Podcasts about Indie

In this special episode of Novel Spirits, the boys celebrate the holiday season with another great, humorous session of camaraderie:The votes were in for the Battle of the Genres, revealing our first, unanimous victor. And we reviewed 'The Last Christmas' by Gerry Duggan, a very Deadpool-ish take on a Zombie-filled Christmas - highlighting themes, characters, and artistic style, as always. The drinks were flowing, the boys were rolling, and all-in-all it was just a good time. We even scheduled our next few episodes for you!We also may have mentioned One Piece and AI at some point, but dive into those at your own discretion. Cheers! Book of the Month: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Christmas-Brian-Posehn/dp/1582406766Topics of the Month: One Piece - https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GRMG8ZQZR/one-piece?srsltid=AfmBOor1DiP7YLr6r5YGNozS_Fka6ek28I_TtDnpKFt3kRKYVgqrBmiaDispatch (episode coming soon!) - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2592160/Dispatch/Spirits of the Month: Nothing specific. Anything that makes you jolly lol 

On November 19th, 2021, the Turbo-Universe lost Hank von Helvete — the beloved, gifted, eccentric, beautiful, iconic, most inspirational, thoughtful, wild, innovative, daring, sexy, endlessly explorative, incredibly talented, hairy, kind, just...

Nathyn (29) and Indie (29) might have a positive net worth, but their fears leave them feeling negative about their money conversations. Indie worries about the now, while Nathyn focuses on the future. We sit down to find the balance between both perspectives. From emergency fund to retirement savings to auto loans, we talk through their full financial picture. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DRINKAG1.com/MONEYGUY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Grindys, The Golden Gears, Return! The Best of 2025. What a year it has been. GG has survived several YouTube-polyspes and played many games. Some retro, but more modern than our normal affair. This is the final official podcast record for the year 2025 and we have our own LEGALLY DISTINCT accolades to hand out. An insane year for video games comes to a close. Who will win “Best I Think It's an Indie game” and who will walk away with Brightest Dumpster Fire. Our plans are big for 2026, we'll see you then. Supportourbromance.com for a big new year of GG in 2026! That's no joke. 

This episode was recorded on November 16th, 2025 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Jack Blocker, Cole Quest & The City Pickers, Courtney Hartman, The Critton Hollow String Band. https://bit.ly/451Cjin

Marisa Kabas is the founder of The Handbasket, an independent newsletter and website that has been breaking stories left and right about government workers, the media business, and Trump's mass deportation campaign. Jason and Marisa share notes Marisa about doing journalism without a big newsroom, how the media business has changed over the last decade, and why sources often prefer to talk to journalists who don't work for mainstream media. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/e73spvZnc9s The Handbasket: https://www.thehandbasket.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#2025VideoGameAwards #VideoGames #Expedition33 #IndieGames  Its been awhile but DJ Tsu & CJ are back to talk about the 2025 Video Game Awards, the winners and losers, and what it means for Indie games in this every changing video game industry. We also talk about the upcoming Street Fighter movie teaser that dropped, and other odds & ends.

We found more indie video games so you don't have to!

This week's show, after Jack, Jim, and friend Paul sing a 1965 Guaraldi/Mendelson melody: brand new Ash (featuring Graham Coxon), Telephone Numbers, Sloan, Tombstones in Their Eyes, Jesse Welles, Altin Gün, Last Throes, and Acopia, plus The Who, Rollin...

Surprise! Kim and AJ sat down and discussed their games of the year in the context of the themes that jumped out to them! What will be crowned Theme of the Year by the end of it?? Only one way to find out!---Discussed in the episode (

We're looking ahead to the future of gaming! In this episode, we share our bold predictions for what 2026 might bring across Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, the industry and beyond!Level 857 Video Game Podcast Ep-387: What's Next for Gaming? The Time Has Come For 2026 Predictions!00:00 - Intro03:16 - Al played Terminator 2D No Fate07:56 - Choc played Marvel Rivals, Clair Obscur Expedition 3315:11 - Turb played Ace Attorney Investigations, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection 1&221:28 - Stikz played Ninja Gaiden 428:38 - Stal played Absolum29:46 - Indie Game of the Week Spotlight - Celeste41:50 - Talking Point: With Expedition 33 Winning Best Indie Game, What Does 'Indie' Mean to You?49:08 - Xbox U.S. Console Unit Sales Just Reached an All-Time November Low49:50 - Larian publishing lead says Divinity dev is not "the ideal target" for your AI outrage57:09 - What's Next for Gaming? The Time Has Come For 2026 Predictions! P11:24:02 - Break: Free Game Giveaway Reminder1:25:23 - What's Next for Gaming? The Time Has Come For 2026 Predictions! P2If you enjoyed the podcast and would like to show support, feel free to do so in any of the following ways below:(1) Subscribe and share this podcast with close friends/family(2) Rate/Review us on your preferred podcasting platform: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/level857(3) Become a member on either Fourthwall or Patreon for exclusive perks and discounts on merch! https://www.857ent.com/#membership(4) Hit the bell and subscribe to our live podcast and multiplayer, co-op gaming channel: https://goo.gl/Zy9RTD***Special shout out to all of our supporters, especially our Boss Level Members***John L.

This next guest is a filmmaker from Wales, UK & certainly has worn mank hats. After working as a Camera Assistant, BTS Photographer and Data Wrangler on TV and Indie features, he started his production company Ritual Video, which specializes in genre films and music videos for metal bands. There new film, Foxhollow (2025) is his first found footage feature and was released by POV Horror & Cult Media Film Store. Let's welcome Tom Hughes!Tom HughesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritual_video/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ritualvideo/Crazy Train RadioFacebook: facebook.com/realctradioInstagram: @crazytrainradioX/Twitter: @realctradioBlueSky: @crazytrainradio.bsky.socialWebsite: crazytrainradio.usYouTube: youtube.com/crazytrainradio

Game Awards 2025 Reactions & Our 4th Annual Airing of GrievancesThe suite of holiday traditions continue as, this week, AniPro airs their grievances for the holiday of Festivus!Also, Cole's turning into a kid on Christmas, Mike's going to the source of Howl's Moving Castle, Jay's metamorphosis has reached its final form, and more!Topics & Timestamps:00:00 - AniProPod 211 Intro02:10 - Howl's Moving Castle: The Isekai Reveal & Book vs. Movie13:10 - Jay's New Gear: The Shure SM7B & The "Industry Standard"20:39 - Retro Gaming: Perfect Dark, Emulation & PS2 Gems25:40 - The 2025 Game Awards: Ace Combat 8 & Star Wars Announcements35:10 - Expedition 33 Sweeps & The State of Indie vs. Triple-A54:20 - Retail Grievances: The Jinx of "Slow Days" & Superstitions59:05 - The State of Movies: Budgets, Safe Sequels & Spite01:05:00 - The "Early Announcement" Problem & Vaporware (Elder Scrolls VI)01:13:45 - Cole's Hot Take: Retiring Retired People on Weekends01:20:10 - Raging Against the Machine: Buttons vs. Touchscreens01:28:45 - The Death of the PS4 & Why the PS6 is Too Soon01:40:20 - Anime Pacing Issues & The Ticketmaster StruggleSupport AniPro:Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/AniProPodMailbag – https://anipropod.com/mailbagTokyoTreat ($5 off) – Use code "ANIPRO" for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tokyotreat.com/AniProFollow & Subscribe:X (Twitter) – https://twitter.com/AniProPodInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/anipropodDiscord – https://discord.gg/dV5tMCWvM7Next Reviews:Anime – Elfen Lied → Now and Then, Here and ThereManga – Black Torch Music & Credits:Opening Theme – “Shibuya” Bumper Track – "Retired Betamax" by "Pandicio Del Toro"Music licensed via – slip.streamEnjoying the show? If so, please rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify – it only takes a moment and helps new listeners find us!

