2026 Publishing Trends

About this episode

The episode discusses 2026 publishing trends with insights from literary agent Alyssa Morris and bookshop buyer Emilie Sommer.

This week, we chatted with literary agent Alyssa Morris and East City Bookshop Buyer Emilie Sommer about 2026 publishing trends! We pick their brains about customer shopping behavior, what editors are looking for, how they know something is going to hit, and their big bets for the year. Alyssa's 2026 Picks In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson One & Only Maurene Goo Games by Anna Maria Volkova Emilie's 2026 Picks Leave Your Mess at Home by Tolani Akinola Five by Ilona Bannister London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe Under Story by Chloe Benjamin The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson American Fantasy by Emma Straub April's Book Club Pick - Good People by Patmeena Sabit What we read this week Olivia - The Fountain by Casey Scieska , In Her Defense by Phillipa Malicka , Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor , The Sirens by Emilia Hart Becca - Once And Again by Rebecca Serle ; American Fantasy by Emma Straub Obsession Becca - Garlic Slicer Olivia - New notes app system Sponsors Cozy Earth - Head to cozyearth.com and use code BOP for an exclusive 20% off Ritual - save 25% on your first month of ritual at Ritual.com/BADONPEPER . Wayfair - Take up to 80%…

People in this episode

Hosts: Becca Freeman, Olivia Muenter

Guests: Alyssa Morris, Emilie Sommer

Topics covered

• publishing trends
• literary agents
• book recommendations
• customer behavior
• editorial insights

Keywords

• publishing
• trends
• literary agent
• book recommendations
• 2026

Sponsors

Cozy Earth, Ritual, Wayfair, Caraway home

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: In Stormy Weather, The Poison Daughter, One & Only, Games, Leave Your Mess at Home, Five, London Falling, Under Story, The Shampoo Effect, American Fantasy

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• Good People Book Club · April 29, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Hidden Gem Reads Redux · April 22, 2026 · 53 min
• April 2026 Three Things · April 15, 2026 · 1h 23m
• The 8th Anniversary Episode · April 1, 2026 · 1h 47m
• So Old, So Young Book Club · March 25, 2026 · 1h 18m