Podcasts about bookshelves

Welcome to the Spring 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing in April and May.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement Sarah's Bookshelves has joined Substack! Please note, we're not MOVING to Substack, we're simply adding Substack to the places we already put out content. On our FREE Substack feed, Sarah's Bookshelves is offering all the content you already find on the blog, my Instagram account, public podcast, On our PAID feed, we're offering all the content we also offer on Patreon. If you're interested in becoming a paying subscriber on Substack, visit sarahsbookshelveslive.substack.com for all the details and a full list of benefits. If you're already on Substack, please consider following the FREE feed and sharing with your reader friends to help support the show. One of the many benefits to joining as a paying member of either our Patreon or Substack Communities is gaining access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and Sarah share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that were not shared in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all Superstar patrons here and all Substack paid subscribers here! Highlights Catherine and Sarah share some big releases coming this spring (lightning round style). With a theme this season of “change,” Catherine focuses on lighter fiction and thrillers. Sarah's choices are evenly split between debut authors, new to her authors, and repeat authors. Food novels, rom-coms, thrillers (two with a mistaken identity element), and lighter reading are the picks for spring! Sarah has already read one of her picks — and one of Catherine's! And, Catherine has already started reading one of hers. Plus, their #1 picks for the spring. Big Spring Releases [5:15]  The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (May 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:43] The Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb (May 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:47] Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (Apr 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:56] Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson (May 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:03] Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Apr 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:18] The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose (Apr 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:26] Audition by Katy Kitamura (Apr 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:29] My Documents by Kevin Ngyuen (Apr 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:44] Backlist Titles Mentioned The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb (2022) [5:51] Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (2023) [5:53] Spring 2025 Book Preview [6:51] April Sarah's Picks The Family Recipe by Carolyn Huynh (Apr 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:40] I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney (Apr 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[14:49] The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (Apr 22) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:15] Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone (Apr 29) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[29:28] The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (Apr 29) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:42] Catherine's Picks Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero (Apr 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:46] Heartwood by Amity Gaige (Apr 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:23] Other Books Mentioned The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh (2022) [9:44]  Talk to Me by John Kenney (2019) [14:53]   About a Boy by Nick Hornby (1998) [16:48] The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024) [18:30] The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (2024) [18:32] Sea Wife by Amity Gaige (2020) [22:47]  The Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (2024) [24:45]  The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (2019) [26:18]  Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane (2019) [26:20]  We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange (2021) [26:22]  The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (2019) [26:25]  Yours, Eventually by Nura Maznavi  (2025) [30:58]  Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (2022) [33:47]  The Guncle by Steven Rowley (2021) [38:04]  May Sarah's Picks Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle (May 20) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:16] Catherine's Pick Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin (May 6) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:48] The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North (May 13) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:29]  Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan (May 20) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:56] Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald (May 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[45:36] Other Books Mentioned The People We Keep by Allison Larkin (2021) [28:23]  The Angel Maker by Alex North (2023) [31:39] Lost and Found in Paris by Lian Dolan (2022) [41:25]   Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (2000) [43:42]   The Husbands by Holly Gramazio (2024) [43:54]  Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) [44:36]  Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022) [44:40]  Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020) [44:42]  Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune (2021) [44:45]  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020) [44:53]   Storybook Ending by Poppy Alexander (2024) [47:32] 

"What if the simple act of reading a physical book has become a form of cultural resistance? Taylor and Morgan ponder this question while diving into their current obsessions with beef tallow cooking, homemade marshmallows, and thought-provoking literature.The conversation begins with a lighthearted examination of "virtue signaling" in modern homestead culture. Is sharing your reading list or posting about cooking with tallow simply a way to showcase your virtues? Taylor and Morgan acknowledge the grain of truth here while celebrating the genuine joy of discovering and sharing meaningful books, recipes, and ideas with others who appreciate them.Food takes center stage as the couple describes their journey away from vegetable oils toward traditional cooking fats like beef tallow. Their description of making homemade french fries as "a labor of love" captures the special moments created when family gathers around the kitchen, snagging hot fries straight from the skillet. Morgan's triumph with perfecting homemade marshmallows after multiple attempts demonstrates the satisfaction of culinary persistence, while her candid confession about being stuck in a dinner rut will resonate with anyone who's ever stared blankly into a well-stocked refrigerator.Literary discussions reveal both hosts' evolving relationship with reading. Taylor shares his appreciation for Substack's thoughtful, long-form content without the distraction of advertisements, while Morgan enthusiastically describes her latest book haul including works by Julia Cameron and Annie Dillard. Perhaps most refreshing is their mutual liberation from feeling obligated to finish every book they start – a freedom that has expanded their literary horizons and reading enjoyment.This delightful glimpse into Taylor and Morgan's everyday pleasures reminds us that a meaningful life often emerges from these small indulgences and thoughtful explorations rather than grand gestures or achievements. Whether you're curious about beef tallow cooking, looking for your next great read, or simply enjoy authentic conversation, this episode offers a warm invitation to appreciate life's common treasures."Thanks Jenkins!Let us know what you think! Reach out to us at Morgan@ACommonLife.coCommunity Newsletter - The CommonDM us on the Socials or email us at Taylor@acommonlife.coMusic on the podcast was composed by Kevin Dailey. The artist is Garden Friend. The track is the instrumental version of “On a Cloud”

Ally and Nic discuss recent reads and watches including Brandon Sanderson, Black Bag and Slugterra!

Another day, another grab bag! This time, books for dolls and/or anxious people, kitchen timers, TikTok decorum, and Miranda July's mesmerizing Substack.    Meditations for Mortals makes a great case for pleasure reading.   Two of our current top Substacks: Miranda July's and Heavies by Chris Gayomali.    Shoutout to Caroline Lusk on TikTok. We will be downloading your videos and sharing them with our pals for the foreseeable future.    Double shoutout to Nasirin's Kitchen, Erica's near–Carnegie Hall restaurant of choice.   If you're looking for a low-tech kitchen timer, wind up Dusen Dusen's Everybody Kitchen Timer and Frieling's Magnetic Retro Kitchen Timer.    We have many questions about what happened during the 100 years of NY NOW.    Finally, is the anxiety bookshelf the Jibbitz of reading? Please share your intel at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Learn from the best (and most charming) with MasterClass and an additional 15% off any annual membership when you use our link. Lean into spring with Fast Growing Trees. Get 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO. Promote a balanced gut microbiome with Ritual's Synbiotic+ and get 25% off your first month with our link. Start your store on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial with our link. YAY.

You might know our guests, Mallory O'Meara and Brea Grant, from their podcast Reading Glasses, their new podcast Reading Smut (debuting on Valentine's Day), or from their overloaded physical and digital bookshelves that groan to support all that literary knowledge. Brea and Mallory share with us, in tones dulcet and sleep-inducing, how to sort through all those books and how to employ a spreadsheet database to keep track of all you've read and what you thought about it.Review, listen, and subscribe to Reading Glasses on the podcatcher of your choice. This Valentine's Day, listen to the debut of Reading Smut at MaximumFun.org. Get your copy of the Reading Glasses reading journal, The No-Pressure Book Journal, as well as Mallory and Brea's other books, at the book retailer of your choice.Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you'd like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org.Follow the Show on:Instagram @sleepwcelebsBluesky @sleepwithcelebsTikTok @SleepWithCelebsJohn is on Bluesky @JohnMoeJohn's acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback.Join | Maximum FunIf you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you're the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member. 

Street shuls and house minyans have NO KEDUSHA??!!Halachot of Tashmishe Kedusha!!! We have to bury bookshelves??! Are Tefilin bags Tashmishe Kedusha or not? Don't put good sefarim in shemos!!!!

January 17, 1964. Classic children's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is published for the first time. This episode originally aired in 2024.Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The inbox was aflame after last week's Q&A episode where Marina declared Richard a "psychopath" for the way he arranged his books. Today we'll get into your take on the matter. Who is right and who is wrong? And, how do you arrange yours? Did Rob Beckett really buy a Blankety Blank contestant a TV from his own pocket? Rob himself gives us the story. What winds journalists up most when they see a newspaper on-screen? Are nightclubs going to die?  You can send your questions to Marina and Richard at therestisentertainment@gmail.com  *** A handful of tickets remain for The Rest Is Entertainment Live at the Royal Albert Hall on 4th December remain. Get them now at www.royalalberthall.com *** Join The Rest Is Entertainment Club for ad free listening and access to bonus episodes: www.therestisentertainment.com Sign up to our newsletter: www.therestisentertainment.com Twitter: @‌restisents Instagram: @‌restisentertainment YouTube: @‌therestisentertainment Email: therestisentertainment@gmail.com Producer: Neil Fearn + Joey McCarthy Executive Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Support The Podcast: Our beautiful merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/books-unbound Ariel's T-shirt: https://store.dftba.com/collections/bissett-books/products/im-thinking-about-books-t-shirt Join our patreon and become a Dust Jacket! patreon.com/booksunbound Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/books_unbound/ Need Info or Some Books? Buy books with our affiliate link: https://bookshop.org/shop/BooksUnbound All the books we mentioned in this episode: https://www.booksunboundpodcast.com/books Submit your book requests at booksunboundpodcast.com Use our affiliate link to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1! https://tidd.ly/3dyW1Xw Our Patrons: A special thanks to our Gold Foil Team on Patreon: Bellanora, Bethany, Brittany, Bronte, Cait, Candis, Christi, Christina, Claire, Debra, Emma, Gene, Hannah, Hayli, Inbar, Jessie, Jill, Karina, Katelyn, Luna, Maria, Megan, Michelene, Mickey, Nicole, Phoebe, Sherralle, Tiffany, Vanessa, Zoe!

Send us a textJoin us on a journey through the trials and triumphs of publishing, as Cameron Capello opens up about the surreal moments of recognition as a content creator. We talk about the emotional rollercoaster of reviews, the evolution of familial support, and how social media platforms like BookTok play a crucial role in building confidence and community. Get a glimpse into the creative process behind "I'll Look for You Everywhere," and enjoy a playful session of casting its characters. Together, we explore the power of manifesting dreams and how the unlikeliest journeys, like Cameron's transformation into a TikTok sensation, redefine what it means to be a modern-day author.I'll Look For You EverywhereMagdalen Savoy has just finished her first year of university at Oxford, where she has finally built a life for herself away from the demons she has done everything to try to forget. But, when she can no longer ignore the growing pile of invitations to her sister's wedding she must leave her feelings behind and return to Italy.Theo Sinclair was the golden boy of Chivasso: athletic, intelligent, too suave for his own good. So, when he cut all ties and boarded a 5 a.m. flight to Connecticut seven years ago, no one could understand what had pushed him to leave.Pulled back to their small Italian hometown for the wedding, Magdalen and Theo soon realize they're no longer the children they once were. In the winding streets of Chivasso and under the burning summer sun, there are only so many corners for the two to hide behind. Confronted with the ghosts of their pasts, they must face both the growing tension between them and the long buried secrets that threaten to tear their worlds apart – secrets that could separate them for ever . . .Follow Cameron CapelloJoin us in 'The Writer's Inn' This is a space that Dorothy (Koomson) and Nadine (Matheson) have set up so you can have a bit of company, fun and support while you write this November. We may extend this beyond that, but we're just focusing on November right now. We wanted an alternative to the other November-based writing space where you can drop by as needed and start, continue or finish that writing project you've been meaning to get to. Want to write in company? This is the place to do it. Join Us.​Support the show"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️! Every contribution helps keep the show going.https://ko-fi.com/nadinemathesonDon't forget to subscribe, download and review.Follow Me:www.nadinematheson.com Threads: @nadinematheson Facebook: nadinemathesonbooksInstagram: @queennadsTikTok: @writer_nadinemathesonBlueSky: @nadinematheson.bsky.social

The Daily Quiz - General Knowledge Today's Questions: Question 1: What is the world's largest library, with over 115 million volumes on 532 miles of bookshelves? Question 2: What is the word for an auxiliary building near the main one? Question 3: What is the most basic juggling pattern? Question 4: What Is Ghee? Question 5: What do Karen, Richard and Joseph all have in common This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evelyn O'Rourke, Arts and Media Correspondent, reports as Sally Rooney's fourth novel, Intermezzo is published today to much critical acclaim.

