Podcasts about found family

We had the best time going deep and chatting with the magical human that is debut Author: THE Loretta Chefchaouni! We can't wait for you to join us as we talk about persistence in publishing, found family, and grieving living parents.But first, here's more about Loretta!Loretta Chefchaouni is a former early childhood educator from Florida who writes for teens. Her fantastical tales turn grief and fear into myth and monsters and explore all the scary parts of being human within the safe space of stories. Her work has placed in contests such as The Blue Pencil Novel Award and Voyage YA's First Chapter Contest. She is an alum of the Pitch Wars mentorship program and the Highlights Foundation's Muslim Storyteller Fellowship. The mother of mixed-race young adults, she is committed to seeing more authentic Muslim representation on the shelves. The Lustrous Dark is her debut novel, the first book in a YA fantasy duology and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, coming May 19, 2026. Her short story, The Little Sister, is included in the anthology A Thousand Nights, coming Sept. 8, 2026.Find Loretta: https://lorechefwrites.com/https://www.instagram.com/lorechefwrites/

As Esmir Bajraktarević represents Bosnia in the World Cup, his Wisconsin roots are shining. This is how the Appleton-native became "Milwaukee Messi."

ACOFAE Podcast Presents: A Forbidden Fate: "Loopholes! Scuba gear? Garden gloves?!" How do you get around a curse that can't be broken, has horrible consequences for the entire world, and is like, super inconvenient day to day? You look for loopholes if you are ACOFAE Laura and Jessica, or you travel though the woods with a band of merry people and old crush to your current fiancé's kingdom. The woods being full of horrifying creatures and the fiancé may or may not know what's going on. Don't forget the curse! That's where Laura Marie and Jessica Marie find themselves in Kaven Hirning's A Forbidden Fate. What happens when you can't touch the person you love or the world will end? You look for loopholes. Or creative ways to expel tension together, without touching. "Not all men, but always a man." TW / CW: none to our awareness For additional TW/CW information for your future reads, head to this site for more: https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/ Spoilers: A Forbidden Fate Mentions: *Thank you for listening to us! Please subscribe and leave a 5-star review and follow us on Instagram at @ACOFAEpodcast and on our TikToks! TikTok: ACOFAELaura : Laura Marie ( https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaelaura) ACOFAEJessica : Jessica Marie (https://www.tiktok.com/@acofaejessica) Instagram: @ACOFAEpodcast https://www.instagram.com/acofaepodcast/ @ACOFAELaura https://www.instagram.com/acofaelaura/

This week Natalia and Sky were left on their own, and decided to watch a show they sense the other two Noonas wouldn't vibe with- the new Netflix superpowered KDrama "The WONDERfools." How did the turn of the millennium themed drama fare with the two of them? Check out the episode to find out!  For links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4ugvH9n We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

Today I'm reviewing Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter—a cozy fantasy filled with magical cats, heartwarming found-family vibes, and just the right touch of mystery and enchantment.This story leans into comfort and charm while still exploring themes of healing, belonging, and second chances. Between the whimsical atmosphere, lovable feline companions, and emotionally grounded character moments, it's the kind of book that feels like curling up with a warm blanket on a rainy day.

To kick off Pride Month, the Noonas are doing their annual BL Review, the rundown of the queer shows they enjoyed over the past year to help you get some fun watches (and a few reads!) to add to your list!  For Links to all the shows mentioned, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4vp0W3g We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!  

It's the end of the month, and that means the monthly rundown of all the shows the Noonas have been enjoying! Are there any shows you should add to your watch list? Check out the episode to find out!  For Links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/3Pp3hfb We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson & Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling author Shannon Chakraborty about her new novel The Tapestry of Fate, writing a more mature, middle-aged protagonist in The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi series, portraying motherhood on the page, blood family vs. found family, Middle Eastern poisoners and demons, balancing science with the occult, writing complex antagonists, the value of day jobs, breaking into publishing and more.NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Shannon. Stayed tuned next week for her writing masterclass on Drawing from Global History.

This week the Noonas checked out the first two episodes of the new Thai Urban Fantasy series "Wu" on IQIYI. Did its vibes resonate with the ladies? Check out the episode to find out!  For Links and more, check out the episode post at: https://bit.ly/4tMFLGZ We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

Awards Book Club reconvenes for 2026, as we discuss Nebula-nominated novels “Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang, “Wearing the Lion” by John Wiswell, and “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor. The mood of the panel is… cautious. Also: What else are we reading? Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign, Heather Berberet, Scott McNulty and Paul Weimer.

Awards Book Club reconvenes for 2026, as we discuss Nebula-nominated novels “Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang, “Wearing the Lion” by John Wiswell, and “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor. The mood of the panel is… cautious. Also: What else are we reading? Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign, Heather Berberet, Scott McNulty and Paul Weimer.

The Noonas return with a spring edition of the Newsnas, the show where they bring you a smattering of Asian Entertainment news that they found interesting.  For chapters and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/49HzapZ We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

Send us Fan MailToday I'm joined by author Chawna Schroeder, a fantasy writer who describes herself as a “boundary stretcher,” someone who explores what it means to live beyond the boxes we often place around ourselves, our faith, and even our imagination. After more than two decades studying the craft of writing, Chawna creates richly layered stories that blend faith, philosophy, and speculative worldbuilding.In this episode, we're talking about Perplexity, the second book in her Sceptre & the Stylus series. This story weaves together political intrigue, hidden dangers, and characters navigating loss, responsibility, and purpose. We also dive into the books that shaped her as a reader, featuring a book flight centered on ensemble casts and found family.Episode Highlights:What it means to be a “boundary stretcher” in both life and writingWhy she's drawn to large, interconnected character castsA simple breakdown of the difference between science fiction and fantasyHow faith, purpose, and identity show up in her storiesWhy stories allow us to step into someone else's life in a meaningful wayConnect with Chawna:FacebookWebsiteSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.Books and authors mentioned in the episode:The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. TolkienA Little Princess by Frances Hodgson BurnettAngela Bell's episodeFirebird by Kathy TyresSharon Hinck booksThe Bandit of Ashley Downs by Dave & Neta JacksonGeorge Muller: The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans by Janet & Geoff BengeBook FlightRecorder by Cathy McCrumb (adult sci-fi)The Ark, the Reed, and the Fire Cloud by Jenny Cote (middle grade historical fantasy)Criss Cross by C.C. Warrens (contemporary adult suspense)✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmapSupport the showBe sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!InstagramFacebookWebsite

This week Sky decided to give Natalia a treat and watch her favourite show: Cutie Pie The Series, and then talk about this Thai Boys Love drama that has consumed Natalia's being since it's airing four years ago. Has Sky figured out what draws her to it? Watch the episode to find out!  For Links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/3P2KO7V We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

The Noonas are back with their monthly roundup of Asian Dramas they checked out this month. Are there any gems they think you should tune in to? Check out the episode to find out!  For Links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/3OR5wY6 We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

This week the Noonas take a first look at a new drama they've been super excited about- the IU and Byeon Woo Seok helmed royalty themed romance drama "Perfect Crown". Did the first two episodes live up to their lofty expectations? Check out the episode to find out!  For Links and More, check out the episode post at: https://bit.ly/4mERIfN We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

This week Kristin, Shannon, Stacy, and Shan are discussing books centered around found family. Titles mentioned include:Catherine Cowles, Across The Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove #1)Yasmine Galenorn, Witchling (Otherworld #1)Jacquelyn Benson, The Fire In The Glass (London Charismatics #1)Audrey Faye, Alpha (Ghost Mountain Wolf Shifters #1)Andy Weir, Project Hail MaryAdriana Herrera, American Dreamer (Dreamers #1)April White, Marking Time (The Immortal Descendants #1)Nora Phoenix, No Filter (No Shame #1)Nalini Singh, Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)Rachel Vincent, Menagerie (Menagerie #1)Lish McBride, A Little Too Familiar (An Uncanny Romance #1)Stephen King, ItYou can always contact the Book Bistro team by searching @BookBistroPodcast on facebook, or visiting:https://www.facebook.com/BookBistroPodcast/You can also send an email to:TheBookBistroPodcast@gmail.comFor more information on the podcast and the team behind it, please visit:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-bistro

Burnie and Ashley discuss long term relationships, Houston sports, treadmill gaming, family plans, Duolingo, pawn shop economics, paintball, military drafting, Kindle drama, most ever platforms, and mobile gaming, the lame juggernaut.

Episode Notes Rob is back with Sean German of the Next Scene Podcast as the men get excited when planes with supplies fly overhead.

This week the Noonas stepped back into their past to revisit some older Asian Dramas that they watched at the very beginning of their Drama Watching journey. Do these dramas still hold up? Would they watch them today if they were just starting them? Check out the episode to find out!  For Links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4dqWICk We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

The Noonas are back with their monthly roundup of all the Asian dramas they checked out recently! We've got Chinese historicals, goofy anime, and (of course) some Boys Love in the mix, so check out the episode to find out what you should be adding to your list!  For links to all the shows and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4lYWEfo We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord!

Unraveling the history of the Jim Crow South, personal stories are interwoven with humor and heartbreak. Tayari Jones is an author and C.H. Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her new novel, which follows two young Black women – both motherless and as close as sisters – navigating the era with different trajectories. The book is called “Kin.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week Natalia and Sky got together for a rare only the two of them episode to discuss a show they've been obsessed with lately: the cdrama "How Dare You!?". This show got them in their feels, and they want to bring you their spoilery thoughts about it! Check out the episode to find out what about this multi isekai show really hooked them so much that they had to inhale it from start to finish!  Check out the episode post for links and more: https://bit.ly/3NDhHHq We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

This week the Noonas are thinking about getting Lucky- with some Drama Gem selections that is! They've curated a list of Dramas for you to add to your list if you're looking for something Lucky (or not!) to turn on this week! Check out the episode to find out which Asian Dramas made their list!  For Links and More, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4bqpYGu  We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

This week the Noonas were a little burnt out, so instead of their usual Asian Entertainment fare they just had a chat about whatever came to their minds. Next week they'll be back on their usual game, but click play to enjoy a week of free association chats about the world!  For Timecodes and such, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/3Nrltnh We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

Send a textIn today's episode, I sit down with USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and internationally bestselling author Wade Rouse. Many readers know Wade by his pen name, Viola Shipman, his grandmother's name chosen to honor the woman whose stories and heirlooms inspire his fiction. But this novel marks something new. That's What Friends Are For is the first book he has published under his own name. Inspired by The Golden Girls, the novel follows four gay men “of a certain age” who have built a vibrant chosen family in Palm Springs, until an unexpected family arrival begins to unravel long-held secrets.Episode Highlights:Why Wade chose his grandmother's name as his pen nameWhat publishing under his own name represents at this stage of his lifeThe Golden Girls inspiration behind “The Golden Gays”Writing about aging in AmericaThe power of found family and chosen friendshipHumor as a doorway to deeper emotional truthThe legacy behind his beloved Viola Shipman novelsIf you have ever built family beyond blood, navigated reinvention, or believe friendship carries us through life's hardest seasons, this episode is for you.Connect with Wade:WebsiteInstagramFacebookShow NotesSome links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.Books and authors mentioned in the episode:Erma Bombeck booksDavid Sedaris booksI Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora EphronRunning with Scissors by Augusten BurroughsThe Last of the Savages by Jay McInerneyCatcher in the Rye by J.D. SalingerSo Old, So Young by Grant GinderBook FlightAwake by Jen HatmakerThe Forget-Me-Not Library by Heather WebberHazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmapSupport the showBe sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! Instagram Facebook Website

This week, we're stealing a couple hours of your time to discuss The Rats: A Witcher Tale, the prequel movie that dropped at the same time as Season 4 and is designed to be watched after it…despite taking place well before. (The Witcher's up to its timeline shenanigans again, it seems.) Paired with the perfectly-themed Master of the Thieves Guild Blended Bourbon by Quest's End Whiskey, we keep things loose, lively and liquidated as we unpack the plots—meaning both the film's narrative and the Rats' plot to steal loads of cash—and try to figure out just what happened to this thing behind the scenes. Also, we come out in favor of bathing with a drunken Dolph Lundgren, debate the role of cephalopods in sex dens and reveal why when it comes to spider women, most movies just like to tease.

In the 1950's, two young women were born poor and motherless in rural Louisiana. From the cradle to adulthood, the two are bonded for life as each searches for love and belonging. “Kin,” the latest novel by author Tayari Jones, is the heartfelt and tender story of their unbreakable bond. It's our March selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.” See Tayari Jones live at The Brattle Theatre on Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m.! More information here: https://www.harvard.com/event/tayari-jones  Get your tickets now to our Bookmarked: LIVE! event at Lovestruck Books in Cambridge on Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m.: https://bit.ly/miasosaUTR

This week the Noonas turn to a very specialized platform: GagaOOLala, A Taiwanese based Queer media streaming service. They randomly selected 4 dramas from the service without knowing anything about them and checked each of them out to see which were able to win a coveted spot in their watchlists! Another edition of Watchlist Roulette is here, so click play to find out what shows they found!  For Links and other information, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/46xUo8k We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord  

The Noonas are back with an extra long episode of What We're Watching, a monthly installment where they let you know the Asian shows and films that they've been checking out in the past month. Looking for something to watch? Check out the episode to find out if there's the perfect show to add to your list!  For Links to the shows and more, visit the episode post: https://bit.ly/4qU7p3b We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

This week the Noonas do a bit of a throwback by making a new edition of the years old Galentine's Day Episode! They're here to give you some picks of their favourite Asian Dramas featuring female friendships that really resonated with them. There's dramas of all vibes so check out the episode to find out their recs!  For Links to the show and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/3OIesyy We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

This week the Noonas delved into a spoiler heavy review of the Netflix Kdrama "Can this Love be Translated?" Quickly finding out that the show had much more than the marketing would have you believe, the ladies get down to business to chat about the twists and turns hidden in this multilingual gem of a show. Check out the episode to find out why they think it's something special you should check out! For links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4bCUO0x We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

Using a framing story in your novel? Maybe you're writing multiple plot lines. Or perhaps you want to know what truly masterful storytelling looks like. This week, we take a deep dive into THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Melanie and I were spoiled for choice in this What Went Right episode because, when you're dealing with a William Goldman story, pretty much everything is going right. Enjoy! -V. Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

Join me (Anna Stone) and guest host Azanta from Azanta Reads as we discuss A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett and the 1995 film adaptation. In this episode, we bond over a mutual experience at the Scholastic Book Fair, consider our conflicting reactions to the movie now, and struggle to cast child actors for Sara and Becky.Follow Azanta on TikTok @azantareadsFollow on Instagram @stonestoptens and @azantareadsEmail stonestoptens@gmail.comKeywordsA Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett, film adaptation, classic literature, themes of generosity, morality, nostalgia, character analysis, 90s films, cultural representation, Cultural Representation, Found Family, Character Performances, Costume Design, Book Adaptations, Soundtrack Analysis, Modern Casting, Movie Review

The Newsnas are back for a February edition bringing you some of the news stories out of the Asian Entertainment realm that caught the eyes of the ladies over the past few months. Quite an eclectic bit of stuff has gone down, so check out the episode to find out what we got interested in since the last Newsnas! Check out the episode post for any more information: https://bit.ly/3M0qDGg We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't just a cosmic side quest — it was the emotional on-ramp to the entire Infinity Saga. In this retrospective episode of Marvel Maniac, we look back at the humble beginnings of Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Groot, and Drax, while viewing the film through the lens of everything that comes later — from Infinity War and Endgame to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. From the iconic opening set to “Come and Get Your Love,” to the underplayed introduction of the Power Stone, to the quiet seeds planted for Thanos and the tragedy that follows — this episode is about why Guardians still matters, and why it hits harder now than it ever did in 2014.

The End of the Month is upon us, and thus the Noonas are back with their monthly rundown of what Asian Dramas they've been checking out! This month, while they had a variety of options, there was also quite a bit of overlap, and they have some solid options to recommend you add to your watchlist! Check out the episode to see what they think is worth your time!  For Links and more, check out the episode post: https://bit.ly/4pUxJtP We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message at  certifiednoonas@gmail.com or on our socials (Bluesky and Instagram) @CertifiedNoonas. Like our content and want access to some fun extras? Consider becoming a member of our Found Family and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/CertifiedNoonas. Join our Discord

Columbus police broke their silence sixteen days after Spencer and Monique Tepe were found shot dead in their Weinland Park home. Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed what the family has known for eight years: this was a targeted domestic violence attack. Dr. Michael McKee, Monique's ex-husband, allegedly drove from Illinois to Ohio and killed both Monique and her husband Spencer while their two young children slept down the hall.The bombshell from today's press conference: police recovered multiple firearms from McKee's property, and there is a preliminary ballistic link through NIBIN—the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network—tying one of those weapons to the homicides. Attorney Eric Faddis explains what NIBIN is, what "preliminary" means legally, and how significant this evidence becomes at trial.Also breaking today: Spencer's brother-in-law Rob Misleh appeared on Good Morning America and spoke publicly for the first time about the abuse Monique endured during her brief marriage to McKee. His words cut straight through: "She just had to get away from him." He said many in the family were aware of the torment McKee put her through—and that Monique was willing to do anything to escape.The charges have been upgraded from murder to premeditated aggravated murder, death penalty eligible in Ohio. Eric breaks down the legal distinction and what evidence prosecutors need to prove "prior calculation and design." McKee waived extradition but remains in Illinois—court records indicate transfer to Ohio "will not be feasible" by week's end. His attorney says he plans to plead not guilty.Chief Bryant said they're withholding details to avoid jeopardizing the conviction. Over 1,000 people attended Spencer and Monique's funeral. Two children are now orphans. And a family that spent eight years looking over their shoulders finally has confirmation the threat was real.#McKeeTepe #MichaelMcKee #SpencerTepe #MoniqueTepe #NIBIN #BallisticsMatch #DomesticViolence #EricFaddis #ColumbusOhio #WeekInReviewJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

CW: As a heads up, Aaron describes the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, which includes mention of rape. If this is a tender subject for you, please take care while listening. This week, Mary B is joined by biblical scholars Jennifer Garcia Bashaw and Aaron Higashi to discuss their upcoming book Serving Up Scripture: How to Interpret the Bible for Yourself and Others. The book offers accessible tools for interpreting scripture with care, curiosity, and context. Rather than a black and white understanding of the text as right or wrong, Bashaw and Higashi invite readers to ask important questions of the text: What genre is this? Who wrote it, and under what circumstances? Who benefits from this interpretation, and which social relationships are being privileged? They also encourage theological reflection, asking what a passage suggests about God.Using cooking as a guiding metaphor, Serving Up Scripture treats biblical texts as ingredients to create a meaningful interpretation. In this conversation, Mary, Jen, and Aaron explore how this approach can help defang interpretations of the Bible that have been used to harm others. As Higashi, quoting St. Augustine, reminds us, “any understanding of the Bible that increases the two fold love between human beings and each other, or human beings and God is a good interpretation.”Jennifer Garcia Bashaw is a professor at Campbell University and an ordained Baptist minister. She has a PhD in New Testament from Fuller Seminary and is the author of Scapegoats: The Gospel through the Eyes of Victims and John for Normal People: A Guide through the Drama and Depth of the Fourth Gospel.Aaron Higashi is a public Bible scholar with a PhD in biblical interpretation from Chicago Theological Seminary. He writes Bible commentaries, including 1 & 2 Samuel for Normal People: A Guide to Prophets, Kings, and Some Pretty Terrible Men, and answers Bible questions on Instagram at @abhigashi.Preorder your copy of Serving Up Scripture wherever you buy books. Follow Jen on Instagram @jgbashaw and Aaron on TikTok @aaron.higashi and Instagram @abhigashi. Jennifer and Aaron's other books are available; just search for each of their names wherever you buy books. This is our last Found Family episode for a couple of months! I am taking a much-needed break. Feel free to peruse old episodes or join the very free Found Family crew over on Substack for a free monthly message from me. Support the show

In this episode of Why Life Groups Matter, Ethan and Jetza talk honestly about their expectations of Life Group and how it became far more than they imagined. Through community, shared stories, and faith-filled conversations, they found confidence, healing, and family.

Rose Marie Berger, Senior Editor of Sojourners magazine, is a Catholic peace activist and poet who has worked within social justice movements for more than 40 years. She is the volume editor of Light for the Way: Seeking Simplicity, Connection, and Repair in a Broken World and joins MaryB. to discuss how the book extends the conversations long discussed within the Sojourners community, out into the world while asking what it means to live authentically in this day and age. This discussion explores several paradoxes: the need for isolation and contemplation in order to better serve community, the gifts and deep flaws that exist simultaneously within the established church, and the ways faith can deepen through disillusionment. MaryB. and Rose's conversation invites listeners to understand that learning to live with these paradoxes is an essential part of growth.Rose Marie Berger is a Catholic poet, writer, and peace activist who has worked for social change movements for 40 years. She is poetry editor and senior editor for Sojourners, a magazine whose mission is to inspire hope and action by articulating the biblical call to social justice. She has traveled to Ukraine, Colombia, Bosnia, and elsewhere to support faith-rooted peacemaking. Rose is active in the global Catholic Nonviolence Initiative. She is co-editor of Advancing Nonviolence and Just Peace in the Church and World and has presented several times on nonviolence at the Vatican. Her poetry has appeared in Watershed Discipleship: Reinhabiting a Bioregional Faith and Practice and Buffalo Shout, Salmon Cry: Conversations on Creation, Land Justice, and Life Together. Rose has spent her life engaged in faith-based activism, advocacy journalism, and pastoral leadership. Rose was born at 319.08 ppm CO2 and raised in the American River watershed, in traditional Nisenan-Maidu territory. She lives in Oak View, Calif., with her wife Heidi Thompson. Light for the Way is available today wherever you buy books! Follow Sojourners on IG @sojogram. Follow Rose on Bluesky @rmberger.bsky.socialJoin the Found Family crew over on Substack and get your free copy of The Found Family Cheat Sheet!Support the show

Shelby Forsythia, a grief coach and author of Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving, joins Mary B to offer practical guidance on how to show up for people in grief. When unsure of the “right” words, many people default to silence rather than risk saying the wrong thing, often leaving grievers feeling isolated. Shelby's work aims to interrupt that pattern. The title of her book is structured around three simple statements: Of course. I'm here. Right now. These serve as guideposts for offering genuine, supportive language. Shelby also explores the idea of collateral grief, the secondary losses that often accompany a primary grief event, such as routines, relationships, or imagined futures. Together, Mary B and Shelby examine a form of grief that is frequently minimized in our culture: the grief that follows the end of a friendship or relationship.Shelby Forsythia (she/her) is a grief coach, author, and podcast host. In 2020, she founded Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community that has helped dozens of grievers grow and find their way after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major life transitions.Following her mother's death in 2013, Shelby began calling herself a “student of grief” and now devotes her days to reading, writing, and speaking about loss. Through a combination of mindfulness tools and intuitive, open-ended questions, she guides her clients to welcome grief as a teacher and create meaningful lives that honor and include the heartbreaks they've faced. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine.Preorder your copy of Of Course I'm Here Right Now wherever you buy books. Get your hands on the many resources Shelby offers at shelbyforsythia.com. Join the Found Family crew over on Substack and get your free copy of the Found Family Cheat Sheet. Support the show

Welcome to the garden, sweet songling.

Our annual year-in-review show where we cover things past, things present and things future.  We discuss the year as a whole, what we've learned and how we managed to cope as well as discovering the fact that we are all about Found Family and we enjoy our listeners who reach out to ask if they can join us for dinner!  A feel good end of year wrap up with thanks to a lot of good people.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/family-plot--4670465/support.

Welcome to the garden, sweet songling.

Head to the Arctic with Nathaniel Ian Miller and discover the true story that inspired his debut, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, for our final episode of 2025.For our final episode of 2025, we're bringing forward a beloved conversation from the Book Gang archives with debut novelist Nathaniel Ian Miller, discussing his magical winter read, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, and the enduring pull of a great winter story with found-family themes. This episode originally aired for patrons in 2023, and it felt like the perfect moment to share it more widely, along with some gentle reflections from this year, including YOUR best book club book of the year.In this funny conversation, we discuss:

Mary B is joined by Kat Armas to discuss her new book, Liturgies for Resisting Empire: Seeking Community, Belonging, and Peace in a Dehumanizing World. This episode begins with Armas offering an invocation — as she does at the start of each chapter of her latest book. Her invocation is aptly a liturgy for resisting empire. Armas focuses on the important of community as resistance because as she says, “friendship… is the death of empire.” It is in community where one finds new ways to resist and care for their neighbor. Empire insidiously convinces us to think in binary and Armas urges the listener to hold on to complexity in a world that often demands simplicity.Kat Armas (MDiv, MAT, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a Cuban American writer and podcaster and the recipient of Fuller Seminary's Frederick Buechner Award for Excellence in Writing. She is pursuing a ThM at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Armas is the author of three books, Abuelita Faith, Sacred Belonging, and Liturgies for Resisting Empire. She has written for Christianity Today, Sojourners, Relevant, Christians for Biblical Equality, Fuller Youth Institute, Fathom magazine, and Missio Alliance.Get Liturgies for Resisting Empire wherever you buy books (check Baker Books to see if it's still on sale there!). Follow Kat on socials @kat_armas. Check out Kat's Substack at katarmas.substack.comJoin the Found Family crew over on Substack and get your free copy of the Found Family Cheat Sheet! Support the show

In this episode of Talking Smack 415, Jamie the Great and I sit down with someone very special: Jamie's nephew… but also kind of her son… brother… all rolled into one — Shai Gilmore.Shai's story blends resilience, humor, and the fierce love that only family  can provide.He takes us back to when he was about 4 years old in Florida, where his Pop-Pop stepped in when life got complicated. Shai opens up about: Growing up with a mother in recovery Losing his father to a car accident Realizing, at just 4 years old, that “something wasn't right” Becoming everyone's favorite Green (sorry, Jamie) Navigating identity with a different last name High school chaos, college radio, and  pranks  What it felt like when he supported Jamie while she battled cancer It's sweet. It's funny. It's a little messy. And above all — it's a reminder that family is family is family.We're launching this episode for the holidays because Shai's name literally means “gift.” So here it is: the gift of Shai — his laughter, love, and light — for your holiday season.Whether you're in the Bay Area, Florida, New Jersey, or navigating your own family story, this episode is for you.Grab your earbuds or hop in the car and press play.  Share this episode with your friends and family who love to laugh. Subscribe to Talking Smack 415 and leave us a rating and review so more peeps can find us for laughter and friendship to feed your soul!

CW: abortionMary B is joined by Dr. Sara Moslener to discuss her new book After Purity: Race, Sex, and Religion in White Christian America. Moslener traces her journey from a high school defender of purity culture to a scholar with a nuanced understanding of how the myth of purity has helped mask elements of white supremacy as Christian values. She reflects on the power of myth as a storytelling tool that — depending on its intent — can yield positive or harmful results. Mary B relates this to the ways myths are being used by the most powerful in this country to attack trans folks. Moselener urges that although much of her research is from the point of view of white women, sexual purity must be considered in an intersectional way. Sara J. Moslener (she/her) is a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology, and Religion at Central Michigan University. She is the author of Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence and creator of the podcast Pure White: Sexual Purity and White Supremacy. She lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, with her best friend and soulmate, Gibson the Chug.You can get After Purity wherever you buy books. Follow Sara on Substack at afterpurity.substack.com. Join the Found Family crew over on Substack and get your free copy of the Found Family Cheat Sheet! Support the show