It’s that time of year again! Yes, it’s the annual Ledge Christmas episode, and I’m so happy that this year it’s (almost) all brand new material! Even better, there’s a large contingent of friends who have supplied me wit...

Full show: https://kNOwBETTERHIPHOP.com Artists Played: Sincere Vega, conshus, Jorok, Kristen Warren, Niko Is, Marz Mello, CunninLynguists, Norah Jane, MOR.LOV, Anti-Lilly, Phoniks, Georgie Sweet, Amanda Whiting, Errol Eats Everything, DRAMA, Pat Van Dyke, Shinobi Stalin, Darko the Super, Myd, LS Camp, Ray West, Dave Dar, Percee P, Prince Po, Oddisee, Oliver Night, Goldbar, BambuDeAsiatic, OutKast, GOODie MOb, IMAKEMADBEATS

Indie author Tim Carter returns for a Christmas chinwag.   Tim Carter's website: timbcarter.com Follow him on the socials: @Tbcart   Contact the show: thetrueandthefictional@gmail.com Support the show: Buymeacoffee.com/sttatf Buy Merch: Jabryden.printify.me   Follow us on the socials: FB: Facebook.com/storiesthetrueandthefictional IG: @stories_podcast X: @stories_ttatf Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzIXhRcUvPPAzpCL-_a9N4w   Sponsor 1: Rebecca Cassells Buy her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/.../e/B08WCH6RHG/ X: RACassells_auth IG: Rebecca.cassells.92 FB: Facebook.com/Rebeccacassellsbooks   Sponsor 2: Martin Kearns:  https://www.readkearns.com  IG: @readkearns Sponsor 3: J.A. Bryden  Website: Jabryden.com Socials: @jabryden

This week's episode features the exciting(?) future of Attack the Backlog, Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel, GIGASWORD, Montezuma's Revenge - The 40th Anniversary Edition, Kill It with Fire! 2, Desert Race Adventures, Crime Simulator, Republic of Pirates, and Winterlight - Where silence says it all. Anyway and as always, thank you for watching or listening, I hope you enjoy this here episode, and I hope you have a wonderful wonderful rest of your day. (And if you haven't already, or are a listener and not a watcher, please like, subscribe, hit the bell, and all that jazz; it may not seem like much, but it goes a long way in helping support the show and site in general. I would appreciate it greatly.)

*** CHILD FRIENDLY THIS WEEK! SUITABLE FOR ALL AGE GROUPS ***  Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas.  This week Gemma & James (Jnr) discuss their personal Christmas traditions, from movies they watch, to spending time with family and so forth. The guys are joined by fellow podcasters and Salty Tadpoles who share their festive experiences. Get yourself in the festive mood & click play on this episode. Audio provided by following Podcasts: Tis Yourself, The Chronicles Of, That Florida Feeling, Stupid History Minute & Show Me Your Trips. Read out submission from Cinematic Leap Podcast & Salty Tadpole: Graham Arnold.  Talking Codswallop can be found on ALL social media: @CodswallopPod and we are on YOUTUBE too!!! :)   Talking Codswallop is NOW part of the UNFILTERED Studios. Find out more about them here: unfpod.com & help support INDIE podcasts. 

If you're hunting for a Christmas horror movie that isn't cozy or cute, Dead End (2003) is a nasty little gift waiting on a snowy back road. On this episode of Cutting Deep into Horror, hosts Henrique Couto & Rachael Redolfi sink into the cult Christmas chiller where the Harrington family's Christmas Eve shortcut becomes an endless nightmare of cursed highways, ghostly women in white, and a hearse that feels like it's driving straight out of the afterlife.Recorded as a holiday special (Henrique even wishes “my spookies” a very happy holidays right up top), this conversation leans hard into holiday horror vibes: the stress of family gatherings, the dread of long winter drives, and how Dead End weaponizes Christmas lights, carols, and obligation into something suffocating and surreal.Henrique and Rachael dig into the film's French indie roots and cult status—shot on 35mm for around $900,000 and later becoming a huge word-of-mouth hit on DVD—with an eye for what makes its single stretch of road feel so oppressive.   They unpack the Harrington family's bickering, secrets, and guilt; the symbolism of the woman in white and the black car; and how the twist ending recontextualizes every dark joke and cruel fate along the way.You'll also hear how Dead End stacks up against other Christmas horror classics, why it's perfect “between-holidays” viewing when you're sick of saccharine movies, and whether it deserves a bigger spot in the seasonal horror rotation alongside titles like Black Christmas and Krampus. By the end, you'll know more about Dead End than you ever thought you needed—and probably be eyeing your next late-night drive a little differently.Inside this episodeHoliday stress & family horror: How Dead End turns a simple Christmas Eve drive to the in-laws into a pressure cooker of resentment, secrets, and supernatural punishment.The woman in white & the black car: Breaking down the film's ghostly mythology, the hearse imagery, and what those apparitions say about guilt, death, and being “collected” on that endless winter road.Road-movie minimalism: Why keeping the action on one night, one family, and one stretch of forest highway makes the film feel like a bleak Christmas Twilight Zone episode.Budget vs. atmosphere: The tricks that make a ~$900k holiday horror movie feel bigger and more timeless than many larger-budget 2000s genre films.That twist ending: Henrique & Rachael's interpretation of the finale, Marion's survivor's guilt, and how the movie uses its reveal to reframe the entire Christmas Eve journey.Comparing Christmas horrors: Where Dead End sits in the holiday horror canon—and why road-trip terror might be the most relatable Christmas nightmare of all.Where to watch Dead End (2003) – U.S. streaming(Availability can change—these are current as of December 2025.)Amazon Prime Video (subscription / with ads) – Included with Prime / Prime Video with Ads https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Dead-End-2004/0HY9MUNJC4WLAX4JW97SS647H8 Tubi (free with ads) – Stream the full movie free: https://tubitv.com/movies/451127/dead-end Plex (free with ads) – Watch on Plex's on-demand movie section: https://watch.plex.tv/movie/dead-end Apple TV (rent/buy) – HD rental or purchase: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dead-end/umc.cmc.1iym6o3m9wnyrxwfszyeb80p4 Fandango at Home (Vudu) (rent/buy) – Digital rental and purchase: https://athome.fandango.com/content/browse/details/Dead-End/1033867

