Woman's World

Billie Eilish Is Starring in ‘The Bell Jar’ Movie Adaptation

Carissa Mosness — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:30:09 +0000

Sylvia Plath’s groundbreaking novel The Bell Jar is officially becoming a major motion picture (again!) and Grammy award-winning singer Billie Eilish is set to take on the lead role. To learn more about the book and adaptation, keep reading.

First, what is ‘The Bell Jar’ about?

The Bell Jar was originally published in 1963, just one month before Plath’s death. The plot follows Esther Greenwood after she arrives in New York City for a magazine internship. As the days go by, Esther begins to spiral into a severe mental health crisis, one that only deepens after she returns home to Massachusetts. It’s a haunting, deeply personal coming-of-age story that portrays mental illness with unflinching honesty—a rarity for its time.

It was Plath’s only novel and it was published under the name Victoria Lucas. Over the years, there has been a lot of debate over whether or not Plath herself wanted the book published under a pseudonym. Plath’s friend Elizabeth Sigmund commented on these rumors in 2013, telling The Guardian, “She’d [Plath] always said that she never wanted it to be published under her own name because it would hurt so many people, including her mother.”

Harper Perennial Modern Classics

“It was a brilliant book, one is glad that it was credited to her. But also, you have to regard her wishes. If she said that so definitely: that she didn’t want to hurt people’s feelings, by having it published under her own name,” Sigmund continued.

Is ‘The Bell Jar’ based on Sylvia Plath’s real life?

In short, yes The Bell Jar is heavily inspired by Plath’s life. Like her character, Plath interned at a magazine, suffered a psychotic break and went to a mental hospital where she received electroshock therapy. Plath did change the names of the magazine, hospital, friends and family in the book, most likely to protect their identities and to avoid legal troubles.

Sylvia Plath in 1950
Getty

“She was a very fascinating person, extremely funny and generous,” Sigmund told The Guardian. “One time when I went round to lunch with her, Sylvia took me round the house and said, ‘I want five children—that’s where the boys will sleep and that’s where the girls will sleep.’ She was growing her vegetables and keeping her bees, and she had a beautiful flower garden. She brought onions and potatoes as presents…She was writing and they had a really lovely woman called Nancy who worked for her and kept the house clean and tidy. She was living a life that she thought was ideal.”

What we know so far about ‘The Bell Jar’ movie

The Bell Jar movie starring Eilish was announced exclusively by Deadline in March of this year. It will be the second time the novel has been adapted, the first being in 1979, and over the past couple of weeks, photos of Eilish as Esther have been circulated online. Carey Mulligan will also star in the film as Esther’s mother. There have also been rumors that Connor Storrie, of Heated Rivalry fame, will be joining the cast.

Billie Eilish in 2026
Getty

As of publication, The Bell Jar movie doesn’t have a release date. It will be directed by Sarah Polley and it will be Eilish’s film debut.

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A 2017 Brandon Sanderson Book Named Greatest Fantasy Novel in 20 Years

Ed Gross — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 22:30:45 +0000

With so many novels to his name and an interconnected Cosmere universe that can seem intimidating to the uninitiated, where exactly do you begin with Brandon Sanderson? According to a new ranking, one answer might be Oathbringer.

Collider has named the 2017 novel the greatest fantasy book of the last 20 years, putting it ahead of such acclaimed works as George R.R. Martin’s A Dance with Dragons, Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora and Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Thorns.

It’s an impressive claim for any book, but what’s interesting in the case of Sanderson is that Oathbringer is not a standalone novel or the start of a saga, but instead the third chapter of The Stormlight Archive, following The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance.

The Stormlight Archive follows a number of characters living in a world threatened by supernatural forces and increasingly devastating conflict. At the heart of Oathbringer is Dalinar Kholin, a former warlord attempting to become a very different man from the brutal warrior he once was while simultaneously trying to unite people who have reason enough not to trust either one another—or him. The novel moves between Dalinar’s increasingly desperate efforts in the present and revelations about his violent past. And that particular story was one Sanderson had been waiting a very long time to tell.

Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Oathbringer’Tor B
Tor Books

BRANDON SANDERSON: “When I came back to it years later, after working on The Wheel of Time, after growing a lot as a writer, I decided the method I would use to tell the story would be to focus on the backstory of one of the characters. That way I didn’t have to dive into the backstory of each character at once, I could keep focused, and I could give each book in the series its own soul and heart, so to speak. That’s a long, roundabout way of saying I have been waiting 15 years to be able to tell Dalinar’s story, which I finally get to do in this book.” (Deseret.com, 2017)

Dalinar wasn’t originally supposed to take center stage

What’s surprising is that Sanderson hadn’t originally planned to tell Dalinar’s backstory in Oathbringer; that unfolding story was supposed to happen two books later. But the more he worked on the third novel, however, the more he realized that the man Dalinar had been provided the perfect counterpoint to the man he was trying to become.

BRANDON SANDERSON: “What I wanted to have happen in these books is the character’s backstory offers insight, parallel or some sort of interweaving with the main plot that the characters are going through in the present in order to change your perspective both on the past and on the present by what you read in the character’s backstory. The back and forth between the person Dalinar is becoming in this book, and the person he used to be, the journey he began when he was younger, and is only now meeting his fulfillment in his middle age, that story paralleled so nicely.”

Then there’s the rather unavoidable matter of Oathbringer‘s size. Depending upon the edition, readers are looking at well over 1,000 pages.

BRANDON SANDERSON: “Big doesn’t mean better, necessarily, but what I can do in these books is I can really dig into a topic that you just can’t in a shorter book. I tend to plot these books like an entire trilogy, and each book had the plotting of a trilogy inside that single book. It’s a really different way to plot a book, just because there are so many moving pieces, so many different things going on, so many plot lines to cover, but also it’s really engaging and exciting to write because nothing else is like it.”

Sanderson essentially made the same point to Paste shortly before Oathbringer was published, but from the reader’s perspective.

There’s more going on than battles and magic

For all the elaborate world-building, supernatural powers and enormous battles, Sanderson has also said that the emotional experiences of his characters are ultimately what give the fantasy meaning. That becomes especially relevant to Oathbringer, which forces Dalinar and several other characters through some extraordinarily painful experiences.

