In Episode 219, Sarah talks with author T Kira Madden about her debut novel, Whidbey. A dark, atmospheric story that explores the long reach of violence and the lack of recourse many victims face, Whidbey tackles difficult themes including sexual abuse, stalking, and the ways narratives around these crimes are shaped by media and public perception. Sarah and T Kira discuss the inspiration behind the novel, its complex characters, and the themes at the heart of the story. Plus, she shares a bit about what she’s working on next and some terrific book recommendations.
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Highlights
- Books by T Kira Madden: Whidbey and Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls
- A brief, spoiler-free overview of Whidbey
- The inspiration behind the novel
- Revisiting the impact of sexual assault through fiction
- What the character of Mary-Beth brings to the story
- The ways the novel explores justice, accountability, and the limited options available to victims
- How the reality show storyline reflects the power of media to shape public narratives
- What T Kira is working on next
T Kira’s Book Recommendations [36:42]
Two OLD Books She Loves
- Reading the Waves by Lidia Yuknavitch (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:56]
- Scorched Earth by Tiana Clark (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:43]
- Other Books Mentioned
- The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch (2011) [37:15]
Two NEW Books She Loves
- Extinction Capital of the World by Mariah Rigg (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:38]
- Bloodfire, Baby by Eirinie Carson (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:28]
One Book She DIDN’T Love
- We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (2003) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:58]
One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About
- Lovers XXX by Allie Rowbottom (June 4, 2026) | Amazon
| Bookshop.org [45:22]
- Other Books Mentioned
- Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (2024) [46:43]
- The Hop by Diana Clarke (2022) [47:09]
Books From the Discussion
- There There by Tommy Orange (2018) [36:32]
Other Links
- Guernica | The Feels of Love by T Kira Madden (December 12, 2016)
About T Kira Madden
Website | Instagram | Substack
T Kira Māhealani Madden (she/her) is a diasporic Kanaka ‘Ōiwi (Native Hawaiian) writer and author of the novel Whidbey, forthcoming with Mariner in winter 2026.
Her memoir, Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls, was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize, and the Lambda Literary Award. She is the Founding Editor of No Tokens, a magazine of literature and art, and has received fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Hedgebrook, Tin House, MacDowell, and Yaddo. Winner of the 2021 Judith A. Markowitz Award, she served as the Distinguished Writer in Residence at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and currently teaches at Hamilton College as an assistant professor in Creative Writing and Indigenous literatures.
Next Episode
Next week (March 25), Sarah is back with Catherine and all the books they brought to the Winter Preview with the Winter 2026 Circle Back.
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