Zibby Owens is an author, podcaster, bookstore owner, media company owner, and Substacker. As a self-proclaimed “huge book lover,” she has always idolized authors, wanting to help disappointed authors and give back to those from whom she has gained so much knowledge.
Before launching her podcast, Owens interned at an adolescent psychiatric hospital, worked on the Kodak account at Ogilvy, did marketing for internet startups, wrote for a myriad of newspapers and magazines, ghostwrote a book, and beyond, before becoming a stay-at-home mom for 11 years.
With a multitude of professional identities, Owens enjoys the variety and integration of them. In working with her team overseeing different areas of the business, Owens leans into the creative element of her role, whether that is perfecting an Instagram reel, deciding what to write about, or implementing a creative marketing strategy. “I thrive on always learning, and I appreciate being overwhelmed," Owens said.
Owens also served as the GIVE speaker at the June 5th To Give Inspire Fridays event in Potomac, describing the experience as an underrated event that should be on all authors' radars, with a fabulous audience. This quarterly series features passionate female leaders across industries, working “to empower and ignite creativity and possibilities for women in our community,” according to the To Give Inspire Fridays website.
Zibby’s Bookshop
Owens owns a renowned indie bookstore in Santa Monica, California. Since opening, it has become a community hub that residents take ownership of and pride in. Owning her own bookstore has fulfilled a long-time dream of Owens; she says, “I just decided to try [it]. How hard can it be?”
Zibby’s Bookshop is known for its unique book curation and categorization of books by emotion and interest rather than the traditional Dewey Decimal System. By helping readers uncover stories they had yet to realize they had been missing and bolstering underdiscussed artists, Owens believes this curation asks everyone to pull up a chair. “It’s an experience, [an] intentional book-buying process, [and] a cozy, beautiful spot,” Owens said.
Zibby’s Top Books: Curated Zibby’s Bookshop style
Favorite book that made her cry: The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
Favorite book that made her laugh: Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel
Favorite book that made her tremble: Helpless by Jessica Knoll
Totally Booked with Zibby
What began as the podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books has become Totally Booked with Zibby Owens’ daily podcast is aimed at interviewing authors she finds personally compelling, encapsulating an array of perspectives from each crevice of the literature space. After interviewing more than 2,000 authors, Owens concluded that through every conversation, she has learned abundantly about resilience, human nature, writing itself, and rejection, among others. “It’s been a masterclass for me in so many things,” Owens said.
Owens’ podcast episodes are a combination of both in-person meetings and Zooms. After recording, Owens sends it to her sound editors, who ensure the episode is ready for publication. Some of Owens' most memorable podcast guests include Jennifer Gray, due to her affinity for Dirty Dancing, and John Irving. Owens describes her podcast as a place for people interested in other people, for those “… who] have ever been obsessed with a book and then flipped over to the author’s bio[graphy],” Owens said.
Zibby’s Books
Owens currently has six published books, beginning with Moms Don’t Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology, written during COVID-19. As a byproduct of the work she was already doing, the anthology consists of original essays from the authors she had had on the podcast. In compiling the essays, Owens realized she had enough for a book. After donating the profits to discovering the COVID-19 vaccine, Owens went on to write the sequel featuring 5 new concepts, Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids: A Timeless Anthology.
Following this, a children’s book entitled Princess Charming, based on her daughter’s persistence, “fell into her lap” in 2022.
Owens later completed Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature in 2022, a retrospective piece. It covers the different books that have affected her life and reflects on the loss of her best friend and roommate on 9/11.
After sharing at a family dinner about her frustrations staring at a blank computer screen, unsure what to write, Owens’ then 5-year-old son asked her why she didn’t just hand in the book blank. This inspired Owens to write USA Today Bestseller Blank: A Novel, revealing the ins and outs of the publishing industry.
Following the events of October 7th, Owens immersed herself in a group of authors starting up Artists Against Antisemitism. In trying to write about it, Owens said, “I kept finding my characters ending up in protests.”
From there, she compiled another anthology, asking about 200 authors for their work. With ultimately 75 authors contributing, Owens’ 2024 book On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates was on the USA Today bestseller list for 29 weeks.
Owens is currently working on two books, Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances and Found the Plot.
However, Owens already has more reader retreats set for the upcoming months, including one in Chicago later this month, before hitting Santa Monica and New York City in October, and Naples, Florida, next January. She is also working on a new essay platform for sharing advice. You can keep up with her on Substack (@zibbyowens), follow her on Instagram (@zibbyowens), and listen to her podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Owens enjoys spending time with her husband and four children and enjoys traveling to LA, playing tennis, and reading.