BRANDON SANDERSON: “Books are a way for us as human beings [to] learn to deal with trauma and emotion in a safer emotional environment, even though they can be heart-wrenching. When you can elicit strong emotions in readers for things like this, it’s in a way, hopefully, what we’re trying to do—making it so that the person is able to cope with that better in the future when it happens in their own life. All great fiction is a reflection of our lives and trying to say something about it or the people that we meet or the experience of being human.”

Ann Patchett’s Bookstore Pays Touching Tribute to Dolly Parton: ‘Thanks for Everything, Dolly’

Carissa Mosness — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:30:39 +0000

It’s been one day since the death of country music superstar Dolly Parton and the tributes are rolling in. Among them is a touching video post from Parnassus Books, which is located in Nashville and owned by bestselling author Ann Patchett. Below, we share what the folks at Parnassus Books said about Dolly and reveal why books were so important to the late singer.

Parnassus Books pays tribute to Dolly Parton

Dolly passed away on Tuesday, August 25, after a short battle with cancer. She was 80 years old. Prior to her death, Dolly lived in Nashville and visited Patchett’s bookstore Parnassus, in 2022, when she performed in the store.

“Tennessee legend Dolly Parton passed away yesterday. We were fortunate enough to cross paths with her in 2022 while she and co-author James Patterson were promoting their book, Run, Rose, Run,” the Parnassus team wrote on Instagram. “They came to Parnassus to film a segment for CBS Sunday Morning.”

In the post, the bookstore’s team took the time to reflect on just how much good Dolly did—both for books and for the world.

“Dolly did so much good in her life, but her initiative closest to our hearts is the Imagination Library. To date, over 330 million books have been given away to children through that organization. Her advocacy for childhood literacy was unparalleled, and she has created lifelong readers and learners through her fierce and generous support for education,” reads the caption. “Beyond books, her commitment to helping her community during times of need was tremendous. The 2016 Smoky Mountain wildfires, the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer research at Vanderbilt and so many other causes received Dolly’s attention, care and much-needed funds. We can’t think of a whole lot of people who better exemplified what it means to be a Tennessee volunteer. Thanks for everything, Dolly. You’ll be missed.”

Outside Parnassus Books
Getty

After the post, readers and Dolly fans flocked to the comments to share just how much the tribute meant to them.

“Thank you for honoring her Imagination Library that creates a love of reading. I never felt she got enough credit for that,” one reader commented.

Another said, “There’s something so perfect about Dolly singing in a bookstore.”

Others took the time to share just how much they will miss Dolly, with one person commenting “I don’t usually cry when public figures die, but I did for Dolly. She was a terrific person.”

Dolly’s history with books

Dolly’s father was illiterate and her family didn’t have a lot of money for books. But when she got older and had money of her own, Dolly began reading everything in sight.

“I mean, I must read at least about 50 books a year,” Dolly told Jenna Bush Hager on her podcast, Open Book With Jenna.

She also created Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which gives free books every month from birth until they start kindergarten to children across the world.

Dolly Parton in 2018
Getty

“Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission. In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county but here we are today with a worldwide program that gives a book a month to well over 3 million children,” Dolly wrote in a letter. “Of course, I have not done this alone. The real heroes of our story are the thousands of local organizations who have embraced my dream and made it their own. They raise millions of dollars each year and wake up every day with a passion to make sure their kids have every opportunity to succeed.”

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Ann Patchett Reveals Which of Her 10 Novels Is her Favorite (Exclusive)

Carissa Mosness — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:00:09 +0000

Throughout her career, Ann Patchett has written 10 bestselling novels, all of which are loved by readers. But which of those books does the author love the most? We asked her at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival and her answer might surprise you. To discover the answer, keep reading.

Ann Patchett reveals which novel of hers is her favorite

Patchett’s first book, The Patron Saint of Liars, was published in 1992. Since then she has written nine other novels—Taft, The Magician’s Assistant, Bel Canto, Run, State of Wonder, Commonwealth, The Dutch House, Tom Lake and her latest, Whistler, which was published just a few months ago. But when we asked her which one is her favorite, she said her favorite is always her newest one, meaning that right now, Whistler is her favorite.

Whistler follows Daphne Fuller after she runs into her former stepfather Eddie Triplett at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The two haven’t seen each other since Daphne was 9, when a devastating accident changed both of their lives. But now that they’ve found each other again, Daphne and Eddie are determined to make the most of it. After all, isn’t family the strongest bond of all?

Harper

“I always like the new one the best, and Whistler, it’s kind of my heart,” Patchett tells Woman’s World. “It’s also very much about my friend Jim Fox, who the book is dedicated to, and so it makes me happy that people are talking about Jim Fox and hearing about him, and so I love that.”

Who was Jim Fox?

Fox was a close friend of Patchett’s who died in 2024 from pancreatic cancer. He was 85 at the time and prior to his death he worked as head legal counsel at HarperCollins. Fox also served as the inspiration for Eddie, but according to Patchett there were a few differences between the real man and the book character.

“He [Fox] was brilliant, and a great reader,” the author told The Associated Press in June of this year. “Jim isn’t Eddie and I’m not Daphne, and certainly the circumstances aren’t the same, but the huge love that Eddie and Daphne shared is the huge love Jim and I shared.”

Is Ann Patchett working on any other books?

Since Patchett says her newest book is always her favorite, we had to ask what her next written work will be. The unexpected answer? A children’s book called Button at the Bookstore. The story is about a dog named Button after he is adopted by Sasha, a bookstore owner. It’s heartfelt, adorable and inspired by Patchett’s own adopted dog, Nemo, who now works at her bookstore Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee.

Random House Studio

You can preorder Button at the Bookstore, written by Ann Patchett and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, now, wherever books are sold.

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Ann Patchett & Other Authors Reveal Their Under-the-Radar Book Picks

Carissa Mosness — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Nowadays it seems like everyone is reading and recommending the same books over and over, but sometimes it’s nice to hear a recommendation for a little-known book. So at Saturday’s 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival, we asked bestselling authors, including Ann Patchett, winner of the 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, which under-the-radar books they are reading and loving right now—and you’re likely going to want to pick up a copy of every single one. Read on for more.

Bestselling authors recommend under-the-radar books at the 2026 Library of Congress’ National Book Festival

From romance to thrillers, here are the books recommended to us by authors at the 2026 Library of Congress’ National Book Festival.

