This week, I chat with Rachel Kramer Bussel—editor, essayist, and founder of Open Secrets Magazine—about a lifelong love of reading, writing and editing. Listen to hear about:

• How memoirs allow readers to experience others' lives in highly personal ways
• Rachel’s journey from editing 70+ erotica anthologies to building a personal essays literary magazine
• How “ordinary” lives still make compelling, meaningful essays
• The behind-the-scenes reality of running a submission-based publication
• The emotional and ethical tightrope of writing about real people, relationships, and personal struggles

Rachel's "Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to ban books" T-shirt

Books We Talked About

I'm Glad My Mom Died — Jennette McCurdy

King of Ashes — S. A. Cosby

Razorblade Tears — S. A. Cosby

Camouflage — Heather Sweeney

Hologram Boyfriends — Mike Albo

Somebody I Used to Know — Wendy Mitchell

Agorafabulous — Sara Benincasa

Actress of a Certain Age — Jeff Hiller

Do What Godmother Says — L. S. Stratton

Adult Braces — Lindy West

Strangers — Belle Burden

Famesick — Lena Dunham

Destroy this House – Amanda Uhle

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba