Shelf Made Stories
Episodes
From Viral Football Smut to Book Club Besties
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do two besties go from reading thrillers to running a viral romance book club?This week, I chat with the hilarious duo behind Two Bookends, the cr...
The Story Behind the Creepy Book Club
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What started as a casual Facebook group during the pandemic has grown into a thriving online community, complete with sold-out retreats, book boxes, a...
Why Julia Whelan Is the Meryl Streep of Audiobooks
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a book lover, chances are you’ve heard Julia Whelan’s voice… and probably more than once. She’s narrated over 700 audiobooks, from...
She Ran Out of Books on Vacation. 6 Months Later, She Owned a Bookstore.
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a book-loving mom of two runs out of reading material on vacation? If you’re Kelly Vann, you open a bookstore. We chat with Kelly...
This Book Club is All Smut and Spice, No Shame
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did you want more smut?I’m chatting with Alexa Sierra, co-founder of Nashville Smut, the spicy book club-turned-brand that’s taken over Music City...
How One Mom Turned a Meme Into the Ultimate “Bookcation”
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could spend an entire weekend doing nothing but reading, relaxing, and connecting with other book lovers? I’m talking no chores, no to-d...
She’s Selling Books in Someone Else’s Store
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could run a bookstore without actually owning a storefront?In this episode, we chat with Alicia Boemi, the founder of Lakeside Books in La...
She Grew Her Engagement Without Playing the Algorithm Game
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we’re diving into the heart of Bookstagram with Kristen Cioffi—aka Kray’s Book Club. If you've ever wondered how to grow a...
She Put a Bar in Her Bookstore and Went Viral
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you mix romance novels, DIY spirit, and a full bar? You get The Plot Twist, Denton's most Instagrammable bookstore, and a total...
How to Break Into Audiobook Narration
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder who’s behind the voice in your favorite audiobook? Meet Marni Penning, an audiobook narrator with over 350 titles under her belt (plus a...
Turning a Love of Food and Books into a Business
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you're into food, books, or doing good... you’re going to love this one.Kimberly Behzadi is the founder of Read It & Eat Bookshop, Buffa...
Inside a Romance Only Bookstore on Wheels
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a lifelong romance reader, punk rock enthusiast, and photographer turns a trailer into a moody, mobile bookstore? You get Slow Burn....
How a Nurse Built a Bookish Self-Care Empire
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since releasing this episode, ShelfCare Box has gone out of business. She went from 0 to 1,000 subscribers in one year.In two years, she was bringing...
How One Bookseller is Riding the Romantasy Wave
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Come inside Flame & Fable, the charming new romantasy bookstore that's quickly becoming a community hub in Lakewood, Ohio.Owner Nickie Lui op...
Turning a Smutty Side Hustle into Steamy Bookstores
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What started as a spicy subscription box packed in her kitchen is now two thriving bookstores, a merch line, and a romance convention. In this episod...
When Readers Want Your Bookshelf Decor
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Karley Schaper shares how her handcrafted bookshelf decorations accidentally launched a thriving business from her small Oklahoma town, "where th...
She rips books apart. BookTok made her do it.
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s guest is literally tearing books apart... and people love her for it.What started as a casual scroll through BookTok turned into a side ...
The Bookstore That Became a Book Hotel
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a real estate-savvy book lover stumbles upon a shuttered bookstore already zoned for hotel use? You get The Bookhouse Hotel, a bouti...
Converting Your Audience into Book Box Subscribers
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as author Lou Emerson reveals how she transformed her love of cozy crime fiction into a subscription box business. Lou shares how she deliv...
The New York Times Made His Reading Parties Explode
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Four friends in their 20s realized none of them were reading books like they used to. So, Ben Bradbury hosted a casual gathering on their rooftop, in...
4 Ways This Book Blogger Makes Money
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jules Buonocore reaches 800,000 monthly readers and has built multiple revenue streams through her book blog, The Literary Lifestyle. In this episode...
She Quit Corporate to Open a Dark Academia Bookstore
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Badeau left her corporate job to pursue her childhood dream of opening a bookstore. We chat with Amanda about trading her corporate ops direct...
She Opened an Instagram-Worthy Bookstore in 25 Days
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When everyone said bookstores couldn't survive, Jenny Kelley did the impossible - opening Bookish Boutique in just 25 days! With pink couches, a...
How This Bookstagrammer Makes Six Figures Without Brand Deals
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When publishers wouldn't pay for her bookish content on Instagram (free books don't pay bills!), Hayley Solano got creative and built a lite...
This Bookstore Makes Money Even If No One Buys Books
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever dreamed of opening your own bookstore? Pull up a chair as Amy Hall takes us behind the shelves of Hudson Valley Books for Humanity. She...
How a Photo of Your Books Could Fund Your Next Vacation
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Want to turn your overflowing bookshelves into a business? Join us for a chat with Renee Powers, Director of Partnerships and Publicity at PangoBooks,...