Podcasts about great midwest

Send us a textIn this episode, our stack of books is tied together with the common theme of If You Liked This... Then Read That.  And we're doing it memoir style!  For each memoir we have a  selection that we think is the perfect compliment. We're going to bring you several pairings and we hope that something will strike your fancy! Featured Books:Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold (LP) - The Favorites by Layne Fargo (LH)Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (LP) - Go To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten (LH)From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough (LP) - Colton Gentry's Third Act: A Novel by Jeff Zentner (LH)Additional Books That Go Along with Our Stack:If You Liked: Outofshapeworthlessloser and The Favorites...Then Read:Tessa and Scott: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold by Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir, Steve Milton and David PelletierFrom Lukov with Love by Mariana ZapataIf You Liked: Be Ready When the Luck Happens and Go To Dinners...Then Read:World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie WooleverKitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan StradalIf You Liked: From Here to the Great Unknown and Colton Gentry's Third Act...Then Read:Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones by Dolly PartonGrown by TIffany D. JacksonWays to contact us:Follow us on Instagram - @thebookbumbleFacebook:  Book BumbleOur website:  https://thebookbumble.buzzsprout.comEmail:  bookbumblepodcast@gmail.comHey Friends, please rate and review us!

Send us a textThis is the eighth in our series of episodes on D2 Lacrosse Conference Previews for the upcoming season. This week, Danny and I give a rundown on the state of play in the GMAC. This is a totally new look conference from a couple of years ago! Listen in and and hear the latest.If you like what we are doing, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and help us spread the word of the great things happening in D2 Men's Lacrosse!Follow us at: Instagram: @in_the_crease_d2_lax Facebook: In the Crease with Danny and Kevin Twitter: @D2_Lax_podcast

On this episode, Stephanie Majercik, a reader who reads widely, and I discuss our shared tricks for Book of the Month, why passing around books is great, and how her reading chair revolutionized her reading life. We also discuss her book club and the bookish names she has for her collection of house plants.    Read & Run Chicago - The Great Believers   Stephanie's Reading Chair   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner  Good Material by Dolly Alderton   Books Highlighted by Stephanie: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr  The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal  Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habcek The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson The Midnight Library by Matt Haig  People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate  Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain    All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie  Sleeping Murder: Miss Marple's Last Case by Agatha Christie  Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls  Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls  BFF: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found by Christie Tate  Lock Every Door by Riley Sager  The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough  The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes  The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

From 2016 - J. Ryan Stradel talks about his bestselling debut novel "Kitchens of the Great Midwest."

Danzy Senna has written a seriously funny and thought provoking book in Colored Television. It will make you laugh, but also make space for anger, pain and frustration as she skewers race, Hollywood, authentic voice, the publishing industry, the Kardashians, navel gazing, philosophy….you name it, there is satire in this book for everyone. Great writing and a great conversation with the author. We are also joined for our fourth writer in residence conversation with J. Ryan Stradal. He tells us why he is working so hard on the first draft of his new novel. Join us.  Books mentioned in this week's podcast: Colored Television by Danzy Senna Caucasia by Danzy Senna New People by Danzy Senna You are Free: Stories by Danzy Senna Where did you Sleep Last Night by Danzy Senna David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee Colours of the Mountain by Da Chen The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion Beloved by Tony Morrison The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Roxanna are discussing: Bookish Moments: meeting bookish friends IRL and getting fun bookish mail Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: fall books that aren't spooky, scary or academia 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) .  .  .  .  1:57 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 3:25 - Queen Books 7:21 - Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston 7:26 - Blackwell's UK 7:46 - The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues by Beth Lincoln 7:50 - The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln 8:04 - Silverborn by Jessica Townsend 8:21 - Heir by Sabaa Tahir 8:26 - Libro.fm 8:33 - Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 9:06 - City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty 10:00 - Our Current Reads 10:12 - Fellowship Point by Alice Eliott Dark (Roxanna) 15:07 - Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk by Kathleen Rooney 16:11 - The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (Kaytee) 21:14 - The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman (Roxanna) 22:49 - Where'd You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple 24:42 - The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (Kaytee) 24:50 - Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean 27:47 - Cold Blood Liar by Karen Rose 29:25 - Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis (Roxanna) 31:02 - Lord of the Flies by William Golding 31:03 - Animal Farm by George Orwell 34:14 - A Short Walk Through A Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke (Kaytee) 34:20 - Commonplace Books 36:09 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab 36:49 - Currently Reading Patreon 38:55 - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo 40:17 - Fall Books That Are Not Spooky 41:24 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 42:58 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 43:28 - September by Rosamunde Pilcher 44:10 - Still Life by Louise Penny 44:54 - First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen (Amazon link) 45:08 - Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman 45:38 - Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout 46:06 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 46:08 - The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory 46:12 - Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 46:30 - Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon 47:22 - The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith 48:03 - The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons (Amazon link) 48:31 - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 49:07 - Search by Michelle Huneven 49:45 - House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister 50:19 - The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal 50:33 - Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal 50:40 - Go as a River by Shelley Read 50:56 - Stardust by Neil Gaiman 51:02 - The Princess Bride by William Goldman 51:57 - Shady Hollow by Juneau Black 52:05 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett 52:31 - The Guide by Peter Heller 52:41 - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 53:20 - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 53:36 - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstein 54:14 - Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier 55:41 - Meet Us At The Fountain 57:15 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 57:22 - I wish you would consider re-reading books that bring you joy. (Roxanna) 58:03 - I wish to always have an “in case of emergency” book. (Kaytee) 58:17 - The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst 58:57 - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree 58:58 - A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers 59:00 - Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy 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. October's IPL comes to us from our anchor store, The Novel Neighbor! Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry 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 Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans 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!

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from J. Ryan Stradal, the bestselling author of three novels, all set in Minnesota: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club.  Through a not-so-rapid-fire speed round, J. Ryan tells host Rachel Belle about his favorite Minnesota State Fair food, what the J. in his name stands for, and why you really need to open that bottle of wine you're forever saving for a special occasion.  And we'll explore the history behind a Midwestern fried-food debate: corn dog vs Pronto Pup! What's the difference? Listen and find out!  Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel Belle's new cookbook, Open Sesame: 45 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Tahini & All Things Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York Times bestselling novelist J. Ryan Stradel tells host Rachel Belle it was “totally weird to be a teenage foodie in the 1990s.” He couldn't wait to get his driver's license so he could drive into the Twin Cities and eat at restaurants serving mysterious, flavorful, global food — a complete contrast to the bland dishes his parents cooked at home. Food plays a role in all three of Stradal's novels, all set in his home state of Minnesota: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club — supper clubs being a uniquely Midwestern throwback institution. Rachel chats with the owners of two multigenerational supper clubs, Lehman's and Ettlin's Ranchero, about what sets them apart from other restaurants. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our third check in with J. Ryan Stradal, author extraordinaire and our writer in residence. He has begun to write in earnest, and has lots to tell us about his progress. We are loving these conversations with J., and every time we learn something new. For our bookstore we talk to Next Chapter Booksellers in St. Paul, J. Ryan's homeland. Join us. Books mentioned in this week's episode: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn For The Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspiration, and Recipes by Klancy Miller The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a double whammy of extreme talent. First, we have George Stephanopoulos, giving us history through the perspective of one of the most mysterious and powerful rooms in the White House: The Situation Room. It's the title of his new book...and it's an illuminating read. Second, the great J. Ryan Stradal and our second installment of the Writer in Residence series. He says he is doing a lot of writing these days...and he knows most of it won't make it in the book. You don't want to miss this week's Book Case. Books mentioned in this week's episode: The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis by George Stephanopoulos All Too Human: A Political Education by George Stephanopoulos Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Think Twice by Harlan Coben I Will Find You by Harlan Coben Table for Two by Amor Towles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Second Look, our Growing Place Library staff member, Merrill Skipworth, along with 2PC members, Jennifer Wilson and Lacey Moody, sit down for the sixth annual book talk! The list below features books recommended and mentioned in this episode. Middle Grade:Clara Poole and the Long Way Round by Taylor Tyng21 Balloons by William Pene de BoisWish Tree by Katherine ApplegateKey Player by Kelly Yang (Series) Hummingbird by Natalie LloydThe Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt Young Adult Fiction:American Royals by Katharine McGee (Series)The Royal We by Heather CocksPride by Ibi ZoboiThe Do Over by Lynn PainterUnequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston Rom-Com:Romantic Comedy by Curtis SittenfeldMeet Me in the Margins by Melissa FergusonMoorewood Family Rules by HelenKay DimonThe Good Part by Sophie Cousens Memoir:Finding Me by Viola DavisHow to Stay Married by Harrison Scott KeyAll My Knotted-Up Life by Beth MooreTaste by Stanley TucciYou’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin Non-fiction:The Anthropocene Reviewed by John GreenGood Apple by Elizabeth Passarella Historical Fiction: The Women by Kristen HannahKindred by Octavia E. ButlerThe Dictionary of Lost Words by Philippa WilliamsThe Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’FarrellDemon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Science Fiction:The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis General Fiction: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark DunnCassandra in Reverse by Holly SmaleHow Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie CruzRemarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltMrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia FordKitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan StradalSummer Stage by Meg Mitchell MooreCharm City Rocks by Matthew NormanTalking at Night by Claire DaverleyThe Last Love Note by Emma Grey Thriller/Mystery:Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllisterThe Fury by Alex MichaelidesThe Twyford Code by Janice HallettEveryone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin StevensonGoing Zero by Anthony McCarten Spiritual Growth:Mostly What God Does by Savannah GuthrieReal by Catherine ParksMade to Belong by David KimMade for People by Justin Whittle Earley See Christian Book Recommendations from Staff

THE WRITER IN RESIDENCE SHOW! We kick off our new series, Writer in Residence, with our resident writer, J. Ryan Stradal. A great writer, a national bestseller, and a friend of Kate's for almost thirty years, J. Ryan is going to give The Book Case a front row seat from page one to publication. Join us as he walks us through what he does to get started, and his thoughts on how the book might proceed. What does he do to get past self doubt to be the best writer he can be? He joins us once a month for about fifteen minutes to talk us through every phase. This, our first episode, he gets the whole episode. Enjoy! Books mentioned in this week's episode: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King Working by Robert A. Caro The World According to Garp by John Irving Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro Adventures in Screen Trade by William Goldman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, sandhill cranes are a common sight–and sound!–in Madison and throughout the state of Wisconsin. This wasn't always the case: by the 1930s, they had nearly disappeared from the state, and their return since is a famous conservation success story. In November 2023, hosts Britta Wellenstein and Brynne Hill headed to the Great Midwest Crane Festival to learn about cranes' journey–both their migration and how their populations have rebounded so spectacularly. The Great Midwest Crane Festival is hosted by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and the International Crane Foundation. Listen in as we explore the festival, talk to experts about crane conservation, and see some cranes ourselves. 

