Wally Lamb, THE RIVER IS WAITING: A Novel
Totally Booked with Zibby
Zibby Owens
4.5 • 643 Ratings
🗓️ 26 December 2025
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Special re-release! To close out the year, we’re counting down the Top 10 most-listened-to episodes of 2025. Coming in at #6: Zibby’s interview with Wally Lamb. Enjoy!
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK! #1 New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb returns to the podcast to discuss THE RIVER IS WAITING, an epic, heart-wrenching tale of a young father who, after an unbearable tragedy, reckons with the possibility of atonement for the unforgivable. Wally shares the haunting inspiration behind the story—a blend of the Mexican legend of La Llorona and the heartbreaking reality of backover accidents—and how his own experiences with addiction, parenting, and teaching writing to incarcerated women shaped the emotional core of the book. Together, they explore themes of grief, resilience, self-forgiveness, and redemption. Wally also shares a sneak peek of his next novel and then offers writing advice: the magic is in revision.
Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/4jBY6l1
Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!
** If you enjoy recommending things you love and even earning from it, you have to become a creator on ShopMy! You'll be able to see that your recommendations matter. Click my referral code here to learn more! ***
** Want another secret podcast? If you sign up for my Z.I.P. Membership program, you'll get access to an exclusive podcast called Zibby's Show Notes, the behind-the-scenes of everything! Head to zibbyowens.com/subscribe to sign up.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hi, this is Zibi Owens, and you're listening to Totally Booked with Zibby. Formerly, moms don't have time to read books. In my daily show, I interview today's latest, best-selling, buzziest, or underrated authors and story creators, whose work I think is worth your time. As a bookstore owner, publisher, author, and obviously podcaster, I get a comprehensive |
| 0:24.0 | look at everything that's coming out and spend my time curating the best books so you don't |
| 0:29.3 | have to. |
| 0:30.3 | Stay in the know, get insider insights, and connect with guests like I do every single day. |
| 0:36.2 | For more information, go to zibbmedia.com and follow me on Instagram |
| 0:40.1 | at Zibby Owens. Today is number six in the most downloaded, totally booked episodes |
| 0:49.6 | 2025. We're counting up from 10 to the most downloaded episode. Tune in every day to find out. |
| 0:57.0 | Wally Lamb is the author of The River is Waiting. Wally is the author of six New York Times best-selling |
| 1:03.1 | novels. I'll take you there. We are water. Wishing and Hopen. The hour I first believed. I know |
| 1:09.9 | this much is true. And she's come undone. Wally also |
| 1:13.5 | edited, couldn't keep it to myself, and I'll fly away, two volumes of essays from students in his |
| 1:18.7 | writing workshop at York Correctional Institution, a women's prison in Connecticut, where he was a volunteer |
| 1:24.2 | facilitator for 20 years. Wally lives in Connecticut with his wife, Christine, |
| 1:28.9 | and they have three sons. He has been on this podcast in the past, and I am delighted to welcome him back now. |
| 1:34.9 | Welcome, Wally. Thank you so much for coming back on my show to talk about the river is waiting. Congratulations. |
| 1:41.9 | Happy to be here, Zivie, and thank you very much. |
| 1:45.2 | This book deals with such dark, heavy topics, and yet there is a hopeful message of |
| 1:52.1 | resilience all the way through. Can you talk a little bit about where this idea came from |
| 1:56.9 | and what it's really about? |
| 1:59.1 | Yeah, sure. Well, you know, I never know when it's time about. Yeah, sure. |
| 2:05.3 | Well, you know, I never know when it's time for me to start a new book, |
| 2:07.3 | I never know what it's going to be about. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Zibby Owens, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Zibby Owens and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.