A recent library fundraiser featured Abraham Verghese, author of The Covenant of Water. Instead of standing at a podium talking at us, he engaged in conversation with Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers. . They sat in easy chairs on a dais and discussed Verghese’s book, writing habits, and philosophies of life.

For the release of my historical novel, Courting the Sun, I held a launch event at a local, independent bookstore. Christine DeSmet, writing coach and author of the Fudge Shop mystery series, served as my conversation partner. I chose her because I knew and enjoyed her interview style.

Conversation partners are becoming an increasingly popular strategy for both fiction and non-fiction author events. Their draw includes the promise of a “two-for-one” experience. The audience gets an engaging conversationalist—often another author or notable person—eliciting the most personal perspectives from the featured author, along with the best, juiciest anecdotes.

A casual but focused and authentic conversation about a book and its author, with the option of the author reading a preselected passage, can offer a truly meaningful and memorable experience for readers. The result is a greater likelihood that attendees will talk about the book afterward with other potential readers. Word of mouth can be a powerful mover in the book market.

The optimal time to include a conversation partner is when the author is the “star” of the event. A book launch is a prime example. A time not to use a conversation partner could be when asked to speak to a very small group. Some libraries or bookstore events draw slim audiences for which a solo author giving a book talk might provide a more intimate and more satisfying experience.

The conversation partner can be another author, a journalist, media personality, or someone from a college or organization with a connection to the author, the book, or its theme. When Tommy Orange, an enrolled Cheyenne and Arapaho, was invited to talk at a local event about his book, Wandering Stars, Aaron Bird Bear, then Director of Tribal Relations at the University of Wisconsin, served as his conversation partner.

Christine DeSmet suggests the word “partner” is key. Both the author and the interviewer are responsible for holding up their end of the discussion. “The author can’t just talk about the book; that kills the conversation.” She stresses that readers are there to learn about the author as a writer and as a person.

While it goes without saying that the conversation partner must have read the book, DeSmet says, “The interviewer must research the author beforehand” to know what questions to plan. Ideally, those questions will be open-ended and will touch on themes in the book, how the book reflects the author’s own life or life perspectives, the emotional journey the author took writing the story, and the author’s work habits when writing.

The author will also benefit from researching the conversation partner, looking for parallels in perspectives and experiences that can be employed to enrich a two-way conversation. In addition, DeSmet recommends the author “be ready for a ‘left-field question,’ because a good interviewer will always pick up on a tidbit they know will interest the audience.” A quality conversation will have both the interviewer and the author ‘reading’ the audience and diving into a particular thread to satisfy the audience and help them feel included.

You don’t have to be famous or best-selling to engage with a conversation partner when promoting your book. By having an authentic but focused discussion, the author and conversation partner can deliver a momentous book talk for their book-loving audience.

Bio:  Peggy Joque Williams is a freelance writer and copy editor. She authored Courting the Sun: A Novel of Versailles (Black Rose Writing, 2024) and co-authored two mystery novels, On the Road to Death’s Door and On the Road to Where the Bells Toll. Her newest book, Braving the Dawn: A Novel of New France, will be released in January 2026. You can find her at www.peggywilliamsauthor.com.