Christine Coulson's novel One Woman Show is told through a unique perspective. The characters are depicted as works of art and, using a strict label format of no more than 75 words, the story is told using museum wall labels. Precise and humorous, One Woman Show challenges conventional narratives, prompting readers to question who holds the authority to tell our stories.

In John Scalzi’s novel Starter Villain, Charlie, a divorced substitute teacher living with his cat, inherits his long-lost uncle Jake’s supervillain business. Pulled into a war his uncle started, Charlie is up against a league of supervillains, but with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking cats, and a henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

Kate Baker’s beach vacation turns into a heart-stopping ordeal when her daughter Olivia disappears in the water. Rea Frey's The Other Year explores parallel timelines: one where Olivia survives and Kate faces the challenges of motherhood, and another where Olivia tragically dies, forcing Kate to navigate grief and anger. It's a gripping tale of love, loss, and the unpredictable twists of life.

Authors Lawhon, McMorris, and Meissner talk with J.T. Ellison about their book When We Had Wings. The novel is an interwoven tale about a trio of World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific who go from a dream assignment to war overnight.

In this captivating memoir, Bragg masterfully weaves together the Southern landscape and the deep bond between humans and their animal companions, particularly his beloved dog. Prepare for an enchanting conversation that explores the transformative power of literature, the wonders of the natural world, and the profound connections forged with our four-legged friends.

Casey Park’s talks with J.T. Ellison about Diary of a Misfit. Heartbreaking and poignant, Park’s journey to find her grandmother’s friend, Roy, a woman who lived as a man, examines a host of issues from opioid addiction and poverty to religion, gender identity, and sexuality.

Author Peng Shepherd imagines a young woman’s journey to discover the secrets of a strange map. Shepherd talks with host J.T. Ellison about her book, The Cartographers.

I grew up always with that sort of sense of there is something fungible about the way society and politics works and that there are forces that can shift things very quickly, or even slowly, but in dramatic ways. And so, that's been a real curiosity of mine.

Join us as NPT host J.T. Ellison interviews author Gal Beckerman on NPT's A Word on Words.

“In spite of being very firmly a crime writer, I'm very proud to call myself a crime writer. I'm actually not super interested in the crime itself very often.”

John Neville, the man convicted of killing April, Hannah Jones’ college roommate, has died in prison. John's death causes Hannah to admit some doubts that she has always had about his conviction. She is forced to ask herself if John Neville didn't kill April, who did? Ruth Ware speaks with author J.T. Ellison about her book, The It Girl.

For more information about NPT's Emmy award-winning series A Word on Words visit awordonwords.org.