As you all know, the stacks just celebrated its birthday last month, and I cannot thank you all

enough for supporting this independent podcast for the last eight years. We truly could not do it

without you. My plan is to continue to bring you many more years of great reads, author

interviews, behind the scenes, looks in the book world, and pop culture

gossip. But I can only do that with your support. So giving us a listen every week goes a long way.

And if you want to go that extra mile, consider supporting the stacks on Patreon and substack.

I will say, May is also the month that kicks off summer around here. I believe

in the longest possible summer. That's Memorial Day to September 22nd for those who are wondering.

And summer ushers in the era of the summer reading guide. My nonfiction reading guide is coming

in May for all of you who are paid

subscribers on Patreon or Substack. So that's just a perk to keep in mind. In addition to everything

else we've got going on like Book Club Meetups, our Discord conversation, bonus episodes,

my weekly show and tell over on Substack. Making this podcast takes a village as they say,

and you're part of our village when you support through Patreon and Substacks so that me and my

amazing team can continue doing what we do best, which is bringing this podcast to you every

single week. So if you or your friends are looking to meet other book lovers, support an independent

podcast, come hang out with me at patreon.com slash the stacks on Patreon and subscribe to my newsletter

at tracytomis.com. I would love to have you. This is also a New England novel, which very much subverts American stereotypes about what kinds of literature comes out of New England, like starting with the fact that it's about black people and not about white people.

I mean, not about like, you know, some mad whaling ship captain.

Yeah.

But there is kind of, I will say, there is kind of a Moby Dick piece in it in that, like,

Maria is almost like Ruth's Moby Dick, and that she's like just chasing her.

...