Welcome to Four Records! Each episode we feature one guest as they go over four records at four different times in their life. This week Forrest, Karina, and Jason speak with Josh Jurk of School Drugs. School Drugs released their latest record, Funeral...

https://realpunkradio.com/podcast/tommyunitlive/tommyunitlive642.mp3 December 18th, 2025. Tommy Unit LIVE!! #642 – Xmess with the Count – TONIGHT….Tommy's out doin' Holiday Crimes, so The Count takes the wheel LIVE from the Rockefeller Center Xmess Tree! What could possibly go wrong?? Turn it up! We go LIVE!! every Wednesday night at 10pm ET / 7:00pm PT on REAL PUNK … Continue reading Tommy Unit LIVE!! #642 →

Punk Rock Demonstration Radio Show with Jack #1030 12/15/25. This is an archived broadcast of a previous Punk Rock Demonstration Radio Show. New shows broadcast every Monday 7:00PM - 9:00PM and every Tuesday 7:00AM - 9:00AM Pacific time. You can listen live and participate at https://punkrockdemo.com

The TTF crew covers The Forest initial reactions and What we loves and The Game AwatdrsA podcast by gamers for the gaming community. Join us each week as we talk new games, old games, AAA and Indie. No drama. No guilt. Games, a little real life and community. Gaming is an all inclusive world.Find us onhttps://twitter.com/3rdfactionshowhttps://twitter.com/MsListra https://bsky.app/profile/mslistra.bsky.social and Twitch.tv/Mslistrahttps://twitter.com/RPGamer4life and Twitch.tv/RPGovanDiscord Serverhttps://discord.gg/jNYr9mVNN7You can email the show onthethirdfactionshow@gmail.comPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/cw/thethirdfactionshow

We close out 2025 with this month’s Previews episode! Ian, Murd and Raph begin with some updates on Diamond, as their bankruptcy shifts from a Chapter 11 to a Chapter 7; also, Universal Distribution are now the owners of the Free Comic Book Day name. Then, they dive right into the books mainly set for … Continue reading Comic Timing Episode 270 – December 2025 Previews →

Playlist: maud - wilderchad van gaalen - red bloodagnostic mountain gospel choir - rainstorms in my kneesghostkeeper - finnpeter moller and peter hutton - triviajay crocker - falling out of windowsfake cops - MAXIMUMcopperhead - the fallclinton st. john - noise on the pondpreoccupations - silhouettesjung people - coloureatersprimrods - atom smackerlab coast - bored againsamantha savage smith - in it to winwomen - black ricecrystal eyes - don't turn aroundgünther - wrecking ballcolor me psycho - black corvairjed arbour - parasitebeija flor - him, himself, helt leif - gentle moonastral swans - spiralcindy lee - power & possession

Catch up with or listen again to Going Indieground broadcast on Mad Wasp Radio week commencing 16th December 2025. On this show you can hear:David Sylvian – BuoyWhat? Noise – Anybody (Peel Session)Supergrass – Seen the LightWire – Silk Skin PawsGreen Day – AmandaPulp – Monday MorningHouse Of Love – SalomeDepeche Mode – Behind The … Continue reading →

 It's the 2025 Christmas Extravaganza!Here's the Playlist: Socks JD McPherson "Socks" Suggested by both Boyd and JakeChristmas at the Airport Nick Lowe Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the FamilyBeer For Breakfast (Outtake) The Replace...

 Originally Released 12/23/19It's the 2019 Christmas episode - Happy Holidays!Here's the Playlist:West Coast The Connection A Christmas Gift ForChristmastide The Fall LevitateSuggested by SteveBundle Up Replacements Sessions anthologyBlue Christma...

It's time for the annual top ten countdown of the best albums released in the last twelve months. Bands/artists from Canada, Sweden, Denmark, England, Australia and USA made the list. So give it a listen and find out if YOUR favorite band was included.  

Tonight we had tons of mostly non-traditional X-Mess songs, many of which are staples on the Manifesto around this time of year. From country to hardcore punk, there should be something here that will fill you with some kind of seasonal feelings.

Dive into Episode 128 of the Opinion City Podcast with special guest Travis Huckabee — a rising star on the indie wrestling scene known for his killer Bridging Butterfly Suplex and Stretch Muffler finishers. We break down his journey from debuting in 2016, his tag-team success in CHIKARA (including capturing the Campeonatos de Parejas), to his time in stables like FIST and The Rumblebees. Expect deep-dive analysis, behind-the-scenes stories, and raw talk about life on the independent circuit, plus Travis's thoughts on technique, ring psychology, and what the future holds. Whether you're a hardcore indie wrestling fan or just curious about what goes on outside the big promos — this is fire

Get ready to deck the halls with the penultimate episode of the WOAFM99 Christmas Special! Join your host, Billboard Top 10 artist, award-winning producer, and former MTV VJ Oliver Sean, alongside the WOA Team, as we continue our global search for the finest independent holiday music. On today's show, we unveil the 13 breakthrough Indie artists who have earned the title of Certified Indie Holiday Songs of the Week. We also take a trip down memory lane with featured tracks from the Independent No.1's Christmas Special 10th Anniversary album, and showcase hits from this year's massive Christmas Special Vol. 11, which is currently storming the charts in the US, UK, Bulgaria, and beyond! Today's Certified Indie Playlist: Oliver Sean – Merry Christmas Everyone Neil Patrick – All I'll Ever Need Joseph Pagano – Silent Night Crooner Ed – Jesus is my Friend B Thomas – Christmas Time For Love Danni Stefanetti – Christmas in New York Andrew Kay – A Christmas Miracle Zsel – 2 Snow Angels and Second Chances Fabian A Feliciano – Christmas is Here Again The Cautious Arc – A Little of That Never Hurt No One Demi McMahon – Santa Doesn't Like Me, He Loves Me Juice Tha Black Beethoven – Meet Me at the Mistletoe Jacques Péna – Je Suis Jaloux Don't Miss the Finale! The holiday season is reaching its peak! Make sure to tune in next week for the grand conclusion of our festivities: The WOAFM99 Christmas Show Finale. We'll be wrapping up the year with the biggest indie hits and festive cheers you won't hear anywhere else. Listen Now: Available on all major podcast platforms and at www.woafm99.com.

Send us a textDr. Bonny Kehm is the Founding Dean and Assistant Provost of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Columbia Southern University. She's an accomplished nurse educator, researcher, and leader whose work has had a substantial influence at both the state and national levels.Appointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing back in 2017, Dr. Kehm went on to serve as board president and contributed to vital initiatives through the Nursing Education Committee. Her leadership has influenced policy, program development, and the academic standards that shape how nurses are educated today.Beyond her administrative and regulatory work, she's also a Certified Nurse Educator through the National League for Nursing and has been recognized with multiple awards for her excellence in education and scholarship.What I love about Dr. Kehm's story is how she blends deep clinical experience with a passion for education, innovation, and mentorship. I'm inspired after hearing her insights on leadership and the future of nursing. Her dedication to shaping compassionate and confident nurse leaders is making a lasting impact, and I know you will walk away feeling motivated and hopeful.In the five-minute snippet: This one came out of nowhere. For Bonny's bio, visit my website (link below).Contact The Conversing Nurse podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.comYour review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-reviewWould you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-formCheck out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast Thanks for listening!

