversation radiates good humor and honest advice, offering insights not just into Emily Giffin’s bestselling novels and adaptations, but also into the realities of writing, rejection, and following one’s dreams. Her anecdotes are accessible and inspiring, making this episode a must-listen for fans, aspiring writers, and anyone interested in the world behind the books.

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Transcript

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[Emily Giffen]

of $45 for three months, $90 for

[Co-host Cynthia]

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[Host Bert]

The Bird Show. Emily Giffen is in studio with us. Good morning.

[Emily Giffen]

Good morning. Thanks so much for having me.

[Host Bert]

How are you?

[Emily Giffen]

I'm great.

[Host Bert]

I got so many tweets yesterday. I tweeted you were gonna be on the show and I got so many tweets from people that are like, oh my God, I read all of her books.

[Emily Giffen]

Oh my God, I gotta be in there. That's so nice.

[Host Bert]

And I'll be honest, I wasn't familiar with your books until yesterday, but Emily here is like kick ass writer living right here in Atlanta now.

[Co-host Cynthia]

That's on account of the fact of you being a man.

[Host Bert]

Is that it?

[Emily Giffen]

Cause you spent the day yester reading them all.

[Host Bert]

Yeah.

[Emily Giffen]

Cover to cover. Good, good.

[Co-host Emily]

Mother's Day.

[Co-host Cynthia]

Yes.

[Host Bert]

But you're not originally from Atlanta, but you live here now.

[Emily Giffen]

Right?

[Co-host Cynthia]

Right.

[Emily Giffen]

I've been here for six years.

[Host Bert]

Okay, and for. Let's play a little game called I've never read your books.

[Emily Giffen]

Okay,

[Host Bert]

what are they, you know, what are they mostly about?

[Emily Giffen]

Well, they're, they're all sort of about the complexity of relationships. So, you know, toxic female friendships or romantic relationships. Sisters and mother, daughter. Yeah, A lot of love, a lot of romance.

[Host Bert]

And these are all bestsellers. There are four books that are bestsellers.

[Emily Giffen]

Right, Right.

[Host Bert]

Did I get it right?

[Emily Giffen]

Yeah, you did.

[Host Bert]

When we were out there, I'm like, you have six books and four were bestsellers. Right. She's like, no, four for four, little man.

[Emily Giffen]

Ridiculous.

[Co-host Emily]

Which I can understand because I think anytime you fall in love with an author, then you go out and you scramble to find every book that they have written or you look forward to the new releases that come out. And obviously, Emily, you have that. Do you find that when you're writing, now that you're on six and going on seven, do you find that your listeners are in your mind as you're Writing, or are you able to just kind of take that out and write like you did the first time?

[Emily Giffen]

First of all, I can tell you're on radio by saying listeners instead of readers.

[Co-host Cynthia]

I love it.

[Emily Giffen]

The audiobook. People would love you for that one. Which, by the way, Cynthia Nixon is reading the new book that's coming out, so that's kind of exciting. Yeah. But, yeah, no, I mean, I definitely write with my readers in mind, for sure. I mean, I want to appeal to women and men, Men who feel comfortable enough in their manhood to crack the pastel books, which I'm sure you're going to. Right, the pastel book. But, yeah. So I think there's just a great universal appeal to reading about relationships.

[Co-host Cynthia]

And I'm curious if you've ever been anywhere, like, in an airport or on an airplane sitting next to someone reading one of your books.

[Emily Giffen]

You know, that actually has happened. It was the last book tour, and I had rolled out of bed very early, flying back from Boston to Atlanta, just, like, not showered, you know, just like, early flight. And this girl's reading the book and her husband recognized me. And there was a moment when I was going to deny it because my picture on the back is retouched. I look pretty good. But I was like, yeah, that's me.

[Co-host Cynthia]

That's gotta be a pretty cool feeling, though. Like, if you're just, like, walking through the airport and you, like, see somebody sitting there, like, you're like, that's my book. Hey.

[Emily Giffen]

But I've actually gone up to them and said that. So it's very, very.

[Co-host Cynthia]

That's my book.

[Emily Giffen]

Do you like it?

[Host Bert]

And they're usually stacked in, like, 20. So there I am the whole time.

[Co-host Cynthia]

This is awesome. I'm also curious about reviews. Do you read book reviews?

[Emily Giffen]

You know, I do, and I don't. I don't read Amazon reviews anymore from the individual readers because I just get too worked up. I do read the ones in the media.

[Co-host Cynthia]

Entertainment Weekly ones.

[Emily Giffen]

Yeah, for the most part.

[Host Bert]

For the most part.

[Co-host Guest]

You ever been tempted to log in, create your own account, log in and post reviews of your own books as someone else?

[Emily Giffen]

Have I been tempted to or have I done it?

[Co-host Guest]

Answer the question however you want, because now we know you've done it.

