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    Latest podcast episodes about books

    Books in the Freezer - A Horror Fiction Podcast
    Most Anticipated 2026 Horror Book Releases

    Books in the Freezer - A Horror Fiction Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 64:49


    So this is the new year Welcome to 2026 listeners, it's looking like we are in for another great year of horror full of fresh voices and terrors. It's the perfect time to join the Books in the Freezer Reading Challenge.  Books Mentioned:  This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers Pig Wife by Abbey Luck A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 by Robert Brockway Mama Came Callin' by Ezra Clayton Daniels Cruelty Free by Caroline Glenn Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaeffer The Body by Bethany C. Morrow For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward Dollface by Lindy Ryan Greedy by Callie Kazumi Dead First by Johnny Compton  First Date by Gemma Amor Sweetside Motel by E.L. Chen You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado Spoiled Milk by Avery Curran Wretch: or the Unbecoming of Porcelain Khaw by Eric LaRocca Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker Molka by Monika Kim Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman The Seventh Sister by Dawn Kurtagich Odessa by Gabrielle Sher The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer Shy Girl by Mia Ballard Not Your Final Girl by Mikayla Randolph Accumulation by Aimee Pokwata Make Me Better by Sarah Gailley Femme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger Headlights by CJ Leede Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay Check out the Final Girl Playlist      

    I CAN DO with Benjamin Lee
    E371: Tuesday Takeaway: The Story of Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige

    I CAN DO with Benjamin Lee

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 12:32


    SummaryIn this conversation, Benjamin Lee shares insights from a book about Marvel Studios, focusing on the life lessons learned from Kevin Feige, the architect of the MCU. He emphasizes the importance of persistence, hard work, and mentorship in achieving success, along with the value of reading and continuous learning.TakeawaysKevin Feige's journey illustrates the importance of perseverance.Reading can significantly impact one's career trajectory.Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth.Hard work and dedication can lead to remarkable opportunities.Starting from humble beginnings is essential for success.Persistence is key; never give up on your dreams.Surround yourself with people who inspire and challenge you.Doing small tasks well can lead to bigger opportunities.An 'I can do' mindset is vital for overcoming obstacles.Success often requires the support and guidance of others.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Marvel and Life Lessons03:11 Kevin Feige: The Architect of the MCU06:28 Persistence and the Path to Success09:20 The Importance of Hard Work and MentorshipNewsletter, Books, and Blogs https://benjaminlee.blogYoutube: https://youtube.com/@icandopodcast?si=VrkwUyrdzbprR-clPodcasts: https://icandopodcast.com

    The John Batchelor Show
    S8 Ep279: THE SECRET NETWORK: THE SAFARI CLUB, JOHN SHAHEEN, AND DOUBLE AGENTS Colleague Craig Unger. Unger explains the infrastructure used to execute the alleged conspiracy, specifically the "Safari Club," a group of off-the-books intelligence

    The John Batchelor Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 12:04


    THE SECRET NETWORK: THE SAFARI CLUB, JOHN SHAHEEN, AND DOUBLE AGENTS Colleague Craig Unger. Unger explains the infrastructure used to execute the alleged conspiracy, specifically the "Safari Club," a group of off-the-books intelligence operatives formed after the CIA was restricted by the Church Committee in the 1970s. This network allowed covert operations to bypass congressional oversight. A crucial figure identified is John Shaheen, Bill Casey's close friend and former OSS colleague, who acted as a "cutout" to insulate Casey from direct involvement. Unger reveals that the Hashim brothers, Iranian arms dealers who offered to help Carter, were actually double agents working for Casey. FBI wiretaps eventually confirmed that the Hashims communicated with Shaheen before conducting arms deals, providing a direct link between the Reagan campaign's orbit and the delay of the hostage release. NUMBER 5

    Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast
    Late Night Lit: Playwright Bess Wohl | Author Zadie Smith | Hilary Meyers

    Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 50:07


    In the latest edition of Late Night Lit, Late Night Supervising Producer Sarah Jenks-Daly talks to playwright Bess Wohl (Broadway's Liberation) and award-winning author Zadie Smith (Dead and Alive: Essays).Plus, Seth's mom, Hilary Meyers, recommends two books for your enjoyment, as well as other selections she is looking forward to reading in the new year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The David Pakman Show
    A blockbuster shakeup to the world order

    The David Pakman Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 61:01


    -- On the Show -- Donald Trump orders a U.S. military operation that captures Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in Venezuela and brings them to New York despite lacking clear legal authority -- Reporting says Donald Trump escalates to military action after Nicolás Maduro dances on Venezuelan state television and aides treat it as personal mockery -- Donald Trump bets the Maduro seizure will unlock Venezuela's oil, but allies, businesses, and markets resist a plan with no clear political transition -- Donald Trump gives rambling, conflicting answers about Venezuela, oil, and military escalation that raise questions about his decision making -- Donald Trump admits he did not brief Congress yet says he spoke with oil companies and calls the Maduro seizure a kidnapping -- The Wall Street Journal reports Donald Trump shows visible signs of decline, disputes doctors, and mislabels a CT scan as an MRI while aides manage optics -- The Wall Street Journal says Donald Trump takes more aspirin than doctors recommend and blames bruising on superstition instead of updated medical guidance -- Marco Rubio tells Kristen Welker the United States is running Venezuela but cannot explain elections, governance, or the legal rationale in real time -- Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham indicate Cuba is a likely next target after Venezuela, signaling escalation rather than containment -- On the Bonus Show: Oil markets steady after Trump's Venezuela strike shocks the world, speculation grows that Donald Trump Jr. is being groomed for a 2028 run amid tension with J.D. Vance, and Minnesota politics take a twist as Governor Tim Walz looks ready to exit and Amy Klobuchar eyes a comeback. ⚠️ Ground News: Get 40% OFF their unlimited access Vantage plan at https://ground.news/pakman

    Overdue
    Ep 736 - Consider the Consequences!, by Doris Webster and Mary Alden Hopkins

    Overdue

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 96:23


    We've been known to choose an adventure for ourselves every now and again, but rarely have we delved into the history of the “gamebook” genre. Until now! Join us for an abbreviated run through Consider the Consequences, in which players can quickly ruin the lives of three young adults who All Have Their Own Stuff Going On. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/overdue for 10% of your first purchase of a website or domain.Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/overdue for 45% off your first order and free delivery!Our theme music was composed by Nick Lerangis.Follow @overduepod on Instagram and BlueskyAdvertise on OverdueSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Theology in the Raw
    From Conservative Christian to Post-Evangelical with Jonathan Merritt

    Theology in the Raw

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 58:31


    Join the Theology in the Raw Patreon for bonus content, extra episodes, and more! This is our first in-person episode from my trip to NYC. Jonathan Merritt joined me to talk about his journey from his conservative Southern Baptist upbringing, to what he now describes as post-evangelicalism. We talked about deconstruction, navigating family dynamics, and why he doesn't describe himself as an "exvangelical." Jonathan currently serves as a Vice President and Executive Editor for Simon & Schuster, where he oversees the acquisition of books in the faith / spirituality category as well as select general market non-fiction. authored several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. He has worked as a collaborator or ghostwriter on dozens of books, with several titles landing on The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Somewhere in the Skies
    Witness Accounts: Volume 39

    Somewhere in the Skies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 53:22


    In this compelling volume of Witness Accounts, Somewhere in the Skies presents three firsthand UFO encounters spanning 1977 to 1995, each told directly by the experiencers. An aviation-savvy witness in Port Glasgow, Scotland describes two silent, elongated triangular craft flying in precise formation over the River Clyde, while a teenager in Saratoga, California recalls a low-hovering circular object with shifting lights, later echoed by local newspaper reports of repeated sightings. The episode culminates in a deeply unsettling Florida Everglades encounter, where glowing eyes in the swamp are followed by a massive humming, smoke-like object that appears to teleport across the sky, prompting a frantic escape and the capture of a rare photograph rediscovered decades later. Free of speculation and grounded in lived experience, this episode captures the fear, wonder, and lasting impact of close-range UFO encounters and the enduring question of what truly moves through our skies. Please take a moment to rate and review us on Spotify and Apple. Book Ryan on CAMEO at: https://bit.ly/3kwz3DO Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/somewhereskies ByMeACoffee: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/UFxzyzHOaQ PayPal: sprague51@hotmail.com All Socials and Books: https://linktr.ee/somewhereskiespod Email: ryan.sprague51@gmail.com SpectreVision Radio: https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts Opening Theme Song by Septembryo Copyright © 2025 Ryan Sprague. All rights reserved. #SomewhereInTheSkies #WitnessAccounts #ParanormalPodcast#UFOpodcast #UFOs #Paranormal #UAP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Cult of Conspiracy
    #979- Into The Veve-Verse With Raymond Sutherland

    Cult of Conspiracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 193:23 Transcription Available


    Books2read.com For Raymonds' Books----->"Rayah and the day the city went quiet""Shadow the Haitian Revolution""Shadow The Hard Road""Shadow No Mas""Shadow Reap What You Sow"To Sign up for our Patreon go to-> Patreon.com/cultofconspiracypodcastMeta Mysteries Podcast---> https://open.spotify.com/show/6IshwF6qc2iuqz3WTPz9Wv?si=3a32c8f730b34e79Cajun Knight Youtube Channel---> https://www.youtube.com/@CajunknightTo Sign up for our Rokfin go to --> Rokfin.com/cultofconspiracyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cult-of-conspiracy--5700337/support.

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
    2026 Trends And Predictions For Indie Authors And The Book Publishing Industry with Joanna Penn

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 71:12


    What does 2026 hold for indie authors and the publishing industry? I give my thoughts on trends and predictions for the year ahead. In the intro, Quitting the right stuff; how to edit your author business in 2026; Is SubStack Good for Indie Authors?; Business for Authors webinars. If you'd like to join my community and support the show every month, you'll get access to my growing list of Patron videos and audio on all aspects of the author business — for the price of a black coffee (or two) a month. Join us at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability (3) The start of Agentic Commerce (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever You can find all my books as J.F. Penn and Joanna Penn on your favourite online store in all the usual formats, or order from your local library or bookstore. You can also buy direct from me at CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com. I'm not really active on social media, but you can always see my photos at Instagram @jfpennauthor. 2026 Trends and Predictions for Indie Authors and Book Publishing (1) More indie authors will sell direct through Shopify, Kickstarter, and local in-person events — and more companies like BookVault will offer even more beautiful physical books and products to support this. This trend will not be a surprise to most of you! Selling direct has been a trend for the last few years, but in 2026, it will continue to grow as a way that independent authors become even more independent. The recent Written Word Media survey from Dec 2025 noted that 30% of authors surveyed are selling direct already and 30% say they plan to start in 2026. Among authors earning over $10,000 per month, roughly half sell direct. In my opinion, selling direct is an advanced author strategy, meaning that you have multiple books and you understand book marketing and have an email list already or some guaranteed way to reach readers. In fact, Kindlepreneur reports that 66% of authors selling direct have more than 5 books, and 46% have more than 10 books. Of course, you can start with the something small, like a table at a local event with a limited number of books for sale, but if you want to consistently sell direct for years to come, you need to consider all the business aspects. Selling direct is not a silver bullet. It's much harder work to sell direct than it is to just upload an ebook to Amazon, whether you choose a Kickstarter campaign, or Shopify/Payhip or other online stores, or regular in-person sales at events/conferences/fairs. You need a business mindset and business practices, for example, you need to pay upfront for setup as well as ongoing management, and bulk printing in some cases. You need to manage taxes and cashflow. You need to be a lot more proactive about marketing, as you won't sell anything if you don't bring readers to your books/products. But selling direct also brings advantages. It sets you apart from the bulk of digital only authors who still only upload ebooks to Amazon, or maybe add a print on demand book, and in an era of AI rapid creation, that number is growing all the time. If you sell direct, you get your customer data and you can reach those customers next time, through your email list. If you don't know who bought your books and don't have a guaranteed way to reach them, you will more easily be disrupted when things change — and they always change eventually. Kindlepreneur notes that “45% of the successful direct selling authors had over 1,000 subscribers on their email lists,” with “a clear, positive correlation between email list size and monthly direct sales income — with authors having an email list of over 15,000 subscribers earning 20X more than authors with email lists under 100 subscribers.” Selling direct means faster money, sometimes the same day or the same week in many cases, or a few weeks after a campaign finishes, as with Kickstarter. And remember, you don't have to sell all your formats directly. You can keep your ebooks in KU, do whatever you like with audiobooks, and just have premium print products direct, or start with a very basic Kickstarter campaign, or a table at a local fair. Lots more tips for Shopify and Kickstarter at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/selldirectresources/ I also recommend the Novel Marketing Podcast on The Shopify Trap: Why authors keep losing money as it is a great counterpoint to my positive endorsement of selling direct on Shopify! Among other things, Thomas notes that a fixed monthly fee for a store doesn't match how most authors make money from books which is more in spikes, the complexity and hassle eats time and can cost more money if you pay for help, and it can reduce sales on Amazon and weaken your ranking. Basically, if you haven't figured out marketing direct to your store, it can hurt you.All true for some authors, for some genres, and for some people's lifestyle. But for authors who don't want to be on the hamster wheel of the Amazon algorithm and who want more diversity and control in income, as well as the incredible creative benefits of what you can do selling direct, then I would say, consider your options in 2025, even if that is trying out a low-financial-goal Kickstarter campaign, or selling some print books at a local fair. Interestingly, traditional publishers are also experimenting with direct sales. Kate Elton, the new CEO of Harper Collins notes in The Bookseller's 2026 trend article, “we are seeing global success with responsive, reader-driven publishing, subscription boxes and TikTok Shop and – crucially – developing strategies that are founded on a comprehensive understanding of the reader.” She also notes, “AI enables us to dramatically change the way we interact with and grow audiences. The opportunities are genuinely exciting – finding new ways to help readers discover books they will love, innovating in the ways we market and reach audiences, building new channels and adapting to new methods of consuming content.” (2) AI-powered search will start to shift elements of book discoverability From LinkedIn's 2026 Big Ideas: “Generative engine optimization (GEO) is set to replace search engine optimization (SEO) as the way brands get discovered in the year ahead. As consumers turn to AI chatbots, agentic workflows and answer engines, appearing prominently in generative outputs will matter more than ranking in search engines.” Google has been rolling out AI Mode with its AI Overviews and is beginning to push it within Google.com itself in some countries, which means the start of a fundamental change in how people discover content online. I first posted about GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) in 2023, and it's going to change how readers find books. For years, we've talked about the long tail of search. Now, with AI-powered search, that tail is getting even longer and more nuanced. AI can understand complex, conversational queries that traditional search engines struggled with. Someone might ask, “What's a good thriller set in a small town with a female protagonist who's a journalist investigating a cold case?” and get highly specific recommendations. This means your book metadata, your website content, and your online presence need to be more detailed and conversational. AI search engines understand context in ways that go far beyond simple keywords. The authors who win in this new landscape will be those who create rich, authentic content about their books and themselves, not just promotional copy. As economist Tyler Cowen has said, “Consider the AIs as part of your audience. Because they are already reading your words and listening to your voice.” We're in the ‘organic' traffic phase right now, where these AI engines are surfacing content for ‘free,' but paid ads are inevitably on the way, and even rumoured to be coming this year to ChatGPT. By the end of 2026, I expect some authors and publishers to be paying for AI traffic, rather than blocking and protesting them. For now, I recommend checking that your author name/s and your books are surfaced when you search on ChatGPT.com as well as Google.com AI Mode (powered by Gemini). You want to make sure your work comes up in some way. I found that Joanna Penn and J.F. Penn searches brought up my Shopify stores, my website, podcast, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even my Patreon page, but did not bring up links to Amazon. If you only have an author presence on Amazon, does it appear in AI search at all? Do you need to improve anything about what the AI search brings up? Traditional publishers are also looking at this, with PublishersWeekly doing webinars on various aspects of AI in early 2026, including sessions on GEO and how book sales are changing, AI agents, and book marketing. In a 2026 predictions article on The Bookseller, the CEO of Bloomsbury Publishing noted, “The boundaries of artificial intelligence will become clearer, enabling publishers to harness its benefits while seeking to safeguard the intellectual property rights of authors, illustrators and publishers.” “AI will be deeply embedded in our workflows, automating tasks such as metadata tagging, freeing teams to focus on creativity and strategy. Challenges will persist. Generative AI threatens traditional web traffic and ad revenue models, making metadata optimisation and SEO critical for visibility as we adjust to this new reality online.” (3) The start of Agentic Commerce AI researches what you want to buy and may even buy on your behalf. Plus, I predict that Amazon does a commerce deal with OpenAI for shopping within ChatGPT by the end of 2026. In September 2025, ChatGPT launched Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which will enable bots to buy on websites in the background if authorised by the human with the credit card. VISA is getting on board with this, so is PayPal, with no doubt more payment options to come. In the USA, ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users can now buy directly from US Etsy sellers inside the chat interface, with over a million Shopify merchants coming soon. Shopify and OpenAI have also announced a partnership to bring commerce to ChatGPT. I am insanely excited about this as it could represent the first time we have been able to more easily find and surface books in a much more nuanced way than the 7 keywords and 3 categories we have relied on for so long! I've been using ChatGPT for at least the last year to find fiction and non-fiction books as I find the Amazon interface is ‘polluted' by ads. I've discovered fascinating books from authors I've never heard of, most in very long tail areas. For example, Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby, recommended by ChatGPT as I am interested in medical anatomy and anatomical Venuses, and The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson, recommended as I like art history and the supernatural. I don't think I would have found either of these within a nuanced discussion with ChatGPT. Even without these direct purchase integrations, ChatGPT now has Shopping Research, which I have found links directly to my Shopify store when I search for my books specifically. Walmart has partnered with OpenAI to create AI-first shopping experiences, and you have to wonder what Amazon might be doing? In Nov 2025, Amazon signed a “strategic partnership” with OpenAI, and even though it's focused on the technical side of AI, those two companies in a room together might also be working on other plans … I'm calling it for 2026. I think Amazon will sign a commerce agreement with OpenAI sometime before the end of the year. This will enable at least recommendation and shopping links into Amazon stores (presumably using an OpenAI affiliate link), or perhaps even Instant Checkout with ChatGPT for Amazon. It will also enable a new marketing angle, especially if paid ads arrive in ChatGPT, perhaps even integrating with Amazon Ads in some way as part of any possible agreement, since ads are such a good revenue stream for Amazon anyway. The line between discovery, engagement, and purchase is collapsing. Someone could be having a conversation with an AI about what to read next, and within that same conversation, purchase a bookwithout ever leaving the chat interface. This already happens within TikTok and social commerce clearly works for many authors. It's possible that the next development for book discoverability and sales might be within AI chats. This will likely stratify the already fragmented book eco-system even more. Some readers will continue to live only within the Amazon ecosystem and (maybe) use their Rufus chatbot to buy, and others will be much wider in their exploration of how to find and discover books (and other products and services). If you haven't tried it yet, try ChatGPT.com Shopping Research for a book. You can do this on the free tier. Use the drop down in the main chat box and select Shopping Research. It doesn't have to be for your book. It can be any book or product, for example, our microwave died just before Christmas so I used it to find a new one. But do a really nuanced search with multiple requirements. Go far beyond what you would search for on Amazon. In the results, notice that (at the time of writing) it does not generally link to Amazon, but to independent sites and stores. As above, I think this will change by the end of 2026, as some kind of commerce deal with Amazon seems inevitable. (4) AI-assisted audiobook narration will go mainstream I've been talking about AI narration of audiobooks since 2019, and over the years, I've tried various different options. In 2025, the technology reached a level of emotional nuance that made it much easier to create satisfying fiction audio as well as non-fiction. It also super-charges accessibility, making audio available in more languages and more accents than ever before. Of course, human narration remains the gold standard, but the cost makes it prohibitive for many authors, and indeed many small traditional publishers, for all books. If it costs $2000 – $10,000 to create an audiobook, you have to sell a lot to make a profit, and the dominance of subscription models have made it harder to recoup the costs. Famous narrators and voice artists who have an audience may still be worth investing in, as well as premium production, but require an even higher upfront cost and therefore higher sales and streams in return. AI voice/audio models are continuing to improve, and even as this goes out, there are rumours on TechCrunch that OpenAI's new device, designed by Jony Ive who designed the iPhone, will be audio first and OpenAI are improving their voice models even more in preparation for that launch. In 2026, I think AI-narrated audio will go mainstream with far-reaching adoption across publishing and the indie author world in many different languages and accents. This will mean a further stratification of audiobooks, with high quality, high production, high cost human narrated audio for a small percentage of books, and then mass market, affordable AI-narrated audio for the rest. AI-narrated audiobooks will make audio ubiquitous, and just as (almost) every print book has an ebook format, in 2026, they will also have an audio format. I straddle both these worlds, as I am still a human audiobook narrator for my own work. I human-narrated Successful Self-Publishing Fourth Edition (free audiobook) and The Buried and the Drowned, my short story collection. I also use AI narration for some books. ElevenLabs remains my preferred service and in 2025, I used my J.F. Penn voice clone for Death Valley and also Blood Vintage, while using a male voice for Catacomb. I clearly label my AI-narration in the sales description and also on the cover, which I think is important, although it is not always required by the various services. You can distribute ElevenLabs narrated audiobooks on Spotify, Kobo Writing Life, YouTube, ElevenReader, and of course your own store if you use Shopify with Bookfunnel. There are many other services springing up all the time, so make sure you check the rights you have over the finished audio, as well as where you can sell and distribute the final files. If they are just using ElevenLabs models in the back-end, then why not just do that directly? (Most services will be using someone's model in the back-end, since most companies do not train their own models.) Of course, you can use Amazon's own narration. While Amazon originally launched Audible audiobooks with Virtual Voice (AVV) in November 2023, it was rolled out to more authors and territories in 2025. If your book is eligible, the option to create an audiobook will appear on your KDP dashboard. With just a few clicks, you can create an audiobook from a range of voices and accents, and publish it on Amazon and Audible. However, the files are not yours. They are exclusive to Amazon and you cannot use them on other platforms or sell them direct yourself. But they are also free, so of course, many authors, especially those in KU, will use this option. I have done some for my mum's sweet romance books as Penny Appleton and I will likely use them for my books in translation when the option becomes available. Traditional publishers are experimenting with AI-assisted audiobook narration as well. MacMillan is selling digital audiobooks read by AI directly on their store. PublishersWeekly reports that PRH Audio “has experimented with artificial voice in specific instances, such as entrepreneur Ely Callaway's posthumous memoir The Unconquerable Game,” when an “authorized voice replica” was created for the audiobook. The article also notes that PRH Audio “embrace artificial intelligence across business operations—my entire department [PRH Audio] is using AI for business applications.” And while indie authors can't use AI voices on ACX right now, Audible have over 100 voices available to selected publishing partnerships, as reported by The Guardian with “two options for publishers wishing to make use of the technology: “Audible-managed” production, or “self-service” whereby publishers produce their own audiobooks with the help of Audible's AI technology.” In 2026, it's likely that more traditional publishers — as well as indie authors — will get their backlist into audio with AI narration. (5) AI-assisted translation will start to take off beyond the early adopters Over the years, I've done translation deals with traditional publishers in different languages (German, French, Spanish, Korean, Italian) for some fiction and non-fiction books. But of course, to get these kinds of deals, you have to be proactive about pitching, or work with an agent for foreign rights only, and those are few and far between! There are also lots of languages and territories worldwide, and most deals are for the bigger markets, leaving a LOT of blue water for books in translation, even if you have licensed some of the bigger markets. I did my first partially AI-translated books in 2019 when I used Deepl.com for the first draft and then worked with a German editor to do 3 non-fiction books in German. While the first draft was cheap, the editing was pretty expensive, so I stopped after only doing a couple. I have made the money back now, but it took years. In 2025, AI Translation began to take off with ScribeShadow, GlobeScribe.ai, and more recently, in November 2025, Kindle Translate boosting the number of translated books available. Kindle Translate is (currently) only available to US authors for English into Spanish and also German into English, but in 2026, this will likely roll out to more languages and more authors, making it easier than ever to produce translations for free. Of course, once again, the gold standard is human translation, or at least human-edited translations, but the cost is prohibitive even just for proof-reading, and if there is a cheap or even free option, like Kindle Translate, then of course, authors are going to try it. If the translation gets bad reviews, they can just un-publish. There are many anecdotal stories of indie success in 2025 with AI-translated genre fiction sales (in series) in under-served markets like Italian, French, and Spanish, as well as more mainstream adoption in German. I was around in the Kindle gold-rush days of 2009-2012 and the AI-translation energy right now feels like that. There are hardly any Kindle ebooks in many of these languages compared to how many there are in English, so inevitably, the rush is on to fill the void, especially in genres that are under-served by traditional publishers in those markets. Yes, some of these AI translated books will be ‘AI-slop,' but readers are not stupid. Those books will get bad reviews and thus will sink to the bottom of the store, never to be seen again. The AI translation models are also improving rapidly, and Amazon's Kindle Translate may improve faster than most, for books specifically, since they will be able to get feedback in terms of page reads. Amazon is also a major investor in Anthropic, which makes Claude.ai, widely considered the best quality for creative writing and translation, so it's likely that is used somewhere in the mix. Some traditional publishers are also experimenting with AI-assisted translation, with Harlequin France reportedly using AI translation and human proofreaders, as reported by the European Council of Literary Translators' Associations in December 2025. Academic publisher Taylor and Francis is also using AI for book translation, noting: “Following a program of rigorous testing, Taylor & Francis has announced plans to use AI translation tools to publish books that would otherwise be unavailable to English-language readers, bringing the latest knowledge to a vastly expanded readership.” “Until now, the time and resources required to translate books has meant that the majority remained accessible only to those who could read them in the original language. Books that were translated often only became available after a significant delay. Today, with the development of sophisticated AI translation tools, it has become possible to make these important texts available to a broad readership at speed, without compromising on accuracy.” (6) AI video becomes ubiquitous. ‘Live selling' becomes the next trend in social sales. In 2025, short form AI-generated video became very high quality. OpenAI released Sora 2, and YouTube announced new Shorts creation tools with Veo 3, which you can also use directly within Gemini. There are tons of different AI video apps now, including those within the social media sites themselves. There is more video than ever and it's much easier to create. I am not a fan of short form video! I don't make it and I don't consume it, but I do love making book trailers for my Kickstarter campaigns and for adding to my book pages and using on social media. I made a trailer for The Buried and the Drowned using Midjourney for images and then animation of those images, and Canva to put them together along with ElevenLabs to generate the music. But despite the AI tools getting so much easier to use, you still have to prompt them with exactly what you want. I can't just upload my book and say, “Make a book trailer,” or “Make a short film.” This may change with generative video ads, which are likely to become more common in 2026, as video turns specifically commercial. Video ads may even be generated specifically for the user, with an audience of one, maybe even holding your book in their hands (using something like Cameos on Sora), in the same way that some AI-powered clothing stores do virtual try-ons. This might also up-end the way we discover and buy things, as the AI for eCommerce and Amazon Sellers newsletter says about OpenAI's Sora app, “OpenAI isn't just trying to build a TikTok competitor. They're building a complete reimagining of how we discover and buy things …” “The combination of ChatGPT's research capabilities and Sora's potential for emotional manipulation—I mean, “engagement”—could create something we've never seen before: an AI ecosystem that might eventually guide you through every type of purchase, from the most considered to the most impulsive.” In 2026, there will be A LOT more AI-generated video, but that also leads to the human trend of more live video. While you can use an AI avatar that looks and sounds like you using tools like HeyGen or Synthesia, live video has all the imperfect human elements that make it stand-out, plus the scarcity element which leads to the purchase decision within a countdown period. Live video is nothing new in terms of brand building and content in general, but it seems that live events primarily for direct sales might be a thing in 2026. Kim Kardashian hosted Kimsmas Live in December 2025 with a 45 minute live shopping event with special guests, described as entertainment but designed to be a sales extravaganza. Indie authors are doing a similar thing on TikTok with their books, so this is a trend to watch in 2026, especially if you feel that live selling might fit with your personality and author business goals. It's certainly not for everyone, but I suspect it will suit a different kind of creator to those who prefer ‘no face' video, or no video at all! On other aspects of the human side of social media, Adam Mosseri the CEO of Instagram put a post on Threads called Authenticity after Abundance. He said, “Everything that made creators matter—the ability to be real, to connect, to have a voice that couldn't be faked—is now suddenly accessible to anyone with the right tools.” “Deepfakes are getting better and better. AI is generating photographs and videos indistinguishable from captured media. The feeds are starting to fill up with synthetic everything. And in that world, here's what I think happens.Creators matter more.” It's a long article so just to pick a few things from it: “We like to talk about “AI slop,” but there is a lot of amazing AI content … we are going to start to see more and more realistic AI content.” I've talked to my Patreon Community about this ‘tsunami of excellence' as these tools are just getting better and better and the word ‘slop' can also be applied to purely human output, too. If you think that AI content is ‘worse' than wholly human content, in 2026, you are wrong. It is now very very good, especially in the hands of people who can drive the AI tools. Back to Adam's post: “Authenticity is fast becoming a scarce resource, …The creators who succeed will be those who figure out how to maintain their authenticity [even when it can be simulated] …” “The bar is going to shift from “can you create?” to “can you make something that only you could create?” He talks about how the personal content on Instagram now is: “unpolished; it's blurry photos and shaky videos of people's daily experiences … flattering imagery is cheap to produce and boring to consume. People want content that feels real… Savvy creators are going to lean into explicitly unproduced and unflattering images of themselves. In a world where everything can be perfected, imperfection becomes a signal. Rawness isn't just aesthetic preference anymore—it's proof. It's defensive. A way of saying: this is real because it's imperfect.” While I partially love this, and I really hope it's true, as in I hope we don't need to look good for the camera anymore I would also challenge Adam on this, because pretty much every woman I know on social media has been sent sexual messages, and/or told they are ugly and/or fat when posting anything unflattering. I've certainly had both even for the same content, but I don't expect Adam has been the target for such posting! But I get his point. He goes on:“Labeling content as authentic or AI-generated is only part of the solution though. We, as an industry, are going to need to surface much more context about not only the media on our platforms, but the accounts that are sharing it in order for people to be able to make informed decisions about what to believe. Where is the account? When was it created? What else have they posted?” This is exactly what I've been saying for a while under my double down on being human focus. I use my Instagram @jfpennauthor as evidence of humanity, not as a sales channel. You can do both of course, but increasingly, you need to make sure your accounts at places have longevity and trust, even by the platforms themselves. Adam finishes: “In a world of infinite abundance and infinite doubt, the creators who can maintain trust and signal authenticity—by being real, transparent, and consistent—will stand out.” For other marketing trends for 2026, I recommend publicist Kathleen Schmidt's SubStack which is mostly focused on traditional publishing but still interesting for indies. In her 2026 article, she notes: “We have reached a social media saturation point where going viral can be meaningless and should not be the goal; authenticity and creativity should. She also says, “In-person events are important again,” and, “Social media marketing takes a nosedive… we have reached a saturation point … What publishers must figure out is how to make their social media campaigns stand out. If they remain somewhat uninspired, the money spent on social ads won't convert into book sales.” I think this is part of the rise of live selling as above, which can stand out above more ‘produced' videos. Kathleen also talks about AI usage. “AI can help lighten the burden of publicity and marketing.” “A lot of AI tools are coming to market to lessen the load: they can write pitches, create media lists for you, send pitches for you, and more. I know the industry is grappling with all things AI, but some of these tools are huge time savers and may help a book more than hurt it.” On that note … (7) AI will create, run, and optimise ads without the need for human intervention Many authors will be very happy about this as marketing is often the bane of our author business lives! As I noted in my 2026 goals, I would love to outsource more marketing tasks to AI. I want an “AI book marketing assistant” where I can upload a book and specify a budget and say, ‘Go market this,' then the AI will action the marketing, without me having to cobble together workflows between systems. Of course, it will present plans for me to approve but it will do the work itself on the various platforms and monitor and optimize things for me. I really hope 2026 is the year this becomes possible, because we are on the edge of it already in some areas. Amazon Ads launched a new agentic AI tool in September 2025 that creates professional-quality ads. I've also been working with Claude in Chrome browser to help me analyse my Amazon Ad data and suggest which keywords/products to turn off and what to put more budget into. I'll do a Patreon video on that soon. Meta announced it will enable AI ad creation by the end of 2026 for Facebook and Instagram. For authors who find ad creation overwhelming or time-consuming, this could be a game-changer. Of course, you will still need a budget! (8) 1000 True Fans becomes more important than ever Lots of authors and publishers are moaning about the difficulty of reaching readers in an era of ‘AI slop' but there is no shortage of excellent content created by humans, or humans using AI tools. As ever, our competition is less about other authors, or even authors using AI-assisted creation, we're competing against everything else that jostles for people's attention, and the volume of that is also growing exponentially. I've never been a fan of rapid release, and have said for years that you can't keep up with the pace of the machines. So play a different game. As Kevin Kelly wrote in 2008, If you have 1000 true fans, (also known as super fans), “you can make a living — if you are content to make a living but not a fortune.” [Kevin Kelly was on this show in 2023 talking about Excellent Advice for Living.] Many authors and the publishing industry are stuck in the old model of aiming to sell huge volumes of books at a low profit margin to a massive number of readers, many of them releasing ever faster to try and keep the algorithms moving. But the maths can work for the smaller audience of more invested readers and fans. If you only make $2 profit on an ebook, you need to sell 500 ebooks to make $1000, and then do it again next month. Or you can have a small community like my patreon.com/thecreativepenn where people pay $2 (or more) a month, so even a small revenue per person results in a better outcome over the year, as it is consistent monthly income with no advertising. But what if you could make $20 profit per book? That is entirely possible if you're producing high quality hardbacks on Kickstarter, or bundle deals of audiobooks, or whole series of ebooks. You would only need to sell to 50 people to make $1000. What about $100 profit per sale, which you can do with a small course or live event? You only need 10 people to make $1000, and this in-person focus also amplifies trust and fosters human connection. I've found the intimacy of my live Patreon Office Hours and also my webinars have been rewarding personally, but also financially, and are far more memorable — and potentially transformative — than a pre-recorded video or even another book. From the LinkedIn 2026 Big Ideas article: “In an AI-optimized world, intentional human connection will become the ultimate luxury.” The 1000 True Fans model is about serving a smaller, more personal audience with higher value products (and maybe services if that's your thing). As ever, its about niche and where you fit in the long long long long long tail. It's also about trust. Because there is definitely a shortage of that in so many areas, and as Adam Mosseri of Instagram has said, trust will be increasingly important. Trust takes time to build, but if you focus on serving your audience consistently, and delivering a high quality, and being authentic, this emerges as part of being human. In an echo of what happened when online commerce first took off, we are back to talking about trust. Back in 2010, I read Trust Agents: by Julien Smith and Chris Brogan, which clearly needs a comeback. There was a 10th anniversary edition published in 2020, so that's worth a read/listen. Chris Brogan was also on this show in 2017 when we talked about finding and serving your niche for the long term. That interview is still relevant, here's a quick excerpt, where I have (lightly edited) his response to my question on this topic back in 2017: Jo: The principle of know, like, and trust, why is that still important or perhaps even more important these days? Chris: There are a few things that at play there, Joanna. One is that the same tools that make it so easy for any of us to start and run a business also allow certain elements to decide whether or not they want to do something dubious. And with all new technologies that come, you know, there's nothing unique about these new technologies. In the 1800s, anyone could put anything in a bottle and sell it to you and say, this is gonna cure everything. Cancer — gone. And the bottle could have nothing in. You know, it could be Kool-Aid. And so, the idea of trying to understand what's behind the business though, one beautiful thing that's come is that we can see in much more dimensions who we're dealing with. We can understand better who's the face behind the brand. I really want people to try their best to be a lot clearer on what they stand for or what they say. And I don't really mean a tagline. I mean, humans don't really talk like that. They don't throw some sentence out as often as they can that you remember them for that phrase. But I would say that, we have so many media available to us — the plural of mediums — where we can be more of ourselves. And I think that there's a great opportunity to share the ‘you' behind the scenes, and some people get immediately terrified about this, ‘Ah, the last thing I want is for people to know more about me,' but I think we have such an opportunity. We have such an opportunity to voice our thoughts on something, to talk about the story that goes behind the product. We were all raised on overly produced material, but I think we don't want that anymore. We really want clarity, brevity, simplicity. We want the ability for what we feel is connection and then access. And so I think it's vital that we connect and show people our accessibility, not so that they can pester us with strange questions, but more so that you can say, this person stands with their product and their service and this person believes these things, and I feel something when I hear them and I wanna be part of that.” That's from Chris Brogan's interview here in 2017, and he is still blogging and speaking at writing at ChrisBrogan.com and I'm going to re-listen to the audiobook of Trust Agents again myself as I think it's more relevant than ever. The original quote comes from Bob Burg in his 1994 book, Endless Referrals, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” That still applies, and absolutely fits with the 1000 True Fans model of aiming to serve a smaller audience. As Kevin Kelly says in 1000 True Fans, “Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters, and celebrity status, you can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans.” “On your way, no matter how many fans you actually succeed in gaining, you'll be surrounded not by faddish infatuation, but by genuine and true appreciation. It's a much saner destiny to hope for. And you are much more likely to actually arrive there.” In 2026, I hope that more authors (including me!) let go of ego goals and vanity metrics like ranking, gross sales (income before you take away costs), subscribers, followers, and likes, and consider important business numbers like profit (which is the money you have after costs like marketing are taken out), as well as number of true fans — and also lifestyle elements like number of weekends off, or days spent enjoying life and not just working! OK, that's my list of trends and predictions for 2026. Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you agree? Am I wrong? What have I missed? The post 2026 Trends And Predictions For Indie Authors And The Book Publishing Industry with Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

    Book Riot - The Podcast
    Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026

    Book Riot - The Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 47:06


    Jeff and Rebecca look at what we know of the 2026 publishing calendar to pick 10 books we are most excited about (with some quibbling and caveats). Lots to like this year. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Check out Zero to Well-Read! The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Come to Powell's to see Gabriel Tallent in Conversation with Jeff O'Neal Vigil by George Saunders On Morrison by Namwalli Serpell Language as Liberation by Toni Morrison Kin by Tayari Jones Brawler by Lauren Groff Python's Kiss by Louise Erdrich London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe My Dear You by Rachel Khong Go Gentle by Maria Semple On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward Country People by Daniel Mason Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead Exit Party Emily St. John Mandel American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee Transcription by Ben Lerner Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez Depths of Wikipedia by Annie Rauwerda Lake Effect by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney The Glorians by Terry Tempest Williams The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood Screen People by Megan Garber Inside the Box by David Epstein Land by Maggie O'Farrell The Missed Connection by Tia Williams The Typing Lady by Ruth Ozeki Whistler by Ann Patchett This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Ask Me How I Know: Multifamily Investor Stories of Struggle to Success
    #241 Why Success Feels Exhausting for High Performers

    Ask Me How I Know: Multifamily Investor Stories of Struggle to Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 10:00


    High performers often assume burnout means failure. But what if success feels exhausting because you're divided inside? This episode explores decision fatigue, role confusion, and why identity-level recalibration restores energy without losing drive.Why does success feel exhausting even when everything looks “right”?Many high performers, leaders, and high-capacity humans reach a point where the life they built no longer feels the way they expected it to feel. There's no obvious crisis. No failure to point to. Yet beneath the surface, there's decision fatigue, role confusion, and a quiet sense of depletion that rest alone doesn't resolve.In this episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly introduces a rarely named truth: burnout is often not about overwork — it's about fragmentation.When your nervous system learns to regulate by context instead of identity, you begin living from multiple internal versions of yourself. Calm in one room. Braced in another. Present at home, vigilant with clients. Over time, this internal division creates success fatigue, spiritual exhaustion, and a loss of felt coherence — even in a life that looks objectively successful.This episode explores:Why burnout recovery often fails when identity misalignment goes unaddressedHow decision fatigue is compounded by internal role-switchingWhy “being on” all the time is a nervous-system strategy, not strengthThe difference between flexibility and fragmentationHow success without fulfillment often signals identity drift, not weaknessJulie introduces Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) — not another mindset tactic or productivity strategy, but the root-level recalibration that makes every other tool effective again. ILR begins with the who, not the how, restoring internal coherence so peace, purpose, and productivity can coexist.This conversation is especially relevant for those navigating:high achiever burnoutleadership fatiguespiritual exhaustionsuccess that feels emptypressure to perform across rolesToday's Micro RecalibrationYou'll find this in the Recalibration Companion, but here's where to begin:Where do I feel most like myself — and where do I feel the most “on”?No fixing. No judging. Just noticing.That awareness is where integration begins.Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes. → Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Books to read (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.) → One link to all things

    Cosmere Conversations
    Episode 190: Nexus Panel | Stormlight Arc 2 Theorizing

    Cosmere Conversations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 117:00


    Brooke and Tyler take the attendees of Dragonsteel Nexus aboard the theory train! Joined by Jaden Feddock and Marty Vaughn from the Next Chapter Youtube channel and Hayden Gray from the Fantasy Fan Fellas to present our favorite theories and speculation for the second half of the Stormlight Archive. #AllSpoilers The majority of this episode was recorded live at Dragonsteel Nexus 2025. Audio quality is different from normal. After the panel was over we took questions from fans and answered those in more depth. This section begins at 1h09m15s. Follow Hayden and the Fantasy Fan Fellas (https://linktr.ee/fantasyfanfellas?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=1c2959fc-3715-4f0a-86e0-3e3d354ce3f0) Follow Marty and Jaden at Next Chapter Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@NextChapterYT) Support this podcast by becoming a Patron on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/CosmereConversations) Original music by David Gruwier (https://twitter.com/DGruwier). "Radiant" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5CFAZUv4C0) by David Gruwier.

    FOX Sports Knoxville
    Southeastern Conversation 1.5.26 "First weekend of SEC hoops in the books!!"

    FOX Sports Knoxville

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 31:04


    -Vols crumble down the stretch again -What is up with Kentucky? -High scoring OT games -Florida goes down on the road

    Overthinking It Podcast
    Episode 913: Eating them in Effigy is an Affront to Their Plight

    Overthinking It Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026


    On the Overthinking it Podcast, we audit the freezer. Episode 913: Eating them in Effigy is an Affront to Their Plight originally appeared on Overthinking It, the site subjecting the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. [Latest Posts | Podcast (iTunes Link)]

    VSiN Best Bets
    VSiN By The Books | January 5, 2025 | Hour 3

    VSiN Best Bets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 45:25


    In this hour of VSiN By The Books, hosts Jensen Lewis and Dave Ross recap their NFL future bets. Also, don't miss today's edition of the “Daily Gridiron", as Jensen and Dave find different ways to attack the football market. Plus, don't miss the best bets from today's show!Get instant access to expert picks, public betting splits data, and pro betting tools when you join VSiN Pro. Grab your first month for only $9.99 or take over 15% off an annual subscription when you use promo code: POD25. Click here to get started. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    VSiN Best Bets
    VSiN By The Books | January 5, 2025 | Hour 2

    VSiN Best Bets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 45:23


    In this hour of VSiN By The Books, hosts Jensen Lewis and Dave Ross recap yesterday's top sports headlines. Plus, joining the show is Marty Hurney, Co-Host of The GM Shuffle Podcast on DraftKings Network, to preview the NFL wildcard round. Also, the guys preview some NFL Super BowlFutures. Get instant access to expert picks, public betting splits data, and pro betting tools when you join VSiN pro. Grab your first month for only $9.99 or take over 15% off an annual subscription when you use promo code: POD25. Click Here to get started. vsin.com/subscribe?tpcc=by-the-books Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    VSiN Best Bets
    VSiN By The Books | January 5, 2025 | Hour 1

    VSiN Best Bets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 45:21


    In this hour of VSiN By The Books, hosts Jensen Lewis and Dave Ross recap yesterday's top sports headlines. Plus, the guys recap week 18 in the FL and look at the Wildcard games. Get instant access to expert picks, public betting splits data, and pro betting tools when you join VSiN pro. Grab your first month for only $9.99 or take over 15% off an annual subscription when you use promo code: POD25. Click Here to get started. vsin.com/subscribe?tpcc=by-the-books  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    “What It’s Really Like to be an Entrepreneur”
    Unlocking Entrepreneurial Success: Insights from the Experts

    “What It’s Really Like to be an Entrepreneur”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 1:11


    In this episode of That Entrepreneur Show, host Vincent A. Lanci welcomes a panel of entrepreneurs to discuss their experiences, insights, and strategies for success. The conversation covers a range of topics, including the importance of market immersion, the benefits of podcasting and media presence, health and wellness tips for entrepreneurs, effective marketing strategies, and lessons learned in entrepreneurship. Each guest shares their unique perspectives and advice, emphasizing the value of relationships, credibility, and personal growth in the entrepreneurial journey.As you listen:  00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions 01:58 Lessons from Market Immersion 03:31 The Power of Podcasting in Business 05:29 Building Credibility through Media and Books 07:22 Health and Wellness Tips for Entrepreneurs 09:14 Marketing Strategies for Startups 10:10 Lessons Learned in Entrepreneurship 13:00 Shoutouts to Fellow Entrepreneurs 17:15 Goals for the New Year 20:11 Final Thoughts and Last Words"You just create it." "Start by starting. Just start." "You have to have that inner drive."

    All Of It
    The Story of the First Woman to Helm a Merchant Ship

    All Of It

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 16:08


    The new book The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World tells the story of Mary Ann Patten, who became the first woman to captain a merchant ship in the 19th century after her husband fell ill in the midst of a voyage. Author Tilar J. Mazzeo discusses the book.

    Visionary Family
    Life Changing Books for 2026

    Visionary Family

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 21:40


    Books can shape families—and strengthen faith. In this inspiring episode of Family Vision, Rob and Amy Rienow respond to a listener question about the books and resources that have deeply impacted their worldview and parenting journey. Rob and Amy each share two powerful books that have helped them understand God's truth more clearly and disciple their family with purpose. You'll hear about titles that confront the cultural lies of secularism, explore the foundations of biblical education, and help your family see history and current events through a Gospel lens. If you're looking to build your own family's library of truth, this episode is a great place to start. What You'll Learn in This Episode: - How worldview books have shaped the Reinows' faith and family - Why it's valuable to read authors you don't 100% agree with - The difference between Greek and Hebrew models of education - Why Christian history matters for raising Gospel-centered kids - How to find trustworthy books for family discipleship Books Referenced: • How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer • What Your Child Needs to Know When by Robin Sampson • What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? by D. James Kennedy • All Through the Ages by Christine Miller Resources: Visionary Parenting (Read a Free Sample) – Discover God's purpose for your parenting: https://visionaryfam.com/parenting VFM Live Events & Family Camps – Join us at a future conference or family camp near you: https://visionaryfam.com/events Connect With Us: We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts, book suggestions, or prayer requests to podcast@visionaryfam.com. Our team prays for every email and would be honored to connect with you personally.

    WagerTalk Podcast
    WagerTalk Today | Monday Best Bets! | NBA, NFL & CBB Picks & Predictions | 1/5/26

    WagerTalk Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 68:54 Transcription Available


    On Monday's edition of WagerTalk Today, Steve Merril takes a look at NBA Doubleheader Action in the Nuggets vs Sixers & Warriors vs Clippers games and gives a best bet in CBB action between Michigan State vs USC. Bill Krackomberger joins the show to talk the latest in the sports betting industry and give his favorite prop for NBA Monday Action. Hosts, Andy Lang & Dan Alexander react to Sunday's NFL action, provide props and share free picks and Gianni The Greek gives daily betting advice – don't miss out!Intro 00:00Sunday Recap 2:00Gianni the Greek 4:00CBB Power Rankings 5:15NFL Power Rankings 7:00Who is UNDERRATED in CBB? 10:30CFP Steam 12:37Markets are just SHARP this time of year 15:20CBB/NBA/NHL Steam 16:30NFL Questions 19:00Where the Books won/where the public won 25:11Bill Krackomberger 25:35NFL Props are where they money is at 25:30Books think you are Suckers 28:00NFL Wild Card Weekend 32:00NBA Free Prop Play 35:20Steve Merril 40:15NBA Double Header: Nuggets vs Sixers & Warriors vs Clippers 42:22 (45:01 for Warriors Clippers) CBB Michigan State vs USC 47:00Undervalued CBB Teams 50:20NFL Betting Trends 56:52NBA Betting Trends 58:45Andy Lang All Around the World Free Plays (NBA Prop Bets) 1:00:20

    Forward Progress
    SUNDAY RESET: LIVE NFL WEEK 18 REACTION & WILD CARD LOOKAHEAD | PRESENTED BY FANDUEL

    Forward Progress

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 69:01


    Rob Pizzola and Clive Bixby react to everything that has gone on so far in Week 18 of the NFL, breaking down the full slate of Sunday games and looking ahead to Monday Night Football between the LA Rams and the Atlanta Falcons, as well as discussing the opening lines for the wild card. 0:00 Intro 1:02 Week 18 Recap 15:05 LA Rams/Carolina 24:49 Green Bay/Chicago 33:15 Buffalo/Jacksonville 40:00 San Francisco/Philadelphia 45:04 LA Chargers/New England 52:58 Houston/Pittsburgh 1:03:30 Futures Lookahead 1:06:54 Outro

    The Zero to Finals Medical Revision Podcast
    Fragile X Syndrome (2nd Edition)

    The Zero to Finals Medical Revision Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 4:09


    This episode covers Fragile X syndrome.Written notes can be found at https://zerotofinals.com/paediatrics/genetics/fragilex/Questions can be found at https://members.zerotofinals.com/Books can be found at https://zerotofinals.com/books/The audio in the episode was expertly edited by Harry Watchman.

    Comics for Fun and Profit
    Episode 1006: Episode 1006-Jason Interviews the Legendary John Siuntres - Word Balloon

    Comics for Fun and Profit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 131:15


    Episode 1006-Jason Interviews the Legendary John Siuntres - Word BalloonThe Word Balloon Podcast is a free one on one audio interview show, featuring in-depth talks with the creative stars of pop culture. You'll hear discussions about Comics, Film, TV, Books, and Games in the genres of Crime, Horror, Action/Adventure, and Comedy. Patron support will help Word Balloon travel to the conventions to conduct panels and interviews, and eventually expand the show into a full time audio streaming network of pop culture coverage.Listen wherever you get Your PodcastsSupport: https://www.patreon.com/cw/wordballoon Theme Songs by Drew: Word Balloon & Every Conversation CountsLinks: https://beacons.ai/comicsfunprofit Listen: https://comcsforfunandprofit.podomatic.com/Like & Subscribe on Youtube www.youtube.com/@comicsforfunandprofit5331Patreon https://www.patreon.com/comicsfunprofitMerch https://comicsfunprofit.threadless.comDonate Here https://bit.ly/36s7YeLAll the C4FaP links you could ever need  https://beacons.ai/comicsfunprofit Listen To the Episode Here: https://comcsforfunandprofit.podomatic.com/

    Inspired Stewardship
    Episode 1607: Interview with Dr. Derrick Love About Education, Leadership, and his Books

    Inspired Stewardship

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 36:02


    In this #podcast episode, I interview Dr. Derrick Love. I ask Derrick about his book The King & Me. I also ask Derrick about why daily spiritual growth is so important. Derrick also shares with you how you can share your faith without being annoying.   Show Notes and Resources.   Want to be a guest on Inspired Stewardship? Send Scott Maderer a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/scottmaderer

    Connections with Evan Dawson
    New leader, new vision: Michael Solis on the future of Writers & Books

    Connections with Evan Dawson

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 51:43


    We sit down with Michael Solis, executive director of Writers & Books. Solis is an author and international development professional who has worked across the globe. He took the helm of the literary nonprofit in September. As a new year unfolds, Solis joins us to discuss his vision for Writers & Books and how it will impact the community. We also explore the state of the current literary industry and what it means for readers and writers. In studio:Michael Solis, executive director of Writers & Books--Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    A Court of Fandoms and Exploration - A Podcast.
    235. Heavenly Tyrant: "Seven months to save the world."

    A Court of Fandoms and Exploration - A Podcast.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 51:29


    ACOFAE Podcast Presents: Heavenly Tyrant: "Seven months to save the world." Happy New Year! ACOFAE is thrilled that you've joined us for 2026! Could there be a better way to set the tone and kick off 2026 than with Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao?! Picking up almost right where ACOFAE left off in book 1, Heavenly Tyrant reunites readers with Zetian and all of her wild decisions as the government has been destroyed and someone has to pick up the pieces. Qin Zheng was that man before, can he be that man again? A book filled with politics, schemes, chrysalis', and complicated social structures Heavenly Tyrant explores what happens when great change is enacted. Looming over all of these plot points is the Heavenly Court and it's secrets. Join Laura Marie and Jessica Marie as they reiterate that the triangle is the strongest shape, and that decisions that seem great on paper can be disastrous upon implementation. TW / CW: none to our awareness For additional TW/CW information for your future reads, head to this site for more: https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/ Spoilers: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao Mentions: Heavenbreaker, *Thank you for listening to us! Please subscribe and leave a 5-star review and follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/acofaepodcast/) at @ACOFAEpodcast and on our TikToks! TikTok: ACOFAELaura : Laura Marie (https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaelaura?) ( https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaelaura) ACOFAEJessica : Jessica Marie (https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaejessica?) (https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaejessica) Instagram: @ACOFAEpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/acofaepodcast/) https://www.instagram.com/acofaepodcast/ @ACOFAELaura (https://www.instagram.com/acofaelaura/) https://www.instagram.com/acofaelaura/

    Pencils&Lipstick podcast
    Ep 292 An Intentional Writing Life

    Pencils&Lipstick podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026


    Is it possible to set goals as a writer? As a creative? When there are so many different variables that go into creating a story? In this episode I go into the reality of goal setting as a writer, especially one just starting out (with 4 books or less). I believe in going into the new year with eyes wide open, but also with encouragement. Let's get those books written in 2026! And not falling into the pit of thinking we should be on track with everyone else out there.Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletterWant more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I'm reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. https://storylectory.katcaldwell.com/signup You can always ask me writing questions on instagram @author_katcaldwell or on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katcaldwell.author

    The Truth Pulpit
    God's Resurrected King #1

    The Truth Pulpit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 27:44


    Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2643 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.comClick the icon below to listen.         Related Podcasts102: The Authority and Majesty of a King (Through the Psalms)A Q&A on Suffering #2A Q&A on Suffering #1 

    The Secret Teachings
    Synthetic Eternity w. Andrew Clinton (1/5/26)

    The Secret Teachings

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 120:01 Transcription Available


    From Project Genesis of the White House, which held a special meeting with 33 technology heads in late 2025, to the Quantum Genesys music event in Egypt and Henry Kissinger's book titled “Genesis”; and from the Big Beautiful Bill's AI moratorium to Samsung's 6G Project and a recent White House report on “Winning the 6G Race,” the sudden explosion of an AI arms race has largely been obscured by the very people who once attempted to expose its dangers. Elon Musk and his desire to have a legion of children is suddenly acceptable because he crossed the political dividing line. Now if the richest man in the world wants to run the same breeding program Jeffrey Epstein was working on, or take away employment and money in exchange for automation and UBI, he is cheered a hero of team-humanity. Perhaps Musk wants you to have more children for the data, or perhaps the goal is to replace older generations with a new, and final, human generation that will be subservient to the technocratic monarchy of Curtis Yarvin, JD Vance, and Peter Thiel. Interestingly, Yarvin said the Trump administration had failed in its goals after the invasion of Venezuela, mostly was the president wasn't authoritarian enough; he fell into the trappings of checks and balances and allowed Democrats to remain in power. This is precisely the same argument Alex Jones made to “dismantle the deepstate.” Under the guise of defeating Democrats, the entire system must be collapsed so that it can be replaced by technocracy while people's minds are hijacked by Musk's brain implants. The goal seems to be a rebranding of the ultimate conspiracy, including the media, great resetting of society, secret societies, etc., and the production of a new man in the Omega generation. From Alpha to Omega, Revelation to Genesis. It's therefore no coincidence that the biggest names in genetics, including 23 and me and ancestry.com, are so connected to the church of Latter-day Saints, synagogues, and the Catholic Church along with companies like Google and Blackstone. The eschatological component of the new world and new man are as religious as they are anti-human, spiritual as they are dark occult. Andrew Clinton from 6G Agenda stops by for a chat.*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.WEBSITEFREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVE-X / TWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBERUMBLE-BUY ME A COFFEECashApp: $rdgable PAYPAL: rdgable1991@gmail.comRyan's Books: https://thesecretteachings.info - EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / rdgable1991@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

    Book Reviews Kill
    Monday Morning Minute (01/05)

    Book Reviews Kill

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 80:58


    Good morning! Got your coffee? A sweet treat? Great! Join Evan and Chad for your weekly dose of book nerd!  Support BRK Join the BRK Discord Check out Brian Froud Buy Evan's book   Books mentioned    King Sorrow - Joe Hill The Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris Masters and Mages - Miles Cameron  Seed - Ania Ahlborn Traitor's Blade - Sebastien de Castel Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart - Jesse Bullington Bridge of Birds - Barry Hughart  Murderbot - Martha Wells Swords and Deviltry - Fritz Leiber Ryria Revelations - Michael J. Sullivan   Movies mentioned:  Anaconda (2025)

    The Prison Officer Podcast
    118: From Secure Walls To Open Halls: A Corrections Officer's Guide To Safe Hospital Escorts

    The Prison Officer Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 34:59 Transcription Available


    We walk through the hard truths of hospital escorts: layers of security vanish, complacency creeps in, and small mistakes become big risks. From intel control to room setup, we share a field-tested checklist to keep officers, medical staff, and the public safe.• controlling timelines and blocking leaks• gathering inmate intel and risk factors• conducting full inmate and vehicle searches• using maximum restraints and wheelchairs• hospital reconnaissance and secure entry points• room layout, line of sight, and door control• protecting medical staff during care• anti-fatigue tactics and accountability• professionalism in public and clear communication• training needs and administrative supportMake sure you like, subscribe, go to our website and check it out thereAlso, check out Michael's newest book - POWER SKILLS: Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills for Correctional Officers, First Responders, and Beyond https://amzn.to/4mBeog5See Michael's newest Children's Books here: www.CantrellWrites.comSend us a text PepperBallFrom crowd control to cell extractions, the PepperBall system is the safe, non-lethal option.OMNIOMNI is cutting-edge software designed to track inmates and assets within your prison or jail. Command PresenceBringing prisons and jails the training they deserve!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showAlso, check out Michael's newest book - POWER SKILLS: Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills for Correctional Officers, First Responders, and Beyond https://amzn.to/4mBeog5 See Michael's newest Children's Books here: www.CantrellWrites.com Support the show ======================= Contact me: mike@theprisonofficer.com Buy Me a Cup of Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mikeml Keys to Your New Career: Information and Guidance to Get Hired and Be Successful as a Correctional or Detention Officer https://amzn.to/4g0mSLw Finding Your Purpose: Crafting a Personal Vision Statement to Guide Your Life and Career https://amzn.to/3HV4dUG Take care of each other and Be Safe behind those walls and fences! #prisonofficerpodcast #leadership #podcast @theprisonofficerpodcast Contact us: mike@theprisonofficer.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrisonOfficerTake care of each other and Be Safe behind those walls and fences!

    A WORD for This Day
    January 5, 2026 - John 1:5 - Cumulative Episode 1465 (5 for 2026)

    A WORD for This Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 20:47


    Hello Friends! I love to hear from you! Please send me a text message by clicking on this link! Blessings to You!In this episode, Dr. Jori discusses with her listeners about Jesus, the Light who shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot comprehend or overtake it!Scripture References: John 1:5; Mark 1:19-21; John 3:16; Mark 4:13-14; John 1:1-5; Genesis 1:1-4; John 1:7-14; 1 John 1:5-10; Matthew 5:14-16 Scripture translation used is the NASB “Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible) Copyright 1971, 1995, 2020 (only use the last year corresponding to the edition quoted) by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org”FIND DR. JORI ON OTHER PLATFORMS https://linktr.ee/drjorishafferCHECK OUT THE DWELL AUDIO BIBLE APP:Click this link for my unique referral code.  I use this frequently. Such a wonderful audio bible app. https://dwellapp.io/aff?ref=jorishafferBIBLE STUDY TOOLS DR. JORI USES:Note: These contain  Amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission, at no extra cost to you,  if you decide to make a purchase through my links.Here is a link to some of my favorite bible study tools on Amazon:https://geni.us/cHtrfEMr. Pen Bible Journaling Kitshttps://lvnta.com/lv_PTrHSCogbRim4yhEDnhttps://lvnta.com/lv_mkaMOuGe6m4oHR88uqhttps://lvnta.com/lv_dgvsxOc99t663A628z  BOOKS OF BIBLE COLOR CHARTI made this chart as a helpful tool for grouping the collections of books or letters  in the Holy Bible.  The colors in the different sections are the ones that I use in my journals.  Books of Bible Chart (color) (4).pdf - Google Drive    LOOKING TO RETAIN MORE OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR IS TEACHING?              CHECK OUT DR. JORI'S SERMON REFLECTION JOURNALS! Sermon Notes, Reflections and Applications Journal/Notebooks by Dr. Jori. Click the links below to be directed to amazon.com for purchase. Or search “Dr. Jori Shaffer” on Amazon to bring these up.  https://amzn.to/418LfRshttps://amzn.to/41862EyHere is a brief YouTube video that tells about the Journal/Notebooks as well:https://youtu.be/aXpQNYUEzds   Email: awordforthisday@gmail.comPodcast website:  https://awordforthisday.buzzsprout.com Support the show

    Books with Betsy
    Episode 87 - Best of 2025 Part 2

    Books with Betsy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 88:03


    On this episode, past guests of Books with Betsy and I share our favorite books of 2025! Listen to hear about lots of great 2025 books and the excellent backlist we got to this year.    Books mentioned in this episode:    Betsy's Top 11 Books (in no particular order):  The Sisters by Jonas Hassan Khemiri  Endling by Maria Reva The Director by Daniel Kehlmann  The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones Biography of X by Catherine Lacey  Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Capó Crucet  Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism by Eve L. Ewing Devil is Fine by John Vercher  There is a Rio Grande in Heaven by Ruben Reyes, Jr.  A Guardian and A Thief by Megha Majumdar  Reservoir Bitches by Dalia de la Cerda    Books Highlighted by Guests: Tina of TBR, etc:  One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford  Dominion by Addie E. Citchens Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher  Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid  Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Jen Price: The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis Canada by Mike Myers  Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza Saltwater by Katy Hays Come Fly With Me by Camille Di Maio Bre of Brezzylovesbooks:  Plantains and Our Becoming: Poems by Melania Luisa Marte What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing From Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo  Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee  Maggie Brennan:  There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib  Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar  The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai  Wolf Pack by Amelia Brunskill  Beneath the Rising by Premee Mohamed   Amy Smalley:  Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce  You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith  The Carpool Detectives: A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case by Chuck Hogan  Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman  Carrie Vittitoe:  My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Family's Past by Ariel Sabar   Angel Down by Daniel Kraus  The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon  Mary Hopper:  The Black Wolf by Louise Penny  Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton The God of the Woods by Liz Moore  The Moscow Sleepers by Stella Rimington  The Searcher by Tana French  The Hunter by Tana French  Aflame: Learning From Silence by Pico Iyer  Karishma Verma:  The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading by James Patterson and Matt Eversman  You Wanna Be on Top?: A Memoir of Makeovers, Manipulation, and Not Becoming America's Next Top Model by Sarah Hartshorne  Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez  The Housemaid's Secret by Frieda McFadden  The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke Alayna Mills:  Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Flashlight by Susan Choi  We Do Not Part by Han Kang  Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz  Heart the Lover by Lily King

    The ATO Show
    How Loss Inspired Life-Changing Support for NICU Families with Thomas Reives

    The ATO Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 32:27


    Thomas Reives (Rose-Hulman '05) and his wife, Shecara, turned their loss and family tragedy into support for others. In 2017, Thomas and Shecara lost their son Rook after a premature birth and NICU stay. Their surviving twin, Carmine, spent 165 days in the NICU and continues to thrive with a trach and ongoing therapies. Because of this difficult experience, the Reives family created Rook's Books, a collection of children's books and family resources designed to support families navigating NICU life, tracheostomy decisions, and diagnoses such as Down syndrome. Many of the books are donated to hospitals, including Riley, Eskenazi, and St. Vincent. Their nonprofit, Rook's Resources, serves families through meals, support, and community outreach.Thomas also shares the story of Carmine's Convoy, a multi-day walk organized by his ATO chapter at Rose-Hulman that raised $42,000 to support families in need.Visit https://www.rooksbooks.org/⁠ to find out more about or to support Rook's Books and Rook's resources. 

    Ask Me How I Know: Multifamily Investor Stories of Struggle to Success
    #240 Burnout, Self-Reliance, and Why You're Carrying Too Much

    Ask Me How I Know: Multifamily Investor Stories of Struggle to Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 10:22


    High performance burnout often hides a deeper belief: “It's all on me.” In this faith-integrated episode, Julie explores why leadership feels heavy, how self-reliance forms, and what changes when identity rests in divine authorship instead of effort.Many high-capacity humans don't burn out because they lack boundaries, discipline, or emotional intelligence. They burn out because leadership slowly becomes self-reliance carried in the body, mind, and spirit.In this Sunday episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly brings the week full circle through Vertical Alignment — a spacious, invitational integration of faith, psychology, and identity truth.This conversation moves beneath burnout recovery and decision fatigue to the quieter belief that often fuels them both: “If I don't carry this, it won't get carried.” Over time, responsibility shifts from stewardship into isolation. Roles fuse with identity. Strength turns into solitude.Drawing from Scripture and lived experience, Julie reframes leadership not as solitary striving, but as shared authorship with the Sovereign. Biblical figures like Moses, David, and Jesus are explored not as self-made heroes, but as leaders who returned again and again to communion, rest, and trust.Julie also reflects on how modern leadership culture often reinforces identity drift and spiritual exhaustion, and why this work is not about doing less — but about carrying differently.Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) is positioned clearly as the differentiator here: not another mindset tactic or productivity strategy, but the root-level recalibration that makes every other tool effective. When identity is anchored vertically, leadership no longer requires sacrifice at the level of the self.This episode offers relief, permission, and re-orientation for anyone who feels successful on paper — yet quietly overburdened inside.Today's Micro RecalibrationYou don't need to write this down — it's always waiting for you in the show notes.Pause and gently ask:What am I carrying right now that was never meant to be carried alone?What would it sound like to offer this back — honestly, without spiritual performance?Team extension: Where might your team be mirroring your self-reliance — and what permission would be created if leadership modeled trust instead?Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes. → Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Books to read (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.) → One link to all things

    The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell
    Meet Miami's WILDEST Gangster: Ultra-Violent Miami Criminal Exposes Florida's BLOODY Underworld

    The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 116:37


    OG Gigavelli is a certified Miami original — born into violence, shaped by the streets, and forged in some of the most brutal prisons in America. OG breaks down a side of Miami history almost never discussed: the Black and Islander underworld that operated alongside — and often beneath — the Cocaine Cowboys era. From Liberty City and Brownsville to federal penitentiaries and near-death prison riots, this is a raw, unfiltered account of survival, crime, and eventual transformation OG came up during the wild 80s and 90s, where robbery was second nature, violence was currency, and the streets raised kids faster than families ever could. He details: -Seeing dead bodies as a child in Miami -Carjackings and robberies in broad daylight -The structure of Miami's Black drug economy before it was ever “professionalized” elsewhere -Stabbings, race wars, and near-fatal ambushes inside state and federal prison -How Islam and time forced him to confront who he had become This isn't glorification — it's documentation. A firsthand account of a world most people only know through movies like Scarface or Cocaine Cowboys, told by someone who actually lived it. Go Support OG! YouTube:  @WhatTheyDoPodcast305  Book: https://a.co/d/2iiDBlo IG: https://www.instagram.com/og_gigaveli TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gigaveli Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 OG Gigavelli's Violent Origins & Miami Streets 05:36 Life in the Miami Hood & Early Hustle 12:00 Structure of Miami Drug Trade 19:03 Island Influence & Culture in Miami Crime 26:27 Transition to Robbery & Early Trouble 33:03 Juvenile Prison: Survival & Violence 40:28 Rising in Street Hierarchy & Prison Politics 45:06 State Prison: Robbing from Inside 53:34 Confrontations, Transfers, & Release 01:01:01 Struggles with Release & Cycle of Incarceration 01:06:34 Running a Trap and Chasing Fast Money 01:13:53 CM: The Harshest Lockdown in Florida Prisons 01:19:21 Post-Prison Hustling & Out-of-Town Moves 01:27:32 The Ecstasy Era & Big Hustles in Tennessee 01:34:08 Getting Caught: Counterfeit Money & Fed Indictment 01:41:58 21 Years in the Feds & Road to Redemption 01:46:11 OG Gigavelli's Books, Podcast & New Message 01:52:39 Miami Legacy, Final Reflections & Sign-Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Engines of Our Ingenuity
    The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1500: A Landmark: 1500/2000

    Engines of Our Ingenuity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 3:43


    Episode: 1500 1500th episode and 2000 AD: A poor time to summarize.  Today, we reach a landmark.

    Forward Progress
    The Pizza Buffet with Rob Pizzola | Week 18 NFL Picks & Bets Live | Presented by FanDuel

    Forward Progress

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 74:05


    Join Rob Pizzola for Week 18 of the NFL, this morning at 11am ET - he goes game by game breaking down the entire NFL slate, dissecting the biggest injury news, discussing every spread and total, offering his thoughts on each matchup, his favorite bets, player props, and anytime touchdown scorers! 0:00 Intro 10:45 Green Bay/Minnesota 13:09 Indianapolis/Houston 16:34 Cleveland/Cincinnati 22:07 Dallas/NY Giants 24:56 New Orleans/Atlanta 29:33 Tennessee/Jacksonville 35:19 Miami/New England 39:05 Kansas City/Las Vegas 44:45 Detroit/Chicago 47:34 NY Jets/Buffalo 51:00 Washington/Philadelphia 53:26 Arizona/LA Rams 56:02 LA Chargers/Denver 1:00:15 Baltimore/Pittsburgh 1:03:13 Quick Rundown 1:04:48 Anytime Touchdowns 1:12:10 Outro Be sure to tune in live to get your questions answered by Rob. Before you leave, drop your favorite bets in the comments, and please like and subscribe!

    If I Had More Time
    Episode 142 - A Loving God—Yet Conquests and Genocides in the Bible?

    If I Had More Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 35:42


    Join Eric and author Rebecca McLaughlin for a deeper conversation about God's character throughout Scripture.Rebecca McLaughlin is a renowned author who holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance Literature from Cambridge University and a degree in theological and pastoral studies from Oak Hill Theological College in London. Her book, Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest Religion, has been a major resource for several messages of our On the Table series through the years.Books by Rebecca McLaughlin:Confronting ChristianityDoes the Bible Affirm Same-Sex Relationships?The Secular Creed

    Never A Truer Word
    NATW Podcast: Todd Kendhammer Interrogation

    Never A Truer Word

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 45:46


    Todd Kendhammer InterrogationThis is where his story faces pressure.In this episode of Never A Truer Word, Jack Fox applies Statement Investigation to the police interrogation of Todd Kendhammer. His wife, Barbara, is the victim. He says her death was a tragic accident. But as investigators begin to test that story, Kendhammer's answers reveal more than he might intend.Jack examines how he responds under pressure, what he delays, and how his emotional tone shifts. This is the moment that shaped the verdict — and led to a sentence that still divides opinion. What you're about to see is a conversation under pressure, and a version of events being held together one answer at a time.Want more from Never A Truer Word? Become a member on YouTube or Spotify and get early access, exclusive episodes and moreYouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBFGUA67ZunxIbe51LnqGg/joinSpotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/neveratruerword/subscribeArtwork by StefWithAnF

    The Secret Teachings
    BEST OF TST (12/3/25) Venezuelan Red Herring

    The Secret Teachings

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 60:01 Transcription Available


