Podcast Summary: Totally Booked with Zibby
Episode: Laura Dave, THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM
Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Zibby Owens
Guest: Laura Dave
Episode Overview
In this episode of Totally Booked with Zibby, Zibby Owens welcomes back bestselling author Laura Dave to discuss her latest novel, The First Time I Saw Him, the highly anticipated sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. Laura shares the inspiration for the new book, her unexpected journey to writing a sequel, her writing process, and the resonant theme of a mother's love. The conversation is filled with candor, warmth, craft insights, and memorable anecdotes, providing a compelling behind-the-scenes look into the world of one of today’s most buzzed-about authors.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Writing a Sequel: The Genesis & Challenge
- Unexpected Sequel: Laura reveals she never intended to write a sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, but persistent questions from readers about what happened next sparked the idea.
"I actually never thought I was. And then when the book came out and so many wonderful readers reached out and said, what happens next? I need to know what happens next. I realized I had an answer sort of whole cloth in my head..." — Laura Dave (05:07)
- Evolution of Storylines: The ending of the first draft of her first book became the entire basis for the sequel’s ending, emphasizing the cyclical and unpredictable nature of creativity.
- The Value of Old Drafts: Laura keeps a “garbage file” for cut content, stressing its worth as a resource for future stories.
"I have on my computer something called the garbage file... That garbage file often comes back in the form of other stories, other books, other things we need to be exploring." — Laura Dave (06:28)
2. Origin Story of The Last Thing He Told Me
- Spark of Inspiration: The initial inspiration came from an interview with Linda Lay after the Enron scandal, piquing Laura’s interest in a story where a woman becomes the hero, not the victim, of her circumstances. (07:38)
- Theme of Female Heroism: Laura wanted to show a woman taking charge of her narrative, influenced by a paraphrased Gloria Steinem quote on the importance of women seeing other women become the heroes of their own story.
3. Crafting Intricate Plots & Research Habits
- Immersive Research: Laura travels extensively to inform her settings, recently visiting the South of France and specific locales like the magical hotel La Réserve in Paris to authentically capture the story’s atmosphere.
"I do a ton of research. We went to Fisher island, and I'm like, actually, that is not correct. And so I ended up throwing out 20,000 words... I landed on the south of France." — Laura Dave (10:22)
- Personal and Practical Choices: Laura jokes that she chooses appealing research destinations, alluding to her new book set in Aspen.
"I'm not picking Siberia. Like, if I'm going to go somewhere, I'm picking somewhere that I want to spend some time." — Laura Dave (12:51)
4. Pressure and the Creative Process
- Sequel Anxiety: Laura candidly shares the fear and high expectations surrounding a sequel to such a successful book and TV adaptation.
"I have all those inner voices... I only wanted to try to do this if I believed in my soul it was gonna be as good as the first book." — Laura Dave (15:18)
- Early Feedback: Laura still reads every review, admitting it’s not always healthy, but she values reader connection, referencing the deep impact letters from readers had on her own early literary idols. (22:45)
5. Adaptation: From Book to Screen
- Show Involvement: Laura discusses her role in the Apple TV+ adaptation and working with Jennifer Garner, who has become the character of Hannah in her imagination.
"Part of the scenes in which Hannah's more physical part of that is because Jennifer is so physical and good at that physical stuff. And I think she got in there and into the writing process in that way." — Laura Dave (04:33)
- Balancing Book and Show: She shielded herself from deep involvement in the writers’ room for Season 2 of the show to protect her creative process as she wrote the latest novel.
"So instead, we have a new showrunner who came in, and I sort of walked him through what the book was going to be and gave him those pages..." — Laura Dave (20:03)
6. On Suspense and Literary Technique
- No Outlining, Just Rewriting: Laura doesn’t outline her books; her approach is heavily iterative, with multiple drafts refining her stories.
- Daily Practice and Rituals: She listens to the same song on repeat during drafting—Taylor Swift’s “Cardigan” guided the rhythm and emotional tone for this book.
"I listen to the same song on repeat the entire time I'm writing... For this book, it was Cardigan by Taylor Swift." — Laura Dave (27:10)
- Constructing Suspense: She builds her narratives around a central question—in this novel, “What are we willing to do to be forgiven? How far will we go for a second chance?” (25:07, 27:00)
7. The Crux: A Mother’s Love
- Personal Reflection: Becoming a mother deeply informed Laura’s understanding of her protagonist’s motivations.
"When that primal love for somebody clicks in, and that becomes the true north of your life... That is where I realized I got to go all the way back to...watching Hannah become the hero of her life, because for her, it was all about becoming the hero of this child's life, Bailey's life..." — Laura Dave (28:22)
- Universal Resonance: Laura extends the definition of motherhood and caregiving to anyone who loves another so fiercely that they would do “everything” to honor that person’s life.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Writer’s Resourcefulness:
"This is a lesson in not deleting past drafts. You never know where the material is going to go." — Zibby Owens (06:20)
- On Setting as Character:
"I love juxtaposing places where there's this wish fulfillment attached...and where that paradox lives, is something grittier and interesting that I want to get into." — Laura Dave (12:51)
- On Reader Connection:
"To me, I was a reader before I was a writer...I get to be a writer and...hear from readers and respond to readers, it feels like the great gift of my creative life." — Laura Dave (22:45)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Intro & Guest Welcome – 02:41
- Discussing Sequel Genesis & Inspiration – 05:03 to 07:38
- Deep Dive on Characters & Origin Story – 07:38 to 09:52
- Writing Process and Research Trips – 10:22 to 13:40
- Handling Pressure & Early Reactions – 14:52 to 16:44
- TV Adaptation & Author Involvement – 20:03 to 23:49
- How Reader Feedback Shapes Her – 22:45 to 24:05
- Structuring Suspense & Rituals – 25:07 to 28:01
- The Core Theme: A Mother’s Love – 28:22 to 29:34
- Closing Remarks and Congratulations – 29:34 to 29:47
Tone & Final Takeaways
The conversation is energetic, genuine, and supportive, rich with advice for aspiring writers and touching moments about motherhood and resilience. Laura Dave’s commitment to her craft, her readers, and her characters shines throughout, and Zibby’s enthusiasm for great books and honest conversation makes for an accessible, bookish listen. This episode is a must for fans of both authors and anyone interested in the secret life of bestselling novels and their creators.