Welcome back to IndieQuest, a celebration of the indie and obscure! On this episode we chat about the best of Game Awards week announcements, scramble to finish up our goty catch up lists, and bring 3 awesome 2025 games to our ever growing list of Indie game recommendations THE QUEST LOG! Please fill out this short survey - make the IndieQuest Awards EVEN BETTER: https://forms.gle/DMJGorWMvUVTjBka6------------------------------------------Games talked about in the show (contains spoilers for the episode):----------------------------Orbitals, Order of the Sinking Star, Bradley the Badger, Dogpile, Stretchmancer, Unshine Arcade, Easy Delivery Co., Skate Story, Rythm DoctorSend us a text---------------------------------------------Leave us questions, comments, concerns, or feedback of any kind at our email indiequestpod@gmail.com or follow us on BlueSky @indiequestpod! Send us emails with topics, questions, suggestions, or indie game recommendations at indiequestpod@gmail.com! If you want to see the Quest Log go to indiequestpod.com! This will be updated as episodes are released, be wary though because it may contain spoilers for the episode! Follow our Hosts here:Steve on twitch - twitch.tv/BlinkoomJosh on BlueSky - @JoshLeslieSeth on BlueSky - @captaindrachmaYou want to comment on something we talk about on a podcast?! Check out the network's reddit!https://www.reddit.com/r/polymedia/Special thanks to the intro music artist CrossFrog and the cover artist for the show @d3ltari on Instagram.Support the show - We're a proud part of the Polymedia Network!www.polymedianetwork.com

In this episode, we sit down with Fernando Dominguez Sarmiento, the creative force behind Super Farming Boy, to unpack how world-class developers use data to sharpen decisions without draining a game of its heart. Drawing on accolades from the Apple App Store Awards and a career spanning games, film, and companies like PepperMelon, Nando shares a rare, practical perspective on balancing instinct with insight. If you want to learn from one of the most versatile minds in indie development today, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.Learn more about Fernando SarmientoLearn more about usJoin the next episode of the Indie Game Lunch Hour LIVE every Wednesday at 12pm EST on our Discord channel to answer your own burning questions and be immortalized in the recordings.

The Indie Show with Kev Andrews 11th Dec 2025, On www.bootboyradio.co.uk Please Play, Like, Comment, Follow, Download & Share.

Today's episode is a look at what is going on with independent retail shops right now.  I sat down with my friend Jen from Tiny Turns Paperie. She's one of our Paper Camp speakers and a longtime advocate for small businesses. We talk honestly about some of the hardships that shop owners have been facing during 2025: everything from operational curveballs to tariffs and other things that have impacted the way they do business. We did get into some specifics about unpredictable buying patterns, last-minute shopping, the rise of treat yourself, and community-driven products.  We also talked about some of the less glamorous stuff that goes into running a brick & mortar like inventory delays, tariffs, shipping headaches, and things like that. I think it's important for you to hear today's episode because the things that the indie buyers and brick and mortar shops are navigating do impact how they're doing business with you, too, so Jen's perspective is invaluable as always. You'll hear specifically how she's possibly adjusting her buying, why planners are hot right now, and why she's focusing on collaboration across indie businesses to really strengthen customer loyalty. If you want ongoing analysis like this about trends, data, systems, sales, and marketing strategies for your product-based business, come join us in LABS. We break down what's happening across the industry and help you apply it directly to your business REQUEST YOUR INVITATION You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/423  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

Bundle up, my spookies—this week's This Week in Horror History digs into Christmas horror movies, winter ghost stories, and festive frights from December 15–21. We're hanging the stockings and turning off the lights as we revisit the classics that made the holidays just a little more terrifying.We kick things off with Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974), a black-and-white horror-comedy love letter to the Universal Monsters era. It proved that audiences were happy to unwrap creepy laughs during the holiday season, turning a modest budget into a massive hit and cementing itself as a cozy winter comfort watch for monster kids everywhere.From there, we head into the snow-choked terror of Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974)—the grim, stalker-in-the-attic slasher that helped invent the blueprint for holiday horror slashers. Killer POV shots, obscene phone calls, sorority sisters in danger, and a cozy Christmas setting turned sinister make it a must-watch Christmas horror movie for anyone who likes their tinsel tangled with blood.We then unwrap some Christmas horror gaming with the PS1-style indie nightmare Christmas Massacre, where retro graphics, a whispering Christmas tree, and a deeply disturbed killer turn nostalgic winter vibes into something nasty and unforgettable. If you're into indie horror games, lo-fi visuals, and brutally mean Christmas horror, this one belongs on your December playlist.For fans of analog horror and late-night weirdness, we shine a frosty spotlight on Local 58's Real Sleep—a fake infomercial that slowly mutates into something cosmic, invasive, and deeply wrong. It's perfect for those long, cold nights where the TV glow is the only light in the room.Our Deep-Cut Spotlight settles on Ghost Story (1981), a wintry ghost tale about regret, buried secrets, and a haunting that refuses to stay in the past. Legendary performances and snow-dusted atmosphere make it an ideal December ghost story to curl up with while the wind howls outside and the Christmas lights flicker.Along the way, we celebrate horror icons with birthdays this week, revisit the seismic impact of Wes Craven's Scream (1996) as a late-December slasher staple, and build you a Christmas horror watchlist loaded with slashers, ghost stories, analog nightmares, and cold-weather horror comfort films.Where to watch this week's picks (U.S.):Black Christmas (1974) – Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Shudder, AMC+ and more, and also free with ads on platforms like Tubi and The Roku Channel. Ghost Story (1981) – Streaming on Amazon Prime Video (including Prime with ads), with digital rent/buy options on Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Christmas Massacre (Game) – Available digitally on Steam, GOG, PlayStation, Xbox, and directly from the Puppet Combo store for PC collectors. Young Frankenstein (1974) – As of this week it's not on major subscription services in the U.S.; your best bet is grabbing a digital copy or Blu-ray from retailers like Amazon and other disc shops. Hit play on this episode of This Week in Horror History for a Christmas horror history lesson you can turn directly into a holiday horror movie night—plus the details on our sponsor's special seasonal deal.Support the show and get a tasty energy drink without the crash at AspireDrinks.com and get 25% off with promo code SPOOKY at checkout!

Today in the business of podcasting: 2026 ad spend expectations, indies growing as a power in audio spend, and podcasting's new liquid content phase.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.

Today in the business of podcasting: 2026 ad spend expectations, indies growing as a power in audio spend, and podcasting's new liquid content phase.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.