Ann Patchett recommends a novel from a dear friend

Emily Dorio; Candlewick

Most people know children’s author Kate DiCamillo for her books Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, but Patchett prefers her friend’s 2009 children’s novel The Magician’s Elephant. The plot follows an orphan named Peter Augustus Duchene after a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the middle of town. He thinks it’s a sign that can lead him to his missing sister, and he’s right. The key might just come from the magician’s elephant, who the fortune teller claims will lead Peter to his missing sister. What follows is a heartwarming story of magic, love and family.

What Ann says: “Kate’s the best. My favorite book of hers is The Magician’s Elephant, but she has two incredible books coming out next year too. She is a national treasure.”

What readers are saying: “This is hands down the BEST children’s book I’ve read in years. I can’t mention particulars without spoilers; so I won’t. I’ll just say that The Magician’s Elephant is poetic, haunting and gifted with excellent story-telling.”

Chloe Gong is a fan of this ‘Good Morning America’ pick

Chloe Gong; Penguin Workshop

As a bestselling young adult author, it makes sense that Chloe Gong would recommend The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li, which was Good Morning America’s August YA book club pick. Teen con artist Amelia Wu is dating three boys—none of whom know about the others. Her secret? She’s created three distinct alter egos: Amy, Ellie and Mia. But when Amelia’s best friend turns up dead, her carefully constructed web of lies begins to unravel. Desperate for answers, she reluctantly teams up with Jackie, the school newspaper’s editor-in-chief and self-proclaimed true-crime junkie. Together, they race to unmask the killer before Amelia’s own secrets destroy everything and everyone she cares about.

What Chloe says: “This book is under the radar if you don’t watch Good Morning America. It’s such an exciting thriller about a girl named Amelia who has three boyfriends and gets lots out of that, and then suddenly her best friend dies and she has to figure out what the heck happened.”

What readers are saying: “The twists and turns in this novel left me guessing throughout. Just when I thought I understood what was going on, another revelation would occur that left me questioning whether I was on the right track or not. Everyone in this story has something to hide and nothing is what it seems. This was truly a memorable and highly entertaining read. If you like thrillers that keep you guessing right up to the last page then you need to check out The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li.”

Alex Aster has a romance recommendation for readers of all ages

Alex Aster; Delacorte Press

New York Times bestselling author Nicola Yoon’s newest young adult book, Always One More Time, should be on everyone’s radar, says Alex Aster, author of Barbie Dreamscape and Lightlark. Tallie’s life has been one giant missed connection. Her mother died the day she was born, and seven months ago she spent five hours with Thomas, who Tallie thought was her soulmate. And as if all of that weren’t enough, Tallie has just learned that she has the same heart condition her mother had and that in 49 days she has to have surgery that could save her life or kill her. But Tallie isn’t going to spend her last days wallowing—she’s going to find Thomas. She tracks down his phone number and sends a text, but the wrong boy replies. A beautiful, coming-of-age tale that will leave readers wanting more. (Out February 2, 2027)

What Alex says: “I just read Nicola Yoon’s new book, and she’s fantastic. She has such a talent for capturing the feeling of being in love, but also that moment when someone realizes they’re not living in the present. It’s that ‘aha’ moment where you think, ‘I should stop worrying about tomorrow and focus on today and how I’m feeling’—and that love is so important.”

What early readers are saying: “This novel is all about missed connections, and it was beautiful! It touches on opening yourself up to love after heartache, and believing that you are worth it. I feel like that is a message that we don’t see often enough, but it is always a great reminder.”

Shannon Messenger has a book recommendation that’s 15 years old

Devende Photography; Little , Brown Books for Young Readers

In 2011, Ally Carter published Heist Society, and Shannon Messenger, bestselling author of middle-grade series Keeper of the Lost Cities, is urging people to rediscover the young adult novel. The plot follows Katarina, who has spent her life working for her family’s thriving business but is determined to leave it. But when a mobster’s art collection ends up stolen and Kat’s father is the only suspect, Kat must go back into the game and figure out who tried to frame her father. A thrilling ride that fans of Ocean’s 11 will adore.

What Shannon says: “It’s a series that’s probably 15 years old now, because time flies. It’s by Ally Carter, who I absolutely adore. They’re like Ocean’s 11 but for teens. It’s so witty. It’s the kind of book that when I read it, I think, ‘I wish I could write like this, but I can’t. I’m not this witty.’ So I love Ally Carter—everything she does—but that one, I just reread every couple of years.”

What readers are saying: “I call this an escapist read because it’s a quick and fun read, but it’s actually pretty heavy on themes of family, friendship, trust, and doing the right thing, and I shed a tear at the end. I can see why this series has so many devoted fans and I am very much looking forward to Kat’s next adventure.”

Hannah Whitten calls this literary fiction novel ‘really interesting’

Caleb Whitten; Riverhead Books

In this literary fiction novel, painter Wyeth meets a man named Keating, a former seminarian, at a bar in New York City. The two hit it off instantly and begin to bond—and fight—over everything. At the same time, Wyeth is investigating the life and career of a forgotten Black artist, who might have lived a life far more interesting than anyone ever knew.

What Hannah says: “It’s a really interesting exploration of artists right now—what we’re doing in this time period, what it means, race, queerness. It’s one of those books that’s hard to describe because not a whole lot happens plot-wise, but as I was reading it, it was so chewy and gave my brain a lot to chew on.”

What readers are saying: “There is such a great, literary and rereadable exploration of the human condition. I loved the concept of setting the love story between art and religion. I relished the ending, thrilled to read about queer joy when there is so much to not be joyful about in the real world. It was a healing experience.”

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Ann Patchett Spills On Her Next Book (Exclusive)

Carissa Mosness — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:30:03 +0000

It’s been a little over two months since Ann Patchett’s book Whistler was released, and readers are already begging her for an update on her next one. And thankfully now, after speaking with the author at the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival, we have one! While talking with Woman’s World at the event, Patchett revealed when readers can expect her newest book, and—spoiler alert—it’s sooner than you would think!

Ann Patchett reveals when her next book is coming out

Over the years, Patchett has written 10 bestselling novels. She has also written a variety of essays and children’s books, which, according to her, she is planning on focusing on in the future.

“I want to write some more essays for the New Yorker,” Patchett tells Woman’s World. “I have a picture book coming out in February. How about that? It’s called Button at the Bookstore and it’s about a little dog at the pound who gets a job working at a bookstore. Robin Preiss Glasser of Fancy Nancy fame is the illustrator, and it’s the cutest thing ever.”

Random House Studio

Button at the Bookstore will be released on February 2, 2027 and according to the publisher’s synopsis, the plot will be as follows. “When Button is adopted from the pound, he discovers that life with Sasha—and the busy bookstore where she works—is full of surprises. Button isn’t quite sure where he fits. But everything changes when he wanders into the children’s section and meets a boy struggling to read. With patience, kindness, and a gently wagging tail, Button becomes the perfect listener for a brand-new reader.”

Ann Patchett spills where the inspiration for her book came from

Along with being an author Patchett also owns a bookstore called Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee. They sell books, host events and have dogs that roam around the store while customers shop—just like Button does in Patchett’s upcoming children’s book Button at the Bookstore.

“Button doesn’t look like any of the dogs because Robin is the one who got to pick how the dog looked,” Patchett says. “But the story is certainly inspired by Nemo, my own rescue dog that works at the bookstore.”

Ann Patchett

Along with Nemo—whose full name is Nemo “Pierre” Vandevender—Parnassus Books is also home to Opie Brennan, manager of canine staff; Barnabus Lynch, connoisseur of cardboard; and Roxy Rushing, a shop dog in training.

There was also Bear Gardner, head of belly scratches division and assistant director of naps; Mary Todd Lincoln Coffman, a model; Eleanor Roosevelt Philpott, roving marketing and social media assistant; and Sparkman “Sparky” VanDevender, the late assistant co-owner.

Ann Patchett reveals if she’s working on any other books

Along with working on Button at the Bookstore, Patchett says that she does “have ideas knocking around in my head” but notes that they “probably will have nothing to do with what I wind up writing in the end.”

“People, give me some space,” she adds. “I am still on a book tour. I am leaving for the UK book tour soon.”

You can preorder Button at the Bookstore, written by Ann Patchett and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, now wherever books are sold.

5 Bestselling Authors Reveal Their Fall TBR (Exclusive)

Carissa Mosness — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:44:39 +0000

Woman’s World recently got the chance to catch up with several bestselling authors at the Library of Congress’s 2026 National Book Festival and all of them spilled the tea on what books they are most looking forward to this fall. From the book Ann Patchett calls her “favorite” to the one Chloe Gong says is a “great, great read,” these books are guaranteed to be some of the hottest books this fall. To discover what they are, keep scrolling!

Library of Congress’s 2026 National Book Festival attendees spill on their fall TBR

From historical fiction to magical realism, here are the hottest fall reads according to authors at the Library of Congress’s 2026 National Book Festival.

Ann Patchett recommends this stunning historical fiction novel

Emily Dorio; Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Ann Patchett, best known for Bel Canto, Tom Lake and her newest novel Whistler, is the queen of predicting popular books, and her newest prediction is none other than Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li. Set in 18th-century Dublin, this novel follows John Field, a gifted musician who composes haunting melodies he calls nocturnes. Half a world away in Pondicherry, French India, orphaned Adelaide Percheron discovers music as her salvation. When their paths converge, a sweeping tale of passion, heartbreak and redemption unfolds. (Out October 13, 2026)

What Ann says: “My very favorite is called Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li.”

What early readers are saying: “When I saw Ann Patchett proclaiming Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li as the best literary fiction novel of the year, I knew I had to read it. Yiyun Li painted immersive pictures of all of the locations in this novel, whether it was following John Field from Dublin to Scotland and London or following Adelaide Percheron from Pondicherry, India to France and Russia. All of the people and places in these areas were beautifully described so it felt as if the reader were walking the streets or practicing the piano forte with the characters.”

Chloe Gong calls this magical realism novel ‘great’

Chloe Gong; Gallery Books

If you love tales filled with family drama and magical realism, then don’t miss this novel recommended by bestselling author Chloe Gong. Seven years ago, twins Astoria and Grace Sadiya lost touch, but on their 25th birthday they both blew out their candles and made the same wish—only to wake up in an alternate universe. Grace wants nothing more than to get back to her own world, but Astoria is determined to use this blip in the multiverse to locate her lost first love. Can the two overcome their differences and navigate their alternate reality? Only time will tell. (Out January 12, 2027)

What Chloe says: “l can’t wait to read the finished version of Double Take by Tashie Bhuiyan. It is an adult book club speculative fiction about twin sisters who are estranged, but then they make a wish on their birthday. Suddenly, they find themselves traveling the multiverse together. It’s a great, great read.”

What early readers are saying: “No one does magical realism better than Tashie Bhuiyan. Double Take is an amazing novel about possibilities. We follow two estranged twin sisters unhappy with their current life as they navigate alternative universes in search of one where they get everything they want.”

Alex Aster wants everyone to grab this historical retelling

Alex Aster; American Girl Publishing

Alex Aster’s newest novel, Barbie Dreamscape, is inspired by the iconic doll, and if you are looking for a book with a similar premise, then pick up Fiona Davis’ latest novel Samantha: The Next Chapter, which is inspired by the American Girl doll Samantha. In 1920, 25-year-old Samantha Parkington is working hard to educate young girls in New York about suffrage. She’s also encouraging them to vote in the presidential election, but after her inheritance is stolen, things change. Now she’s searching for clues about what happened, all while making sure women everywhere continue to fight for equality in New York City and beyond. (Out October 13, 2026)

What Alex says: “I’m sure it’s gonna be great and I’m definitely gonna try to get an early copy.”

Hannah Whitten loves this upcoming release

Caleb Whitten; Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Love twisted tales centered around fame and stardom? Then pick up Life of M by Rachel Cusk. The film star M is one of the biggest actresses of her time, and now a writer has decided to pay close attention to her in the hopes that they can discover who M really is. But as the investigation unfolds, the writer is shocked to learn that M’s life is far more complicated than anyone realizes. A twisted tale of identity and secrets. (Out August 25, 2026)

What Hannah says: “It’s a weird girl situation going on where a girl is talking about her very famous friend and the ebbs and flows of their relationship. It seemed weird and unsettling, and like something I would enjoy.”

What early readers are saying: “If you appreciate really good writing, a strong sense of place and some of the smartest and most profound insights, you can’t really go wrong with this one.”

