The Nerd Daily

In this interview we chat with singer-songwriter BONZIE. Listen below to hear us discuss her latest album Reincarnation, her musical influences, what she has been reading lately, and much more!

• 0:51 - BONZIE talks about how she got into music
• 3:54 - BONZIE discusses her latest album, Reincarnation
• 9:50 - Albums that have been influential to BONZIE
• 13:05 - Breaking down a few specific songs on Reincarnation
• 21:13 - BONZIE talks about books/authors she has loved, past and present
• 34:30 - Music BONZIE has been listening to recently
• 38:39 - BONZIE on looking forward to the return of live music

In this interview we chat with singer, songwriter, producer, and composer Lydia Ainsworth, whose fourth album Sparkles & Debris is out May 28th. Listen below to hear us discuss what inspired some of the songs on this fantastic album, learn about her experience collaborating to compose music for the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, pick up some excellent short story and poetry recommendations, and much more!

• 1:02 - Lydia talks about the evolution of her music career
• 4:53 - Lydia breaks down her latest album, Sparkles & Debris
• 12:43 - Lydia discusses collaborating to compose music for Stranger Things
• 16:55 - Lydia talks about what she likes to read & reflects on how reading influences her
• 32:07 - Lydia shares about upcoming live streams & hopes for returning to live music

In this interview we chat with screenwriter Jeff Arch, whose debut novel Attachments is out May 11th. Listen below to hear us discuss his most well-known screenplay, Sleepless in Seattle, his new novel, some fantastic writing tips, books he has loved, and much more!

• 0:59 - Jeff discusses writing Sleepless in Seattle
• 10:07 - Jeff talks about his debut novel, Attachments
• 15:00 - Jeff breaks down how Attachments came about (a 33 year process!)
• 25:45 - Jeff dives into his process & the craft of writing
• 41:30 - Jeff shares what he likes to read, as well as his mother’s love of books & film
• 56:16 - What Jeff hopes readers will get from reading Attachment

In this interview I chat with Sherry Cola. Sherry is an actress and comedian, and season three of her hit Freeform TV show Good Trouble premieres on February 17th! Listen below to hear about what to expect in the new season, the awesome projects Sherry has been writing during the pandemic, what books she looks forward to reading, and much more!

• 0:59 - Sherry talks about the highs & lows of the past year; how Good Trouble reflects ongoing social justice issues in the world around us
• 6:23 - Sherry recaps her character Alice’s storyline from season 2 into season 3
• 10:20 - Similarities & differences between Sherry and her character
• 15:15 - Sherry teases what to expect from Good Trouble as a whole in season 3; what filming & stand-up comedy have been like during the pandemic
• 24:35 - Sherry discusses what she has been writing over the past year & her desire to bring more stories that are representative of the Asian experience to the screen
• 35:08 - Books that Sherry is looking forward to reading
• 39:24 - Future projects Sherry is involved with

You know Colin Egglesfield best as an actor with roles in hit films and television shows like Something Borrowed and All My Children, but he is also the author of a book, a house flipper, a life coach/motivational speaker, and so much more! Listen below to hear about his latest film, a psychological thriller titled 100 Days to Live, get a sneak peek into the magic behind his book Agile Artist, and much more!

1:10 - What Colin has been up to during the past year & a bit about his book, Agile Artist

6:24 - Colin talks about his new film, 100 Days to Live

13:01 - How to pursue the passions in your life & what Colin has learned about being more authentically yourself to help achieve these goals

25:26 - Colin shares about the life coaching he does & the “Inspire” course he teaches

37:12 - Colin shares about being intentional with communication & the “Camera Ready” course he teaches

46:13 - Colin’s reading interests & inspirations

In this interview I chat with Alexi Pappas, a professional runner who has competed in the Olympics, a writer-filmmaker-actress, and now the author of her very own memoir Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas. Listen below to learn what a “bravey” is, hear Alexi discuss the wide range of life experiences she shares in her book, get a hint at a new television project she is working on, and much more!