There are certain books that no creative bookshelf should be without. Today I share the 5 books that are having impact on my life right now and why. Plus I share some tried and true books that continue to inspire me no matter how many times I've read (or listened) to them.Things Mentioned In This Episode:#143: How to Keep Fear From Stopping You#99: The Impactful Books I'm Reading Now#16: How Matthew McConaughey Helped Me Lose 5 PoundsLove and WorkThe Creative ActThe Creative HabitThe War of ArtGreenlights (highly encourage you listening instead of reading)

This week we are joined by Stephanie Moran Reed of Mija books. Mija books is an online bookstore that specializes in bilingual and diverse books that Stephanie owns alongside her husband. They hope that every child can have a bookshelf full of inclusive books. They now host book fairs in the hopes of bringing more diverse books into schools. Today, we talk about how to get our kids interested in reading, and what Stephanie wishes she could tell some parents that try to put restrictions on the types of books their kids read. We also discuss her journey to creating Mija books, and her plans for the future!    Super Mamás  IG: @_supermamas  Facebook: Super Mamás  Twitter: @_supermamas   Website: http://supermamas.com/    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a busy bookshelf? You know, the bookshelves with double rows or books and books piled sideways on top of those books?! Me too. On this episode of the Get Lit(erate). podcast, I'm sharing the process I use (guided by Marie Kondo) to minimize my bookshelves without hurting my reading heart. Come listen! You'll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here: https://www.alitlife.com/2024/08/27/tackling-your-busy-bookshelves/ Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You'll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try: https://amzn.to/44wELKN If you'd like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store: https://www.zazzle.com/store/alitlife All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website: http://www.alitlife.com/  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AffinitoLit Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AffinitoLit Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/AffinitoLit

I am so excited to share this episode of Getting to the Heart of Why We Write with you featuring author Christine J. Ko! She is a part of Picture Book Peeps with me and appears regularly on our shared podcast, The Curious Compassionate.  Please enjoy hearing about her writing journey and her book, Sound Switch Wonder illustrated by Katie Crumpton, which she co wrote with her son, Owen Whang. So cool! Some Highlights: “I love books and I think books can change the world. They can change people and by changing people, they can change the world.” Ideas in Confucianism (shared with Christianity) that keep some narratives from being told. Finding gratitude through reading and questioning structures in place. “We cannot forget what humanity is capable of–each one of us. I think the remembrance of it will keep that kind of thing from ever happening again. Because we have the capability to be monstrous, sadly.” “Each one of us is unique, you really can't assume one person's experience is the same as another even if they maybe have outward characteristics that are similar. I really love the fact that more and more and more you can find more books with different experiences in them.” Links Mentioned

On this episode, we continue our conversation with Ralph Bartley on all things canine, K9, and friendship. Hear the story about his favorite rescue, why your mood affects your dogs' mood, and about how his buddy Adam came to his rescue during the darkest day of his life. 

The vibes are strong with James McGowan! Agent, author, YouTuber, and great guest!    -------   DON'T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode's book reviews: CAN I BE YOUR DOG by Troy Cummings BUILDING A BEAK: HOW A TOUCAN'S RESCUE INSPIRED THE WORLD, written by Becca McMurdie, illustrated by Diana Hernandez EMERGENCY QUARTERS, written by Carlos Matias, illustrated by Gracey Zhang The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

In this episode of The Lou Review podcast, meet Janan Sarwar, pharmacist, mom and TEDx speaker, who is passionate about amplifying stories from under-represented backgrounds. She began a hybrid publishing company to create new opportunities for those authors. Find out more at: globalbookshelves.com

Send us a Text Message.Have you ever found yourself in the crosshairs of envy, simply because you dared to succeed? Our latest episode peels back the layers of this all-too-common challenge, starting with a candid account of how our inborn talents can draw the green-eyed monster out of those around us. I reveal an enlightening talk with Steeltown Records, a beacon of musical history, and their pursuit of fresh faces in the industry—a testament to the spirit of appreciating, not resenting, success. We wade through the murky waters of navigating achievements while surrounded by the clamor of detractors, emphasizing the need to stay grounded in your truth.The path to personal triumph is rarely a solo journey, yet sometimes, the most surprising lack of support comes from those we expected to cheer us on. I get personal recounting the highs and lows following my book's release and the profound loss of my father. It's a raw glimpse into the resilience required to keep pressing on when the accolades you anticipate fall silent. But there's hope, and it often comes in the form of community—both online and off. I'll tease you with a snippet from my revised book, "Both Eyes Open and Both Eyes Shut," and spotlight the transformative power of supporting one another's endeavors with even the smallest of gestures on social media.Finally, we explore the journey of podcasting, from the initial bursts of support to the surprising ebb and flow of interest over time. I share anecdotes from the trenches, including inviting friends as guests and the peculiar dynamics of audience growth. Upcoming episodes promise rich conversation, like the one featuring Rick and Jalen's take on Dealing With Emotional Women. So, let's march on with purpose, fueled by the resolute wisdom that success isn't about seeking validation—it's about the mark we leave on the world. Each episode is a step forward in our colWelcome to The CJ Moneyway Show Podcast! The Podcast Show where we Unlock Potential, One Dream at a Time. Today, we have another guest whose journey is truly worth hearing. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Moneyway experience. Don't miss out on CJ Moneyway's book, "Both Eyes Open and Both Eyes Shut." And get ready to pre-order his upcoming release, "The Issues of Life," coming soon. Moneyway aiming to inspire! Thank you for listening to The CJ Moneyway Show! Don't forget to share this episode with your friends, leave a comment, and drop a review. Be sure to tune in every Tuesday and Friday for more inspiring journeys. Who knows, your story might be next. Support the Show.The C. J Moneyway Showc.jmoneyway@gmail.comFacebook: Author Corwin JohnsonInstagram: c.j_moneywayYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themoneywayshow8493https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c-j-moneyway-show/id1707761906https://open.spotify.com/show/4khDpzlfVZCnyZ7mBuC4U1?si=kNrejibvQH-X3dOpRmu6AAhttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVMwsp-9xLNaTBO4U97He0Ct_HldYbnAp&si=bmlctXwgxJe0cjzdWhether you're an entrepreneur, aspiring author, or just someone looking for a dose of motivation, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The CJ Moneyway Show on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us bring you more amazing guests and content each week! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-c-j-moneyway-show/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: fun new hobbies and maybe not having a bookish moment Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: our love for all things memoir The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  .  1:39 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 8:06 - Our Current Reads 8:14 - Bride by Ali Hazelwood (Mary) 10:29 - Wolfsong by T.J. Klune 11:58 - Unhinged by Vera Valentine 12:29 - Renegades by Marissa Meyer (Kaytee) 12:40 - Cinder by Marissa Meyer 15:47 - The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune 16:47 - Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera (Mary) 19:55 - An Inconvenient Cop by Edwin Raymond (Kaytee) 20:03 - Booktenders 24:51 - A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall (Mary) 28:26 - @ginnyreadsandwrites on Instagram 28:44 - Fairyloot 29:07 - Pango Books 30:16 - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 30:34 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 31:53 - A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (Kaytee) 32:10 - Betty by Tiffany McDaniel 35:29 - Deep Dive: Our Love For Memoirs 36:10 - Sarah's Bookshelves 39:49 - The Black Count by Tom Reiss 41:43 - My Life in France by Julia Child 42:30 - Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling 42:32 - Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling 42:46 - Bossypants by Tina Fey 42:51 - Spare by Prince Harry 43:12 - Becoming by Michelle Obama 43:42 - Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe 43:47 - I Have Something to Tell You by Chasten Buttigieg 44:04 - I Have Something to Tell You by Chasten Buttigieg (young readers' edition) 44:59 - Waypoints by Sam Heughan 45:31 - Finding Me by Viola Davis 46:20 - As You Wish by Cary Elwes 46:58 - Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes 47:50 - Great with Child: Letters to a Young Mother by Beth Ann Fennelly 47:55 - Heating and Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly 48:06 - Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan 48:10 - These Precious Days by Ann Patchett 49:04 - Soil by Camille T. Dungy 49:15 - An Exact Replica of A Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken 50:29 - Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder 50:37 - What Looks Like Bravery by Laurel Braitman 50:43 - After This by Claire Bidwell Smith (amazon link) 50:58 - Tragedy Plus Time by Adam Cayton-Holland 51:15 - Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottleib 51:30 - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 51:53 - A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter 52:02 - At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider 52:52 - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver 53:05 - The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green 53:12 - A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg 53:43 - The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton 53:45 - Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson 53:48 - The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore 54:03 - Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 54:15 - I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt 55:17 - Meet Us At The Fountain 55:21 - I wish to press the Ember Quartet series, starting with Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. (Mary) 55:30 - Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 56:52 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 56:53 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 57:22 - Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 58:38 - My wish is for more bookish board games. (Kaytee) 58:47 - By the Book game Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. April's IPL comes to us from A Room Of One's Own in Madison Wisconsin! Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

Fluent Fiction - Swedish: Love, Screws, and Bookshelves: Building a Stronger Relationship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/love-screws-and-bookshelves-building-a-stronger-relationship Story Transcript:Sv: I hjärtat av Stockholm ligger en liten lägenhet.En: In the heart of Stockholm lies a small apartment.Sv: Dit flyttade nygifta Hanna och Erik.En: There, newlyweds Hanna and Erik moved in.Sv: Alla 80 kvadratmeter lyste av kärlek.En: All 80 square meters were glowing with love.Sv: En stor hög med IKEA-lådor stod mitt i rummet.En: A large pile of IKEA boxes stood in the middle of the room.Sv: Möbler skulle byggas.En: Furniture needed to be built.Sv: Hanna pekade på lådorna.En: Hanna pointed at the boxes.Sv: "Där är vår bokhylla", sa hon.En: "There is our bookshelf," she said.Sv: Erik nickade.En: Erik nodded.Sv: Han gillade att bygga saker.En: He enjoyed building things.Sv: Alla instruktioner saknades dock.En: However, all instructions were missing.Sv: Erik kliade sig i huvudet.En: Erik scratched his head.Sv: De blev utmanade.En: They were challenged.Sv: En stor bokhylla, ingen lathund.En: A large bookshelf, no cheat sheet.Sv: Erik började montera.En: Erik started assembling.Sv: Hanna sorterade skruvar.En: Hanna sorted the screws.Sv: Alla delar var inte märkta.En: Not all parts were labeled.Sv: "Vilka är sidorna?En: "Which are the sides?"Sv: ", frågade Hanna.En: asked Hanna.Sv: Erik kunde bara gissa.En: Erik could only guess.Sv: Skruvar in i hål, planka på planka.En: Screws into holes, plank by plank.Sv: Men det såg inte ut som en bokhylla.En: But it didn't look like a bookshelf.Sv: Frustration började byggas.En: Frustration started to build.Sv: Erik tittade på bokhyllan.En: Erik looked at the bookshelf.Sv: Eller var det ett bord?En: Or was it a table?Sv: Kanske en säng?En: Maybe a bed?Sv: Hanna sa: "Vi måste börja om.En: Hanna said, "We need to start over."Sv: " Erik gav ett tungt suck.En: Erik let out a heavy sigh.Sv: Men han visste att hon hade rätt.En: But he knew she was right.Sv: Nu var de ett team.En: Now they were a team.Sv: Erik skruvade loss bitarna.En: Erik unscrewed the pieces.Sv: Hanna sorterade delarna.En: Hanna sorted the parts.Sv: De visste att det skulle ta tid.En: They knew it would take time.Sv: Men de var tillsammans.En: But they were together.Sv: Inget var omöjligt.En: Nothing was impossible.Sv: Så byggandet fortsatte.En: So the building continued.Sv: Bitarna började passa.En: The pieces started to fit.Sv: Sakta men säkert, formades en bokhylla.En: Slowly but surely, a bookshelf took shape.Sv: Erik och Hanna log mot varandra.En: Erik and Hanna smiled at each other.Sv: De hade gjort det.En: They had done it.Sv: Trots allt.En: Despite everything.Sv: När solen gick ned, stod bokhyllan färdig.En: As the sun set, the bookshelf was complete.Sv: Hanna och Erik tittade på sitt verk.En: Hanna and Erik looked at their creation.Sv: Det var perfekt, även med sina fel.En: It was perfect, even with its flaws.Sv: Hanna sa: "Vår första prövning, klar.En: Hanna said, "Our first trial, accomplished."Sv: " Erik svarade: "Vår kärlek, starkare.En: Erik replied, "Our love, stronger."Sv: "Så slutade dagen.En: That's how the day ended.Sv: Två personer i Stockholm.En: Two people in Stockholm.Sv: De byggde mer än en bokhylla.En: They built more than a bookshelf.Sv: De byggde en starkare relation.En: They built a stronger relationship.Sv: De hade ingen instruktion.En: They had no instructions.Sv: Men de klarade det.En: But they made it.Sv: Tillsammans.En: Together.Sv: Det är sant kärlek.En: That is true love.Sv: Slutet.En: The end. Vocabulary Words:apartment: lägenhetIKEA: IKEAboxes: lådorbookshelf: bokhyllainstructions: instruktionerassembling: monterascrews: skruvarparts: delarsides: sidorplank: plankafrustration: frustrationtable: bordbed: sängstart over: börja omteam: teamunscrewed: skruvade losspieces: bitartogether: tillsammansbuilding: byggandetfit: passashape: formadesflaws: feltrial: prövningaccomplished: klarrelationship: relationinstructions: instruktionstronger: starkaretrue love: sant kärlek

As I sat across from Matt Eicheldinger, I couldn't help but feel drawn into his extraordinary voyage from a humble classroom to the dazzling world of Instagram fame and literary acclaim. In our latest conversation, Matt peels back the layers of his 15-year odyssey, revealing the resilience and revelations that shaped his trajectory. An educator at heart, he recounts the magical transformation of his sixth-grade students and the powerful reconnections that have blossomed since his social media and writing career took flight. This episode isn't just about one man's journey; it embodies the shared struggles and joys that echo in classrooms and beyond.With Matt's narrative as our compass, we navigate the often-overlooked corners of a teacher's life, where creativity and personal growth are as fundamental as the subjects taught. Matt's candid disclosure of the challenges that educators face – from supporting students in tough home situations to adapting to ever-tightening budgets – paints a vivid portrait of the passion and versatility required for this calling. His reflections are a reminder of the youthful spirit that children inspire in us and the profound influence teachers wield, not just through academics but through every interaction and story shared.As our discussion reaches its crescendo, Matt speaks to the heart of every dreamer, underscoring the indispensable role of support from loved ones and the creative community. His emotional recount of the path to publishing his book moves beyond the printed pages, spotlighting the importance of persistence in the face of adversity. Matt leaves us with an open invitation to join him and others in our own creative pursuits, through classes and collaboration, enriching the tapestry of our shared experiences with each story told and each dream pursued.You can follow Matt on Instagram @matteicheldingerHis book: Matt Sprouts and the Curse of the Ten Broken Toes is available via Amazon.com now (11th april in the UK)Support the show

Lacy talks with Sarah Karnes, Director of Library Development and Networking at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and Andrew Glass, Director of Records Management at ERS about the boundless resources available through state and local libraries!  Resources: Texas State Library and Archives Webpage Current Lobby Exhibit: Extra, Extra, Eyes of the World on Texas TexShare Program Find your Local Library 

John Waters' first movie in 20 years and some film friends are making your bookshelves look great! Find out what's up in the #MikeJonesMinuteCon.

Ever wondered what happens when randomness meets rich information? In this episode, Christy dives deep into the vibrant tapestry of life, sharing random yet incredibly informative tidbits. Join her as she sheds light on the recent conversations, the pulse of her family-owned business, and the intricate layers of communication within a business setting. Discover the power of intentionality as a strategy that Christy has embraced. As the 50th-year celebration wave hits, Christy takes us on a journey through the festivities surrounding her friends' milestone birthdays. Plus, explore the charm of Kentucky, where towns bare names inspired by cities worldwide. Stay tuned for the exciting plans Christy has in store for her own 50th birthday bash! And that's not all – Christy spills the beans on the latest captivating reads that have captured her attention. Get ready for some book recommendations that will surely make it to your must-read list. Don't miss out on this episode filled with insights, celebrations, and the joy of living. Hit that play button, like, subscribe, and join Christy on another adventure in Christy's Corner!

January 17th, 1964. Classic children's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is published for the first time.Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode Summary This week on Live Like the World is Dying, we have a short story about prepping called "Blood, Soil, & Frozen TV Dinners" by Matthew Dougal. It's a parody about two right-wing preppers who are faced with a collapse in society. After the story, there's an interview with the author about prepping mentalities and writing. This episode was reposted from the Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness podcast. The story can be read at tangledwilderness.org. Host Info Inmn can be found on Instagram @shadowtail.artificery Reader The Reader is Bea Flowers. If you would like to hear Bea narrate other things, or would like to get them to read things for you check them out at https://voicebea.wixsite.com/website Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Twitter @TangledWild and Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Theme music The theme song was written and performed by Margaret Killjoy. You can find her at http://birdsbeforethestorm.net or on twitter @magpiekilljoy Transcript Live Like the World is Dying: “Blood, Soil, & Frozen TV Dinners” with Matthew Dougal **Inmn ** 00:16  Hello, and welcome to Live Like the World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm your host today, Inmn Neruin, and today we have something a little different. I host another podcast called Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness where every month we take a zine that Strangers puts out and turn it into an audio feature and do an interview with the author. We had a two-part feature called Blood, Soil, and Frozen TV Dinners by Matthew Dougal, and it is a short story about prepping from a very strange perspective, that of two right-wing preppers facing a mysterious collapse of society. This short story is a parody and I promise that the two main pov characters are not the heroes of the tale. It's a fun story and I do an interview with Matthew afterward about prepping mentalities, fiction, and other neat stuff. If you like this episode, check out my other podcast that this is featured from. I did not re-record the outro, so you'll get a little taste of Margaret playing the piano, because she wrote the theme music for the Strangers podcast. You'll also get to hear our wonderful reader, Bea Flowers narrate the story. Follow along with the transcript or at Tangledwilderness.org where you can read all of our featured zines for free. But before all of that, we are a member of the Channel Zero Network of anarchist podcasts and here's a jingle from another show on that network.  [sings a simple melody] **Bea ** 02:49 “Blood, Soil, & Frozen TV Dinners” by Matthew Dougal. Read by Bea Flowers. Published by Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness.  Katie sat, wide-eyed, beneath the kitchen table and hugged her knees to her chest. She was shaking, vibrating visibly. Tanner put his finger to his lips and prayed that her silent tears would remain just that. There was no time to stop and calm her down. Not again. He moved slowly around the kitchen, fumbling through cupboards and pulling out pre-wrapped packages of food. Always be prepared. Tanner had practiced this before things went dark, but it was different doing it for real. His hands hadn't been so shaky, back then.  A noise, on the porch. His body froze before his mind registered the sound. Tanner dropped into a crouch and crossed the room to the window, willing every cell in his body to radiate confidence toward his baby girl. His hand found the Glock 17 at his belt and he brought it up in front of him, the familiar feel of the grip reassuring. He took a breath, steadied himself, and raised his eyes to the level of the windowsill. The muscles in his thighs steeled and he remained, unblinking, utterly still, staring out into the darkness.  After thirty or forty nerve-twanging seconds, Tanner drew breath and relaxed. His quads were burning, and they thanked him as he straightened. He could hear the specter of his ex-wife in his head, telling him to lose some weight, exercise more… Well she'd left, and that was 135 pounds gone right there. She'd probably say that was a good start.   An unbearably loud ringing pierced the silence and sent him diving to the floor, landing awkwardly on his gun and sounding a crash through the kitchen. A keening whine came from under the table, Katie shaken from her silence.  The doorbell.  Feeling foolish, Tanner twisted over his shoulder and hissed at his daughter to be quiet. Still prone, he crawled toward the hallway in the most reassuring manner he could manage and pointed his Glock at the front door.  Footsteps outside, then a shadow appeared at the window. Tanner's heart pounded in his ears—more violent pulses of silence than sound—and his vision blurred as panic flooded his body. He'd heard the early reports of armed groups in the streets, some sort of fighting downtown, but he hadn't really believed they would come here. His legs were weak, and he silently thanked God that he was already on the floor. The shape at the window didn't move, frozen in the gloom, silhouetted by flickering light coming from the street. As Tanner's head cleared he tried to take stock of what was happening.  The apparition was vaguely man-shaped but shorter and slighter, an ethereal grace evident even in its stillness. A voice called out, muffled through the door, the guttural singsong completely at odds with the sleek form at the window. Tanner couldn't understand everything, but he thought he caught the words “little girl.” A second shape mounted the porch alongside the first, similarly short but squat and stocky, and grunted something to its companion in an alien tongue. Fluorescent light flooded the yard and the voices momentarily disappeared beneath the growl of an angry engine. Tanner's breath caught. His trembling finger hovered over the trigger and he willed the barrel to still its swaying dance. Two shots exploded outside—loud shots, from a much bigger gun than his. The creatures spun to face this new threat, their chatter rising in pitch and speed. They sounded panicked.  “yalla! hawula' alnaas majnoon.” Tanner sensed his opportunity. He was forgotten. All those hours of training kicked in and muscle memory took over as he rose to one knee, took a two-handed grip, and unleashed a furious hail of fire at his front door.  “Keep your filthy hands off my daughter!” He fired until he felt the Glock stop kicking, the magazine spent. As the cacophony faded he realized he was screaming.  “Tanner! It's me, Blake. Stop shooting goddammit, they're gone.”  “Blake?” Tanner mechanically reloaded his gun. “Why…” His throat was raw, his voice barely audible even to him. He swallowed, fighting to control his breath, and cleared his throat. “What are you doing here?”  “Come to see if you were okay. Figured you and the kid might need a hand.”  A stocky, heavily muscled figure wearing fatigues and a plate carrier stepped up to the porch, visible through the splintered ruins that had been the front door. A halogen glow lanced through the holes, like the brilliant aura of some kind of avenging eagle.  “When this shit spread across the river from the city we locked down. It was touch-and-go for a while, but things quieted down eventually. When they did, I came straight over. Good thing I got here when I did. The quick little fuckers ran for it, but I think you hit one of ‘em.”  The figure stopped, pulled down the red, white and blue bandana covering its mouth, and spat. Tanner had never been more relieved to see his buddy's foul-mouthed face. Or his M1A SOCOM 16 rifle.  “We're alright.” Tanner's voice was exhausted, his body shivering as the adrenaline fled. “Thank God I was prepared. Still, it's good to see you.”  “Prepared, shit.” His buddy grinned. “I been telling you for years to get something heavy duty.” Blake kicked the splintered remains of the door and his grin faded. “You can't stay here. Those things'll be back. Grab your girl and jump in the truck. Let's head to mine, she'll be safe there.” The grin returned.“Prepared, shit.”  An hour later they were sitting in “the Hole,” as Blake affectionately called it. The Hole was both name and description, although it perhaps undersold the amount of effort that had gone into its construction. Attached to the garage by a short, downward-sloping corridor, The Hole was a full-blown bunker that spread underneath almost the entirety of Blake's backyard. Tanner was sitting in the main chamber eating Top Ramen, chicken flavor.  They had made the half-mile journey in silence—lights down on the Tacoma, Tanner jumpy, Blake grim, Katie in a state of shock. The streets had looked completely foreign, the usual calming glow of LEDs replaced by the orange flicker of scattered flames. The familiar hum of traffic had been gone. Instead, gunfire had cracked in the distance.  Blake's wife Lauren had buzzed them inside after Blake confirmed his identity via video feed—three times: at the gate, the door, and the entrance to the Hole. The security was impressive. Lauren had ushered them inside, AR-15 at the ready. “This is prepared,” Blake was saying, as Katie stared blankly at her untouched ramen. “Old owners, they had this backyard full of fruit trees, vegetables, fuckin' kale and kohlrabi. What good is that gonna do, I said, you gonna hide in the pumpkin patch with a slingshot? Idiots.  “Anyhow me and Lauren, we wanted to be ready, so I been building this the last two years. Ain't no one knows about it, not even the contractors…” Blake sliced a finger across his throat, then laughed, “I'm joking, but they were from one of them Mexican countries. Had no idea what they were building. Good workers, though, came here the right way. And I did the security all myself.”  Tanner laughed too, but at what he didn't quite know. “You took this all real serious.”  “Yessir. You never really believed, but we did. Earl Swanson was right, this here's been a long time coming. It's just like he said, and we listened. And here we are, while you was laying on the floor waving round that little waterpistol of yours.”  Tanner had listened too, but apparently not well enough. There was only so much time he could watch an angry man on TV shouting about the state of the nation, no matter how prophetic he was turning out to be. Tanner tried to put up a strong front and flex his knowledge. He had listened, dammit.  “Is this it, then? The invasion? Earl said they've been preparing it for years, brainwashing people. Recruiting sympathizers and traitors…”  “It's worse than that. The invasion started way back, we just didn't notice. Well, most of us didn't. Earl did. He tried to warn us, that the aliens'd started infiltrating, landing in remote parts of the country, blending in, looking just like us…” Blake spat. “Well, not quite like us. But close e-fucking-nough, hiding out and biding their time.” “And now it's out in the open…” Tanner looked from his friend's face to his daughter's, scared and staring, and trailed off. He may have been listening, but he sure as hell didn't understand.  “What's happening?” Tanner asked. “We've been laying low at home, locked down and trying to wait out whatever this is. We haven't heard a thing since the power cut out three days back.”  He could feel a surge of emotion building, pent-up adrenaline and stress and fear and loneliness rolling over him in a wave as they were released. His stoicism wobbled.  “We're… Katie's scared and confused, and tired and sick of hiding and we're all alone! What is all this? What's happening?” Tanner realized he was shouting and stopped, taking a deep breath and lowering his voice. “Blake, man, what the hell is going on?” Blake never flinched, just ran his tongue over his teeth in thought while he watched Tanner's outburst through hooded eyes. “Naw, we don't know nothing for sure. Swanson's been off-air for two days, since just after shit started going down. Said he was right, that it sure as shit seemed like those aliens he'd been warning us about were making a move, and the whole fuckin' lot of us did nothing. Well, seems like it blew up in our face. Last thing he said was he's heading somewhere safe to keep broadcasting, and he'd let us know when he found out more,” Blake paused, sucked his teeth, “We've had the TV and radio on non-stop since then, since we fired the generator up. Nothing.”  Lauren lent forward. “There was something, couple days back…”  “Nothing useful,” Blake cut in. He spat. “Same old fuckin' commie stations, same old crap. They took over the channels, emergency broadcasting. Said there was a ‘protest.' Stay inside, all under control, daddy government's here, blah blah,” he laughed “Hell of a protest. More like an insurrection. Doublespeak bullshit.”  “So what's the plan? We hide out? Lay low? Wait for the military?”  “The troops ain't coming, chief.” Blake grimaced, “Alien tentacles go deep. Probably strolling around in general's stars by now, the politicians just handing over the keys. This President'll have us kissing their feet before dinner.  “Nah, if we wanna fight back we can't rely on that fuckin' bunch of secretaries and scribes. We hole up here, wait for instructions.” He laughed again, “Huh, hole up in the Hole. That's funny.”  That grin was starting to get on Tanner's nerves. “Instructions from who? How long is that gonna take? Who's gonna fight back against… this?” “I know some people, from back in the old days. Good people. There's still patriots out there who won't give up this country without a fight.”   Tanner still bristled with questions, but he was starting to feel relieved. There were people in charge, and they had a plan. That was something he could work with. “What if it takes weeks? Months? Do we have food for that long?” Blake settled further into his chair, grinned that cocky grin. “I do, don't know about you.” Before the words were even out of his mouth he was already raising his palms, “Chill out, I'm joking. I'll put it on your tab. You're a lawyer, I know you're good for it. Show him, babe.”  Lauren got up and went over to a large yellow flag hanging on the concrete wall, pulling it aside to reveal a long, narrow room that ended abruptly at a large steel door. She flicked on the light.  “Dry storage,” she said, gesturing at the shelves lining both walls. Packets of ramen, boxes of cereal, rows of whiskey, and gleaming stacks of cans stared down at Tanner. “And cold storage,” Lauren continued as she stepped over to the door, kicking aside two enormous tubs of supplements and pulling it open to reveal a walk-in freezer. Tanner followed her inside as she happily chatted away, showing everything off like a house-proud hen.  “We've got everything we need. Steaks, hotdogs, chili, hamburgers, mac and cheese, chicken parmesan, mashed potatoes--whatever you want. There's a well, too, over the other side, we had that dug last summer. Tastes a bit funny, but it won't hurt you.” Tanner was hardly listening. He had never seen anything like it, never imagined anything on this scale. Blake really had taken preparing for the end of the world seriously. The freezer room was filled, wall to wall, with a treasure trove of gourmet excess; thousands upon thousands of frozen TV dinners.  Tanner stared at his microwaved salmon filet, fries drooping from his fork. Out of habit he was eating in front of the TV with Katie, though the display hadn't changed in… however many days it had been. Just the red, white and blue logo, a tile flipping between ads for pillows, brain pills, and frozen food, and the same scrolling red banner:  Breaking: The United States of America is under attack. Stand by for updates.  Katie was poking at her food silently, barely eating. Still no appetite. Tanner had told her they were safe, told her he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her, told her a hundred times in different ways that she was his precious little girl and he would make sure she was okay. It had made no difference. She had just looked up at him with big, frightened eyes that pulled at Tanner's heart. The only time she had spoken in the past 24 hours was to ask why he had tried to shoot people. Of course she didn't understand. Maybe he should ask Lauren to talk to her.  The TV display glitched, blipped, flicked to static and then to black. Tanner shoveled the fries into his mouth and rubbed his eyes. He'd been staring at a blank TV for too long. He chewed and stretched, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to straighten out his aching back.  Earl Swanson was on TV. Tanner blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing straight. Swanson's shirt was wrinkled, his hair a mess and his signature bowtie slightly crooked, but his face wore that familiar expression of righteously indignant bewilderment. It was him.  “Blake. Blake, get in here!”  Swanson was in what looked like a large living room rather than his usual studio. Bookshelves and a TV cabinet were visible behind him. There were shadows under his eyes and his wrinkles were clearly visible without his usual TV makeup, but his eyes were as sharp as ever. There was a strength to them, piercing the screen, full of faith and fire. It felt like he was in the room. He looked like he'd been in a fight, and won. He was back.  “Good evening America, and welcome to Earl Swanson Tonight.” “Blake!” Blake stuck his head through the door.  “What? I'm working out, give me a…. No shit.” Blake stepped into the room. He was topless, breathing heavily. His stomach was shiny with sweat, pooling and running down the chiseled channels between his well-defined muscles before disappearing behind the low-riding waistband of his camo pants. Tanner realized he was staring and felt his cheeks flush as he snapped his eyes back to his friend's.  “Blake, it's--” “Shut up, I'm trying to listen.” The rebuke slapped Tanner back to the present and back to the TV. He surreptitiously sat a little straighter and sucked in his gut, trying to ignore the heat rising in his face. “...cities up and down the west coast. From Seattle to San Diego, the alien invaders and the traitors from among our own citizens have taken control, sowing chaos and destruction. Order has broken down, and anarchy rules in the streets. Yet we hear nothing but silence from the White House. The elites in Washington won't do anything about this -- they encouraged it. They caused it! “No, it is up to patriotic Americans to stop this existential threat. It is up to us, to you and me and the other patriots out there. If you value the American way of life, if you respect the principles that built the greatest nation ever imagined, if you care about your family and the future of your children, then the time has come to stand up. Your country needs you.  “I have been warning about this day on this very program for years. If you have been listening, you will be prepared for this betrayal. You know what to do. Find other true Americans who are ready to fight for our civilization and our culture. Defend our Western values against this attack by anarchists and aliens who wish to destroy us. They tried to take our guns from us, to disarm us, and failed -- now is the time to use them. Seek out the prepared, the militias, the heroes. Fight back. Show them that we will not allow it. “I will be moving to an undisclosed safe location so I can keep you informed. You know your job. I am doing my part, will you do yours?” Swanson sat erect and defiant, no less commanding for his disheveled appearance. His willpower flowed from the screen in waves, washing over the watchers. It was compelling. It was urgent. It was the only option.  The screen went black.  Swanson's gaze bored into Tanner long after the TV went dark, burning with righteous fire, lip curling with fury. The heat in Tanner's cheeks sharpened, focused, began to spread into his chest and throughout his body. There was only one thought in his mind. “We gotta go.” It took him a second to realize that Blake had spoken the words out loud.  “We do. But where? I don't know anyone like that.” “You know me, and I know people. Don't worry about that. We gotta go to Baker City. I talked to one of my buddies from the marines this morning, he's headed to join one of the militias out east. They might not be big, but they're hard. They're something.” Tanner looked at Blake blankly, unable to quite comprehend what he was being told. Days of no news, no action, now everything all at once.  “But what's in Baker City? Don't you know anyone here? This is where we live, where we have the Hole, where we have a safe base.”  Blake was clearly agitated, shifting from foot to foot.  “It's not safe. Weren't you listening? It's fallen. The military ain't doing jack, like I fuckin' told you they wouldn't.” Blake stopped bouncing and steadied himself. “But my buddy said the boys in Baker held out. It was bloody, but they held strong. If we can get there in a hurry, we can join a caravan heading for Boise.”  “Baker… Boise? What the… Boise?! Surely it's safer in Texas, or… or…”  “Texas? And how far away is that? Look, I don't know nothing about nothing, but I know I ain't looking for safer. All I know is I got buddies in Baker, and they say Boise, and they are the fuckin' resistance. We got our orders, soldier. “The west had been invaded. Destroyed. Gone. You heard Swanson, same as me. Grids are down, water's down, TV's down--mostly, anyway. Sky's half full of fire and smoke, gangs roaming the streets, traitors and aliens taking or breaking whatever they can get their thieving hands on.” Tears came to Blake's eyes.  “It's a fucking mess out there, buddy. Anarchy. They've burned the lot.” It was a lot to chew on. Tanner put a piece of salmon in his mouth.  “I'm not gonna let some filthy aliens take my home, fuck my wife, invade my country, and steal the god damn US of A! The fight is right there, and I'm gonna fight it. Are you?”  Tanner's brain was spinning, but his blood was still hot from Swanson's speech. Blake's fire, delivered standing there half-naked like a Steven Seagal action figure, was rousing something inside him. His country needed him, and he felt the call in his bones. He put down his fork. He swallowed. He rose.  “Of course I'll fight. I'll put a bullet in every alien who steps foot on American soil. I'll put every collaborator in the dirt.” He saw himself, next to Blake, riding shotgun as they made a fighting escape through the streets. He saw a heroic journey to Baker City, filled with danger and righteous violence. He saw a triumphant return, at the head of an army, cleansing his city with purifying flame. And he saw Katie, small and fragile and beautiful. Perfect, and terrified. The flame wavered.  “But I'm fighting for her,” Tanner gestured, “I got my little girl, and I'm not so red-hot on riding out guns blazing to meet these savages with her hanging off my arm. She's the future of this country, and that's a future we have to protect.”  To Tanner's surprise, Blake took a half step back.  “Shit. I know, man. Katie and Lauren, the innocent and the pure. I'm thinking of them, too.” He dropped his shoulders, but held Tanner's gaze. “But it's not safe for them here neither. We're on our own, and all hell has broken loose up top. We fight for them, and they are the reason we have to fight.” Tanner paused, then nodded. He reached out and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, fingers gripping the sweaty skin.  “Let's go pack the truck.”  As the sun set and twilight brought a low fog creeping across the city, they piled into the Tacoma with as many frozen dinners as they could carry.  Tanner rode in back. Lauren was up front, AR at the ready, while Blake drove, M1A by his side and his Glock taped to the dash. Katie was at Tanner's side, curled up below the window and hidden from view, and Tanner watched over her with his own Glock and a borrowed Remington 870. They were all a little jumpy. He and Lauren had wanted to maintain a shoot-on-sight policy. Blake had been more cautious. According to Swanson, there would be plenty of people collaborating with the aliens. Lights out, engine low, and hopefully they could slip right on by.  No one knew what to expect—Tanner suspected they were all terrified. He certainly was. Even Blake had swapped out his flag bandana for a more understated camo print. He had stashed the red, white and blue fabric in the bed of the truck with the rest of their gear.     They pulled out into streets Tanner knew, but didn't. He had driven them every day, on the way to work, to Katie's school, to church, to the mall. The streets were as familiar as a cold Coke, yet now, in some important way, they were… different. As they left the Hole and drove through the suburb he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but once Blake reached the main street and turned past the bars and shops and take-out joints, it hit him.  The streets were dead. The cars were gone. The steady flow of traffic, of people living their lives, had stopped. The parking lot in front of the drug store was empty; so was the one behind the bar. The convenience store, normally ticking over with a steady stream of customers buying cigarettes and beer, was dark behind its windows. Unintelligible graffiti in some alien script covered the ads for energy drinks, an expression of mindless violence across someone's hard work.  A light rain had started, misting around them and adding to the dreariness. A billboard loomed overhead, the lights that illuminated the Colgate-bright smiles of the models now permanently dark. Tanner was glad—the gloom obscured the flame-scarred destruction streaking the toothpaste company's perfect white message. “Disgusting,” Blake spat. He looked like he wanted to say more but pulled up short, shocked at the sudden sound of his own voice. His eyes focused back on the road and he fell into uneasy silence. The truck continued its crawl down the deserted street, barely clocking 20 miles an hour. Even at that speed, the low growl of the engine seemed unbearably loud as it reverberated among the carcasses of commerce and ricocheted down abandoned side streets.  They kept driving, and nothing kept happening. It was torturous. Every minute of unbroken inactivity twisted the crank on the tension in the car, until the unceasing hum of the engine began to seep into Tanner's brain. Every muscle in his arms and legs, primed and waiting and ready to spring, began to tremble, and his eyes focused and unfocused on nothing at all.  His frantic heartbeat messed with his breathing, a powerful panicked thud that matched the rumble of the pistons.  Overall, he was relieved when the road curved and they entered a strip of restaurants to see signs of life among the debris littered across the street in the distance.  It wasn't immediately clear through the gloom what was happening. Blake slowed the truck, now rolling along at barely more than walking pace, and they crept closer. The scene was illuminated by the flickering light of small fires and backlit by a pair of enormous floodlights, creating a glowing aura in the surrounding mist. Images began to resolve, ghostly figures flitting in and out of view and the harsh geometric shapes—not of debris, but of hastily manufactured barricades—throwing long shadows that lanced through the air around them as they approached.  All eyes were fixed on the barricades as they pulled within shouting distance, and Tanner nearly pissed himself when someone knocked on his window. He yelped, Blake swore, and Lauren's weapon x-rayed Tanner's head and pointed at the intruder. Tanner followed her lead and jerked his gun up to aim in the general direction of the window and for ten, twenty heartbeats nothing moved. Then another knock, and Blake hissed at them: “Put those things away you idiots, we're the good guys here. Whatever side that guy is on, so are we.”  Tanner slowly lowered the gun, then the window.  “Hey folks, no cars through here.” The man was clad head to toe in black—black jeans, black hoodie, black gloves, black bandana covering his face, black curly hair running with rainwater. No wonder they hadn't seen him. The stranger spotted their guns.  “Oh, nothing like that,” he added, catching the nervous energy in the truck, “You're a bit late to the party. No trouble ‘round here, this area's been cleaned out for days.” He chuckled, sending a shiver through Tanner.  “Some folks messed up the cop shop a while back, it was a bit of a fight. Streets were all blocked up anyway, so we set up a little kitchen here. Been feeding some folks. Symbolic, like, new world in the ruin of the old and all that.” The smile fell from his face as he took in the scene in the truck.  “Everything alright? Is she okay?”  He gestured at Katie, curled up and quivering silently beside Tanner. Tanner opened his mouth to respond, but Blake was quicker. “Sure, probably just spooked by that fucking mask. Look, we don't mean to bother you people. Just heading east, trying to cross the river. We'll go around you and your little kitchen.”  If the man took issue with Blake's tone, it didn't show.  “Bridge is a no-go, I'm afraid. Pigs blew the cables as they pulled out, some of it collapsed. It's way too unstable to cross.” He scratched at his temple. “What d'you want out that way, anyway? There's dangerous people out there, not exactly safe for… families.”  “We're heading for, uh, Hood River,” Tanner spoke up, “Taking supplies out to the girl's grandparents.”  “Indians,” Blake chimed in, “they need the help.” He winked at Tanner.  The stranger turned to Blake and met his eyes, holding his gaze for an unnerving moment. Then he seemed to resolve some internal discussion, relaxing his shoulders. “Well, you might be able to get across up St. Johns, last I heard the bridge was still intact. There's some folks in the park up there, you can ask them.”  “St. Johns? That's the wrong fucking way!”  “A bridge is a bridge. It's that or swim, champ.” “Can you at least call the, uh, your boss? Tell him you checked us out, ask if we can get across?”  The man smiled, but something hardened behind his eyes.  “My boss? Sure, sure. Look, I think it's time you moved on. Head on up there and tell ‘em what you told me, they'll let you out. There's a bunch of poor Indians waiting for their dinner.”  There was something strange about the way the man said “Indians,” but he patted the hood of the truck and turned away, waving them down a side street away from the barricade. As Blake slowly drove off, Tanner collapsed back into his seat and quickly rolled up the window. His underarms were cold with sweat, and he relaxed muscles he hadn't known were clenched.  Blake took the turn the stranger indicated, muttering that if he heard anyone say “folks” again he would hit them. Tanner stared out the window at the “little kitchen” as they passed. There must have been a couple hundred people, milling around a dozen or so small fires. They were all loosely centered around a large tent directly in front of the scorched skeleton of the precinct. Laughter and music drifted through the open window, and Tanner closed it. He didn't think he could see any aliens, but it was difficult to tell in the dark.  “Collaborators. Must be a ration station or something,” he muttered, mostly to himself.  Lauren heard him. “No, this has been going on much longer than that, it just wasn't so out in the open. Swanson warned us about it. He said they lure hungry people in with food.”  “Yeah,” cut in Blake, “this is how they recruit ‘em. Set up a kitchen, give ‘em food, homeless and crackheads and queers, mostly. Drugs too, probably, and spewing their propaganda. That guy was probably one of the junkies. Sure as shit looked like it, you see the way he stared at me?”  Tanner shuddered. A junkie. He had an overwhelming urge to wash his hands. He remembered the way the man had talked about the police station, his manic laugh in the face of such violence, and glanced back at the quickly fading light. And saw a small figure, tottering at the edge of the firelight. A child.  “Disgusting,” he said out loud.  “Yeah, disgusting. It's like Earl said,” Blake continued, “they been feeding people right under our fucking noses.”  They drove on toward the bridge. The streets were more cluttered here, both with people and the remnants of the riots, and they could only manage a slow pace as they picked their way through the destruction. Blake had to swerve to the wrong side of the road to avoid a group of people carrying trash bags, picking through the rubble.  “Looking for something to eat,” he grunted, and locked the doors.  Signs of violence were everywhere. Tanner's chest tightened as they drove past the law firm where he had started his career—the job that had brought him to the city after he finished college, working for his father's best friend and learning his profession. Inside the shattered windows it was nothing but a shell, the desks overturned and the computers gone. No one would be working there any more.  The destruction was completely random. Violence for its own sake. Beside the firm was a pawn shop, covered in graffiti and looted. Next to that, a Vietnamese restaurant, completely unharmed except for ‘Delicious, 5 stars' sprayed on the pavement outside. Across the road was an untouched convenience store and a bookshop with its doors wide open, light flooding out and people crowding the entrance. A donut shop and an Apple store destroyed, a mechanic and a bar looking like they had simply closed for the night. There was absolutely no pattern or reason to it.  They saw a Fred Meyers with every window broken, the front door jammed open with a twisted shopping cart. A movement caught Tanner's eye and he saw someone leaving from a side door, carrying a huge bag of stolen food. He hoped Blake didn't see—he might do something stupid, and Tanner didn't want to stop. It wasn't safe.  They made it a few more blocks when Lauren gasped and grabbed Blake's arm, making him brake. She gestured across the intersection to a KFC. Half the building had collapsed in what must have been an enormous fire; the half that still stood had been savagely attacked. She pointed to the entrance with a shaking finger. Someone—or something—had toppled the giant bucket sign and sent it crashing through the ceiling of the kitchen. Above the door, someone had scrawled a message in red spray paint:  FUCK YOU SANDERS OUR SECRET SPICES NOW There were more barricades set up near the bridge. Where the others had been makeshift, marking a boundary, these were more serious. They were to stop people getting through. Blake slowed before they got too close to the blockade, which they could now see was lined by shapes that very much suggested people. On both sides of the road the land fell away into darkness, sloping down to become a park that ran beneath the bridge.  The park itself, a rare green space normally dotted with dog walkers and children, was transformed. The once-quiet lawns were a mass of tents and makeshift structures, stages and bars and sound systems, the proud trees now decked out with effigies and lights. Fires burned everywhere, and the distant space was carpeted with a swarming mass of humanity, undulating to a throbbing cacophony of noise.  “This doesn't look good,” said Blake. He pulled over, a hundred yards or so short of the bridge.  “That guy said they would let us through,” said Tanner, “if we stick to our story.”  “He was a junkie,” scoffed Lauren.  “But he thought we were working with them,” said Tanner, “he had no reason to lie to us.”  “I guess it's worth a try. Anyway, they ain't gonna try anything against this much firepower.” Blake grunted. “Too late to change our minds now. They've seen us.”  He nodded at the barricade, where two shapes had detached from the mass. They moved toward the Tacoma, and Blake responded by flicking the lights to high beam and heading to meet them. As Blake swung back out into the road the beams cut through the darkness to illuminate the figures, throwing wild shadows from the two shapes until the truck steadied course and they coalesced into recognisable forms. One was a large man, white, with a nose ring and a loosely-tied blond ponytail. He was wearing a plaid shirt and carrying a large rifle. The other—Tanner's throat caught—the other looked like one of the aliens.  “Shit,” said Blake, as the headlights picked out at least half a dozen more shapes along the barricade, several with big guns visible. “Fuck.” He stopped the truck and rolled down the window, then cursed again and threw open the door.  “I'll be fucked if I'm gonna sit here and be pulled over like some criminal. Tanner, you're with me—let's go meet them man to man.” Tanner scrabbled for the door handle and chased after Blake, half-skipping to catch up. They pulled up a few paces before colliding with the approaching party. The blond man stepped forward.  “How's it going, dude?” he said.  “We need to get to Hood River,” said Blake, “we're trying—” “Yeah, we heard.” The man cut him off. “Bridge is closed to traffic, unfortunately. You wanna cross, you'll have to walk.”  Blake bristled. “Are you joking? We need to bring all this stuff. It's… important,” he objected. “You can't just keep people here!”  “We could,” said the blond man, calmly. He sounded confident in his assertion. Looking at the line of men—and women, Tanner realized—standing along the barricade, he agreed.  “But we're not,” the man continued. “You can go wherever you want. Take your shit, cross the bridge. Some folks have organized buses up the river, they'll take you. But the truck stays.”  “But that's my fucking truck!” Blake squealed. The man's eyebrows shot up and Tanner laid a hand on Blake's shoulder, squeezing it and hoping he got the message. The stranger paused, then sighed.  “Look, I'm sorry dude. I love my truck, too. But there was an attack at another camp last night by these so-called freedom fighters,” he grimaced. “Militia wackjobs, really. Word is they are gathering across the river, and we can't risk weapons and vehicles falling into the wrong hands. Especially not an arsenal like you folks got here.”  The alien stepped forward and, much to Tanner's surprise, spoke in perfect American English.  “Don't worry, it'll be here when you get back. We'll take real good care of it for you. They will appreciate the help guarding the buses and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you move these… important supplies.”  They signaled to the group at the barricade and two more figures made their way into the light of the truck's high beams. The first was a slim Black man in fatigues, wearing a red beret at a jaunty angle and carrying a AR-style rifle in one hand. The other was a woman, tall and imposing. She wore a leather jacket over a long black dress, which was slit to the thigh to reveal hints of slim, bare legs that stretched from the pavement to the heavens. Tanner blinked rapidly and swallowed. He had always had a soft spot for long legs in thigh-slit dresses.  As they came closer the man nodded at Tanner and Blake, but he was not what held their attention. The woman with the legs from God was also rocking a luxurious mustache that would have put Teddy Roosevelt to shame. As Tanner's eyes bulged, she caught his gaze and winked.  “Hello, boys. I'm Sunshine, they/them. I'll be with you on the bus.”  Tanner didn't know how to react. A fuzzy memory bounced around in the back of his head. “An investigation on college campuses found that increasing numbers of American citizens are using pronouns.” Earl's bewildered face frowned, then puckered. “These ‘theys' and ‘thems' are making a mockery of the American tradition, seeking to spread their insidious ideology among good, hard-working citizens, brainwashing young Americans into adopting these ‘pronouns.' What's next, people identifying a different age? A different race? We need to speak out against this perverse trend and most importantly, keep them away from our children.” _ That was it. These were the pronouns Swanson had warned them about. He gripped his gun and glanced at Blake, trying to get his mental footing.  Blake looked shocked, too, but quickly pulled himself together. He threw Tanner a sly look, one that hinted at an idea. “Give us a minute,” he snapped, and pulled away from Tanner, back to the truck. When they were both inside he turned on the occupants with a spark in his eyes.  “They must be talking about my boys, alive and kicking,” the old grin was back, his excitement barely contained. “Must have set up in the woods. We'll head over and find ‘em. Maybe they got word from Earl. If they're here, and they're fighting, maybe we don't have to go all the way to Boise after all.” “What's going on?” Lauren looked confused.  “We're leaving the truck. Grab the shit, cross the bridge, hijack their fucking commie-wagon and strike out east. Either we find them in Baker, or our boys find us first.”  Tanner was still coming to grips with the situation. “What about… them?” he said.  “Who?” “They… them. In the dress, with the pronouns!”  “And what are they going to do, stop us? You ever tried to fight wearing something like that? No. The four of us, across the bridge, grab the bus, easy.” “Katie's not hijacking any bus. She's eight, for God's sake. Maybe she and Lauren should stay here…”  “You stay here with Katie,” Lauren snapped, cutting Tanner off. “If you think it's safer, if you're looking for safer, you take her for a nice walk in the park down there. I'll be with my husband, taking my country back from these freaks.”  “I know you want to keep Katie safe,” Blake added, almost apologetically, “but you saw what it's like out there. You heard Swanson's warnings. These aren't people, they're animals, aliens. She's your baby fuckin' girl, man. You do what you're at peace with, but my wife sure as shit ain't staying here to get felt up by some dick in a dress.”  Tanner looked at Lauren. “But she's just a kid! What if she gets hurt.”  “What if she gets hurt _here? So you look after her. Be a man,” Lauren spat back.    Blake clapped Tanner on the shoulder and held his gaze. “It's do or die time, soldier. Let's get the fuck outta here, hook up with the resistance, then bring back the fury of God and freedom and the USA to take back this city and liberate my God damn truck!” Tanner looked at Katie, curled up in the footwell, and wanted to object. He wanted to take her somewhere safe, back to the Hole, where it was warm and they could hide from the aliens and the bad people and they had all the food they could need and they could wait for this all to be over.  But the fire in his belly wouldn't let him. He knew Blake was right, he knew that he should be ashamed of his moments of weakness. He saw Lauren gripping her rifle and staring at Blake with faith and devotion in her eyes and he knew that was the kind of man he wanted to be. Tanner breathed a silent promise to keep Katie safe, no matter the cost.  “Let's do it.” Blake pulled the truck up to the group of guards and they all piled out, Tanner standing straight and feeling tall, Blake's words ringing in his ears. It's do or die time. _ Two of the barricade guards came over to help them unload while the others stood around and watched, their mustachioed escort who made Tanner's skin crawl and the large blond man. Traitor. They stripped off the tray covering and began shifting gear, Blake and blondie up above handing packages down to everyone else. Tanner heard the guards muttering to each other.  “Holy shit, that's a lot of firepower.” The blond man snorted. “And a lot of nasty-ass TV dinners. Important supplies, my ass.”  Sunshine shrugged. “Folks eat what they eat. Not everyone lives in a Whole Foods and learned to make Tom Yum on their gap year,” they rebuked him. The man grimaced and scratched his jaw. “Yeah, right. That was unfair of me. Well, Thai cooking workshop tomorrow and I'll make a big pot, so at least folks here don't have to eat that frozen stuff… unless they want to.” They busied themselves unloading, bundling food and weapons into bags or tying them together for ease of carrying. Tanner was tying the straps of his backpack and settling it on his back when he heard a curse from the back of the truck. He glanced up, and, frozen in time, watched the next few seconds helplessly.  The blond man had pulled out one of the last few satchels, the one containing all their spare clothes. He was standing upright, arms held out, nose ring quivering in silent outrage. In his left hand he had Blake's flag bandana; in his right, Blake's spare jacket, rebel flag patch sitting proudly on the shoulder.  Blake reacted fastest. He dropped the food he was holding, raised his Glock, and with a vengeful crack the blond ponytail exploded in a spray of red.  The man in the beret raised his rifle and fired two shots into Blake's chest, sending him flying from the tray. A scream burst from Lauren as she reached for her gun, but the alien matched the sound and met her with a powerful tackle, sending both of them crashing into a pile of frozen hamburgers. Sunshine reached out and grabbed Tanner's arm. Time snapped back into motion for Tanner. He instinctively pulled away and shook his arm free of the grasping fingers. Stepping back, he spun and swung his fist in a wild roundhouse. It connected with Sunshine's jaw as they overbalanced toward him. Tanner watched them collapse in a heap. His gaze danced over the chaos unfolding around him, frantically searching for Katie. _There. Tanner picked her up and ran.  They plunged off the road and into the darkness. There was only one thought in his mind: get Katie across that bridge. She was sobbing, shaking in his grasp, and Tanner made what he hoped were comforting shushing noises as he ran. He knew this park—there was a staircase inside one of the support towers that rose from the park to the bridge overhead. That was his way out. Holding Katie tightly, breath ragged, he ran toward the orgy of light and noise pulsating below.  The two escapees burst into the mass of people. Tanner looked around, eyes darting, taking in the madness and trying to get his bearings. The sensory assault was overwhelming, but he slowly made out patterns in the polyrhythmic press. What had looked from above like a continuous swell of humanity was actually a hundred, a thousand separate groups and camps and parties. People flowed freely between them, groups forming and merging and coming apart in a chaotic, everchanging anarchy. A makeshift stage to his left throbbed with bass, colliding with the bone-jarring screams and guitars of a group of punks. Tanner found himself surrounded by ecstatic dancers, while a group almost under his feet sat staring into a campfire, oblivious to the rest of the world. He crashed through their doped-out reverie and bounced off two men, locked in a hungry embrace.  Tanner recoiled and turned away, shielding Katie with his body, searching desperately for the tower that would lead him out of this nightmare. Lights flashed, blinding, creating a sort of slideshow of horror as Tanner scanned the crowd. There. He found it. His escape from this festival of the damned. He soldiered on, caught up in a whirl of half-naked dancers, men, women, and everyone else, mindless of the frigid air as they span and writhed in rapture.  Tanner spotted an exit, an island of calm, and dove for it. He exploded from the throng, gasping for air, and breathed in the relative silence. Collecting himself, he was faced with rows of bodies, still, staring at something unseen up ahead, the very air trembling with collective anticipation.  A voice shattered his uneasy reprieve, loud and bombastic and dripping with drama.  “And now, my darlings, it is time for these fuckers to do what I do best—go down!” Tanner dashed through the crowd as they roared and surged into motion, and caught a glimpse of the scene ahead: two lines of people, straining on thick ropes, as a woman in lingerie and feathers pranced like a princess of hell before them. The ropes led upwards, where they were tied around the necks of two enormous metal figures. Lewis and Clark.  Tanner broke into a full sprint, shouldering bodies aside. He was almost there. Up ahead, rising from the chaos, was his stairway to the heavens. His legs trembled and his breath came in ragged sobs, but he couldn't slow down. Not when he was so close. He tore out of the crowd and into the comforting darkness of the spaces in between. His hysterical panic began to subside. One foot in front of the other. Keep running. They were going to make it. As he neared the tower a figure came into view at the base, looming from the shadows of the doorway, staring into the blackness beyond. A stocky, muscled figure wearing fatigues and a plate carrier. It couldn't be… “Blake! Blake, thank God.” Tears welled in Tanner's eyes as he reached his friend. Lauren was nowhere to be seen, but right now Tanner couldn't think about her. He had survived, and he had brought Katie through. His heartbeat was still frantic, but from exertion rather than fear. They were here. He, Katie, and Blake. Emotionally exhausted, physically spent, battered and terrified, but alive. They were going to be okay. He reached out to his friend. Blake turned—No, not Blake. A thick black beard engulfed the shadowy face, momentarily lit by the glowing ember of a huge cigar. The eyes were deep-set and dark, the skin weathered, wrinkled, brown. The face of an illegal alien.  Tanner's throat betrayed him. He squeaked, and nothing more would come out. His knees wobbled and threatened to give way, his feet froze in place. He wavered. He whimpered.  Puffing on the cigar, the alien took in his terrified face and the little girl slung over his shoulder. He gestured toward the doorway and blew out an enormous plume of smoke.  “Go, gringo.”  It was well past midnight when Katie ran into the side of a tent, fell on her bottom, and started crying. They had crossed the bridge, left the highway, and headed for the safety of the forest. Since then they had been wandering among the trees for hours, directionless, driven by fear, then by hope, then exhausted aimlessness. Tanner wasn't going anywhere except away from that park. He had briefly entertained the image of finding a group of militia, sitting around a fire, eating and laughing and, maybe, swapping stories with their old friend Blake. That was hours ago. Visions were fleeting in the fever dream of the forest. Since then, they had walked because they didn't know what else to do. Tanner stumbled over to Katie and collapsed beside her, holding her close and hushing her. He felt like crying too.  A flashlight clicked on inside the tent and a dreadlocked head poked out of the flap.  “Hey, there's someone here!” Rustling erupted from all around and more faces appeared. “Wasn't someone keeping watch?” “I thought you were.” “Doesn't matter, doesn't matter. Someone's crying.” “You folks okay?” Tanner and Katie were soon surrounded by a small group of people. He looked up at them. “Are you the militia?” “No, don't worry. You're safe here. We're friends.” “Although I guess we are a militia if you think about it. Sort of.”  “Shh, don't confuse the poor people. They're terrified.”  “Sorry. No, no militia. Someone get them a blanket and something to drink.” Minutes later, Tanner and Katie were wrapped in sleeping bags, sipping on hot cocoa. It was scalding and familiar and Tanner felt the tension of the past day fading, leaving bone-deep exhaustion in its place.  “Are you okay? What happened?” “Thank you. We were… we just need to sleep.”  “And you? What's your name? Are you alright?” Katie looked at her dad, then stared up from her tin mug. “I'm Katie. I'm scared.” “You're safe now. We'll help you. Look, we'll get you somewhere to sleep.” The first face they had seen rummaged around in a tent and brought out a bag. “Lucky we have a spare tent. I'll just put it up, won't be a second.” The tent was almost up by the time Tanner and Katie finished their drinks, and they got up and walked over, sleeping bags over their shoulders, holding hands. “Hey, thanks,” Tanner said. “I would have helped but I don't really know how. Never had much call for camping. I am, uh, was a lawyer,” he glanced around, “not criminal, uh… intellectual property. Copyright.”  “No problem, of course. Here, it's not hard. I'm just clipping the…” “This isn't the time for camping lessons, Jacob. Anyway, you'll scare the man, sharing information for free like that. They've been through enough already.”  “Sorry, yeah. Look, slide in. Take these sleeping mats. It'll do for tonight, I'll teach you tomorrow.”  Tanner and Katie squeezed into the tent, sleeping bags huddled together on the cold, hard ground, and slept. THE END **Inmn ** 1:03:01 Hello, and welcome to the show. Thank you so much for coming on today. Could you introduce yourself with your name, pronouns, and just a little bit about what you do in the world? **Matt ** 1:03:15 Yeah, hi, I'm Matt. He/him pronouns. And I'm a student again, after a really long time, actually, which is why I've just moved to where I'm living now. But I like to write, you know, mostly for me, and this is the first first thing I've published but I enjoy it. And yeah, I'm really grateful that you've taken an interest in it. **Inmn ** 1:03:37 Yeah, totally. I love the story. So we just listened to the second half of your story, Blood, Soil and Frozen TV Dinners and even though listeners just heard...just heard the whole story, I'm wondering if you could just kind of like walk us through the story in your--you know, from the mouth of the author--what is this story about? **Matt ** 1:04:01 So the story, for me, was about, to some extent, seeing yourself in some ways or, you know, people like you, through the eyes of...through the eyes of someone else, I guess, someone who's very different and might see things in a different way. So I always find it interesting to play with different perspectives or different characters instead of telling the story from a heroic perspective or something. And I wondered what a pathway to a better world might look like from someone who didn't necessarily want that to happen. So we have these, you know, preppers who--call them you want, right-wing conservatives, something like this--and what they might think, given the knowledge that they receive about the world, what they might think is happening when something happens that a lot of the rest of us might want. **Inmn ** 1:05:00 Yeah, totally. I really like how you put that. What was it, like, "a better world that they don't necessarily want?" [both laugh] Okay, well, how did this, how did this story kind of...like how did it come to be? What inspiration did you kind of draw from to craft this situation or these like personalities from Tanner and Blake or Earl Swanson? 1:05:35 Yeah, the story itself, there was a discussion last Halloween, I believe it was, on Coffee With Comrades, there was a interview with Pearson and Margaret Killjoy, talking about the discussion of the monster in literature, which is where I first took the idea that they were talking about seeing yourself as the monster in this idea and sometimes reveling in that or perhaps enjoying it. And that was where the first idea came from. And then the most specific layout of the story or main theme, I guess, was, I was doing something on the US Tax Office website. And there's this whole section for aliens, right, if you're an alien in the U.S., these are the tax rules you need to follow. And I just thought it was a funny word. You know, I'd seen it on Fox News or something before but it just struck me as really weird in such an official position. Yeah, and I just was playing with the ideas of this and, you know, I like thinking about utopias and things. And this is where the like the main shape of the story had come from, just the idea of seeing the monster, seeing the alien from there. And then specific characters, I mean, some of them are just kind of people that I've met, you know, Tanner and Blake, specifically, and I think Earl Swanson's character, I mean--I don't know it's possibly libelous--but we can probably figure out who that's meant to be, right? I think it's reasonably obvious. **Inmn ** 1:07:09 Totally, totally. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's super interesting. Yeah, it's funny, I was rereading the story today to prepare for this interview and I realized that the first time that I was reading it, because of this perspective of the.... I'm like, okay, I know, these are some, you know, at least center-right, far-right preppers and they're using the word "alien" and I don't actually know what they mean by this, which was, you know, maybe a purposeful being vague about it, but I was like, I don't know if they think that it's, you know, illegal aliens or undocumented  migrants or whatever or if they mean, like, literal from outer space aliens. And, yeah, I was like, I don't know what they mean by what they're talking about. And maybe they don't either.   1:08:20 This was part of the conceit, right, was setting it up like it's a pretend big reveal, I think, that it's a twist in the story that at some point gets revealed, but that's not really the point. It's not really meant to be a big trick or something like this, you know? I think in discussions in the editing, we talked about in the first page or so when they speaking Arabic, and it's reasonably obvious to anyone that knows Arabic who these people are, you know, it's not hidden, but this was the idea, that they may have meant illegal alien all along, was, you know, the way they we're using the term, but that they weren't necessarily drawing so much of a distinction between the two uses of the word alien, that in their minds a, sort of, invasion by one was the same as the invasion by the other to some extent. **Inmn ** 1:09:10 Yeah, which, you know, I actually really love that from the perspective of.... It's like maybe an interesting twist. I didn't listen to that interview with Pearson and Margaret, so I'm not sure what they talked about, but there's this kind of idea in a lot of spaces that I've been part of,you know, when people talk about things like assimilation or something, especially in queer spaces, of like, "We have to seem harmless to them. We have to seem innocent. We have to seem like we just want to be part of the group," you know, and then this other side that's like, "No, we want to be unknowable. We are claiming the monstrosity that they are putting on us," and I'm like, yeah, we're fucking.... I don't know, anarchists are kind of aliens, like, in an entirely other way of thinking, you know? 1:10:09 Yeah, and just considering some social norms is completely irrelevant or harmful or repressive and other things that other people would consider, perhaps, violent or something seem completely okay to other people. There is a complete sort of alienation of perspective from broader society, I think. And yeah, it is, there's a tension between sometimes wanting to go unnoticed, or, as you say, like assimilate, and even, for me, walking around, you know, sometimes you want to look like an anarchist and sometimes you don't. It's an interesting dynamic, I guess, that you can switch sometimes day-to-day. **Inmn ** 1:10:54 Yeah, yeah. Have you read much of--you know, love talking about this person on the show--have you read much of Ursula Le Guin's Hainish Cycle? 1:11:08 I've read only "The Dispossessed" and "The Left Hand of Darkness".  **Inmn ** 1:11:16 Great examples. I think "The Left Hand of Darkness," kind of brings out this idea of where the reader is going to maybe most identify with the alien, or whatever, in "The Left Hand of Darkness" being not the not the Gethens--or I don't remember what they're called. But then it's like, the more that we're reading the book... or there's some times where I'm this alien or, you know, our perspective person just doesn't understand this culture. And that's really painful. And then there are other times when I'm like, I don't know, maybe the alien's perspectives on the world are far more dissimilar to what a normal person on like our planet Earth would think, because they're advocating for a better world that is very alien to people on this planet. Does that make sense? **Matt ** 1:12:24 Yeah, I mean, in "The Dispossessed," I think it's the same dynamic with Shevak coming back to Earth and presenting the perspective, both ways that it seems incredibly alien to him and then the other way around to everyone else that's there, to the general culture there. Yeah. I think it's an interesting literary device to present the outsider point of view, I think, which I mean, is quite the opposite of what I did in this story, I presented the more mainstream point of view, I guess, but from the circles that we're in, it's funny to see from the outside what that looks like. **Inmn ** 1:13:02 Yeah, yeah, I had this very silly idea once for...I don't know if it was gonna be a short story or what but kind of, using that "alien" trope or like "Stranger in a Strange Land" trope as a way to talk to my parents about anarchism or about radical queer spheres. **Matt ** 1:13:27 Yeah, I mean, that's about as alien as it can get for a lot of people's parents, right. **Inmn ** 1:13:31 Totally. But just as some funny little zine that's like an introduction to the punk house, you know? **Matt ** 1:13:44 Yeah, viewed as some sort of interesting zoo creatures. **Inmn ** 1:13:46 Yeah. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about the kind of political renderings of Tanner and Blake or ,rather, their differences in how they perceive or interact with either preparedness or this new world that they're encountering? **Matt ** 1:14:14 Yeah, I think that Blake's character is a lot.... He knows what he's doing, right? It's a lot more intentional and more--I guess educated is maybe not quite the right word--but a lot more of an actually constructed ideology, whereas for Tanner it's very much received. He's not so keen, not so entirely sold on the idea or doesn't necessarily know the idea. It feels like it's like lost and failing a lot of the time and I think that's why I found him a much more interesting character because that's how I feel a lot of people that I know and talk to and family members and friends and things or friends of people I know get pulled into a lot of these, you know, reactionary ideologies is kind of by accident a lot of the time, right? Because it's what's presented and what they're drawn into by someone who has a lot more investment in it than they do. And they just kind of bumble into it almost by accident. Yeah. **Inmn ** 1:15:20 Because it's what they're seeing on TV. People who are deeper into that philosophy are like.... It's like the people that they're around who are their own little echo chambers of, "Oh, okay, there's this thing happening. Not sure how I feel about it. But I'm being like, fed this perspective on it." **Matt ** 1:15:46 Yeah, and a lot of the social or interpersonal issues that draw people in as well, I think. I tried to make it seem relatively obvious that Tanner is envious of Blake in a lot of ways, right? He is, you know, hotter than him and he is cooler than him and he knows more than him and he's always trying to, like, live up to this ideal that he has just completely interpersonally with no politics or anything in it. And he just wants to live up to what he thinks Blake wants him to be, which it turns out, is a bad thing. I mean, I'm not trying to excuse Tanner's character too much here. But yeah, I think this is what's really dangerous a lot of the time actually, for people who don't necessarily have a fully formed belief in all of these philosophical systems or something that then puts them on the wrong side not by...not necessarily out of evil intention. **Inmn ** 1:16:54 Yeah. No, that's very true. And it's interesting talking about not excusing Tanner's character too much, but as I was reading the story I found myself like, not necessarily rooting for Tanner and Bl

RULES: you either love them or hate them!    When it comes to decorating your home, rules can be helpful but also restricting. Let's think of them as guidelines. Guidelines are meant to be shifted and change depending on the purpose of styling. Today, we're talking BOOKSHELF STYLING. Bookshelves are an opportunity for you to showcase your personal style while telling your story. Bookshelves, however, can be 100% books or 100% tchotchkes. The balance I like to create and the one we're talking about inside today's episode is bookshelves that use this ONE rule: 80/20 Bookshelves that have 80% practicality (not all books as you'll hear inside the show) and 20% accessories. Here's a challenge for you: think about displaying some practical, yet beautiful pieces on your bookshelf instead of tucking them away inside your closed cabinets or taking up real estate inside your garage.  What are beautiful pieces that are practical for a bookshelf? Vases, baskets, and boxes are just a few.  Ready to learn even more about bookshelf styling? Join Home Design 101 where styling your flat surfaces, including bookshelves, is an entire module! You'll be an expert by the end!!!  LAST DAY to get $50 OFF Home Design 101 with code: ITSTIME Register here: Home Design 101   // Links mentioned in show: // Email: hello@figandfarmathome.com Website: https://figandfarmathome.com Home Design 101: https://figandfarmathome.com/home-design-101 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/ Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/design101group   Happy bookshelf styling! xo, dani 

A new bombshell biography about the royal family was pulled from bookshelves this week after the author identified the royal who allegedly questioned the color of Prince Archie's skin, RadarOnline.com has learned.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Join us for an insightful conversation with actress, dancer, singer, and now acclaimed author Rachel Montez Minor as we delve into her latest children's book, "See You on the Other Side." In this interview, you'll discover the inspiration behind Rachel's shift from a two-decade career on Broadway and in TV and film to her second act as a writer, artist, mystic, mother, yoga teacher, and meditation practitioner. Rachel will share insights into her multifaceted career, discussing what inspired her to add "author" to her extensive resume. We'll also delve into the creation process of "See You on the Other Side" and how it is already helping young readers heal and navigate various forms of loss, from the death of a loved one to a friend moving away.  Don't miss the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Rachel Montez Minor's journey and the meaningful messages embedded in her latest creation. Whether you're a fan of her performances on Broadway or a parent seeking resources to navigate conversations about loss with your children, this interview promises to be a heartfelt and enriching experience. About the Book Released on September 26, 2023, and suitable for all ages, this heartwarming picture book is a follow-up to Minor's 2021 release, "The Sun, The Moon, and The Stars." Richly illustrated by Mariyah Rahman, the book serves as a beautiful ode to lost loved ones, offering comfort through simple, rhyming text and evocative imagery. Join us as we explore the universal message that no one truly leaves us forever; "Our hearts remain tied. This isn't the end," writes Montez Minor.

Last episode, Lobo and Trash never got around to talking about the books on their shelves, so that's what they're doing this week. And they discuss the war in Israel and Gaza and why it's so hard to talk about the conflict.

Denis has been off in his ancestral homeland, while Riley's dad came up for a DIY-filled visit. Theme music: Lowrider by Joakim Karud Support the show on Patreon! patreon.com/havealistentothis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we order or select books? How do we read, keep, and move them? When do we sell them off? And episode that is about living with books and writing and storing them (and a lot more).

In this week's episode of Pages n' Pages, we talk about what decisions we make when it comes to buying physical books, what books are on our bookshelves and everything in between! What We've Read and What We Are Reading:  Lore Olympus Vol. 4 by Rachel Smythe  Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson He Who Drowned the World (The Radiant Emperor #2) by Shelby Parker-Chan and narrated by Natalie Naudus  Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner and narrated by Dana Varden, Zim Avaltrades. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest Every Wish Way by Shannon Bright and narrated by Kim Churchill.. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea Trust by Kylie Scott  The Summer Siege (Viking Omegaverse #3) by Lyx Robinson One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid and narrated by Julia Whelan  The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakrabroty and narrated by Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King #2) by Rachel Gillig. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Check out Pages n' Pages on Instagram. These opinions are entirely our own. Image by Kapona via Vector Stock.

Turns out, porn being IN a library isn't as bad as porn that's MADE in a library.  Also, I had a great visit with U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman.  She's filed a new bill about energy poverty and she has a lot to say about the Bidens.

So you want to share your favorite books with your students to help them love reading. Excellent! But maybe you lack the budget to keep up with their growing love of reading. Maybe you're wishing you could order about 25 different graphic novels (that waiting list for Heartstopper isn't getting any shorter) or your best Jason Reynolds and Kwame Alexander Titles keep disappearing. I hear you! These problems are only a sign that you're doing great things with your choice reading program. But what can you do, besides add to your Amazon Wishlist and apply for grants? Well, you can get your students connected to electronic books and create recommended reading digital shelves for them. And it's actually so much fun. Today on the podcast, I'm walking you through the step-by-step, nitty gritty details so you can start building your shelves immediately. I've had a lot of questions around this strategy, and my goal is to answer every single one so you can feel confident in your success. Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram.  Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!   

Eavesdrop on our discussion of Badlur's Gate 3, miniature furniture, and which diseases the Battletoads are named after.

Join us for an exciting episode of Feminist Book Club: The Podcast, where we explore the diverse realms of bookish journeys and captivating stories.   Another Swift to be Obsessed With  (0:22) Who says Junior Fiction is just for kids? Jordy takes us on a journey to the fictional world of the Swift family, an eclectic crew of scoundrels who are given dictionary names that predict their destiny. This children's book is filled with curiosity, love, and murder.    Books/Resources Mentioned: The Swifts by Beth Lincoln A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket Owning Your Own Bookstore!  (06:22) Step into the world of independent bookstores as Alana sits down with Lucy Yu, the owner of Yu & Me Books in New York City. Discover the ins and outs of owning a bookstore, the challenges of NYC rent, and tokenism. Get a glimpse into the reading preferences of bookstore owners and immerse yourself in their literary world.   Donate to Yu & Me books GoFund Me Here   Books mentioned by Lucy and Alana:  Middlemarch by George Elliot  East of Eden by John Steinbeck    Support our hosts & guests:   Jordy: Instagram   Lucy Yu: Yu and Me Books // Instagram  Alana Amore: Instagram // Youtube // Twitter // TikTok   Beyond the Box: Our weekly round-up of blog and podcast content delivered directly to your inbox every Friday   Check out our online community here!    This episode was edited by Niba and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people.   Original music by @iam.onyxrose   Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.  

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are joined by special guest Jaysen Headley, and are discussing: Bookish Moments: sick reading, a surprise book from an author, and breaking other people's reading Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we talk all things Ezeekat and get to know the man behind the accounts The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . It's time to send in your listener presses!  Make a voice memo on your phone. Tell us your name, where you're from and the title and author of the book you'd like to press. Use the phrase “Here's the setup” and tell us why you love it! Please keep it under 3 minutes. Email us your voice memo at currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Press” as the subject. DEADLINE JUNE 22 1:48 - Jaysen Headley (Ezeekat) on Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Twitter and Twitch 3:24 - Bookish Moment of the Week 6:08 - The Spells We Cast by Jason June (Pre-order amazon link) 7:43 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 8:44  - Current Reads 9:04 - Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulson (Kaytee) 11:05 - Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulson 12:00 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (Jaysen) 15:56 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 18:14 - Happy Place by Emily Henry 19:57 - The Whispers by Ashley Audrain (Meredith) 20:04 - The Push by Ashley Audrain 22:03 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 23:58 - The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty 24:57 - The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (Kaytee) 28:26 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley  28:55 - Ander & Santi Were Here by Johnny Garza Villa (Jaysen) 29:16 - Babel by R.F. Kuang 32:52 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab 33:28 - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree 35:14 - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati (Meredith) 35:36 - Fabled Bookshop 35:42 - Sarah's Bookshelves 38:49 - Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes 39:56 - Deep Dive: All Things Jason Headly AKA Ezeekat 43:02 - Jaysen on BookTok 43:03 - Jaysen on Instagram 43:35 - Jaysen on Twitch 46:15 - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief 46:16 - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters 46:20 - Ander & Santi Were Here by Johnny Garza Villa  46:46 - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 47:34 - Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 47:35 - Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn 49:41 - Still Life (Three Pines #1) by Louise Penny 55:33 - Jaysen on Patreon 56:57 - My Shelfie game 57:11 - Ex Libris game 57:23 - Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective 58:06 - Artisans of Splendent Vale game 58:55 - Meet Us At The Fountain 59:12 - I wish everyone would read A Psalm for the Wild Built (Kaytee) 59:12 - A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers 59:23 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 1:00:24 - A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers 1:00:51 - I wish Booknet Fest is successful and all goes well! (Jaysen) 1:02:14 - Scythe by Neal Shusterman 102:38 - Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman 1:02:40 - The Toll by Neal Shusterman 1:02:46 - Gleaning by Neal Shusterman 1:03:57 - Fairyloot 1:04:25 - My wish is that you follow Jaysen everywhere! (Meredith) Jaysen Headley (Ezeekat) on Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Twitter and Twitch 1:04:52 - CR Season 5: Episode 39 Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannathereader on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: behind the scenes content and a literary festival Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: the best “gateway” books to get a new or struggling reader addicted The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:37 - Bookish Moment of the Week 1:54 - Sarah's Bookshelves Summer Reading GuideSarah's Patreon if you want access to Summer Shelves  2:17 - What Should I Read Next Episode 381 4:20 - Pango Books 6:42  - Current Reads 7:11 - What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline (Meredith)  7:23 - Fabled Bookshop 11:30 - Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline 11:52 - We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange 12:50 - The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (Kaytee) 13:02 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 13:06 - How to Stop Time by Matt Haig 13:32 - CR Season 5: Episode 30 14:09 - Fable App 17:20 - The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Meredith) 17:25 - The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen 20:24 - The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny 21:24 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 22:13 - The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements (Kaytee) 22:19 - The Novel Neighbor 24:23 - Sarah's Bookshelves 2022 Summer Reading Guide 25:41 - Blue Monday by Nicci French (Meredith) 31:42 - My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson (Kaytee) 33:09 - Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian 34:44 - Gateway Books 37:04 - What Should I Read Next 37:51 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 38:15 - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 38:18 - Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano 38:49 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 40:05 - Calypso by David Sedaris 40:13 - The Anthroprocene Reviewed by John Green 41:14 - Scythe by Neal Shusterman 42:19 - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 42:31 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 44:03 - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 44:05 - All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle 44:37 - I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes 45:12 - 11/22/63 by Stephen King 45:42 - Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child 45:45 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 46:57 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 47:09 - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 48:10 - The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune 48:31 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow 49:08 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton 50:25 - Meet Us At The Fountain 51:39 - The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Whyss 52:46 - I wish someone would write a story about The Forbidden Island of Niihau (Meredith) 54:08 - I wish for a reading cafe. (Kaytee) Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: a mom win via a bookish fail, and fielding reader retreat questions Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we both got a bit of education this week learning about publishers versus imprints and discussing our favorites The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:36 - Bookish Moment of the Week 6:16 - Current Reads 6:20 -  The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas (Kaytee) 6:25 - The Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas 8:28 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 8:55 - Jaysen Headley aka EzeeKat on Instagram 10:12 - The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine (Meredith) 12:00 - The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine 14:13 - Dele Weds Destiny by Tomi Obaro (Kaytee) 17:27 - The Twist of A Knife by Anthony Horowitz (Meredith) 18:33 - The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz 19:24 - Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz 21:38 - The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka (Kaytee) 22:55 - Garcia Street Books 23:15 - The Booker Prize 23:32 - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 24:51 - The Original by Branden Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal (Meredith, audible link) 25:32 - Scribd 29:22 - Publishing Houses and Imprints 30:17 - Flatiron Books 30:18 - Riverhead Books 30:19 - Tor Books 30:20 - Atria Books 30:22 - Balzer + Bray on Instagram  30:44 - Penguin Random House 30:45 - MacMillan 30:46 - Hachette Book Group 32:29 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live 32:25 - Minotaur Books 35:03 - Blackstone Publishing 35:36 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley  36:16 - Simon & Schuster 36:19 - HarperCollins 37:21 - St. Martin's Press 37:22 - Berkley Books  37:24 - Harlequin Books 39:18 - Legend and Lattes by Travis Baldree 40:16 - Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers 42:27 - Meet Us At The Fountain 42:35 - I wish for everyone to follow Jaysen Headley @ezeekat on socials and reach out to him about coming on the podcast! (Kaytee) 42:37 - Jaysen Headley aka EzeeKat on Instagram 44:10 - I wish everyone would read Bird Box, a great summer read by Josh Malerman (Meredith) 44:10 - Bird Box by Josh Malerman 45:23 - Daphne by Josh Malerman Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: new bookshelves and Bookstores for Bob Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we are bossing our bookish friends into reading the next three books on their TBRs The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:37 - Ad for Ourselves 2:03 - Currently Reading Patreon - just $5 a month! You get the Indie Press List, All Things Murderful, and Trope Thursday along with great community, and you keep the big show ad-free! 5:09 - Bookish Moment of the Week 5:25 - Ikea Billy Bookshelves 5:30 - @bookishbetsie on Instagram 8:22 - Bookstores for Bob Graphic 9:05 - Tag @maryreadsandsips in your shares! 10:35 - Current Reads 10:55 - Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (Meredith) 12:24 - Richard Osman's books start with The Thursday Murder Club 16:06 - Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana de la Rosa (Kaytee) 18:02 - Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera 20:33 - I Have Some Questions for You By Rebecca Makkai (Meredith) 21:47 - The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai 25:05 - Sarah's Bookshelves Interview with Rebecca 30:06 - Inciting Joy by Ross Gay (Kaytee) 32:02 - David Sedaris 33:36 - The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf (Meredith) 35:06 - We figured it out! This was recommended by Aubree @mnreadingmama 37:38 - Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang (Kaytee) 37:44 - Cafe Con Libros 40:59 - Boss My TBR 41:06 - Ashley Currin 41:14 - Babel by RF Kuang 41:17 - Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 41:20 - Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Reybourn 41:23 - Scythe by Neal Schusterman 41:25 - A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab 42:28 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 42:33 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 45:11 - Caroline Francois 45:17 - Upgrade by Blake Crouch 45:19 - Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro 45:21 - Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley 45:25 - Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 45:27 - We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Berry 50:53 - Meet Us At The Fountain 51:12 - I wish for everyone to try the Generations Podcast((Meredith) 51:15 - @lonestarwords on Instagram 52:24 - @fictionmatters 53:48 -  I wish for people to rabbit hole via books (Kaytee) 54:10 - The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben 54:13 - The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey 54:26 - Babel by RF Kuang 54:37 - The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 54:52 - Zero Fail by Carol Leonnig Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

This week we welcome two United States Veterans to the show. I'm truly amazed at how our own soldiers can harness their gifts after their  world of war & peace-  then, to share them with the entire world. First I welcome my pal Steve McPhail- aka Mcphizzle66 to the show. A past military vet and now rising TikTok'r and Artist! Bob Ross may have been mentioned a couple of times here. I LOVE BOB and if you do too then you'll love Phizz!To watch him paint live almost every night check out the links below!https://linktr.ee/mcphizzle66Then I welcome another Vet and author- Gene Bennett,  recounting different stories  about his own overseas operations from his deployment in  the nineties. There are things that I learned here that is disheartening and I only hope that our government begins to treat our own veterans with more dignity and respect. To find Gene's book:We Did Not Deserve the Crapper: The prison we entered but never fully left https://a.co/d/fU5SErZThank you to our family of amazing sponsors! Ochsner Hospital for ChildrenRouses MarkersWww.rousesmarkets.comKid's Dream Dress ShopWww.kidsdreamus.comSandpiper VacationsWww.sandpipiervactions.comPinxav Diaper Rash CreamWww.pinxav.comComfort Cases Www.comfortcases.orgNew Orleans Ice Cream Company

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: book therapy and reading as cardio Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: planning a reading retreat with all the details The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:41 - Bookish Moment of the Week 1:57 - Better Help (go to another podcast you love to get a referral code if you're interested!) This one is my personal referral  4:25 - Drowning by TJ Newman 4:30 - All Things Murderful is a Currently Reading Patreon Benefit 4:47 - Falling by TJ Newman 6:55 - Current Reads 7:00 - Platonic by Marisa G. Franco (Kaytee) 7:23 - The Life Council by Laura Tremaine 11:58 - Red Clocks by Leni Zumas (Meredith) 14:31 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 16:21 - Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray (Kaytee) 19:34 - The Black Cat Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin (Meredith) 19:41 - Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin 20:01 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 24:43 - Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (Kaytee) 24:58 - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 27:14 - Sarah's Bookshelves 28:09 - All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Meredith) 33:07 - Gretchen Rubin's post about guard shadows 34:05 - Reading Retreat Reconnaissance 39:34 - Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson 44:46 - Snackle Box 50:46 - The Life Council by Laura Tremaine 50:48 - Platonic by Marisa G. Franco 57:18 - Meredith's Mug Warmers 59:44 - Death at the Dive Bar Game 1:02:30 - Meet Us At The Fountain 1:02:46 - I wish for a “Reading Blinders” invention (Kaytee) 1:03:01 - Book Neck Light 1:03:03 - Noise Canceling Headphones 1:05:05 -  I wish that other readers could deeply explore a book you love together (Meredith) 1:05:13 - Journey to Three Pines debuts on Friday! 1:05:40 - Still Life by Louise Penny Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

Brea and Mallory discuss how your opinion on a book can change over time, recommend summer books, and pick the books that define them. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreSponsors -GreenChefwww.greenchef.com/GLASSES60Code: GLASSES60Ever tried Microdosing?Visit Microdose.com and use GLASSES for 30% off + Free Shipping Links -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupAmazon Wish ListNewsletterLibro.fmTo join our Slack channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!Books Mentioned - Count Crowley: Amatuer Monster Hunter by David Dastmalchian and Lukas KetnerOur Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez and translated by Megan McDowellThe Third Hotel by Laura Van Den BergBook Lovers by Emily HenryThis One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

In July 2022, Florida Governor DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 1467. It requires all schoolbooks to be reviewed by a district employee holding an educational media specialist certificate, to ensure the books are grade level appropriate and free of pornography. Shortly after the bill went into effect, videos started popping up on social media of empty school bookshelves. Brian Covey, who posted a video of those empty bookshelves, joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Brea and Mallory discuss how your bookshelves reflect your identity, interview Rachel Koller Croft, and recommend retellings of classic books! Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreSponsors -GreenChefwww.greenchef.com/GLASSES60CODE: GLASSES60Trade Coffeewww.drinktrade.com/GLASSESLinks -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupAmazon Wish ListNewsletterLibro.fmNational Library Service888-657-7323 Rachel Koller CroftStone Cold Fox Books Mentioned - The Reading List by Sara Nisha AdamsRadio Silence by Alyssa ColeThe Shards by Bret Easton EllisLove, Pamela by Pamela AndersonThe Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora GossCirce by Madeline MillerFrankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translated by Jonathan Wright 

Today on The McCarthy Report, Andy and Rich discuss the news that former vice president Pence notified officials about classified documents he found in his possession.