[Emily Giffen]

If you click on Past Reviews and you see that this person has only ever reviewed my books, it's kind of. It's either my mother or my sister. You know, it's E. Griffin. That's right.

[Host Bert]

What connection have you made with your readers that I think a lot of People think they do have, you know, the cliche is one great novel in them, but the truth is they don't. So how did you get forward? Like what do you know that others don't about writing?

[Emily Giffen]

Well, I love that kind of question with compliment wrapped up in it. So thank you. But you know, I just, again, I just, I just try to write about things that women care about, people care about and you know, there's a lot of that. So it's look all around you, every conversation you have with friends and your family, potential material there. So hopefully I won't run out.

[Co-host Cynthia]

And I think like Bert said, everybody imagines that they could sit down and actually write a book. When would the light bulb go off for you that like you had something that would turn into a novel? Did it start as a short story? Does it start as an article? Like how does it begin?

[Emily Giffen]

Well, I think for me I just always knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I was five years old. So it was just a question of doing it. And I practiced law for five years and just finally quit and decided I would give myself a year, self imposed deadline to try to try to write something. And the first book that was something borrowed and I wrote about the toxic female friendship theme, which is crazy how everyone could relate to that. I've been to probably 100 book clubs and I always ask the question, do you have a Darcy in your life who's sort of the difficult friend in that first book? And it's just practically 100% and it's all ages. I mean, you can go to a nursing home and you can point to the woman who thinks she's all that in a group and annoys everyone.

[Host Bert]

Do you have some kind of struggling writer story? Like did you try writing for years and years and years and were turned down or did it instantly become a hit?

[Emily Giffen]

It was instant. No, I'm kidding. I actually wrote a young adult novel when I was practicing law. It took me like four years because I was always at work and that one was turned down. And what made that sort of particularly upsetting was my first agent who just wrote back this one line email. They all rejected it. So I actually scammed that email. I have it on my website. So I think it's probably inspiring for writers who are trying to get published. Hopefully they react that way to it that people, you know, everyone has that early rejection, so you just have to keep after. It's sort of like training for a marathon. It's a war of wills, I think to a Large extent. So for the writers out there, just don't give up. Keep doing it.

[Host Bert]

Did the agent tell you that to keep trying or are they just like, nobody likes your stuff. No one will ever like you, ever.

[Emily Giffen]

You've got to go to my website and look at this. It literally says they all rejected it and nothing else. And I had written like, happy New Year. I'm just calling for the status update. And so. Yeah.

[Host Bert]

And there was none.

[Emily Giffen]

There was none.

[Host Bert]

Emily Giffen, Atlanta author, here in studio with this morning. One of the books is being made into a movie and Kate Hudson starring in it.

[Co-host Cynthia]

Yeah.

[Emily Giffen]

Yeah. It's so exciting. It's my first book, Something Borrowed. It's actually a two movie deal. My second book, Something Blue, is a sequel and so they're doing two movies. Kate Hudson is playing the difficult friend that I just described as Darcy and Jennifer Goodwin's Rachel. And then John Krasinski is another male lead.

[Co-host Cynthia]

So were you involved in the casting or the development of the film?

[Emily Giffen]

I would say I was included. More than, you know, involved. I don't think I had any real say, but they were very kind about making me feel as if I did so like a good consultant of sorts. But I did go out there a couple times and worked on the script and met some of the potential actors at the time.

[Co-host Guest]

Did you take some pictures with your phone and send them to that agent and write? They didn't reject this one. I would have.

[Co-host Cynthia]

That's so exciting. When is the movie going to be coming out?

[Emily Giffen]

It's June of next year. So June 2011.

[Co-host Cynthia]

So you'll be able to be out there and at the premiere and on the red carpet and the whole thing.

[Emily Giffen]

Hopefully. Hopefully.

[Co-host Cynthia]

That's so cool.

[Host Bert]

I heard there's no party, man. She wrote the book.

[Co-host Cynthia]

And you're guaranteed a good time because everyone will say that the movie's not as good as the book. Yeah.

[Emily Giffen]

You know. Yes. Mixed feelings about that. I almost want it to be like, I love the book, but I love. And I think it could happen. I'm really impressed with the direction they've taken and the ways they've adapted the book. You know, it's not going to be exactly like the book and people. I've heard some authors get very upset about that, but you need to make some changes for it to work. And so, yeah, I think it's gonna be awesome.

[Host Bert]

Well, the name of the new book is Heart of the Matter and Emily will be out at the Borders in Buckhead on May 21st. She'll sign her new release for you guys. I got that date, right?

[Emily Giffen]

Yes, she did.

[Host Bert]

Friday at 7:30. And we will have all the information up online at q100atlanta.com really nice to get to know you.

[Co-host Emily]

Congratulations.

[Emily Giffen]

Thank you so much for having me. It was really fun.

[Host Bert]

And good luck with everything.

[Emily Giffen]

Thanks so much.

[Host Bert]

Hey, the Bird show.