This episode, owner of Books Are Magic, Emma Straub, interviewed Isabel Banta, Books Are Magic bookseller and author of the debut novel, Honey, a story about Amber Young, a singer with big dreams who rises to pop-stardom during the late 90’s into the early 2000’s. Honey follows Amber’s close friendship with fellow pop-star, Gwen Morris, a budding but complicated relationship with boyband star Wes Kingston, and her journey through a complex and, at times, unforgiving industry. The two discuss author debuts, celebrity memoirs, and Kidz Bop covers of pop hits. Sources Mentioned: Honey by Isabel Banta This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub The music production company for children, Kidz Bop Pop icon Britney Spears’s album Britney and her song “Overprotected” A review of the film The Idea of You (based on the book of the same title) in Vogue “‘The Idea of You’ Has the Wrong Idea” Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures by Emma Straub The iconic Green Versace Dress that Jennifer Lopez wore to the 42nd annual Grammy Awards in 2000 Martha Stewart’s time in prison in 2004 for insider trading Martha Stewart’s 2023 Sports Illustrated cover shoot The infamous feud between Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff The 2003 film Freaky Friday The 2004 film A Cinderella Story The Saturday Night Live episode hosted by Lindsay Lohan in which they made fun of Hilary Duff, and Hilary’s response to it.  The Woman in Me by Britney Spears Open Book by Jessica Simpson Out of Sync by Lance Bass The Song Machine by John Seabrook The song “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys Britney Spears’s Blackout by Natasha Lasky (33 ⅓) Sassy Magazine This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub Bop! Magazine Teen Beat Magazine YM Magazine Teen People Magazine The documentary The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story The documentary Stages: Three Days in Mexico “Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera “I Wanna be Bad” by Willa Ford The 2003 film What a Girl Wants “Irresistible” by Jessica Simpson “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia “Behind These Hazel Eyes” by Kelly Clarkson “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne “Candy” by Mandy Moore “No Scrubs” by TLC “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” by Backstreet Boys Other People We Married by Emma Straub Riverhead Press The Vacationers by Emma Straub Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage Real Americans by Rachel Khong Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe The Books Are Magic launch event for Rufi Thorpe’s aforementioned novel One Star Romance by Laura Hankin Indie Bound’s Indie Next June 2024 Book of the Month Picks The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand Interviewer: Emma Straub (she/her) Interviewee: Isabel Banta (she/her) author of Honey Producers: Aatia Davison (she/her) & Jules Rivera (they/she) Music: Bex Frankeberger (they/them) Editor: Jules Rivera Voiceover: Jules Rivera Want the transcription? That's right here!