Shannon Messenger has her eyes on this fantasy novel

Devende Photography

Shannon Messenger is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and while she may spend most of her time reading Dino Potty: Learn to Potty With Dino— “It’s helping my three-year-old and a five-year-old with potty training,” she explains—she does have a few upcoming books that she’s excited for. Namely, The Goodfolke Family by Roshani Chokshi, which follows Arthur Goodfolke, an exiled prince of Faerie and small business owner, after he and his family start their lives over in the mortal world. (Out January 1, 2027).

What Shannon says: “I am really excited for one. I got to read and early copy of it because she wants me to blurb it.”

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Ann Patchett Shares Her 'Very Favorite' Novel of 2026 (Exclusive)

Carissa Mosness — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:26:17 +0000

Bestselling author Ann Patchett is opening up about what books she recommends people add to their to-be-read (TBR) list. While chatting with Woman’s World at the Library of Congress’s National Book Festival, the Whistler author revealed what novels she’s most excited for people to read, and trust us when we say you are going to want to pick up a copy of every single one.

“This is what I do. I just love books, and this has been an amazing year for fiction,” Patchett tells Woman’s World.

To see what books Ann’s loving so far this year, keep scrolling!

‘Sophie, Standing There’ by Meg Mason

Harper

This upcoming novel by Meg Mason follows book lover Sophie Pattison, who works at a local book festival, has a husband she adores, a best friend named Emma and a brother she’s always been close to. So, why has she been living alone since Christmas and avoiding Emma, her brother and about to lose her job? The only thing she has left is her books, specifically a book written by an author she first read in her twenties. As the days pass, Sophie begins to imagine what it would be like to meet the author, whom she considers her friend. A breathtaking exploration of what happens when a fascination turns into an obsessive need for connection. (Out September 29, 2026)

What early readers are saying: “This book understands imbalance and the profoundly lonely experience of families shaped and sacrificed by addiction and co-dependency. If you have ever shared that space, carried that worry, that responsibility, the fear of what might happen, this will land deeply. If you’re drawn to contemporary literary fiction that explores the quiet, complicated realities of love shaped by absence, dependency and emotional displacement, this will stay with you. It doesn’t resolve the ache. It just names it, cleanly and honestly, and that’s what makes it impossible to forget. This one is definitely for the sad girls; it wounds as much as it heals.”

‘Fair Ones’ by Lydia Millet

W.W. Norton & Company

From bestselling author Lydia Millet comes another tale centered around friendship, secrets and second chances told in two parts—Fair and Ones. After the shocking death of their friend Claire, Mara and Jen try to overcome their grief. In Fair, Mara details what happens after Claire’s death. In Ones, Jen reveals how she and Mara are coping a year later. A moving tale that will leave readers turning the pages long into the night. (Out October 6, 2026)

What early readers are saying: “A slow paced (but exquisitely written and perversely engaging) novel rich in insightful discourse and doubly rich in character depth. I loved this book for the very real and thoroughly explored lives in relation to the catastrophic experience and the mad swirl of collateral damage resulting. New friendships, new discoveries, new reactions, new regrets, new hopes. The plot progresses, sometimes in very surprising (but utterly believable) ways.”

‘Music Against the Night’ by Yiyun Li

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

When Ann calls a book her “very favorite,” you just know it’s going to be good. Set in late 18th-century Dublin, the plot follows John Field, a talented musician who writes melodies that enchant the night air, which he calls nocturnes. Elsewhere, in Pondicherry in French India, orphan Adelaide Percheron falls in love with music and uses it as a way to escape the horrors of her past. As the two’s paths collide, music, drama, love and loss ensue. (Out October 13, 2026)

What early readers are saying: “In Music Against the Night, Li paints portraits of two young artists, unraveling their parallel lives until their eventual crossing. This novel sweeps effortlessly across decades of European history, lifts notes from the piano right off the page and spans the globe from India to Ireland, all guided by a narrative voice that signals a literary master. Music Against the Night is full of all the pleasures and pains, the costs and gains, of life, love and art. It’s an immensely satisfying read.”

‘John of John’ by Douglas Stuart

Grove Press

This instant New York Times bestseller takes readers to 1990s Scotland, where John-Calum “Cal” Macleod reluctantly returns to the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides to care for his dying grandmother. His small hometown hasn’t changed, but Cal has. His long hair, clothes and complete rejection of the local Presbyterian church shock his father, John. While Cal keeps his head down, sweeping streets and trying to stay invisible, he’s hiding dark secrets. And he’s not alone. As time goes on, long-buried truths begin to come to the surface, threatening to tear the tight-knit community apart.

What readers are saying: “John of John by Douglas Stuart is simply superb. I will go as far as saying this is my favourite novel of 2026. Stuart’s prose is poignant, heart-felt and so full of compassion for all of the key characters that you read with an open-mouth. There is tenderness and humor even within the most painful moments.The characters are so fully formed that every emotion is deeply palpable and leaps from the pages.”

‘The Left and the Lucky’ by Willy Vlautin

Harper

This Joyce Carol Oates award-winning novel follows Eddie Wilkens, a housepainter in his early 40s, whose wife left him and who doesn’t have much of a social circle. But when a woman, her sons Russell and Curtis, and her aging mother move in next door, things change. Soon, Russell and Eddie become fast friends, but as their bond deepens, so does Russell’s brother Curtis’s cruelty. Can Russell and Eddie’s friendship be the thing that allows Russell to overcome the violence he experiences at home? And will it finally allow Eddie to come clean about the secrets he’s been keeping for 20 years? A powerful tale of friendship and survival.

What readers are saying: “The Left and the Lucky by Willy Vlautin is an exceptional, heartbreaking, beautiful, yet harrowing novel about a friendship between a man and a boy which may save both of them. It’s a perfect choice for readers who appreciate novels where characters face difficult situations, and fans of Willy Vlautin and Fredrik Backman’s novels.”

‘Exit Party’ by Emily St. John Mandel

Knopf

Set in 2031 Los Angeles, the plot follows Ari Walker after she learns that the world she once knew has vanished. One evening, she walks to a nearby party where strange events begin to unfold: a doppelganger appears, and then Kareem, the host, disappears into thin air. As Ari follows a trail of eerie clues, the mystery pulls her across the globe into a reality-bending journey she never imagined. (Out September 15, 2026)

What early readers are saying: “I devoured the 300 pages (very small font, mind you!) in just a few days. I finished it past midnight and wasn’t able to sleep because I wanted to rewind time, wipe my memory and read it again. Exit Party is a complex, bewildering, metaphysical masterpiece.”

‘Kin’ by Tayari Jones

Knopf

This powerful story explores the bonds between mothers, daughters and sisters through the intertwined lives of Vernice and Annie, two motherless girls who grow up as neighbors in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, during the Jim Crow era. Vernice, raised by her aunt, escapes to Spelman College where she discovers a world of affluence and opportunity beyond anything she’d dreamed possible. Meanwhile, Annie takes a starkly different path—one marked by adventure, passion and peril. As their lives diverge, both women must navigate the complexities of identity, loyalty and what it means to forge your own destiny in a world determined to limit it.

What readers are saying: “As always Tayari is a great storyteller. Bringing to life the human experience of our culture. As I read this book, there were several reflective moments of the dynamics in which the world views us and how we view ourselves. It made me think a little deeper of how small decisions, actions and interactions shape our perspectives.”

‘Serious Music’ by Percival Everett

Doubleday

From the bestselling author of James comes another groundbreaking historical fiction tale. Set in 1918, the plot follows Arthur Champion, one of the few Black students at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, after he finds himself unceremoniously enlisted in the United States Army. What follows is a battle of bravery, trust, love, loss and moving on. (Out March 2, 2027)

What early readers are saying: No early reviews for this book have been shared.

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James Bond Books After Ian Fleming: How 007 Survived and Thrived Without the Man Who Created Him

Ed Gross — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 12:00:15 +0000

Ian Fleming’s James Bond has survived torture, gunshots, poison, assassination attempts, exploding lairs and any number of megalomaniacs bent on world domination. Yet perhaps the greatest threat to 007’s survival arrived on August 12, 1964, when his creator died at the age of 56.

At the time, there was no reason to assume someone else could simply pick up where Ian Fleming left off. Bond and Fleming had become so closely identified with one another that the idea of another writer creating new adventures for 007 seemed almost unthinkable. But more than 60 years later, we know how that turned out.

Beginning with Kingsley Amis’ Colonel Sun in 1968, James Bond has lived an extraordinary second life on the printed page, with John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver, William Boyd, Anthony Horowitz and others offering their own interpretations of Fleming’s secret agent. There have also been Young Bond novels, The Moneypenny Diaries, stories about other Double-O agents, a Felix Leiter novel and even a series of mysteries centered around Q.

For author and James Bond historian Mark Edlitz, whose books include The Lost Adventures of James Bond and James Bond After Fleming, that history raises a fascinating question: How do you continue a character who once seemed inseparable from the man who created him? After all, the Bond series Fleming wrote includes classics like Casino Royale and short story collections such as Octopussy, which included “The Living Daylights.”

MARK EDLITZ: “When Ian Fleming died, there was an assumption that the character would die with him. At that time, there were some, what we might call today, continuation novels, but it wasn’t the norm. And in fact, as it relates to Fleming in particular, everyone conflated Fleming and Bond and said that Fleming was writing about himself and writing about his own experiences. How could we ever continue telling James Bond stories without Ian Fleming? It’s a fool’s task. It’s a fool’s errand. And Fleming’s widow, who generally speaking didn’t support the Bond novels while he was alive, said, ‘Let’s not do it. I don’t necessarily love them, but it is Ian’s. Let’s not continue.’ And there is a certain logic to that.”

James Bond refuses to die

There was, however, a fairly obvious problem with allowing the literary Bond to disappear: People wanted more James Bond, fueling in part that by the time of Fleming’s death, only the third of what would be 25 official films had been released.

According to Edlitz, there was another consideration as well. Other writers were interested in producing Bond stories whether Fleming’s estate authorized them or not, creating an additional incentive to maintain control of the literary character.

MARK EDLITZ: “There were other writers who were trying to publish Bond continuation novels without the consent or permission of the estate. So what happened was it was almost you either use it or lose it as it relates to copyright. So as a defense mechanism, the estate was sort of compelled to tell more Bond stories. Otherwise, people would infringe and there’d be confusion… It’s also a money-making endeavor.”

The question was no longer simply whether Bond should continue. It was who could possibly follow Ian Fleming?

Kingsley Amis takes on the impossible

Kingsley Amis, author of ‘Colonel Sun’
Getty Images

The answer ultimately became acclaimed British novelist Kingsley Amis, himself an authority on Fleming’s creation. Writing under the name Robert Markham, Amis produced Colonel Sun, published in 1968 and officially recognized as the first James Bond continuation novel.

MARK EDLITZ: “The estate looked at several writers before picking Kingsley Amis, and Amis knew Fleming. He wrote those Fleming appreciation books, so he was a good candidate. And he was also asked to review The Man with the Golden Gun manuscript, which was published posthumously. So he knew his Bond.”

Technically, though, another Bond beat Amis into bookstores. In 1967, The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½, a children’s novel credited to the mysterious R.D. Mascott, became the first post-Fleming Bond-related book. The pseudonym concealed author Arthur Calder-Marshall. And pseudonyms were initially supposed to play a much larger role in Bond’s future. But that didn’t happen. Instead, Colonel Sun became something of an isolated experiment, and the literary Bond entered a strange period in which writers continued exploring 007 without establishing a regular series of new adventures.

What if James Bond was a real person?

‘James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007’
Pyramid

One of the strangest—and most fascinating—experiments came from John Pearson, who had previously written a biography of Fleming, arriving in the form of 1973’s James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007.

MARK EDLITZ: “It’s an official biography of James Bond, as if James Bond were a real character who John Pearson, the actual author, was given an opportunity to interview about his life. And this book told, from Bond’s perspective, the Fleming novels and short stories, but it also filled in the gaps between them before and after. It’s Bond looking back at his life, which is pretty cool and also very meta.”

Bond returned to print again through an entirely different route when screenwriter Christopher Wood novelized The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977 and Moonraker in 1979. Rather than dismissing those books as disposable movie merchandise, Edlitz considers Wood’s work an important part of the literary Bond tradition.

MARK EDLITZ: “Novelizations are sometimes looked on poorly, but you could tell Christopher Wood wrote his James Bond story with as much love and care as he could muster. He’s definitely drawing from Fleming. It’s really well done, the first one being spectacular.”

By the end of the decade, the message was becoming clear. Ian Fleming was gone, but readers weren’t finished with James Bond. This time, the estate decided to bring him back for good.

John Gardner reinvents James Bond

James Bond author John Gardner
G.P. Putnam and Sons

In 1981, Licence Renewed introduced author John Gardner’s version of 007, beginning what would become the longest sustained run by any continuation novelist.

MARK EDLITZ: “The estate says, ‘Okay, we’re going to do this for real.’ And they discuss it with a few authors and eventually decide to go with John Gardner, who winds up writing more Bond novels than Ian Fleming did.”

Gardner eventually produced 14 original novels plus the novelizations of Licence to Kill and GoldenEye. And what makes his run particularly interesting to Edlitz is that Gardner didn’t spend those years simply doing an Ian Fleming impression; his Bond evolved over time.

MARK EDLITZ: “If you look at the totality of Gardner’s works, you’ll see different eras within them. You’ll see where he’s trying to be Fleming. You’ll see where he’s experimenting. You can see where he’s doing his own thing. He’s no longer trying to be beholden to Fleming. He’s like, ‘This is me, this is my interest,’ and there’s a hint of parody throughout all of them. There’s one where the bad guy hypnotizes people through spiked ice cream.”

It sounds absurd, but the freedom Gardner enjoyed would prove significant. Once multiple writers began inheriting Bond, the question was no longer whether they could duplicate Fleming. The more interesting question became: How much could they change while still remaining true to James Bond?

Raymond Benson combines Fleming’s Bond with the movies

James Bond author Raymond Benson
PA Images via Getty Images

When Raymond Benson succeeded Gardner, the first American officially commissioned to write the adult Bond continuation novels was given a different mission. Rather than simply carrying forward Gardner’s interpretation, Benson was asked to find a middle ground between two Bonds that had increasingly become distinct: Fleming’s literary character and the spectacular cinematic version known around the world.

MARK EDLITZ: “The one thing to keep in mind about all of these authors is that after Gardner, who was given more or less freehand—I would say Gardner was given more freehand than any other author—other authors are frequently given parameters in which to work. Benson’s directive, which he wanted to do and agreed with, was: Let’s try to take the character of Ian Fleming’s James Bond, just the character, and combine that with movie-like plots. Those are the parameters in which Benson worked. And if you’re going to evaluate Benson’s work, you should have that basic understanding of that’s what he was asked to do, that’s what he was trying to do and that’s what he wanted to do. But it’s not meant to be exactly like Ian Fleming.”

Benson ultimately produced six original Bond novels, three film novelizations and three short stories between 1997 and 2002. His experience also demonstrates just how carefully the custodians of Bond guarded Fleming’s creation.

MARK EDLITZ: “Ian Fleming Publications, sometimes called Glidrose, was also getting comfortable with him as a writer. And for his first one, he definitely had to write chapters and submit as he went. One of the things that Ann Fleming required when she gave the first go-ahead for Kingsley Amis in ’68—published ’68, written before then—was that the board had to approve the novels once they were written. And if they were not given the thumbs up by everyone, they wouldn’t publish it.”

What does it mean to be faithful to Ian Fleming?

Author Sebastian Faulks takes receipt of one of the first copies of the new James Bond novel entitled ‘Devil May Care’
CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images

Eventually, the continuation novels began answering that question in radically different ways. When Sebastian Faulks was selected to write Devil May Care for the 2008 centenary of Fleming’s birth, his assignment was unlike those given to Gardner or Benson.

MARK EDLITZ: “When we get to Sebastian Faulks, he was asked to write as Ian Fleming, whereas no other author before or since has been tasked with that. So when you’re reading Sebastian Faulks, it’s helpful to understand the parameters in which he was working.”

Jeffery Deaver took virtually the opposite approach with 2011’s Carte Blanche. Instead of transporting readers back into Fleming’s world, Deaver did what Fleming himself had done in the 1950s: write a contemporary thriller.

MARK EDLITZ: “Jeffrey Deaver wrote a contemporary Bond. He didn’t want to write a period Bond. He felt like he didn’t want the audience to have any bumps in their experience of falling into the story. And now a bump means a character has to go to find a coin to make a payphone call. He didn’t want the reader to have to worry about those kinds of things that only existed then and no longer now. He told me that Ian Fleming was writing contemporary stories, and he was going to too. Deaver’s book can be read as if you’ve never read a James Bond novel in your life, including Fleming. It’s an intro to Bond’s world and the Bond character.”

And therein lies one of the fascinating contradictions of continuation Bond. Does honoring Fleming mean preserving the world exactly as he left it orr does it mean doing what Fleming did—writing James Bond for the world that exists now?

Anthony Horowitz goes home to Fleming

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – AUGUST 12: Anthony Horowitz during the Edinburgh International Book Festival on August 12, 2017 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
(Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images

Anthony Horowitz found another solution: Rather than moving Bond forward, he moved himself backward. His three novels—Trigger Mortis, Forever and a Day and With a Mind to Kill—occupy different points around Fleming’s original chronology, those books essentially serving as sacred text.

MARK EDLITZ: “He has one set immediately before Casino Royale, he has one set after Goldfinger and then he has another one set after The Man with the Golden Gun. So Horowitz takes you through the entire arc of Bond’s career, but completely melding to Fleming’s material. And he holds Fleming in such esteem that he won’t deviate from anything that Fleming wrote. So he has a few, what he calls postmodernist touches to allow that we’re in a different world and there’s different times and there’s different points of view, but he’s not trying to update James Bond by even that much.”

There is one rule, however, that helps prevent all these different versions from collapsing under decades of accumulated continuity.

MARK EDLITZ: “All the authors are working under the assumption of ignoring the other continuation novelists. That’s not your business. Don’t even read them. You don’t have to. But all the authors are given the complete set of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels and told, ‘This is the world. This is your character.'”

James Bond without James Bond

Charlie Higson poses in front of a projection at Marble Arch, London, launching his new James Bond novel, King Zero, the first publication of a James Bond novel for adults from a new author in 10 years. Picture date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images

Eventually, even 007 himself ceased to be the boundary of the literary Bond universe. There were Charlie Higson’s Young Bond novels, which began with SilverFin in 2005, imagining the future secret agent as a schoolboy. There were Steve Cole’s subsequent Young Bond adventures, and Samantha Weinberg, writing as Kate Westbrook, turning Miss Moneypenny into the center of her own story. The latter series is one Edlitz admits he initially underestimated.

MARK EDLITZ: “Samantha Weinberg wrote a trilogy of books called The Moneypenny Diaries that people, including me, wrongly dismissed as being A, opportunistic and B, ‘chick lit.’ And so a lot of people had come to them late, but they’re as good as any other James Bond continuation novel, and they are firmly in Fleming’s world. They’re quite ambitious books, weaving in and out of Fleming’s timeline, weaving in and out of real-world events while having a mystery through all three books. And they are some of the best continuation novels and should be read and treasured and adored because they’re spectacular.”

The publishing program itself has accelerated. Kim Sherwood’s Double-O trilogy focuses on other agents within the program. Raymond Benson returned to Fleming’s universe with The Hook and the Eye, centered on Felix Leiter. Vaseem Khan has launched a series of Q mysteries. M.W. Craven’s James Bond and the Secret Agent Academy is scheduled for 2027. And Charlie Higson, having introduced generations of younger readers to Bond, has returned to the adult 007 with On His Majesty’s Secret Service and 2026’s King Zero. For Edlitz, there’s no contradiction between these wildly different approaches.

Mark Edlitz’s ‘Keeping 007 Alive’
Amazon

MARK EDLITZ: “We’ve got this period of expansion and if these books aren’t your cup of tea, it’s okay. The Craven one I think seems to be aimed at younger readers, so it’s not meant for old fogies. It’s meant to bring younger people into the Bond fold as an entry point. And then when they fall in love with Bond, they’ll discover Fleming and all these other wonderful continuation novels. It’s a fertile period for James Bond in the literary world.”

Which brings us back to the question that started all of this: How did a character so closely associated with one author survive that author’s death—and then thrive in the hands of so many others? Edlitz believes the answer lies within Fleming’s creation itself.

MARK EDLITZ: “James Bond is both an oblique and protean character. Protean meaning you could do so many different things with a character and put him in an endless series of adventures. And he’s mysterious or oblique enough that both the creators, the writers, and the audience can retain the mystery and fill in some of the blanks themselves. And I think project themselves fairly easily into those adventures because he is both well-defined and mysterious at the same time. So there’s enough room for you, the audience member or the reader, to almost imagine yourself in those adventures.”

Perhaps that’s why there has never been—and probably never will be—one definitive answer to how a writer should continue Ian Fleming’s James Bond. The only thing one can say for certain, as they do at the end of every 007 film—including the one in which he died—James Bond will return.

‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ TV Show Finds Its Showrunners: Everything We Know About the Peacock Adaptation

Ed Gross — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:35:12 +0000

The Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show has taken another significant step toward bringing Carl, Princess Donut and the insanity of Dungeon Crawler World to life. Chris Yost and Eric Heisserer have been named co-showrunners of Peacock’s live-action adaptation of Matt Dinniman‘s bestselling LitRPG series. Yost had already been attached as writer and executive producer, but Heisserer’s arrival adds another major science fiction name to the creative team behind the straight-to-series project.

And their combined credits suggest Peacock isn’t exactly treating Dungeon Crawler Carl as your average guy-and-his-talking-cat television series. Yost has written on The Mandalorian and other Star Wars projects and worked on Marvel’s Thor films, while Heisserer earned an Oscar nomination for adapting Arrival, created and served as showrunner on Netflix’s Shadow and Bone and wrote the script for Bird Box.

Matt Dinniman wants the TV series to understand what makes DCC work

Chris Yost speaks onstage at “Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” during San Diego Comic Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 25, 2024 in San Diego, California.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Paramount+

Yost comes to the project with great familiarity to it, having been a fan of the books and even a subscriber to Dinniman’s Patreon. What significant about this in terms of the television version is that it fulfills one of the author’s requrements.

MATT DINNIMAN: “One of the first things I did when we started talking about who would we give the rights to sell the show is I wanted to make certain that anybody working on the adaptation was someone who had read it and I talked to and they understood it.”

That’s not to say he’s expecting a page-for-page adaptation.

MATT DINNIMAN: “Each book alone would be multiple seasons if we did everything. Some things will have to go. Some things will have to change. The most untouchable element, I think, is the tone. I don’t want it to turn into some slapstick comedy because if that happens, then we know we’ve failed.”

That may be the biggest challenge facing Yost and Heisserer. DCC can be outrageously funny—this is, after all, a series involving a pantsless Coast Guard veteran fighting his way through an alien dungeon alongside his ex-girlfriend’s award-winning Persian cat—but the humor exists alongside horror, violence and an increasingly emotional relationship between Carl and that cat, Princess Donut.

What is the ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ TV series about?

Ace

The premise begins with most of humanity being wiped out during an alien takeover of Earth. The survivors are forced underground and turned into contestants on Dungeon Crawler World, an intergalactic reality show where they fight monsters, collect loot and attempt to survive increasingly deadly dungeon levels while billions of alien viewers watch. Carl enters the dungeon with Princess Donut, a pampered show cat who is transformed into an intelligent, talking—and extremely opinionated—partner.

The series originated with Dinniman self-publishing DCC material before the books exploded into a publishing and audiobook phenomenon. The franchise has now sold more than 13 million copies, while its success ultimately led Peacock to give the television adaptation a straight-to-series order.

Jeff Hays will still be Princess Donut

Matt Dinniman, Jeff Hays and ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ cosplayers at San Diego Comic-Con
Getty Images (2)

So far, the most important casting announcement has involved someone DCC audiobook listeners already know very well: Jeff Hays, who narrates the audiobooks and performs the voices of Carl, Donut and numerous other characters, will provide Princess Donut’s voice for the television series. His casting was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July.

JEFF HAYS: “The Dungeon Crawler Carl fan community has been demanding this. There’s been threats of riots.”

How Donut will actually appear onscreen remains a little more mysterious, though Hays has said he’s seen footage involving cats being used in motion-capture tests. That, of course, doesn’t necessarily mean Peacock has settled on the final approach. But the biggest casting question remains unanswered: Who will play Carl?

There’s also no announced premiere date yet. But with Yost and Heisserer now running the show, Hays returning as Donut and Peacock having bypassed the pilot stage with its straight-to-series order, Dungeon Crawler Carl has moved considerably closer to answering an even bigger question: Just what is Dungeon Crawler World going to look like when somebody finally turns on the cameras?