    BEST OF TST: The United States is close to declaring war on Venezuela. Well, sort of; the President said he won't actually seek a declaration from Congress and instead just “kill people that are bringing drugs into our country.” Just prior, however, the White House gave Maduro an ultimatum to flee Venezuela. So are we killing people with drugs on boats or orchestrating regime change? The 2024 US DOJ-DEA National Drug Threat Assessment literally did not even mention Venezuela. The only recent major indictment of the country came from a Presidential Memorandum on September 15, 2024, which declared several countries as having failed in “their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.” Ironically, the President made “null” and “void” all “documents, proclamations, Executive Orders, Memorandums, or Contracts,” signed under former President Biden's autopen, essentially erasing the declaration that Venezuela had any connection serious to drug trafficking. But for drugs like fentanyl, nearly 100% of it comes through Mexico. One would be confused in learning this and then trying to figure out why the White House has targeted Venezuela in the name of those same drugs. Remember, Mexico refused to assist in cleaning up the cartels under Claudia Sheinbaum, and it is her ethno-state, Israel, which is verifiably behind training the cartels, arming them, and facilitating through HIAS mass human trafficking. The White House is also saying that Venezuela is a host of illegal immigration, though Mexico and several other countries play a far greater role.  This has people thinking that the whole issue is about oil, something the US State Department has denied. But perhaps it is about Sheinbaum. While Javier Milei of Argentina, who is also Jewish, just launched the Isaac Accords to strengthen political, economic and cultural cooperation between Israel and Latin America, Maduro of Venezuela, who himself has Jewish heritage, has consistently been condemning Israel as holding “an ideology more dangerous than Nazism.” He has accused Jews of controlling his opposition and the media, the same media now telling the public we have to stop Venezuelan drug trafficking by regime change only. Or perhaps, Maduro, who is Jewish, is playing the role of turning over the resource rich country to the US-Israel alliance, hence why he was given the option to flee. *The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.WEBSITEFREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVE-X / TWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBERUMBLE-BUY ME A COFFEECashApp: $rdgable PAYPAL: rdgable1991@gmail.comRyan's Books: https://thesecretteachings.info - EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / rdgable1991@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

    A WORD for This Day
    January 4, 2026 - 1 Corinthians 1:4 - Cumulative Episode 1464 (4 for 2026)

    A WORD for This Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 23:24


    Hello Friends! I love to hear from you! Please send me a text message by clicking on this link! Blessings to You!In this episode, Dr. Jori discusses with her listeners Paul's thanksgiving for seeing GOD's grace in the lives of the believers in Corinth. Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 1:4; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 9, 22, 26; Acts 18; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:1-8; 1 TImothy 1:12-14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1 Scripture translation used is the NASB “Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible) Copyright 1971, 1995, 2020 (only use the last year corresponding to the edition quoted) by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org”FIND DR. JORI ON OTHER PLATFORMS https://linktr.ee/drjorishafferCHECK OUT THE DWELL AUDIO BIBLE APP:Click this link for my unique referral code.  I use this frequently. Such a wonderful audio bible app. https://dwellapp.io/aff?ref=jorishafferBIBLE STUDY TOOLS DR. JORI USES:Note: These contain  Amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission, at no extra cost to you,  if you decide to make a purchase through my links.Here is a link to some of my favorite bible study tools on Amazon:https://geni.us/cHtrfEMr. Pen Bible Journaling Kitshttps://lvnta.com/lv_PTrHSCogbRim4yhEDnhttps://lvnta.com/lv_mkaMOuGe6m4oHR88uqhttps://lvnta.com/lv_dgvsxOc99t663A628z  BOOKS OF BIBLE COLOR CHARTI made this chart as a helpful tool for grouping the collections of books or letters  in the Holy Bible.  The colors in the different sections are the ones that I use in my journals.  Books of Bible Chart (color) (4).pdf - Google Drive    LOOKING TO RETAIN MORE OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR IS TEACHING?              CHECK OUT DR. JORI'S SERMON REFLECTION JOURNALS! Sermon Notes, Reflections and Applications Journal/Notebooks by Dr. Jori. Click the links below to be directed to amazon.com for purchase. Or search “Dr. Jori Shaffer” on Amazon to bring these up.  https://amzn.to/418LfRshttps://amzn.to/41862EyHere is a brief YouTube video that tells about the Journal/Notebooks as well:https://youtu.be/aXpQNYUEzds   Email: awordforthisday@gmail.comPodcast website:  https://awordforthisday.buzzsprout.com Support the show

    The Mindset Queen Podcast
    How to Normalize Your Desires to Manifest Effortlessly

    The Mindset Queen Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 26:16


    Money Honey Course to Manifest Millions - https://shesworthy.org/moneyhoneyPositioned to Prosper Masterclass for Passive Income Streams - https://shesworthy.org/prosperInvest in Real Estate for $10 - https://fundrise.com/invitation-program/welcome?inviteKey=gg70q3&utm_campaign=investor-invitation&utm_medium=invite-link&utm_source=fundriseGet Free Stock with The Robinhood App - https://join.robinhood.com/jasmint33/Books that Helped Jasmine Shift Her Mindset for Millions - https://www.amazon.com/shop/iamjlthomas?ccs_id=61f92ff5-c0b6-4b14-bc22-3da2f1465738Destined for Abundance Devotional + Masterclass - https://shesworthy.org/abundanceJournal Your Way to $100K Workbook - https://shesworthy.org/journalThe Money Goddess Podcast - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/themoneygoddess/episodes/Journal-Your-Way-to-100K-e2jl6

    Fantasy for the Ages
    Top 10 SFF Books & Series We Can Talk About for HOURS!

    Fantasy for the Ages

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 41:20


    Some books are fun to read…Others refuse to let you stop talking about them.In today's Fantasy for the Ages episode, Jim and Zach tackle a topic every speculative fiction fan understands instinctively: the SFF best books and series we could discuss for HOURS.These are the stories with unforgettable worlds, endlessly debated characters, and themes that spark conversation long after the final page. They're the books that inspire rereads, theories, arguments, and passionate defenses—the ones that turn casual readers into lifelong fans.Each of us brought five picks to the table, then worked together (and occasionally argued) to create a collaboratively ranked Top 10 list. Along the way, we talk about why certain stories demand repeated discussion, how fandom keeps these worlds alive, and what separates a good reading from a truly unforgettable one.And of course… there was overlap.

    The Write It Scared Podcast
    Facing the Fear of Being Judged for What You Write + Setting 2026 Writing Intentions

    The Write It Scared Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 14:22


    Draft It Scared Group CoachingReal Talk: Writer to WriterAre you afraid of being judged for what you write? You're not alone. Me too. And in this episode, I get personal by sharing my writing updates, how publishing a short story felt exposing, and how I'm learning to navigate the fear of being seen for what I write.We also talk about changes to the podcast and setting writing intentions for 2026 that align with your life, not work against it. Timestamps: 00:00 Personal reflection 01:23 Easing into the new year 02:02 The fear of being seen 03:53 Writing update 07:55 Writing intentions for 2026 10:48 Reflection + next steps 11:33 ClosingLinks Mentioned:Draft It Scared Group CoachingThe Leave Still Fallow: An Anthology of Queer LoveBig Thinking Publishing Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you.Support the show To become a supporter of the show, click here!To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared: Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

    The Middle of Culture
    Cleaning up the Past in Ambrosia Sky

    The Middle of Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 63:43


    This week, we kick off 2026 by talking about Ambrosia Sky, a short, atmospheric sci-fi game that quietly wrecked us more than we expected. What starts as a PowerWash-adjacent cleanup sim turns into a meditation on grief, abandonment, and the emotional cost of leaving home. We talk about why smaller, constrained games are thriving right now, how Ambrosia Sky uses limitation as a strength, and why finishing Act One left us with far more questions than answers — in the best possible way.  Episode Notes We open the first episode of 2026 in full post-holiday time confusion: strange schedules, too much work, and no reliable sense of what day it is.Eden talks about covering extra shifts at the comic shop, double-dipping PTO, and the unfortunate result of biking home in brutal weather and bruising their ribs.A digression on sleep rituals follows, including Peter's famously corpse-like sleeping position and Eden's highly specific side-switching requirements.With it being January 1st, we reflect on 2025 as a pop-culture year — broadly rough, but not without meaningful discoveries.We note a shared shift toward shorter, more focused media, especially in games.

    Comic Book Noise Family
    Geek Brunch 455 – Money Shot Conclusion

    Comic Book Noise Family

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026


    Join Mike and Bill as they discuss Detectives Inc #1, Dragon Ring #1, Recent Purchases, Route 666, Thanksgiving #1 Circuits Seduction Revenge #1, Erotech #1, Deadpool/Batman #1, Seance in the Asylum #1-2, Money Shot conclusion, Black Kiss #9-10, The Unholy Trinity, The Roses, Roofman, The Bayou, After the Hunt, Let it Snow, Fistful of Dollars, […] The post Geek Brunch 455 – Money Shot Conclusion first appeared on DC Noise.

    Somewhere in the Skies
    The REAL Stranger Things (w/ Christopher Garetano)

    Somewhere in the Skies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2026 63:47


    As the world reacts to the long awaited Stranger Things series finale, Ryan speaks with filmmaker Chris Garetano about the chilling real world legends that helped inspire the show, the Montauk Project at Camp Hero. Officially a decommissioned military base, Camp Hero has long been rumored to be the site of covert government experiments involving mind control, LSD testing, child abductions, non human contact, and even time manipulation, echoing real programs like MK Ultra. Garetano, whose investigations include the documentary The Montauk Chronicles and the History Channel series The Dark Files, breaks down firsthand testimony, corroborated accounts, and disturbing evidence gathered over years of research. Together, they explore where science fiction ends, where history begins, and why the truth behind Montauk may be far darker and more real than Stranger Things ever imagined. Please take a moment to rate and review us on Spotify and Apple. Book Ryan on CAMEO at: https://bit.ly/3kwz3DO Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/somewhereskies ByMeACoffee: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/UFxzyzHOaQ PayPal: sprague51@hotmail.com Substack: https://ryansprague.substack.com/ All Socials and Books: https://linktr.ee/somewhereskiespod Email: ryan.sprague51@gmail.com SpectreVision Radio: https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts Opening Theme Song by Septembryo Copyright © 2025 Ryan Sprague. All rights reserved. #StrangerThings #MontaukProject #CampHero #UFOs #HighStrangeness #ConspiracyTheory #ParanormalPodcast #TrueMysteries #GovernmentSecrets #SomewhereInTheSkies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices