Ep: 1853 Sharon Virts - Masque of Honor

Ep: 1865 Janice Erlbaum - Girlbomb

First published in 2006, Girlbomb quickly received critical acclaim for its unflinching honesty and fast-paced storytelling, offering a rare, female-centered perspective on youth homelessness, addiction, and the complex relationships shaped by friendship and first love. Janice Erlbaum's distinctive voice—wry, resilient, and unmistakably Gen X—helped establish the memoir as both a compelling coming-of-age story and a vivid cultural snapshot of its era. Nearly twenty years later, Girlbomb remains strikingly relevant for its exploration of mental health, homelessness, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth. Erlbaum is a former editor at BUST Magazine, and her work has appeared on MTV and been featured in Harper's Bazaar and Vanity Fair. Her writing has also earned praise from the The NY Times Book Review.

Ep: 1864 Tyler Evans MD - Street Medicine: The Last Mile to Ending the HIV Epidemic

The science already exists. PrEP is highly effective, and antiretroviral therapy can reduce HIV transmission to effectively zero. Yet in 2022, approximately 31,800 Americans acquired HIV, while millions remain disconnected from consistent care due to homelessness, incarceration, untreated mental illness, substance use disorders, stigma, and other structural barriers. Dr. Tyler Evans, CEO of the Wellness Equity Alliance and a physician practicing street medicine, is helping lead efforts to end the HIV epidemic by focusing on individuals often left behind by modern healthcare systems. He discusses why addressing the "last mile" of HIV care requires meeting patients beyond traditional clinic settings. Dr. Evans has held senior leadership roles in government and nonprofit organizations, including serving as New York City's first Chief Medical Officer during the COVID-19 pandemic and leading infectious disease programs for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Ep: 1863 Laura Lekkos - All the Little Ways

Victoria, forty-three, is a confident, career-driven woman who never planned on kids—until she falls for Ace, a man twenty years her senior. Liz, thirty-two, has longed for motherhood but faces failed romances and anxiety; an unexpected pregnancy with her elusive boyfriend Chase turns her life upside down. The two meet in a parenting class, alienated from other expectant mothers, and form an unlikely bond. Leaning on each other through their pregnancies, relationships, and life choices, they experience the first deep female friendship of their lives. But as they grow stronger together, a shocking event forces them to confront love, motherhood, and the resilience of their bond. Laura Lekkos has contributed her screenwriting talents to many film and television projects, including Universal, Sony, MGM, Netflix, and Lionsgate.

Ep: 1862 Carol Snow - The Girl on the Beach

Sonia and Graham Starr seem to have it all: wealth, success, and a beloved four-year-old daughter, Roxie. But when Roxie disappears into the Pacific Ocean on a perfect summer afternoon, their lives are shattered. Months later, Roxie's former nanny, twenty-one-year-old Colleen, returns to the Starrs' beach house, burdened by guilt and unanswered questions. On her first night back, she glimpses a child who looks remarkably like Roxie. When she calls out, the child vanishes. Convinced Roxie did not run into the ocean on her own, Colleen sets out to uncover the truth, even if it means confronting her deepest fears. Carol Snow, author of contemporary and young adult fiction is a graduate of Brown University. She has worked as a freelance writer and editor whose writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Park City Magazine and Salon.

Ep: 1861 Jean Trounstine - Sounds Like Trouble To Me

Inspired by the true story of women at Dublin Correctional Facility in California, Jean Trounstine's novel follows Nettie, a correctional officer who suddenly finds herself on the other side of the prison system she once enforced. As she awaits trial, Nettie confronts the inhumane conditions of incarceration while grappling with her abusive marriage, her career, and the life she believed she understood. A renowned leader in prison reform, Jean co-founded the women's branch of the innovative alternate sentencing program, Changing Lives Through Literature (CLTL). She is a tireless advocate for incarcerated women, known internationally for her vivid, empathetic writing that illuminates the struggles of those wronged by the criminal justice system. She also contributes journalism on prison and parole to outlets including the Boston Institute of Nonprofit Journalism, Truthout, and Boston Magazine.