2006 saw the release of some remarkable albums by a variety of Australian Blues musicians. Over this Festive Season why not revisit 'Hot, Gritty Australian Blues Pt 1 & 2' and hear for yourself. Over indulging in the fesive season back in 2006, Jerome's behavior in this podcast was quite reprehensible. Playlist: Artist - Album. 1 Sugarcane Collins - Way Down The River. 2 Dallas Frasca - Learn your routes. 3 Carl Williams Jr - I loved you with all the madness in my soul. 4 John Butler Trio - Funky Tonight. 5 Stevie Paige - I I I. 6 The Hiptones - Right Now. 7 Matt Dwyer - Who loves you. 8 Lloyd Spiegel -Timber and Steel. 9 The Vibe - Walk away. 10 Nick Charles - New Kind of Feeling. 11 8 Ball Eitken - Behind the 8 ball. 12 Croftstown - Unboogie Size: 140 MB (147,490,651 bytes) Duration: 1:01:24

2006 saw the release of some remarkable albums by a variety of Australian Blues musicians. Over this Festive Season why not revisit 'Hot, Gritty Australian Blues Pt 1 & 2' and hear for yourself. Indulging in the fesive season back then, Jerome's behavior in this podcast was some what reprehensible. Playlist: Artist - Album. 1 Jack Derwin - Bend it. 2 Col Ray Price - Col Ray Price. 3 The Blue Zone - The sweetest most perfect things. 4 Mark Eason Limousine - Bandwagon. 5 James Michael Thompson - The good news blues. 6 Chubby Rae and The Elevators - She gets unruly. 7 Andrea Marr - Watch me work it baby. 8 Geoff Atchison and the Souldiggers - Little big men. 9 Bluesville Station - Castlemaine Sessions. 10 Wild Turkey - Devil ridin' shotgun. 11 Men in Blue - Drinking overnight. 12 Hellboppers - Hellectricity. Size: 150 MB (157,811,490 bytes) Duration: 1:05:42

There has been another major update in the story of Toyah Cordingley (episode #169 from 2021). After a trial earlier this year ended in a mistrial, the case against Rajwinder Singh was sent back to the Cairns Supreme Court. In November 2025, a four-week trial began to decide his fate...Researched, written, hosted, and produced by Micheal WhelanIf you would like to support this podcast and others, consider heading to https://www.patreon.com/unresolvedpod to become a Patron or ProducerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unresolved--3266604/support.

