{"id":94,"date":"2024-04-13T15:16:26","date_gmt":"2024-04-13T19:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friendsandfiction.com\/?page_id=94"},"modified":"2026-03-31T09:57:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:57:07","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/friendsandfiction.com\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”1793″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”center” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_margin=”-125px” top_margin_phone=”-30px” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” centered_text=”true” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”default” gradient_type=”default”][split_line_heading animation_type=”default” text_direction=”default” font_size=”120px” font_line_height=”normal” font_size_phone=”55px”]\n

About Us<\/h1>\n[\/split_line_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” left_padding_desktop=”5%” constrain_group_2=”yes” right_padding_desktop=”5%” left_padding_phone=”0%” constrain_group_6=”yes” right_padding_phone=”0%” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text text_direction=”default”]Friends & Fiction is a community of more than 300,000 readers, hosted by New York Times\u00a0<\/em>bestselling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry. Each Wednesday, Mary Kay, Kristin, Kristy and Patti welcome fellow authors to their\u00a0popular weekly web show<\/a>, where they discuss the story behind some of the world\u2019s most popular books. If you love books and you\u2019re curious about the writing world, you\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n

In March 2020, all four authors\u2014along with founding co-host Mary Alice Monroe, who left the show in 2021\u2014had their upcoming book tours abruptly canceled because of the pandemic shutdown. They met on a Zoom happy hour with glasses of ros\u00e9 in hand to talk about how they could best reach readers and support independent bookstores while stuck at home, and the idea for Friends & Fiction was born.<\/p>\n

On April 15, 2020, they hosted their first weekly web show, broadcast via Facebook Live. What started as a casual happy hour soon took off beyond their wildest expectations, with weekly Wednesday night live shows regularly reaching in excess of 10,000 viewers. Their weekly guests are a who\u2019s who of the book world and include\u00a0Louise Penny<\/a>,\u00a0Elin Hilderbrand<\/a>,\u00a0Lisa Scottoline<\/a>,\u00a0Philippa Gregory<\/a>,\u00a0Karin Slaughter<\/a>,\u00a0Jamie Ford<\/a>,\u00a0Jason Mott<\/a>,\u00a0Jennifer Weiner<\/a>,\u00a0Laura Dave<\/a>,\u00a0Amor Towles<\/a>,\u00a0Kwame Alexander<\/a>,\u00a0Emily Henry<\/a>,\u00a0Taylor Jenkins Reid<\/a>, and many, many more.<\/p>\n

In addition to their weekly web show, the four authors of Friends & Fiction also run\u00a0a Facebook group<\/a> with more than 240,000 members. Their podcast<\/a>\u2013which includes librarian Ron Block\u2013can be found wherever podcasts are available; they send\u00a0a weekly newsletter<\/a>\u00a0with lots of behind-the-scenes tidbits; they have\u00a0a merchandise line<\/a>; and they do in-person \u201cFriends & Fiction LIVE\u201d events at theaters around the country. There\u2019s even a spinoff book club, the\u00a0Friends & Fiction Official Book Club with Brenda & Lisa<\/a>, hosted by Friends & Fiction members Brenda Gardner and Lisa Harrison.<\/p>\n

In addition to hosting Friends & Fiction, Mary Kay, Kristin, Kristy, and Patti all have thriving publishing careers of their own, with numerous\u00a0New York Times<\/em> bestsellers under their belts.<\/p>\n

The authors of Friends & Fiction are especially pleased to partner with\u00a0Bookshop.org<\/a>\u00a0in support of our beloved independent booksellers all over the country. The folks at Bookshop.org believe\u2014as we do at F&F\u2014that local bookstores are essential community hubs which foster culture, curiosity, and a love of reading. We\u2019re all committed to helping indies thrive. Bookshop.org is a one-stop online shop where book lovers can complete an easy one-click book purchase all while being certain that their money is supporting indie bookstores! Bookshop.org has raised more than $27 million for independent bookstores since their inception. Join us in shopping small and shopping local from the comforts of home at Bookshop.org, where every purchase you make in\u00a0our Friends & Fiction shop<\/a>\u00a0supports our show and our guests.<\/p>\n

For media requests, partnership inquiries, event requests, guest suggestions or comments, please contact the Friends & Fiction team\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0or email\u00a0meg@tandemliterary.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Friends & Fiction has been featured in\u00a0Publishers Weekly<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0The New York Times<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0You can watch the Friends & Fiction authors talk about the group on\u00a0Tampa Bay\u2019s FOX 13<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=”jumbo” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” icon_family=”none” text=”Contact Friends & Fiction” url=”\/contact” css_animation=”fadeIn”][vc_column_text text_direction=”default”]\n

To request an in-person or virtual speaking engagement with the Friends & Fiction team of host authors, please contact Christie Hinrichs at<\/span>\u00a0Authors\u00a0Unbound<\/a>, or view our<\/span>\u00a0SPEAKING PROFILE<\/a>.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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