Episode 134 February 15,  2024 On the Needles 0.48 ALL KNITTING LINKS GO TO RAVELRY UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.  Please visit our Instagram page @craftcookreadrepeat for non-Rav photos and info     Cortney's knit! Mondo Cable Cardi by Bonnie Marie Burns in Madeline Tosh Chunky in Thunderstorm. DONE DONE DONE!!! Joyful sweater finishing Roam by Dawn Barker, Rainbow Peak Yarns super sock in Luminosity II (Lula Faye Fibre)    ADVENTuresome Wrap by Ambah O'Brien, Canon Hand Dyes Victorian Gothic Advent set   Weather or Knot Scarf by Scott Rohr, HolstGarn Coast in Butterfly, Black, Charcoal, Silver Grey, Wisteria, Freesia, Passion Flower   OMG heel socks by Megan Williams, Schachenmayr Regia Pairfect Nordland in 6819 Ilha by Orlane Sucche, SugarPlum Circus sock in Scorpio   Bikey Beanie by Andrea Rangel, Knit Picks Swish DK in dove heather and black – DONE! AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary KnitOvation Stitch Dictionary         On the Easel 13:30 Quarter 1 project Field Guide project–keep an eye here for updates. Cortney's next sweater? On the Table 20:30 IN THE ROTATION: French Onion Turkey Burgers crispy potatoes with mushrooms – smitten kitchen   Creamy cauliflower from Vegetable Kingdom   Ditto on the Smitten crispy potatoes with mushrooms – smitten kitchen White Beans ala Delfina Restaurant with Royal Corona White Bean from Rancho Gordo Shrimp “My Way” from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything (I absolutely peel the shrimp for this entree).   On the Nightstand 32:26 We are now a Bookshop.org affiliate!  You can visit our shop to find books we've talked about or click on the links below.  The books are supplied by local independent bookstores and a percentage goes to us at no cost to you!   V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton (audio) Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha (mercenary librarians #1) Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher (audio) Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson (audio) Weather by Jenny Offill  The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins    The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal The Butcher's Daughter by Victoria Glendinning

In this episode, our stack of books is tied together with two bows.  We are featuring spectacular authors and celebrating the beautiful craft that is their writing. We will also share a Book in Hand. What goes well with a great book?  Why, another book by the same author of course! Featured Books:Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young (LH)The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (LP)The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella (LH AND LP)A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella (LH AND LP)A Little Hope by Ethan Joella  (LH AND LP)Book in HandSaturday Night At The Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (LP)Other Books Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen OakleyKitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan StradalThe Fable Series by Adrienne YoungThe Sea and Sky Duology by Adrienne YoungWays to contact us:Follow us on Instagram - @thebookbumbleFacebook:  Book BumbleOur website:  https://thebookbumble.buzzsprout.comEmail:  bookbumblepodcast@gmail.comHey Friends, please rate and review us!

The Kentucky Wesleyan Women's Basketball team (13-4, GMAC 8-3) secured another Great Midwest win at the Sportscenter today, as they defeated Walsh (5-12, GMAC 3-8) 69-52. The Panthers dominated the paint, scoring 42 of their 61 points inside.

Happy New Year! The first episode of the year is a truly terrific mystery. Entertaining in the extreme, this is a whodunnit that breaks the mold. Ashley Elston, its author, has written plenty of quality YA titles, but First Lie Wins is her first adult mystery. In this game of cat and mouse, the reader is constantly asking which character is telling the truth….and we never figured it out. A great start to the new year, this book invites you to just relax and enjoy the ride. We sure did. We are taking next week off…but please come back the week after when we talk to author Kaveh Akbar, who has authored the intriguing and funny novel, Martyr! Books mentioned in this week's episode: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston This is Our Story by Ashley Elston Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier The Trackers by Charles Frazier Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Books this month: Kaya, by Craig Wes; Mouse Guard, by David Petersen; The Compleat Moonshadow, by Jean Marc DeMatteis; Marlfox, by Brian Jacques; Kitchens of the Great Midwest, by J. Ryan Stradal; Wool, by Hugh Howey; Demolition Angel, by Robert Crais; The Hunter, by Jennifer Herrera; The Great Transition, by Nick Fuller Googins; "Mall of America" by Susanne Wang; 33 1/3 Aja, by Don Breithaupt; 33 1/3 Come Away with ESG, by Sherry Percy; It Never Ends, by Tom Sharpling; Endzone, by Don DeLillo.

Today, our stack of books is tied together with the common theme of being Backlist Beauties. Little gems that you can get your hands on immediately.  We will also share our Books in Hand. Let's see what we've been missing!Featured Books:The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal LPThe Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White LHBooks In Hands:The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer LPThe Southern Book Club Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix LHAdditional Books That Go Along With Our Theme:The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica BauermeisterThe Accidental Empress by Allison PatakiStill Life by Louise PennyThe Indigo Girl by Natasha BoydOther Books Mentioned In This Episode:The Final Girl Support Group, How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady HendrixThe Lost Summers of Newport, All the Ways We Say Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen WhiteKitchens of the Great Midwest, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan StradalNancy Drew Series by Caroline KeeneWays to contact us:Follow us on Instagram - @thebookbumbleFacebook:  Book BumbleOur website:  https://thebookbumble.buzzsprout.comEmail:  bookbumblepodcast@gmail.comHey Friends, please rate and review us!

Meet best-selling author and Minnesota native J. Ryan Stradal.  J. Ryan and Capri discuss the importance of finding Midwestern themes in fiction and how food is used as a compelling storyteller in the author's last three books: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, Lager Queen of Minnesota and  his latest novel, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Eat Your Heartland Out by becoming a member!Eat Your Heartland Out is Powered by Simplecast.

J. Ryan Stradal is the author of New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota. His debut won the American Booksellers Association Indie's Choice Award for Adult Debut Book of the Year, and the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award for the year's top novel. The Lager Queen of Minnesota won the WILLA Literary Award and was a finalist for the Heartland Booksellers Award. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Granta, The Rumpus, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other places. His third and newest novel is Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. Born and raised in Minnesota, he now lives in California with his family. There are few public settings more unique to the northern Midwest than the supper club, and J. Ryan Stradal's new novel, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, is his love letter to them and to the people who made them their home away from home. In this colorful, vanishing world of relish trays and brandy Old Fashioneds, filled with honest, lovable yet fallible Midwestern characters, two restaurant families over three generations grapple with love, loss, and marriage, and what our legacy will be when we are gone.

We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have.  This week we are celebrating our 100th episode! To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.   Literally Reading: Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson (Traci) My Murder by Katie Williams (Ellie) Crack the Book Open: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Mary Oliver  Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal  American Girl Doll Books Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary  Charlotte's Web by E.B. White Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh  Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl  Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott  The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan  The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn The Knockoff by Jo Piazza and Lucy Sykes  A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas Jane Austen  Elizabeth Strout  Amor Towles  Ann Napolitano  Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Maria Giordano   Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann Rules of Civility by Amor Towles Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng  Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling  Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano   

Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I revisit the 12 books released in April and May featured in the Spring 2023 Book Preview.  We give updates on our reading stats, share our thoughts on the books we've read or attempted, and offer recommendations on which ones deserve a spot on your reading list and which ones you might want to skip. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I'm once again offering Superstars Patrons ($7/mo) exclusive access to Summer Shelves, featuring even more recommendations for the season. Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from 17 former podcast guests, our team members, and — for the first time — 20+ Superstars patrons! The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and you'll receive it in a PDF file format via Patreon. If you'd like to get the Summer Shelves companion guide, you can sign up to be a Superstars patron here. You'll also get access to a monthly bonus podcast series called Double Booked (where Catherine or Susie and I share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show) and my Rock Your Reading Tracker. Highlights Catherine and Sarah share their Spring 2023 reading stats and success rates. How these stats compare to springs of previous years. Even more book talk, since Catherine has read several of Sarah's picks, too! Sarah shares something that's never happened before on the podcast! Plus, they name their best and worst books from the Spring 2023 Book Preview. Books Read Before the Preview [6:03] Sarah's Picks: Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:31] Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:16]  Other Books Mentioned: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [7:37] Spring 2023 Circle Back [13:27] April Sarah's Picks: The One by Julia Argy (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:03] The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants by Orlando Ortega-Medina (April 18) | Amazon| Bookshop.org [25:43] If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[32:55] Catherine's Picks: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:31] The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[22:57]  Searching for Savanna by Mona Gable (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:14]  Other Books Mentioned: Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal [16:22] The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal [16:28] May Sarah's Picks: The Marriage Act by John Marrs (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:16] Catherine's Picks: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:39] Dances by Nicole Cuffy (May 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:03] The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (May 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:14]  Other Books Mentioned: The One by John Marrs [44:35]  The Passengers by John Marrs [46:32] The Guncle by Steven Rowley [53:21] The Editor by Steven Rowley [53:42]

Looking to pick up a book this summer? In this podcast - Murder Book by Thomas Perry, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture by Tom Hanks, The Wager by David Grann, Dedication by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus and Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J Ryan Stradal.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

J. Ryan Stradal is the author of New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota but somehow his latest novel Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, might just be his most midwestern book yet. He tells the stories of generations of a family-run diner, what it means to the community, and the stress it brings the people who run it. In this conversation, we discuss food at-large, what a supper club is, our respective midwestern upbringing and so much more. Enjoyed this episode? Be sure to rate and review us on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts and send your feedback to passionsandprologues@gmail.com. If you email us proof of your review, Adam will send you a personalized book recommendation via email! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author, J. Ryan Stradal, spoke to me about the unsurpassed passive aggressiveness of Midwesterners, writing about the restaurant industry during the pandemic, and his latest novel SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE LAKESIDE SUPPER CLUB. J. Ryan Stradal is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota, named one of the year's best books by NPR, USA Today, Booklist, and many others. His latest novel is Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, described as “... a sharp and poignant tale of a couple from two different restaurant families in rural Minnesota – one has inherited her grandparents' old-fashioned supper club, and the other is heir to a chain of homestyle diners (known for putting those supper clubs out of business).” The book was named An Amazon Best Book of April 2023. New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay said of the novel, “This is a perfect book.” And in a starred review, Kirkus called it, “A loving ode to supper clubs, the Midwest, and the people there who try their best to make life worth living.” J. Ryan Stradal has also worked extensively in TV, story editing and producing shows for VH-1, MTV, ABC, FOX, TLC, A&E, Discovery, and History. Working primarily for Original Productions from 2008 to 2014, he was the senior story producer on “Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers” and a supervising producer on "Storage Wars," and “Storage Wars: Texas.” [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file, J. Ryan Stradal and I discussed:  What it was like during the sunset of the halcyon days at MTV and VH1 Producing a popular reality TV show in the Canadian Arctic How he wrote a novel in the margins of editing Storage Wars  The unique dining experience of a Midwestern supper club Why writers need to ditch perfection And a lot more! Show Notes: jryanstradal.com Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (Amazon) J. Ryan Stradal Amazon Author Page J. Ryan Stradal on Instagram J. Ryan Stradal on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We spoke with NY Times Bestselling author J. Ryan Stradal (Kitchens of the Great Midwest) about his 3rd novel, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club.  http://www.jryanstradal.com/

AViD Author J. Ryan Stradal joins host Aaron Gernes on the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast. Stradal will be at the Central Library on Monday, May 1, at 7 PM for the program. During the podcast, Stradal talks about what he misses about the midwest, the Succession-esque struggles of family business, and how the first chapter in Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club was inspired by emotional events that occurred in his own life. Show Notes AViD Presents: J. Ryan Stradal J. Ryan's Books Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club (2023) The Lager Queen of Minnesota (2019) Kitchens of the Great Midwest (2015) J. Ryan's Suggestions: The Overstory, by Richard Powers They're Going to Love You, by Meg Howrey The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships, by Ali Bryan  

It's one of the best feelings a reader can have: that feeling of finding a book that you just can't put down. We're discussing some of our favorites and we'll end with what we're reading this week.   Books and other media mentioned in this episode: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (buy from Bookshop) Ann's picks: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (buy from Bookshop) – The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (buy from Bookshop) Monster by Walter Dean Myers (buy from Bookshop) – Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature – Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (buy from Bookshop) And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (buy from Bookshop) – Clue (film) – And Then There Were None (TV) – And Then There Were None (film) Halle's picks: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney (buy from Bookshop) Until You by Judith McNaught (buy from Bookshop) – A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux (buy from Bookshop) – Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught (buy from Bookshop) River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer (buy from Bookshop) What We're Reading This Week: Ann: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (buy from Bookshop) – @maryreadsandsips (Instagram) Halle: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (buy from Bookshop) – Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (buy from Bookshop) – The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal (buy from Bookshop) Well-Read on Facebook Well-Read on Bookshop Well-Read on Instagram

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal and A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher. Then Mel shares her excitement about an unfinished Brontë novel that got finished. LINKS Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher J. Ryan Stradal's website, Instagram, and Twitter The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland Our podcast episode Hotels: The Liminal Space with M&Ms in the Mini-Bar Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Emma Brown: A Novel From the Unfinished Manuscript by Emma Boylan & Charlotte Brontë Wikipedia entry: Emma Brown The New York Times' review of Emma Brown by Emma Boylan Librivox recording of the Emma fragment (Pro tip: skip the Preface and go directly to Chapter 1.) Emma Brown by Clare Boylan on Internet Archive Transcript of this episode The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can find us at: Our site Instagram Facebook Twitter Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you aren't seeing the world through the eyes of J. Ryan Stradal's fiction, you are missing out on something truly special. He writes largely about the Midwest, specifically the state of Minnesota as well as food and drink. That may sound limiting, but his talent is without limit and he fills his pages with themes of family and shared humanity. His newest is Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. It is the most personal journey he has ever taken. Take the ride with him, you won't be sorry. Our bookstore this week is Comma, a bookshop, (yes, both the word and the punctuation mark) a new bookstore in the Twin Cities that anyone who lives there should line up to visit. Books mentioned in the podcast: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal The World According to Garp by John Irving Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott The Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks

J. Ryan Stradal is the bestselling author of the novel Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, available from Viking / Pamela Dorman Books. Stradal is the author of New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Granta, The Rumpus, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. His debut, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, won the American Booksellers Association Indies Choice Award for Adult Debut Book of the Year. Born and raised in Minnesota, he now lives in California with his family. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Launched in 2011. Books. Literature. Writing. Publishing. Authors. Screenwriters. Etc. Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, etc. Subscribe to Brad Listi's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch @otherppl Instagram  YouTube TikTok Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Mid-Season Premiere Episode of Season 2! After 3 weeks of recovery from Nashville we are BACK! We have an amazing show for you with 3 fantastic interviews. Here's the run down: -Nashbash -Iowa High School Selects Boys Try Out April 23rd in Bondurant -NCR Open Letter -Collegiate Rugby Championships on April 28-30 in Washington DC -UNI Women, ISU Women, Iowa Women, Aquinas Women, Wayne State Men are all qualified -UNI Men Competing in the Great Midwest 7s Tournament for a chance at the CRC -Iowa State Men Compete in the USA Rugby D1AA Final 4 this Saturday (Link on Social Media) -Iowa State Men Head Coach Ant Frein Interview -MLR Update -Chicago Hounds and Des Moines Rugby John Cullen Interview -MLR Standings -USA Hawks Trace Bolstad Interview -IAYRA Boys Standings Through 2 Weeks -Premier Rugby 7s on TV -All Iowa Update -Iowa Rugby Hall of Fame

Welcome to the Spring 2023 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our 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!). Announcement I've got BIG NEWS!  If you've been interested in joining our Patreon Community, but have yet to sign up — a 30-day free trial starts today!  This is for new patrons only and sign-up continues for the next 7 days.  Hurry and check out my Patreon page for more information! One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here! Highlights We have some debut authors and a few sophomore novels — one 14 years in the making! Catherine's picks are still leaning more literary, including getting herself into a 700+ page book! Sarah's spring has a variety of genres and micro genres. Two books Sarah has already read and loved from spring selections. Plus, their #1 picks for spring. Spring 2023 Book Preview [5:19] April Sarah's Picks: The One by Julia Argy (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:01] Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:00] The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants by Orlando Ortega-Medina (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:08] If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:00] Catherine's Picks: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:43] The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:48]  Searching for Savanna by Mona Gable (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:08]  May Sarah's Picks: Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:35]  The Marriage Act by John Marrs (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:22] Catherine's Picks: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:52] Dances by Nicole Cuffy (May 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:56] The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (May 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:16]  Other Books Mentioned The One by John Marrs [8:32]  One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London [10:17] The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun [10:27] Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal [10:59] The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal [12:52] The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [14:32] The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris [21:46] All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay [22:17] Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann [25:25] Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [27:14] This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper [28:14] Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese [30:59] A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara [31:48] Watergate by Garrett M. Graff [31:58] Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner [34:23] The Passengers by John Marrs [41:19] Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell [43:17] The Guncle by Steven Rowley [46:18] The Editor by Steven Rowley [46:32]

Margery:  Watch: Ted Lasso on Apple +Read: Peter and Wendy  J.M. Barriehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34268.Peter_PanListen: Me Talk Pretty One Day David Sedaris https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/4137.Me_Talk_Pretty_One_DayElizabeth:Watch: Daisy Jones and The Six on Amazon PrimeRead: Kitchens of The Great Midwest https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24821580-kitchens-of-the-great-midwestLocal bookstore audiobook website – https://libro.fm/Listen: Wise Traditions podcast from the Weston A Price Foundationhttps://www.westonaprice.org/#gsc.tab=0Best to the Nest is our podcast all about creating strong, comfortable, beautiful nests that prepare us to fly.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Margery:   Watch: Ted Lasso on Apple + Read: Peter and Wendy  J.M. Barrie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34268.Peter_Pan Listen: Me Talk Pretty One Day David Sedaris  https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/4137.Me_Talk_Pretty_One_Day Elizabeth: Watch: Daisy Jones and The Six on Amazon Prime Read: Kitchens of The Great Midwest  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24821580-kitchens-of-the-great-midwest Local bookstore audiobook website – https://libro.fm/ Listen: Wise Traditions podcast from the Weston A Price Foundation https://www.westonaprice.org/#gsc.tab=0 Best to the Nest is our podcast all about creating strong, comfortable, beautiful nests that prepare us to fly. 

If you enjoy food, hear about some novels and other non-cookbooks that feature food. Cheryl McKeon of the Book House suggests the following reads: "Eight Hundred Grapes" (Dave, 2015); "Breaking Bread: Essays from New England on Food, Hunger, and Family" (Spark & Corey, eds, 2022); "Chocolat: A Novel" (Harris, 2000); "Delicious: A Novel" (Reichl, 2015); "Heartburn" (Ephron, 1996); "Love and Saffron" (Fay, 2022); "Kitchens of the Great Midwest" (Stradal, 2015); "The Lager Queen of Minnesota" (Stradal, 2019); "Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club" (Stradal, 2023); "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" (Tyler, 1982); "The Sisters of Summit Avenue" (Cullen, 2019); and "Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" (Bender, 2010). For details, visit the Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza, or look online at www.bhny.com. Produced by Brea Barthel for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Listen till the end to hear another side of Little Saint Vic... On this month's episode, host Victoria Horn answers listener requests for personalized book recommendations, shares Odell happenings, highlights the December book order, and reads her original poem, "Portrait of Christmas Eve." Parody of "Little Saint Nick" by the Beach Boys: written, performed, and produced by Victoria Horn Victoria's poetry Instagram Odell Public Library website Odell Kids' Area Amazon Wishlist Books mentioned: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney One by One and The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette The King of Infinite Space by Lindsay Faye Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang Where the Road Bends by Rachel Fordham Claiming Her Legacy by Linda Goodnight The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal The Island of Missing Trees by Elik Shafak A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrows The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna Pig and Fox series by Jonathan Fenske Archie and Reddie series by Candy James Narwhal and Jelly series by Ben Clanton Jack Book series by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli Norma and Belly series by Mika Song Sydney and Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World by Jacqueline Davies and Deborah Hocking The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins The Terminal List by Jack Carr The Force and City on Fire by Don Winslow Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson Matrix by Lauren Groff Life is Meals by James and Kay Salter The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson The Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris Father Brown series by G.K. Chesterton Kurland St. Mary Mystery series by Catherine Lloyd Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny Holiday/winter poems: “White-Eyes” and “The Storm” by Mary Oliver “December 26” by Kenn Nesbitt “Christmas Tree Lots” by Chris Green “Taking Down the Tree” by Jane Kenyon “Chicago and December” by W.S. Di Piero “Christmas Mail” by Ted Kooser "Portrait of Christmas Eve" by Victoria Horn

Wisconsin crane populations have recovered dramatically from what they once were. We talk about a festival celebrating how far conservationists have come and the work left ahead.

In today's episode, Jason and Neal discuss the idea of kicking off a new show!  They discuss why they want to start a Technology & Leadership podcast, primarily focused on the Great Midwest.   They also share the types of topics in the crosshairs, potential formats, and the outcomes they intend to create.  Ultimately they both agree this show needs to be unapologetically Technical, and intentionally Real.  Welcome to Real. Technical. Midwest.Support the show

J. Ryan Stradal is one of America's finest young authors. His two novels have been out for some time - both highly acclaimed. Another is releasing next year. “Kitchens of the Great Midwest” was his first with “The Lager Queen of Minnesota” following four years later. Publishers conducted a bidding war for ‘Kitchens' - how rare is that for a first work? And it's been translated into more than a dozen languages. You can argue over which is the better of the two and we have. Both are excellent. Kate likes ‘Kitchens'. Charlie is partial to “Lager Queen”. While these titles may make them sound like food books, they aren't. For J. Ryan food serves as a way of explaining different aspects of humanity, largely around themes of forgiveness. J. Ryan and Kate have been good friends since their college days (we're talking the ‘90s here folks) and she says she loves to listen to him talk. And laugh. You will too.   Since J. Ryan's books have a Midwest setting and flavor we've paired him with Ann Woodbeck, one of the owners of Excelsior Bay Books to be found in Excelsior Bay Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. Books mentioned in this episode: Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal Elsewhere, California by Dana Johnson Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brian Goodnight Loon by Abe Sauer Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping by Matthew Salesses Shoulder Season: A Novel by Christina Clancy Four Dead Horses by K. T. Sparks Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub This is Happiness by Niall Williams The Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Anna Quindlen can write pretty much anything – years of insightful columns for the “New York Times,” wonderful fiction as evidenced by nine widely-read novels, and non-fiction as well. The latest is her plea for all of us to write. “Write for Your Life” is the book. It's a small volume but it's message belies its size. Anna Quindlen wants us writing for future grandchildren and great-grandchildren, for our current loved ones, and even for ourselves. Write letters, keep journals, record your own life history – it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be personal. She asks her readers: If you could have one piece of writing from someone in your life who's gone, who would that be? When you answer that, you'll know why writing is so important. As you write, she argues, it may even bring greater clarity about your own problems and thoughts. After our conversation with Anna, stay for Sharon Davis of Book Bound Bookstore in Blairsville, Georgia, population 616. Talk about an act of faith! Opening a tiny town independent bookstore. Talking to Sharon was at the suggestion of one of our listeners, and we appreciate it.  Books Mentioned: Write for Your Life by Anna Quindlen Alternate Side by Anna Quindlen The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Pioneer Women: The Lives of Women on the Frontier by Linda Peavy Object Lessons by Anna Quindlen The Holy Bible A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting by Anna Quindlen Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury  One Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni The Gilded Wolves by Roshai Choksi The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

On this episode, We Pull Back the Curtain on the Best Midwest Road Trip Spots and much much more!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/pulling-back-the-curtain-podcast/donations

THROWBACK!!! Before a bunch of great book talk, we're sharing our best weird date stories

Youth Specialists Monica and Deni join the podcast to talk about CareerRise (part of Larimer County Economic & Workforce Development), which offers resources and opportunities for young adults seeking employment and job search assistance. www.larimer.org/ewd/young-adults CareerRise number: 970-498-6608 Books Mentioned: Blood Brothers, by Rand Roberts: https://loveland.flatironslibrary.org/GroupedWork/34ba5e51-c38a-9658-fb93-b8bbbe7a2ec2/Home?searchId=31487580&recordIndex=2&page=1&searchSource=local Kitchens of the Great Midwest, by Ryan Stradal: https://loveland.flatironslibrary.org/GroupedWork/56dfeddf-35a1-af59-0969-5dae7a345687/Home?searchId=31487688&recordIndex=1&page=1&searchSource=local The Starless Sea, by Erin Morgenstern: https://loveland.flatironslibrary.org/GroupedWork/ea626aab-8337-593b-81c8-fb236ac309a9/Home?searchId=31487757&recordIndex=1&page=1&searchSource=local  

In this mini episode, Traci and Ellie each share a backlist book to add to your TBR.  Check out all of our book recommendations at our shop.   Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal  (Traci) Limelight by Amy Poeppel (Ellie)

Of all the job-related superlatives that can precede one's name, “New York Times Bestselling Author” has to be right up there with the best of them. (Maybe right behind “United States Ambassador to Fiji” and “TGI Fridays Employee of the Month”.) And it's one our guest this week, J Ryan Stradal, has been hearing ever since his debut novel, Kitchens of the Great Midwest hit the NY Times bestseller list in 2015. That was soon followed by the national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota in 2019, and we catch him just as he has put the finishing touches on the manuscript for his third novel. We chat with J Ryan about his process as a writer, the numerous driver's tests he failed as a teenager, and what a “good day” looks like for someone who's done nothing but write fiction for 12 hours. We also talk a bit about some of the financial realities of being a writer and he delivers one of the best lines anyone has ever said on the podcast: “Trust me, there is nothing the world needs less than your novel.” It's a warm and wide-ranging conversation with the writer of warm and whimsical books. Give it a listen! And then of course…get #BackToWork. J Ryan's WebsiteJ Ryan on TwitterKitchens of the Great MidwestThe Lager Queen of MinnesotaJ Ryan's Recommended Summer Reading: Shoulder Season (by Christian Clancy)Four Dead Horses (by KT Sparks) The Music of Bees (by Eileen Garvin) 

Has anyone else felt a shift in how they are finding community or making friends during this crazy season of COVID? Today, I am chatting with my friend Karen who I actually met during COVID through an online book club. We had a great conversation about the adjustments that we have been forced to make as all of our lives have changed in this last year. Making friends and even nurturing the current friendships that we have has become a lot more difficult than it was during life pre-COVID. Today Karen shares with us how she has adjusted to those changes, what she is doing to find that connection even as an introvert, how she is leaning into this new season of friendships, and more! It was such a joy talking to Karen, especially because she is a fellow book lover. Stay until the end to hear what our current reads are, what we have on our “to be read” lists, and some great recommendations of books we have already read.   Things We Discussed In The Episode/Episode Highlights: How to start fresh in a new community Different activities to do while learning a new town How conversations and casual friendships have changed since COVID How leisure time has changed during COVID A fun discussion on books! Important Links/Connect/Guest Contact Info:  Get 10% off your Jeanie Clip order with the code KARLA10 Subscribe to our weekly email HERE Find out more at thecommonswithkarla.com IG: @thecommonswithkarla The Washington Post RJ Julia Bookstore in Madison, CT Karen Funfgeld email Shows/Movies: Ozark Succession The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel The Godfather The West Wing Mad Men Books Mentioned: Personal History by Kathryn Graham The Push: A Novel by Ashley Audrain Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Four Hundred Souls: A Community History by Ibram X. Kendi The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Today we go back to environmentalist, Steve Savage's roots (pun intended) as we explore the windows that were opened for Steve to form Eco-Products and 1908 Brands. Steve grew up with a lifelong passion for the environment that sprouted when recycling at a young age with his dad. That passion truly blossomed on a life-changing 14er hike (mountain peak exceeding 14,000 feet) where Steve realized the wondrous beauty of nature and vowed to protect it.  Even so, Steve's path wasn't always as clear as you'd think. It was a winding road of competitive tennis, international finance, and a couple of trips to Russia that finally brought Steve back to helping his dad with Eco-Products, a company that sold all kinds of environmental products from building materials to janitorial supplies. Join us as we discover how both Eco-Products and 1908 Brands identified their windows of opportunity and entered them head-on to find success in the wake of the 2008 recession and a pandemic, respectively. And afterward, let's reflect. What does your window look like? In this episode, you'll learn: The story of 1908 Brands and its heritage of environmental responsibility, including Steve Savage's great-great-uncle, William Kent's donation of what was later known as the Muir Woods National Monument The environmental comparison of US homes to European homes and how 1908 Brands pledges to change that Steve's move from Chicago to Boulder when he was 12 years old and why he loved it How Steve's experience hiking the Chicago Basin 14ers at 14 years old transcended his appreciation for the outdoors and helped him realize his calling to become an environmentalist Steve's change of heart from playing tennis for the University of Kansas to studying Russian for a corporate future in international finance  There are three arrows in a recycling loop. In 1990, Steve and his dad sought to fulfill the third arrow with Eco-Products by taking remanufactured recycled products back into the market. The beginnings of Steve and his dad building Eco-products and its steady growth year by year through visits to schools, churches, and greek life Why a new resin on the market called polylactic acid in 2006 became a turning point for Eco-Products The proverbial rocketship path of how Eco-Products went from being “not-so-sexy” to financially booming during the 2008 recession Pactiv's vicious strategy to knock out Eco-Products as a competitor and how that led to selling the company to Waddington North America in 2012 Steve's drive to keep Boulder Clean alive by having his hands in “another cookie jar”, aka 1908 Brands The “window” of the pandemic allowing for 1908 Brands to flourish through their plant-based disinfectant, which is EPA registered effective against SARS-CoV-2 Resources 1908 Brands 1908 Brands Instagram 1908 Brands LinkedIn 1908 Brands Facebook Steve Savage's LinkedIn Steve Savage's Instagram Steve Savage's Facebook Boulder Clean Plant-Based Disinfectant Quotes [10:17] That is how I was brought up, is recycling. For me to put a can in a trash can is like, the strangest thing in the world. It just doesn't go there. [13:10] The sidewalk in the sky drops about 2000 feet on both sides, there's a cross breeze…And really, the power of that situation is really what kind of changed my life. Ever since then, I've been an environmentalist. [34:07] I was selling environmental products. I felt like I was making a difference. But from a personal and financial perspective, there was doubt, but I would have to say once that window opened, and we jumped through, I mean, it was crazy how that took off.  Podcast Transcript Steve Savage 0:02 We were a small not so sexy business for 16 years. I mean, there's a lot, you know, I wasn't paying myself a lot, you know, there's a lot of doubt and, you know, where's this going? And, you know, should I be doing this? Am I ever going to provide for my family like I want to? So yeah, I've been tell then there was a lot of doubt. And, you know, I liked what I was doing. I was selling environmental products. I was, you know, I felt like I was making a difference, but from a personal and financial perspective. Now, there was doubt, but I would have to say once that window open and we jumped through. I mean, it was crazy. How that took off. Marc Gutman 0:46 Podcasting from Boulder, Colorado. This is the baby got backstory podcast. we dive into the story behind the story of today's most inspiring storytellers, creators and entrepreneurs. I like big backstory. And I cannot lie. I am your host, Marc Gutman, Marc Gutman, today's episode of Baby Got Back story. How a kid from Chicago moved to Boulder, Colorado, and built an eco Empire built on the backbone of compostable disposable cups. All right. All right. Now if you like and enjoy the show, please take a minute or two to rate and review us over iTunes. iTunes uses these as part of the algorithm that determines ratings on the apple charts. And ratings help us to build an audience, which then helps us continue to produce this show. Today's episode, we're talking to Steve Savage, cool name, right? Well, Steve is the President and CEO of 1908 brands. And Steve is best known for his previous company eco products, which sees the window of opportunity when they saw that compostable cups made of corn resin You heard that right corner isn't going to be a thing. Odds are if you travel or buy just about anything in a plastic cup cold coffee smoothies draught beer soda. Your lips have touched Steve's cups. Well, that wasn't supposed to sound as weird as it just did. But you get what I mean. Today Steve savage is the founder and CEO of 1908 brands, a family of brands that develops natural and trusted products for healthier home and planet. 90 no eight brands currently consists of six brands, Boulder Clean, Schultz's Thrive Tribe, Three Bears, Pasta Jay's, and Bundle Organics. I'm sure you've seen some of these on your local store shelves nationwide. Steve is a committed conservationist and entrepreneur who is continually searching for new ways to offer effective innovative and affordable green products. in just a bit. We'll hear his pivotal story about how he came to devote his life to building businesses based on preserving the environment. So enough of me, let's get to it. This is his story. So Steve, thank you for joining us here on the baby got backstory podcast. You are currently the president and CEO of 1908 brands. What is 1908 brands? Steve Savage 3:29 Yeah, that's a great question Marc. 1908 brands is a story that comes from my great uncle. And in 1908, he lived in the Bay Area and came across 300 acres of redwood trees that were about to be harvested or replacement of the city of San Francisco that had a fire in 1907. And William can't my great great uncle didn't want those bread. trees to be harvested. So he bought that land out from the lumber companies. And to save it, there was a new Antiquities Act by the US government where you could donate land under that Antiquities Act and save it from being harvested. And so he worked with Teddy Roosevelt. There's some great letters on our website between Teddy Roosevelt and William Kent, on this donation, and that happened in early 1908. And that 300 acres of redwood trees is now called the John Muir national woods. And if you read the letters, it's just an amazing story about you know, Teddy Roosevelt wanting the name of the William Kent national woods and William Kent said no, I have five Husky boys all with the middle name can't if they can't keep the name alive. You know, so be it. Please name it after my good friend and environmental environmentalist John Muir. So yeah, that's how the John Muir national woods, still there today beautiful spot. I try to go there at least once a year. And we're over 110 years, that's just been a national treasure. And, you know, we felt like that story of environmental gifting. Environmental Stewardship was an amazing story to build a company and you know, our culture and principles around. Marc Gutman 5:31 Well, that's a pretty famous tract of land. I mean, you know, the John Muir Woods is well known, I had no idea that that started the 1908 brands. And so what does 1908 brands do as a business today? Steve Savage 5:43 So 1908 brands is the parent company to what is going to be eventually, you know, a dozen, maybe two dozen brands and we really want to change the products that are in people's homes can be you know, 1908 brands started with boulder clean, which is a lineup plant-based cleaners and detergents. We also created a product called the CompoKeeper, which is a fancy trash can for food storage that eliminates odor and fruit flies. That brand has sold to a company called rev-a-shelf. Then we have also gotten into food brands. So we have five food brands right now and they're all in, you know, natural food space. And, you know, we leverage our resources and our relationships to try to make these particular brands successful. So right now we have six brands, and they're everything from non food to food brands. Marc Gutman 6:42 When you say you want to change the products of people's homes, what's wrong with the products in people's homes? Why do they need changing? Steve Savage 6:49 Well, I'm, you know, in the US homes, you know, I like to compare to Europe, I mean, in Europe, products and the homes are just healthier. They're warm. environmentally sustainable. They've been built with sustainability in mind, you can reuse the containers, you can reuse the packaging. Now, these are a lot of concepts that 19 white brands wants to bring into the US homes right now. Us products are kind of throwaway items. Now the average us consumer goes through, I forget the status somewhere around 20 tons of trash per year. It's just a ridiculous number products that they eat. The indoor air quality in our homes are three times more toxic than European home. So I mean, it's just, there's so many changes provide good solutions to make. make that easier. Yeah. And Marc Gutman 7:44 you started off our conversation talking a bit about your uncle and his act to to preserve 300 acres of forest. You know, I know that you grew up in Boulder, Colorado, but what was young Steve like, you know, let's go back to back where were you? Like when you're eight, were you an environmentalist and into the protecting the environment at that time? Steve Savage 8:05 Right. So a little bit, and I mostly grew up in Boulder. I actually lived in Chicago till I was 12. My two older sisters went out to the University of Colorado. And as my dad would visit them in Boulder, Colorado, he fell in love with Boulder. So, when I was 12, we moved to Boulder. Marc Gutman 8:25 Well, wait a second. What was that? Like? Like, dad just comes home. And he's like, we're moving. I mean, what did you think at the time? Steve Savage 8:32 Yeah. I remember being excited about it. Colorado. No, when you're from Chicago, and you're 12 years old. I mean, you know, the stereotype of Chicago. Colorado is pretty exciting. So I was excited about it. You know, when I first got here, you know, it was kind of tough and I missed my friends, but rapidly got into, you know, as already playing competitive tennis. You know, my dad would flood our backyard in Chicago. So I grew up playing hockey. So I got into sports pretty quick. And I look back and you know, so excited he made that move. love Boulder. And now a lot of people from Chicago have moved to Boulder and Colorado. So it was a big move, especially for me and my sisters. I mean, our family uprooted their home, and you know all their friends back in Chicago and, you know, follow them to Boulder So, especially my sister, Lisa, I mean, she was a freshman when we moved. She's like, Hey, why are you following me? But anyways, it was a big move for the family. But