How can you be more relaxed about your writing process? What are some specific ways to take the pressure off your art and help you enjoy the creative journey? With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre. In the intro, Spotify 2025 audiobook trends; Audible + BookTok; NonFiction Authors Guide to SubStack; OpenAI and Disney agreement on Sora; India AI licensing; Business for Authors January webinars; Mark and Jo over the years Mark Leslie LeFebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as nonfiction books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Mark and Jo co-wrote The Relaxed Author in 2021. You can listen to us talk about the process here. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why the ‘relaxed' author Write what you love Write at your own pace Write in a series (if you want to) Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. You can find Mark Leslie Lefebvre and his books and podcast at Stark Reflections.ca Why the ‘relaxed' author? Joanna: The definition of relaxed is “free from tension and anxiety,” from the Latin laxus, meaning loose, and to be honest, I am not a relaxed or laid-back person in the broader sense. Back in my teens, my nickname at school was Highly Stressed. I'm a Type A personality, driven by deadlines and achieving goals. I love to work and I burned out multiple times in my previous career as an IT consultant. If we go away on a trip, I pack the schedule with back-to-back cultural things like museums and art galleries to help my book research. Or we go on adventure holidays with a clear goal, like cycling down the South-West coast of India. I can't even go for a long walk without training for another ultra-marathon! So I am not a relaxed person — but I am a relaxed author. If I wanted to spend most of my time doing something that made me miserable, I would go back to my old day job in consulting. I was paid well and worked fewer hours overall. But I measure my life by what I create, and if I am not working on a creative project, I am not able to truly relax in my downtime. There are always more things I want to learn and write about, always more stories to be told and knowledge to share. I don't want to kill my writing life by over-stressing or burning out as an author. I write what I love and follow my Muse into projects that feel right. I know how to publish and market books well enough to reach readers and make some money. I have many different income streams through my books, podcast and website. Of course, I still have my creative and business challenges as well as mindset issues, just like any writer. That never goes away. But after a decade as a full-time author entrepreneur, I have a mature creative business and I've relaxed into the way I do things. I love to write, but I also want a full and happy, healthy life. I'm still learning and improving as the industry shifts — and I change, too. I still have ambitious creative and financial goals, but I am going about them in a more relaxed way and in this book, I'll share some of my experiences and tips in the hope that you can discover your relaxed path, too. Mark: One of the most fundamental things you can do in your writing life is look at how you want to spend your time. I think back to the concept of: ‘You're often a reflection of the people you spend the most time with.' Therefore, typically, your best friend, or perhaps your partner, is often a person you love spending time with. Because there's something inherently special about spending time with this person who resonates in a meaningful way, and you feel more yourself because you're with them. In many ways, writing, or the path that you are on as a writer, is almost like being on a journey with an invisible partner. You are you. But you are also the writer you. And there's the two of you traveling down the road of life together. And so that same question arises. What kind of writer-self do you want to spend all your time with? Do you want to spend all your time with a partner that is constantly stressed out or constantly trying to reach deadlines based on somebody else's prescription of what success is? Or would you rather spend time with a partner who pauses to take a contemplative look at your own life, your own comfort, your own passion and the things that you are willing to commit to? Someone who allows that all to happen in a way that feels natural and comfortable to you. I'm a fan of the latter, of course, because then you can focus on the things you're passionate about and the things you're hopeful about rather than the things you're fearful about and those that bring anxiety and stress into your life. To me, that's part of being a relaxed author. That underlying acceptance before you start to plan things out. If the writing life is a marathon, not a sprint, then pacing, not rushing, may be the key. We have both seen burnout in the author community. People who have pushed themselves too hard and just couldn't keep up with the impossible pace they set for themselves. At times, indie authors would wear that stress, that anxiety, that rush to produce more and more, as a badge of honor. It's fine to be proud of the hard work that you do. It's fine to be proud of pushing yourself to always do better, and be better. But when you push too far — beyond your limits — you can ultimately do yourself more harm than good. Everyone has their own unique pace—something that they are comfortable with—and one key is to experiment until you find that pace, and you can settle in for the long run. There's no looking over your shoulder at the other writers. There's no panicking about the ones outpacing you. You're in this with yourself. And, of course, with those readers who are anticipating those clearly communicated milestones of your releases. I think that what we both want for authors is to see them reaching those milestones at their own paces, in their own comfort, delighting in the fact their readers are there cheering them on. Because we'll be silently cheering them along as well, knowing that they've set a pace, making relaxed author lifestyle choices, that will benefit them in the long run. “I'm glad you're writing this book. I know I'm not the only author who wants peace, moments of joy, and to enjoy the journey. Indie publishing is a luxury that I remember not having, I don't want to lose my sense of gratitude.” —Anonymous author from our survey Write what you love Joanna: The pandemic has taught us that life really is short. Memento mori — remember, you will die. What is the point of spending precious time writing books you don't want to write? If we only have a limited amount of time and only have a limited number of books that we can write in a lifetime, then we need to choose to write the books that we love. If I wanted a job doing something I don't enjoy, then I would have remained in my stressful old career as an IT consultant — when I certainly wasn't relaxed! Taking that further, if you try to write things you don't love, then you're going to have to read what you don't love as well, which will take more time. I love writing thrillers because that's what I love to read. Back when I was miserable in my day job, I would go to the bookstore at lunchtime and buy thrillers. I would read them on the train to and from work and during the lunch break. Anything for a few minutes of escape. That's the same feeling I try to give my readers now. I know the genre inside and out. If I had to write something else, I would have to read and learn that other genre and spend time doing things I don't love. In fact, I don't even know how you can read things you don't enjoy. I only give books a few pages and if they don't resonate, I stop reading. Life really is too short. You also need to run your own race and travel your own journey. If you try to write in a genre you are not immersed in, you will always be looking sideways at what other authors are doing, and that can cause comparisonitis — when you compare yourself to others, most often in an unfavorable way. Definitely not relaxing! Writing something you love has many intrinsic rewards other than sales. Writing is a career for many of us, but it's a passion first, and you don't want to feel like you've wasted your time on words you don't care about. “Write what you know” is terrible advice for a long-term career as at some point, you will run out of what you know. It should be “write what you want to learn about.” When I want to learn about a topic, I write a book on it because that feeds my curiosity and I love book research, it's how I enjoy spending my time, especially when I travel, which is also part of how I relax. If you write what you love and make it part of your lifestyle, you will be a far more relaxed author. Mark: It's common that writers are drawn into storytelling from some combination of passion, curiosity, and unrelenting interest. We probably read or saw something that inspired us, and we wanted to express those ideas or the resulting perspectives that percolated in our hearts and minds. Or we read something and thought, “Wow, I could do this; but I would have come at it differently or I would approach the situation or subject matter with my own flair.” So, we get into writing with passion and desire for storytelling. And then sometimes along the way, we recognize the critical value of having to become an entrepreneur, to understand the business of writing and publishing. And part of understanding that aspect of being an author is writing to market, and understanding shifts and trends in the industry, and adjusting to those ebbs and flows of the tide. But sometimes, we lose sight of the passion that drew us to writing in the first place. And so, writing the things that you love can be a beacon to keep you on course. I love the concept of “Do something that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.” And that's true in some regard because I've always felt that way for almost my entire adult life. I've been very lucky. But at the same time, I work extremely hard at what I love. Some days are harder than others, and some things are really difficult, frustrating and challenging; but at the end of the day, I have the feeling of satisfaction that I spent my time doing something I believe in. I've been a bookseller my entire life even though I don't sell books in brick-and-mortar bookstores anymore—that act of physically putting books in people's hands. But to this day, what I do is virtually putting books in people's hands, both as an author and as an industry representative who is passionate about the book business. I was drawn to that world via my passion for writing. And that's what continues to compel me forward. I tried to leave the corporate world to write full time in 2018 but realized there was an intrinsic satisfaction to working in that realm, to embracing and sharing my insights and knowledge from that arena to help other writers. And I couldn't give that up. For me, the whole core, the whole essence of why I get up in the morning has to do with storytelling, creative inspiration, and wanting to inspire and inform other people to be the best that they can be in the business of writing and publishing. And that's what keeps me going when the days are hard. Passion as the inspiration to keep going There are always going to be days that aren't easy. There will be unexpected barriers that hit you as a writer. You'll face that mid-novel slump or realize that you have to scrap an entire scene or even plotline, and feel like going back and re-starting is just too much. You might find the research required