• 0:55 - What Alexi was up to in 2020 and her experiences throughout the pandemic
• 9:25 - Alexi discusses Bravey and what inspired her to write a memoir
• 13:12 - Alexi shares the importance of talking about mental health in her book
• 18:20 - Alexi defines what a “bravey” is and discusses the power of words/reframing
• 27:48 - Alexi’s reading interests and writing experiences
• 37:57 - Alexi gives advice on working toward your dreams

We chat with Karah Preiss, who you know as half of the duo that makes up Belletrist, an online book community she founded alongside actress Emma Roberts. Karah is definitely not an “unexpected” book nerd these days, but I’ve long been curious to pick her brain on what she did before Belletrist and how she channeled her passion for all things books to become a now well-known bibliophile! 

• 1:12 - Checking-in with Karah on how things have been going this year
• 3:55 - Karah talks about what she was doing before Belletrist, how Belletrist came about, & her podcast about artificial intelligence, Sleepwalkers
• 11:40 - Karah discusses behind the scenes of Belletrist, including what a work day looks like for her & how books are selected each month
• 29:00 - Karah discusses reading across her life, including books she has read this year
• 51:00 - Karah shares a parting suggestion for bringing your dreams to life

Kendall Long, a fan-favorite from the popular television shows The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, is releasing her first book in November, titled Just Curious: A Notebook of Questions, which is meant to serve as both a journal for self-reflection while also providing questions to be used with others in order to strengthen and deepen personal relationships. Listen below to hear us discuss Just Curious, try out a few of the questions ourselves, and learn more about Kendall’s passion for non-fiction books!

• 1:08 - Checking in with Kendall on what she has been doing this year
• 2:15 - How the idea for Just Curious came about & how Kendall hopes her book will be used
• 5:58 - Kendall discusses deepening relationships with others
• 11:04 - Kendall answers a few questions from her book
• 23:09 - Kendall shares her reading interests

You loved him as Ritchie Valens in La Bamba, and more recently in shows like Longmire and the current hit Prodigal Son. Lou Diamond Phillips has written and directed a number of projects for the screen and now he is releasing his first novel, The Tinderbox. You may be surprised to learn that Lou is a lifelong avid reader as well. Listen below to hear us discuss his amazing new novel, what the lengthy writing process was like, and Lou’s reading interests and influences from Lewis Carroll to Stephen King!

• 1:10 - Lou discusses the strange year that is 2020
• 5:50 - A filming update on Season 2 of Prodigal Son
• 6:45 - The creation & evolution of The Tinderbox; the influence of Lou’s wife on this process
• 15:57 - The various elements & themes of the book
• 22:08 - An examination of how the book defies genres
• 26:24 - Lou shares lessons learned from writing
• 30:33 - Worldbuilding in The Tinderbox
• 34:12 - Lou’s writing processes
• 37:50 - Lou’s reading interests & influences
• 45:48 - Will there be more books to follow The Tinderbox?!

We speak with Arianna Davis, the Digital Director of O, The Oprah Magazine. Arianna is a true book nerd, in the very best way … not only is she releasing her first book, What Would Frida Do?, but she loves to read! As you can imagine, Arianna was such a pleasure to talk with. Listen below to hear us discuss all things Frida Kahlo, her upcoming book release, and some of her favourite books from her childhood to present.

• 1:16 - Arianna discusses 2020 & how she has been coping
• 4:13 - What Arianna hopes readers will take away from her new book, What Would Frida Do?
• 7:32 - Why Frida Kahlo has remained such an inspiration to Arianna over the years
• 13:00 - How the circumstances of the time influenced Frida’s life & the artist she became
• 18:56 - Frida’s greatest creative achievement
• 24:30 - How What Would Frida Do? has become part of Arianna’s everyday life
• 29:30 - Arianna discusses her writing process & balancing this with her job/personal life
• 34:44 - What is on Frida Kahlo’s bookshelves?
• 37:27 - Books Arianna loved growing up & books she loves now
• 41:51 - 2020 books Arianna says you don’t want to miss

In this interview, I chat with Hilarie Burton Morgan. You know her from MTV’s TRL, hit television shows like One Tree Hill and White Collar, as well as a slew of wonderful Lifetime movies! Hilarie is the perfect fit for this interview series … not only is she releasing her memoir, The Rural Diaries, but she is an avid reader! I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to talk with her. She is so grounded and genuinely kind-hearted. Listen below to hear us discuss Hilarie’s new book, her passion for her hometown of Rhinebeck, NY, and some of her favorite reads, past and present!

• 1:20 - Hilarie shares how her family is handling the COVID-19 pandemic
• 4:20 - Hilarie discusses how surrounding yourself with the right people helps to maintain a balance in life
• 6:04 - Hilarie explores the differences between living in NYC while on MTV’s TRL, living in North Carolina while filming One Tree Hill, & settling down on a farm in Rhinebeck, NY
• 10:45 - Hilarie shares why she wanted to write The Rural Diaries and how she approached this
• 18:15 - Hilarie discusses the importance of prioritizing community preservation in her hometown of Rhinebeck
• 23:45 - Hilarie talks about why she structured her memoir in a non-traditional way
• 27:10 - Books that Hilarie loved to read growing up
• 30:48 - Hilarie discusses being a fangirl of other writers’ work

In this interview, I talk with Dr. François Clemmons. You know him best for playing the iconic character of Officer Clemmons on Mister Rogers Neighborhood! As Dr. Clemmons prepared to release his first book, a memoir entitled Officer Clemmons, I had the opportunity to chat with him about a little bit of everything … from very openly discussing his experiences navigating his personal life and his role in Mister Rogers Neighborhood with respect to his sexual orientation and race, to sharing stories about his childhood and literary influences. We laugh, we cry, and everything in between. My cheeks have never hurt like this after an interview from smiling so broadly … so, trust me, this is one you don’t want to miss!

• 2:09 - Dr. Clemmons discusses what he may have done differently, looking back on his life
• 4:17 - Dr. Clemmons talks about navigating his sexual orientation & race in both his personal life & his role as Officer Clemmons, as well as building a relationship with Fred Rogers
• 18:12 - The influence of family (& destiny!) on who Dr. Clemmons grew up to be
• 26:20 - Dr. Clemmons discusses the process of writing his memoir & his natural storytelling ability/influences
• 34:51 - Why Dr. Clemmons wants to share such a personal story with the world & his unique perspective on Fred Rogers
• 45:35 - Dr. Clemmons sings!
• 45:55 - What Dr. Clemmons learned from his mother, reading, & other life experiences
• 52:00 - How Fred Rogers taught Dr. Clemmons the power of unconditional love
• 53:00 - Dr. Clemmons discusses teaching at Middlebury College & other accomplishments
• 59:23 - Dr. Clemmons shares a few more literary influences

In this interview, I talk with Maurice Benard. You know him as Sonny Corinthos on the classic soap opera General Hospital, a role he has maintained for over 25 years. He recently released his first book, Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital. In this memoir, he talks openly and honestly about experiences across his life ranging from his childhood to his acting career, and most notably living with bipolar disorder.

• 1:11 - How Maurice & his family are doing during the COVID-19 pandemic
• 2:37  - Maurice discusses his memoir & talks in great detail about his mental health
• 17:38 - Parallels between Maurice & his character, Sonny Corinthos, on General Hospital
• 20:31 - How is General Hospital being affected by COVID-19?
• 21:13 - Maurice discusses the process of writing his book
• 23:35 - Mindfulness, meditation, & books Maurice has enjoyed reading
• 26:19 - Maurice shares about his “State of Mind” talks

In this interview, we chat with Candice King and Kayla Ewell. You know them from the hit show The Vampire Diaries, where Candice played Caroline and Kayla played Vicki. Now they’re hosting the fantastic podcast Directionally Challenged, which is about “realigning your internal compass.” 

With transparency and humor, Candice and Kayla examine what it means to be a woman in your 30s and they talk with a broad range of guests on topics from work to family life, aspirations to health, and much more.

• 1:37 - Candice & Kayla discuss their popular podcast, Directionally Challenged
• 12:55 - A few questions looking back at The Vampire Diaries
• 16:23 - Kayla talks about her recent roles on Roswell, New Mexico and Batwoman
• 18:08 - Candice talks about her role in the upcoming film After We Collided
• 20:00 - Book talk! Candice & Kayla talk bookshelves, children's books, favorite books, & more
• 36:00 - Candice & Kayla discuss journaling & other writing interests
• 40:00 - A few “must listen” podcast episodes to try if you haven’t listened to Directionally Challenged yet

P.S: These interviews are a new segment for The Nerd Daily, so we are still learning and working out the kinks as our content is created on a volunteer basis! If you have any suggestions for us, we'd love to hear from you!