my dad even in Chicago. I mean, he was a recycler Marc Gutman 9:39 well then what did that look like then? Because like no one was a recycler then you know so yeah Chicago a recycler Tell me a little bit about him. What Where did what is his? I mean, it does sound and I don't want to put words in your mouth that this. There's like a legacy of environmentalism in your family but like so how does he become a recycler at that time and certainly in Chicago, it isn't easy. I have to imagine Steve Savage 10:00 Yeah, I mean, that was rare. I mean, I didn't really know that as a kid. But looking back at it and knowing now, I mean, it was a rare thing. But we used to go to a place we lived in Hinsdale, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago. And we there is a recycling center. And that is how I was brought up is recycling. I mean, for me to put a, you know, a can in a trash can, is like, the strangest thing in the world. It just doesn't go there. And, you know, I've been brought up my entire life, thinking that way. And you know, when I really became an environmentalist, is a story when I was 14, so we had moved to Boulder, and he immediately got into climbing fourteeners. So my dad and I and others and some of his friends, some of his friends from Chicago would come out and we would knock off fourteeners Marc Gutman 10:53 really quickly you want to like describe what a 14 year is for those people that may be listening that don't know. Steve Savage 10:58 Okay, so um, fourteener there's 53 fourteeners in the United States, I think of the 5343 or 45 are in Colorado, the rest are in California, Oregon and Washington. So most of the fourteeners you know, we were knocking out in Colorado. He also went out, and I didn't go as right when I was 12. And I wasn't old enough to go and did Mount Rainier. I think that's technically in Washington. And, you know, he got me into climbing fourteeners there was one particular 14 or when I was 14, actually, it was a trip. We went to Durango, Colorado, and we took what's called the Silverton railroad that goes from Durango to Silverton it's one of the I think still is one of the original coal burning trains and halfway between Durango and Silverton a group have eight of us got off and stopped in the middle of nowhere. And we hiked eight miles up to what's called the ironically Chicago basin where the Twin Lakes are. And around. Twin Lakes are for fourteeners, Windham, sunlite, ulis and North ulis. And so we were knocking those off. its one of the most beautiful spots I've ever been in my life. And, you know, kind of going back I'm telling you this, the story that pretty much changed my life and I tell this story when I have won environmental award and so far because it really did change my life and how I see the outside world. But here we are at the Twin Lakes in knockout sunlight, your knockout wind. In our last day we're climbing ulis and we get to the top of ulis and between us and North ulis is there's a ridge and it's called sidewalk in the sky and going from ulis to North ulis across the sidewalk in the sky. I remember it's probably five feet wide, like a sidewalk. And if you walk down the sidewalk, obviously you aren't scared to death. But on sidewalk in the sky drops about 2000 feet on both sides, there's a cross breeze. So you're kind of down on all fours. And it's not really technical, but I mean, you got a maneuver up and down a few rocks. And really, that the power of that situation is really what kind of changed my life and ever since then, I mean, I've been an environmentalist. You know, my dad and I, you know, we started my first company go products, right when I was out of college. So I mean, really, from that time, I appreciated the outdoors. Right now I've climbed about 38 of the fourteeners continued climbing 14 years continue to get out into nature in any way I could. I've joined in a number of neat nature, nonprofits, protecting our natural resources. So that's kind of the story, my childhood and basically how I became a environmentalist. Yeah, let's Marc Gutman 14:07 go back to that trip. I mean, it's such an epic trip. I've known people to do it and ride the railroad, you hop off. And it's just one of these, like, quitessential adventures that, that that really is, you know, there's not a lot of those left and it's a really amazing trip. What was it about that? So you say you're at the side of the sky, you're looking down, you're on all fours, scurrying. Like, but But what about that made you say, like, hey, like, you know, because because a lot of us go out in the environment, myself included, we enjoy it. But we don't all come back saying, you know, what, we're going to devote our life to protecting the environment, we're going to devote our life to sustainability, we're going to devote, you know, put our money where our mouth is and feed our family based on these principles, which is about like the biggest commitment you can make. So granted at that time, you may or may not have known that that was that was your path, but what really was it about that experience? Made you say, hey, like like this is worth protecting? Steve Savage 15:03 Yeah, you know, it's really the days that led to being on the sidewalk in the sky. It was in June, the wild flowers were just unbelievable. There was some old mining caves that we could explore. It really was, you know, the whole trip was probably seven days was really probably my first trip where now a lot of these four teeners are day trips, right are one or two days. It was probably the first trip that I spent a full week up there at, you know, 12,000 feet, which was our base camp to hit those for 14 years. I mean, it really was giving away. Now obviously, we didn't have cell phones then but it was really getting away from the city. And everything that you knew, is probably what changed my life. You know why that particular trip, did it? But it was just the beauty of the place. The Chicago basin is just an Gorgeous area surrounded by these four fourteeners with the wild flowers. And yeah, I mean, I think all that is, you know, the sunsets eating, you know, your freeze dried food. It just it was just an amazing week. Marc Gutman 16:15 Yeah. And so you're 14 I think I think you said at the time, is that right? Or you're 12 or 14 at during that trip. Steve Savage 16:21 I moved to Colorado when I was 12. I was 14 on that trip. Marc Gutman 16:26 Cool. So you're growing up in Boulder, Colorado, which is, you know, undergone massive change in the last 2030 years. You know, I think, you know, most people at least when I was growing up my whole reference of Boulder Colorado was from Mork and Mindy sleepyhead college town. I mean, what was boulder like, at that time? When when you were going to high school and spending your formative teen Steve Savage 16:50 years? Yeah, I mean, it was much smaller. But and it was, you know, but it was always an outdoor athletic town. I mean, you had You know, the coors classic bicycle race, which was one of the biggest bicycle races. I mean, it was, you know, that was already happening the boulder boulder was already happening. So I mean, it was even back then known as kind of a mecca sports town. You know, even the 711 team, which included Eric Heiden, you know, stayed right down the street from us and my sisters got them to join us and join them and our hot tub, which was kind of entertaining but yeah, I mean, Boulder. It's always been an outdoor town still is, always brings the best athletes. So I mean, a lot has changed, but a lot of stayed the same as well. Marc Gutman 17:40 Yeah, and I imagine your dad at the very least had to be like, wow, like finally some people that like want to recycle and believe Yeah, same things I do. But like I you know, like, I know that you weren't out there being a crusader it at 14 like you were a teenager, you know, and you're growing up and you're doing your thing and you go off to college, you grow up in a college town. But where did you go to college? Did you stay in stay in town and go to Boulder? Steve Savage 18:04 I actually I went to the University of Kansas. I originally went there to play tennis I did in Chicago, I played pretty competitive tennis, actually played Andre Agassi in the Chicago open. When I was 11. He kicked my butt. But it was fun. I mean, I didn't. He wasn't Andre Agassi. At the time, he was just another player. Marc Gutman 18:28 He wasn't 11 with a full bleached mullet and tight shorts, Steve Savage 18:33 right. And I don't even really remember that closely. his haircut and so forth. I just know he was one of the best players in the country. But I do know that's always been something I've remembered was playing him But yeah, I went to University of Kansas to play tennis. I played for four months. I was not getting a scholarship and I was kind of tired of tennis and ended up loving the University of Kansas. Great kids. Great Midwest kids. Got my one into the business school got an economics degree, you know, was in and out in four years I ended up actually, hockey's my other love ended up playing club hockey there as well. Marc Gutman 19:12 Yeah. And so what was your plan? So you go to Kansas, you know, you think tennis might be a path for you and then realizing, you know, I think a lot of people have that. Certainly I did where you're like, Okay, you know, this is cool, but I want to go on to different things. I mean, you got a degree in Business and Economics and what would you think you were going to do with it at the time? Steve Savage 19:32 You know, I went on Semester at Sea, my second semester, junior year and I fell in love with some Russian Russian culture. I met some kids from Russia in 1989. So I graduated college in 1990. The Soviet Union was falling apart. I actually thought I was going to kind of study Russian got into into international finance, get a you know, a corporate job. Speaking In Russian and getting them as us businesses, I thought at the time we'd be moving into Russia. So I took Russia in my senior year. I still have these Russian friends actually meet up with them when we're in Europe the last couple years. But yeah, that's kind of why coming out of college I thought I was going to do got into Thunderbird, which is in Phoenix, which is kind of an international finance school. But it was really the June after college that my dad pitched this idea and have a business. Marc Gutman 20:37 Take Take me there. So like, like, do you remember that day? Steve Savage 20:40 Yeah. So he was following his environmental commitment. He was actually Chairman of the Board of eco cycle, which is our local recycling facility. And he had this business concept of starting a business is if you think of the recycle arrow There's three loops, right? There's three arrows, and they all kind of bend and they make a loop. And the first one is collection, which as we've talked about, you know, my family has always been doing forever. The second loop is manufacturing, but nobody was really doing the third loop, which is taking the remanufactured products and getting them back into the market. So my dad and I started this company called eco products in 1990. And basically, the company mission was, you know, to buy everything from recycled copy paper, and at that time, fax paper and legal pads and even you know, toilet paper made from recycled materials and paper towels and trash bags and so forth. And so we started distributing all these recycled materials and starting a business that again called eco products and now I would go to fraternities or sororities or preschools or Small businesses or the University of Colorado, say, Hey, I got some recycled goods Do you want to buy them? Marc Gutman 22:07 I'm not exciting at the time. Because it's, you know, like, I mean, when you were coming out of college and you think you're going to conquer the world and and I'd still love to hear like, I mean, does your dad sit you down? Is it like this like TV moment where you're fishing? And he's like, hey, son, you know, I've got this idea, like, like, how does that all go down? Steve Savage 22:22 We were on the back porch of our house. We're in a Hoa called Devil's thumb. So we, you know, we backed up to the mountains to the trails, and it was on our back porch. I mean, I remember it vividly. My cousin, David McIntyre was in conversation as well. He was getting his MBA as CEO. So it was really my dad and I and David MacIntyre that started eco products. And were you stoked to read is kind Marc Gutman 22:51 of like yeah, and my dad's got an idea, but not ready to really have a plan and maybe I'll maybe I'll sling some recycled trash can liners. Steve Savage 22:59 Yeah. I decided to put Thunderbird international finance degree on hold. I was actually going to went back to Russia that fall to travel with some of my friends and practice my Russian. I was still at the time probably thinking I was going to, you know, still be an international finance with a specialty in Russian. But I agreed. Yeah, I'll start this concept with you. Yeah, I mean, at the time, I wasn't thinking it would be that big of a company, but it was something to do. You know, it didn't pay me. But it was something to do. And so we started with it. And now we we have success. Marc Gutman 23:41 Like right away? I mean, like right away where people buying I have to imagine it was a hard, like, we all know startups are tough. Right. And I have to imagine it was a bit of a evangelical, kind of pushing the boulder uphill. Steve Savage 23:52 Yeah, situation. You know, I remember my first 10 case order. I mean, I would get I would get it for tourney or get a sorority or a church or preschool eventually I mean, they would call and we'd place orders at first we had chicken scratch them on, you know carbonless paper and you know computers were just kind of getting started then. But I mean, it kept me busy and it was a job and you know, out of college you're happy to have a job. You know, honestly for that summer was probably just buying time until I went back to Russia for two months. And then I was going to get my international finance but it grew and it kept us busy. I did go to Russia but I came back and decided I would stay with eco products and continue to grow it I mean, we went from a couple hundred thousand in revenue, the first year then 400,000 revenue then 600,000 revenue, it always grew. I felt good about the products I was selling the environmental characteristics of them and you know, I'm the company ended up after a few years You know, a couple million in revenue, we had about five trucks that drive around town. We had drivers and I was a boss. And I mean, it just grew slowly. And, you know, in about 2006, you know, when we were about a $5 million company, Marc Gutman 25:18 yeah, let me let me let me stop you there. And so as I understand it, so I mean, it was it was a long time, right. So yeah, I mean, if I'm, if I'm doing the math, you know, we don't have to, like get into specifics and how long but I mean, the company was a nice little business, but it I mean, and please, you know, if I'm, if I'm speaking out of turn, but it was nothing super sexy. It was like a nice business. It was doing its thing. Not super exciting, but then in 2006, and I think this is where you're going. You see an opportunity and what is that opportunity, Steve Savage 25:50 right? So by that point, we were doing all kinds of environmental products. We had environmental building materials and environmental office supplies environmental janitorial supplies, we Had cleaners made from non toxic chemicals trash bags made from recycled or were biodegradable. But in around 2005 2006, there is a new resin that was man factored by nature works, who is owned by Cargill. And it was a resonant you could make just compostable food service items. And it was called plla, otherwise known for poly lactic acid. And we were having, Marc Gutman 26:30 how is poly lactic acid created? Steve Savage 26:33 Yeah, yeah, we're having abnormal success in that part of our business. And the product was cool. As far as you know, you can make a plastic cup that you now see around the country, and you could brand it was made from plla, which was a derivative of corn. So it was from natural resources and also was compost So it would return to the earth and it took off we spent from oh six to 2008 working with various MIT us manufacturers you know, would you private label this for us because we weren't the first ones to do so Fabrica was always make already making a corn cup International Paper was already making a PL a line hot cup active was making the sugarcane plates and so forth. So we first went to these North American manufacturers and said, Hey, can you private label for us? One by one? They said no. Marc Gutman 27:35 And why do they say no? Steve Savage 27:37 Well, they had their own brand so fabric cow and their own brand. Names escaping me International Paper had their own brand called ego Taner pack. They've had their own brand called Earth choice and they just they didn't want to private label have some private label person competing against them in the market. Marc Gutman 27:59 This episode brought to you by wild story. Wait, isn't that your company? It is. And without the generous support of wild story, this show would not be possible. A brand isn't a logo or a tagline, or even your product. A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product service or company. It's what people say about you when you're not in the room. Wild story helps progressive founders and savvy marketers build purpose driven brands that connect their business goals with the customers they want to serve. So that both the business and the customer needs are met. This results in crazy, happy, loyal customers that purchase again and again. And this is great for business. If that sounds like something you and your team might want to learn more about, reach out @ www.wildstory.com and we'd be happy to tell you more. Now, back to our show. Let's take a step back real quickly though. So like you have other products and there's this kind of new crazy thing, this corn cup. And if I remember the early versions of them, it wasn't perfect that there was some downsides, right? Like if you left it in your car, it might melt. Right? The resume itself was often created by an actual insect if I remember, which would mutate and do weird things. So like it was, it wasn't like this, like, like slam dunk or layup in terms of like, business opportunity, like how did you make that decision to see the market and say, You know what, like, I really think there's something here. Steve Savage 29:41 Right? Well, I mean, just, you know, I was at Hilton resorts and they said to same price, I can brand it environmental. And the quality is the same. I mean, where can I start so I mean, really, customer by customer University. By the way University distributor by distributor I mean they all sort of wanted it. And so you know, we fix those bugs by actually going to Asia and having a made in Asia and having them made in Asia we improved the heat tolerance of it. So they were actually much better at converting this PL a resin to be more heat resistant. So the, the heat tolerance went from about 105 degrees to about 135 degrees. So we now could private label, our quality was better, and we could put everything under one brand. So Hilton resorts could buy their forks, they could buy their souffle container they could buy their to go container, they could buy their straws, they could buy their corn cup their hot cup from one manufacturer as opposed to piecemealing it to a bunch of manufacturers like we had done previously. They could buy it from one plus our quality was better and our pricing on average went down 20 5% from Asia. So now the price was better in around 2008. If you remember, the price of oil went up to about $155 a barrel. So our resin was actually now cheaper. And so that was that was our big year when the economy was falling apart in 2008 eco-products went from about five to 45 million in revenue. And, you know, that was great. That was that was a crazy year. Marc Gutman 31:26 Yeah. And was it that simple? I mean, were you you saw this opportunity to private label and then you just did just do it? Did you have to raise money? Like how did you actually make this bet and make it work? Because, you know, I, at least in my my thought like It Wasn't that simple. Steve Savage 31:42 Yeah, I mean, it was from like, cash perspective, it was very difficult. I did raise money through a private placement memorandum through friends and family in oh seven and oh eight. In 2008. We actually took our first private equity investment from Green Mountain Capital of 2 million. So that definitely helped. But still going from five to 45 million is tough. Plus the cash flow model is terrible because you got to wire money to Asia. And it's a very slow boat coming over. And then the product, you know, it didn't sit in our warehouse very long, because actually no way, we're on allocation of seven of our top 10 items. So I mean, they went out the minute they came in, but then it was another 30 days to get paid. So I mean, my cash flow model was, you know, about 80 days from when I first wired to Asia, when I got paid by the US distributors. And that was our strategy. We went to us foods, Cisco food service, so we didn't go the direction of a few other. You know, there were a few other companies that were sort of doing this as well. We were the first one to go into distributors. And that pretty much made us successful because that's how we got into 10s of thousands of coffee shops and restaurants. And how Hospitals and universities and stadiums was through the US foods and Cisco food service. Marc Gutman 33:06 Yeah. And to your point, I mean, you and I know each other well, and you know, during those kind of, I don't know, if they're their early years or sort of the mid years, my wife and I, we would travel, we'd be in Hawaii, we'd see your cups, we'd be at the ski resort, and we'd see your cups, you know, we'd be traveling, as you mentioned, at Hilton Hotels, and we take a picture and send it to you. And it was like, such an exciting time. But did you was there a moment ever when you thought, like, this might not work? Or was it always a rocket ship? Steve Savage 33:33 It was always a rocket ship. I mean, yes, before we identified that opportunity and that window opened, There was a lot of times where as like, and as you touched on, I mean, we were a small not so sexy business for 16 years. I mean, there's a lot of, you know, I wasn't paying myself a lot. You know, there's a lot of doubt and, you know, where's this going and, you know, should I be doing this, am I ever going to provide for my family like I want to. So yeah, I've been tell then there was a lot of doubt. And you know, I liked what I was doing. I was selling environmental products I was, you know, I felt like I was making a difference. But from a personal and financial perspective, now, there was doubt, but I would have to say once that window open, and we jumped through. I mean, it was crazy. How that took off. Well, that's super Yeah, Marc Gutman 34:25 it's super awesome. But like, how did you have the confidence in convince, especially that friends and family round? You know, I think the private equity, they saw the success you're like, well, private equity believes in me no big deal. But going to that, that friends and family round and saying trust me, and they're looking at your existing business and being like, well, it's okay. But you know, yeah, like, like, how did you kind of go in there and have the confidence and as well as just the self belief that you were going to do right by what I have to believe are the people that you cared about the most, you know, certainly cared about your private equity investors. I don't want to say that. Not to be the case. But when you go friends And family that's like your kind of your your name, right, your family name your word that's like the big, the biggest thing you can risk sometimes. Steve Savage 35:07 Yeah, I mean, the good thing about those 16 years, though, is we were always growing, and we're always profitable. So we were, we were building a good business. I mean, we weren't super profitable. I mean, it's not like I was making anywhere close to six digits and so forth. But I mean, it was enough to pay my mortgage. And, I mean, it was, it was a decent business. So I, I, you know, I raised money, knowing that I could always pay it back because we weren't losing money. So that's kind of what gave me the confidence was, I knew I could always return the money, because at the end of the day, it was environmental products. But it was still products, right? It was still a commodity item. It was either paper towels or coffee paper or fax paper at the time. If any of you remember what fax paper or fax machines were, but I mean, it was Always, it was always a solid business. You know, we always had a good balance sheet. So I wasn't that concerned when I had my palm out and no people were writing checks. I'll tell you those early investors. I mean, they made out like bandits too. I mean, $40,000 investors made 1.6 million. I mean, it was that ended up paying off. Marc Gutman 36:22 Yeah, I mean, you certainly did, right by all them, but like, at the time like to say, hey, if you give me 40, I'm gonna give you 1.6 Steve Savage 36:29 I don't know you would have seen that coming. No, I didn't see that coming, though. Marc Gutman 36:33 Ya know, and it's such a great success story, and really, really incredible. But I think sometimes we forget that and on the backside when everyone's happy, just how hard it is to get there. And so you're building this business? You go from five to 45 million a year, like what's going on with you just as a leader with your company, like what's happening at that time? Steve Savage 36:55 So, yeah, I mean, we had to grow Fortunately, my wife is Human Resource specialists and she was huge as far as helping me develop the team, you know, the processes from a human resource perspective as far as benefits and so forth. So, she was a huge help also hired, you know, and I think most of it was luck. But he had an amazing team Luke, Luke Vernon was our CEO, you know, super fortunate to have him on board at the time, you know, as some of the Boulderites know, he runs Luke circle. He's now with a private equity group. I mean, super smart guy. I mean, really, Luke and I and then another older kind of legend, Jim lamma kusa, who now owns kusa tea He was my VP of sales and marketing. So it's really Luke, Jim and I. So we had a great team, we had great chemistry, headed our sales, Luke spearheaded our operations and a lot of this manufacturing in Asia and I just pulse you know, I kind of ran the show inside the walls as far as building the infrastructure. And the good news is the infrastructure was sorted there when that window open. I mean, we were a $5 million company, we had 12 employees. Like I said, we were profitable. I mean, we we did have the infrastructure, which helped. It's not like we were two people when this opportunity happened. I mean, we had an MRP system, and we had a lot of our invoicing and accounting processes in place. Marc Gutman 38:30 Yeah, it was like almost like you were preparing for that moment. And just waiting and getting things ready and making sure that you're prepared as soon as, as soon as you saw your window, and so grew the company. And again, I think like people just forget, there's this moment where like the idea of a compostable cup and then silverware was kind of like, it's kind of silly, like, you know, like, it was like early adopter kind of stuff didn't always work. You were like, who like what's going on here? Is this even, like people were just really like, not One was super bullish on it. But then both the window of the product and just the trends of where people's heads were in terms of environmentalism, warning things were compostable, reducing your carbon and environmental impact, like all these things, were coming to the forefront and so you're having incredible success. And you grow the company, and you get an offer to sell the company. Tell me about that. Steve Savage 39:24 Yeah. So, you know, another kind of big thing. In, you know, the next year, you know, I mentioned packed IV, you know, we were distributing their sugarcane plates and bowls and clam shells. In 2009. They came in, in a big way. They knocked us off on our hot cups, really, by design with each one was a different color. I mean, they were very suspicious the right word. I mean, they started writing huge checks to US foods and Cisco food service to bring in their in line called earth choice. They, they're in a billion dollar company so our big competitor went after us in a big way in 2009 Were you scared? You know, a little bit because they were writing you know $300,000 checks to kick us out so we had to win we really had to fight where Oh a our fight was to get make enough product and get it from Asia fast enough. But in 2009 Pact of a billion dollar company writing big checks to get kick us out of the distributors knocking us off it was you know, we we had a number of board meetings should we sue them because I mean, it was so obvious they knocked us off but you can't trademark colors and you can't trademark the, you know, the earth map, which was on our hot cups, so we couldn't sue them. But anyways, yeah, we were scared in oh nine we still grew from 45 to 65. But we're forecasting about 85 90 million that year. So it came in a little sooner and a lot more vicious than we anticipated. But to answer your question, I mean, it was a fight against pact. And for a number of years, we did get an offer and 2012 or the business, we're about 85 million in revenue. It kind of became obvious to me that, you know, could we take this as far as we could, because we didn't own any equipment, we kind of get that last 15 20% Cost of Goods savings, to really compete against those North American manufacturers that actually did have the equipment. So did we take this as far as we could, and, you know, when someone offers you a big jack, and no, and you have to remember, at this point, this is 2012. I've been doing this for 22 years. And so we decided maybe we've taken this As far as we can, we need to be purchased by a strategic that has equipment that has machinery that can get us that last 15 20% that has the same environmental culture and mission that we do. So yeah, I mean, we're we ran a small process, but we ended up selling to Waddington North America, otherwise known as w na in 2012. Marc Gutman 42:26 And was that was that hard? I mean, I have to imagine that you, you know, and we see this all the time. I've built businesses, I've talked to a lot of people who've built businesses, it's a little bit like your child, it's a baby, maybe even, you know, it's like something you built from from nothing into something. I mean, was it hard to sell? Steve Savage 42:43 Yeah, I mean, it was, it was hard. I mean, it's everything I ever knew for 22 years. So yeah, it was tough. But, you know, by then 19 toy brands had already started so when eco products started getting rid of a lot of the stuff like the environmental building materials, the non toxic cleaners and so forth. I didn't want boulder clean, which was the non toxic cleaners and detergents to die. So I had actually started 19 oil brands in 2010. And it absorbed the cleaners. So I already kind of had my hands in another cookie jar when ego products sold. So unfortunately, I didn't get much of a break. I just went from one business to the other. But I was sort of, you know, still in the game doing what eco products used to do so, so part of the business, but still had another business and that's, you know, what I'm doing today. Marc Gutman 43:43 And why is that? I mean, I think we all have this, this dream of being on that proverbial rocket ship, but finding our window, finding our corncob right, whatever that might be, having a great exit and then like why go back into to Kind of startup land again, or at least much smaller and less momentum than what you were experiencing? Why do that and why not just go hang out on the beach and kite board and, you know, play a lot of tennis and hockey? Steve Savage 44:13 Yeah, I mean, I still ask myself that question. I mean, I was still young. I mean, I was 42 at the time. I wasn't ready to retire. I thought boulder clean still had a great opportunity. I mean, it was, you know, only one or 2 million at the time, but I you know, my kids were in grade school or probably junior high, maybe grade school at the time. So it's not like I could retire and pipe board forever, and play hockey and so forth. I know, I had my parents sponsibility So yeah, I mean, I just went from one company to another you know, I I have a lot of energy and passion and felt like I had one more no business to grow. Marc Gutman 45:01 Yeah. And speaking of that energy and passion, I mean, what are you most excited about right now as it relates to 1908 brands and where you're taking the company? Steve Savage 45:09 Yeah, you know, what's the craziest thing is this year as kind of, like eco products. I said, in a way when the economy was falling apart, that was our big year. Ironically, I mean, the years at 19, like brands, I mean, it's been tough. This is a tough category. It's a which is the natural foods channel natural products, dealing with grocery stores and distributors. I mean, it is a very tough industry. There's a lot of marketing money that retailers and distributors Expect When You're a smaller company. You know, you're can't leverage high volume, cost of goods. And so it's been tough, but this is our window. Actually, during this pandemic. We have a plant based EPA registered against the SARS-COV2 that causes COVID-19 we actually were in development of this right before the pandemic hit. And this is our five to 45 million year right and as the world is falling apart, so this is kind of like eco products 2.0 this is really being driven by this plant based EPA registered disinfectant. And you know, since the pandemic started, it's gone nationwide with Whole Foods, all these Sam's Club regionally with Costco, nationwide Kroger so I mean, it's this is I've been working 10 hour days since the pandemic started just trying to get more chemical, more bottles, more triggers, you've probably heard, you know, spray triggers. You can't even find them. You couldn't for a while, but we've gotten lucky. Fortunately, our bottles a little shorter, fatter than most. So the dip tube length of eight and a half inches is a lot easier to come by. So I've been able to get spray triggers. We've invested in more molds to make more bottles. But it's funny, I mean, after slugging it out at 1908 brands for 10 years, you know, our window open and it kind of opened with this EPA registered disinfectant. Marc Gutman 47:19 Now what's hard about putting a plant based disinfectant out on the market? I mean, I imagine it can't be easy. It's probably the easy path is to do something that's chemical based. Steve Savage 47:31 Yeah, chemicals are a lot easier to make synthetically. But you know, this time all based disinfectant. I mean, it definitely works in there is supply of it. So the chemical actually hasn't been the hard part in this. In this time. All base technology has been around for a few years, seven generation and clean well also have a disinfectant with this technology that's EPA registered so So the formula has been around a little bit, it's really been the components, you know, the packaging, and because then this entire category, the cleaning and detergent category has been extremely stressed since this started, I bet. Marc Gutman 48:14 Well, Steve, thank you so much for coming on the show. As we wind to a close, I have a final question for you. You know, if your great uncle William Ken, and your father who, you know, I understand, I know, is no longer with us. If they were able to see you today, what do you think they'd say? Steve Savage 48:31 I hope that they would say they were proud of me. You know, I think they would say that just trying to kind of follow in their footsteps. I mean, they were huge role models, you know, something that, you know, I look up to and, you know, I'm just trying to follow in their footsteps and I hope that they will be proud and so yeah. Marc Gutman 48:58 And that is Steve sax. From echo products in 1908 brands, what does your window look like? Would you even know it if it opened up right in front of you? Steve certainly does. He saw the window wants with corn cups. And it sounds like he's seeing it again with plant based cleaners. Right on Steve. Thank you again to Steve and the team at 1908 brands. Keep saving the world, one eco product at a time. Well, that's the show. Until next time, make sure to visit our website www dot wildstory comm where you can subscribe to the show in iTunes, Stitcher or via RSS so you'll never miss an episode. I like big backstories and I cannot lie. You other storytellers can't deny.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest (Pamela Dorman Books) From one of our favorite local authors comes a hotly anticipated debut--about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country's most coveted dinner reservation.  When Lars Thorvald's wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine--and a dashing sommelier--he's left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter--starting with pureed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva's journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that's a testament to her spirit and resilience.  Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradal's startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity. By turns quirky, hilarious, and vividly sensory, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is an unexpected mother-daughter story about the bittersweet nature of life--its missed opportunities and its joyful surprises. It marks the entry of a brilliant new talent. Praise for Kitchens of the Great Midwest: "Kitchens of the Great Midwest is a big-hearted, funny, and class-transcending pleasure. It's also both a structural and empathetic tour de force, stepping across worlds in the American midwest, and demonstrating with an enviable tenderness and ingenuity the tug of war between our freedom to pursue our passions and our obligations to those we love." --Jim Shepard, author of Project X and National Book Award finalist for Like You'd Understand, Anyway "Tender, funny, and moving, J. Ryan Stradal's debut novel made me crave my mother's magic cookie bars...and every good tomato I've ever had the privilege of eating. Kitchens of the Great Midwest manages to be at once sincere yet sharply observed, thoughtful yet swiftly paced, and the lives of its fallible, realistic, and complicated characters mattered to me deeply. It's a fantastic book."-- Edan Lepucki, bestselling author of California  "In Kitchens of the Great Midwest, a charming, fast-moving round robin tale of food, sensuality and Midwestern culture, Mr. Stradal has delivered one extremely tasty, well-seasoned debut in what is sure to be a long and savory career."--Janet Fitch, author White Oleander "From the quite literally burning passions of a lonely eleven-year-old girl with an exceptional palate, to the ethical dilemmas behind a batch of Blue Ribbon Peanut Butter Bars, J. Ryan Stradal writes with a special kind of meticulous tenderness--missing nothing and accepting everything. A superbly gratifying debut."--Meg Howrey, author of The Crane's Dance  "An impossible-to-put-down, one-of-a-kind novel. The prose is beautiful, the characters memorable, and the plot is surprising at every turn. I have never read a book quite like this--and neither, I'll bet, have you. This stunning debut announces J. Ryan Stradal as a first-rate voice in American fiction. This is a wildly creative, stunningly original, and very moving novel. I can't wait to see what Stradal does next."-- Rob Roberge, author of The Cost of Living  "A Great American Novel in the fullest sense of the term. Everything you want a book to be."--Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day J. Ryan Stradal is the author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest. Born and raised in Minnesota, he now lives in Los Angeles, where he is Acquisitions Editor at Unnamed Press and the Fiction Editor at The Nervous Breakdown.  Julia Ingalls is primarily an essayist. Her work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Guernica, and KCRW, among others. From David Mitchell to Alan Ball to Amelia Gray, she's had the pleasure of conversing with the world's finest imaginative writers, a tradition she continues tonight with J. Ryan Stradal.