to be overwhelming or too difficult. There'll be days when the words don't flow, or the inspiration that initially struck you seems to have abandoned you for greener pastures. Whatever it is, some unexpected frustration can create what can appear to be an insurmountable block. And, when that happens, if it's a project you don't love, you're more likely to let those barriers get in your way and stop you. But if it's a project that you're passionate about, and you're writing what you love, that alone can be what greases the wheels and helps reduce that friction to keep you going. At the end of the day, writing what you love can be a honing, grounding, and centering beacon that allows you to want to wake up in the morning and enjoy the process as much as possible even when the hard work comes along. “For me, relaxation comes from writing what I know and love and trusting the emergent process. As a discovery writer, I experience great joy when the story, characters and dialogue simply emerge in their own time and their own way. It feels wonderful.” — Valerie Andrews “Writing makes me a relaxed author. Just getting lost in a story of my own creation, discovering new places and learning what makes my characters tick is the best way I know of relaxing. Even the tricky parts, when I have no idea where I am going next, have a special kind of charm.” – Imogen Clark Write at your own pace Mark: Writing at your own pace will help you be a more relaxed author because you're not stressing out by trying to keep up with someone else. Of course, we all struggle with comparing ourselves to others. Take a quick look around and you can always find someone who has written more books than you. Nora Roberts, traditionally published author, writes a book a month. Lindsey Buroker, fantasy indie author, writes a book a month of over 100,000 words. If you compare yourself to someone else and you try to write at their pace, that is not going to be your relaxed schedule. On the other hand, if you compare yourself to Donna Tartt, who writes one book every decade, you might feel like some speed-demon crushing that word count and mastering rapid release. Looking at what others are doing could result in you thinking you're really slow or you could think that you're super-fast. What does that kind of comparison actually get you? I remember going to see a talk by Canadian literary author Farley Mowat when I was a young budding writer. I'll never forget one thing he said from that stage: “Any book that takes you less than four years to write is not a real book.” Young teenage Mark was devastated, hurt and disappointed to hear him say that because my favorite author at the time, Piers Anthony, was writing and publishing two to three novels a year. I loved his stuff, and his fantasy and science fiction had been an important inspiration in my writing at that time. (The personal notes I add to the end of my stories and novels came from enjoying his so much). That focus on there being only a single way, a single pace to write, ended up preventing me from enjoying the books I had already been loving because I was doing that comparisonitis Joanna talks about, but as a reader. I took someone else's perspective too much to heart and I let that ruin a good thing that had brought me personal joy and pleasure. It works the same way as a writer. Because we have likely developed a pattern, or a way that works for us that is our own. We all have a pace that we comfortably walk; a way we prefer to drive. A pattern or style of how and when and what we prefer to eat. We all have our own unique comfort food. There are these patterns that we're comfortable with, and potentially because they are natural to us. If you try to force yourself to write at a pace that's not natural to you, things can go south in your writing and your mental health. And I'm not suggesting any particular pace, except for the one that's most natural and comfortable to you. If writing fast is something that you're passionate about, and you're good at it, and it's something you naturally do, why would you stop yourself from doing that? Just like if you're a slow writer and you're trying to write fast: why are you doing that to yourself? There's a common pop song line used by numerous bands over the years that exhorts you to “shake what you got.” I like to think the same thing applies here. And do it with pride and conviction. Because what you got is unique and awesome. Own it, and shake it with pride. You have a way you write and a word count per writing session that works for you. And along with that, you likely know what time you can assign to writing because of other commitments like family time, leisure time, and work (assuming you're not a full-time writer). Simple math can provide you with a way to determine how long it will take to get your first draft written. So, your path and plans are clear. And you simply take the approach that aligns with your writer DNA. Understanding what that pace is for you helps alleviate an incredible amount of stress that you do not need to thrust upon yourself. Because if you're not going to be able to enjoy it while you're doing it, what's the point? Your pace might change project to project While your pace can change over time, your pace can also change project to project. And sometimes the time actually spent writing can be a smaller portion of the larger work involved. I was on a panel at a conference once and someone asked me how long it took to write my non-fiction book of ghost stories, Haunted Hamilton. “About four days,” I responded. And while that's true — I crafted the first draft over four long and exhausting days writing as much as sixteen hours each day — the reality was I had been doing research for months. But the pen didn't actually hit the paper until just a few days before my deadline to turn the book over to my editor. That was for a non-fiction book; but I've found I do similar things with fiction. I noodle over concepts and ideas for months before I actually commit words to the page. The reason this comes to mind is that I think it's important to recognize the way that I write is I first spend a lot of time in my head to understand and chew on things. And then by the time it comes to actually getting the words onto the paper, I've already done much of the pre-writing mentally. It's sometimes not fair when you're comparing yourself to someone else to look at how long they physically spend in front of a keyboard hammering on that word count, because they might have spent a significantly longer amount of a longer time either outlining or conceptualizing the story in their mind or in their heart before they sat down to write. So that's part of the pace, too. Because sometimes, if we only look at the time spent at the ‘writer's desk,' we fool ourselves when we think that we're a slow writer or a fast writer. Joanna: Your pace will change over your career My first novel took 14 months and now I can write a first draft in about six weeks because I have more experience. It's also more relaxing for me to write a book now than it was in the beginning, because I didn't know what I was doing back then. Your pace will change per project I have a non-fiction work in progress, my Shadow Book (working title), which I have started several times. I have about 30,000 words but as I write this, I have backed away from it because I'm (still) not ready. There's a lot more research and thinking I need to do. Similarly, some people take years writing a memoir or a book with such emotional or personal depth that it needs more to bring it to life. Your pace will also shift depending on where you are in the arc of life Perhaps you have young kids right now, or you have a health issue, or you're caring for someone who is ill. Perhaps you have a demanding day job so you have less time to write. Perhaps you really need extended time away from writing, or just a holiday. Or maybe there's a global pandemic and frankly, you're too stressed to write! The key to pacing in a book is variability — and that's true of life, too. Write at the pace that works for you and don't be afraid to change it as you need to over time. “I think the biggest thing for me is reminding myself that I'm in this to write. Sometimes I can get caught up in all the moving pieces of editing and publishing and marketing, but the longer I go without writing, or only writing because I have to get the next thing done instead of for enjoyment, the more stressed and anxious I become. But if I make time to fit in what I truly love, which is the process of writing without putting pressure on myself to meet a deadline, or to be perfect, or to meet somebody else's expectations — that's when I become truly relaxed.” – Ariele Sieling Write in a series (if you want to) Joanna: I have some stand-alone books but most of them are in series, both for non-fiction and for my fiction as J.F. Penn. It's how I like to read and write. As we draft this book, I'm also writing book 12 in my ARKANE series, Tomb of Relics. It's relaxing because I know my characters, I know my world; I know the structure of how an ARKANE story goes. I know what to put in it to please my readers. I have already done the work to set up the series world and the main characters and now all I need is a plot and an antagonist. It's also quicker to write and edit because I've done it before. Of course, you need to put in the work initially so the series comes together, but once you've set that all up, each subsequent book is easier. You can also be more relaxed because you already have an audience who will (hopefully) buy the book because they bought the others. You will know approximately how many sales you'll get on launch and there will be people ready to review. Writing in a non-fiction series is also a really good idea because you know your audience and you can offer them more books, products and services that will help them within a niche. While they might not be sequential, they should be around the same topic, for example, this is part of my Books for Authors series. Financially, it makes sense to have a series as you will earn more revenue per customer as they will (hopefully) buy more than one book. It's also easier and more relaxing to market as you can set one book to free or a limited time discount and drive sales through to other books in the series. Essentially, writing a book in a series makes it easier to fulfill both creative and financial goals. However, if you love to read and write stand-alone books, and some genres suit stand-alones better than series anyway, then, of course, go with what works for you! Mark: I like to equate this to no matter where you travel in the world, if you find a McDonald's you pretty much know what's on the menu and you know what to expect. When you write in a series, it's like returning to hang out with old friends. You know their backstory; you know their history so you can easily fall into a new conversation about something and not have to get caught up on understanding what you have in common. So that's an enormous benefit of relaxing into something like, “Oh, I'm sitting down over coffee, chatting with some old friends. They're telling me a new story about something that happened to them. I know who they are, I know what they're made out of.” And this new plot, this new situation, they may have new goals, they may have new ways they're going to grow as characters, but they're still the same people that we know and love. And that's a huge benefit that I only discovered recently because I'm only right now working on book four in my Canadian Werewolf series. Prior to that, I had three different novels that were all the first book in a series with no book two. And it was stressful for me. Writing anything seemed to take forever. I was causing myself anxiety by jumping around and writing new works as opposed to realizing I could go visit a locale I'm familiar and comfortable with. And I can see new things in the same locale just like sometimes you can see new things and people you know and love already, especially when you introduce something new into the world and you see how they react to it. For me, there's nothing more wonderful than that sort of homecoming. It's like a nostalgic feeling when you do that. I've seen a repeated pattern where writers spend years writing their first book. I started A Canadian Werewolf in New York in 2006 and I did not publish it until ten years later, after finishing it in 2015. (FYI, that wasn't my first novel. I had written three and published one of them prior to that). That first novel can take so long because you're learning. You're learning about your characters, about the craft, about the practice of writing, about the processes that you're testing along the way. And if you are working on your first book and it's taking longer than planned, please don't beat yourself up for that. It's a process. Sometimes that process takes more time. I sometimes wonder if this is related to our perception of time as we age. When you're 10 years old, a day compared to your lifetime is a significant amount of time, and thinking about a year later is considering a time that is one-tenth of your life. When you have a few more decades or more under your belt, that year is a smaller part of the whole. If you're 30, a year is only one-thirtieth of your life. A much smaller piece. Just having written more books, particularly in a series, removes the pressure of that one book to represent all of you as a writer. I had initial anxiety at writing the second book in my Canadian Werewolf series. Book two was more terrifying in some ways than book one because finally, after all this time, I had something good that I didn't want to ruin. Should I leave well enough alone? But I was asked to write a short story to a theme in an anthology, and using my main character from that first novel allowed me to discover I could have fun spending more time with these characters and this world. And I also realized that people wanted to read more about these characters. I didn't just want to write about them, but other people wanted to read about them too. And that makes the process so much easier to keep going with them. So one of the other benefits that helps to relax me as a writer working on a series is I have a better understanding of who my audience is, and who my readers are, and who will want this, and who will appreciate it. So I know what worked, I know what resonated with them, and I know I can give them that next thing. I have discovered that writing in a series is a far more relaxed way of understanding your target audience better. Because it's not just a single shot in the dark, it's a consistent on-going stream. Let me reflect on a bit of a caveat, because I'm not suggesting sticking to only a single series or universe. As writers, we have plenty of ideas and inspirations, and it's okay to embrace some of the other ones that come to us. When I think about the Canadian rock trio, Rush, a band that produced 19 studio albums and toured for 40 years, I acknowledge a very consistent band over the decades. And yet, they weren't the same band that they were when they started playing together, even though it was the same three guys since Neil Peart joined Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. They changed what they wrote about, what they sang about, themes, styles, approaches to making music, all of this. They adapted and changed their style at least a dozen times over the course of their career. No album was exactly like the previous album, and they experimented, and they tried things. But there was a consistency of the audience that went along with them. And as writers, we can potentially have that same thing where we know there are going to be people who will follow us. Think about Stephen King, a writer who has been writing in many different subjects and genres. And yet there's a core group of people who will enjoy everything he writes, and he has that Constant Reader he always keeps in mind. And so, when we write in a series, we're thinking about that constant reader in a more relaxed way because that constant reader, like our characters, like our worlds, like our universes, is like we're just returning to a comfortable, cozy spot where we're just going to hang out with some good friends for a bit. Or, as the contemplative Rush song Time Stand Still expresses, the simple comfort and desire of spending some quality time having a drink with a friend. Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Mark: What we do as writers is quite cerebral, so we need to give ourselves mental breaks in the same way we need to sleep regularly. Our bodies require sleep. And it's not just physical rest for our bodies to regenerate, it's for our minds to regenerate. We need that to stay sane, to stay alive, to stay healthy. The reality for us as creatives is that we're writing all the time, whether or not we're in front of a keyboard or have a pen in our hand. We're always writing, continually sucking the marrow from the things that are happening around us, even when we're not consciously aware of it. And sometimes when we are more consciously aware of it, that awareness can feel forced. It can feel stressful. When you give yourself the time to just let go, to just relax, wonderful things can happen. And they can come naturally, never feeling that urgent sense of pressure. Downtime, for me, is making space for those magic moments to happen. I was recently listening to Episode 556 of The Creative Penn podcast where Joanna talked about the serendipity of those moments when you're traveling and you're going to a museum and you see something. And you're not consciously there to research for a book, but you see something that just makes a connection for you. And you would not have had that for your writing had you not given yourself the time to just be doing and enjoying something else. And so, whenever I need to resolve an issue or a problem in a project I'm writing, which can cause stress, I will do other things. I will go for a run or walk the dogs, wash the dishes or clean the house. Or I'll put on some music and sing and dance like nobody is watching or listening—and thank goodness for that, because that might cause them needless anxiety. The key is, I will do something different that allows my mind to just let go. And somewhere in the subconscious, usually the answer comes to me. Those non-cerebral activities can be very restorative. Yesterday, my partner Liz and I met her daughter at the park. And while we quietly waited, the two of us wordlessly enjoyed the sights and sounds of people walking by, the river in the background, the wind blowing through the leaves in the trees above us. That moment wasn't a purposeful, “Hey, we're going to chill and relax.” But we found about five minutes of restorative calm in the day. A brief, but powerful ‘Ah' moment. And when I got back to writing this morning, I drew upon some of the imagery from those few minutes. I didn't realize at the time I was experiencing the moment yesterday that I was going to incorporate some of that imagery in today's writing session. And that's the serendipity that just flows very naturally in those scheduled and even unscheduled moments of relaxation. Joanna: I separate this into two aspects because I'm good at one and terrible at the other! I schedule time to fill the creative well as often as possible. This is something that Julia Cameron advises in The Artist's Way, and I find it an essential part of my creative practice. Essentially, you can't create from an empty mind. You have to actively seek out ways to spark ideas. International travel is a huge part of my fiction inspiration, in particular. This has been impossible during the pandemic and has definitely impacted my writing. I also go to exhibitions and art galleries, as well as read books, watch films and documentaries. If I don't fill my creative well, then I feel empty, like I will never have another idea, that perhaps my writing life is over. Some people call that writer's block but I know that feeling now. It just means I haven't filled my creative well and I need to schedule time to do that so I can create again. Consume and produce. That's the balance you need in order to keep the creative well filled and the words flowing. In terms of scheduling time to relax instead of doing book research, I find this difficult because I love to work. My husband says that I'm like a little sports car that goes really, really fast and doesn't stop until it hits a wall. I operate at a high productivity level and then I crash! But the restrictions of the pandemic have helped me learn more about relaxation, after much initial frustration. I have walked in nature and lain in the garden in the hammock and recently, we went to the seaside for the first time in 18 months. I lay on the stones and watched the waves. I was the most relaxed I've been in a long time. I didn't look at my phone. I wasn't listening to a podcast or an audiobook. We weren't talking. We were just being there in nature and relaxing. Authors are always thinking and feeling because everything feeds our work somehow. But we have to have both aspects — active time to fill the creative well and passive time to rest and relax. “I go for lots of walks and hikes in the woods. These help me work out the kinks in my plots, and also to feel more relaxed! (Exercise is an added benefit!)” –T.W. Piperbrook Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle Joanna: A lot of stress can occur in writing if we try to change or improve our process too far beyond our natural way of doing things. For example, trying to be a detailed plotter with a spreadsheet when you're really a discovery writer, or trying to dictate 5,000 words per hour when you find it easier to hand write slowly into a journal. Productivity tips from other writers can really help you tweak your personal process, but only if they work for you — and I say this as someone who has a book on Productivity for Authors! Of course, it's a good idea to improve things, but once you try something, analyze whether it works for you — either with data or just how you feel. If it works, great. Adopt it into your process. If it doesn't work, then discard it. For example, I wrote my first novel in Microsoft Word. When I discovered Scrivener, I changed my process and never looked back because it made my life so much easier. I don't write in order and Scrivener made it easier to move things around. I also discovered that it was easier for me to get into my first draft writing and creating when I was away from the desk I use for business, podcasting, and marketing tasks. I started to write in a local cafe and later on in a co-working space. During the pandemic lockdown, I used specific playlists to create a form of separation as I couldn't physically go somewhere else. Editing is an important part of the writing process but you have to find what works for you, which will also change over time. Some are authors are more relaxed with a messy first draft, then rounds of rewrites while working with multiple editors. Others do one careful draft and then use a proofreader to check the finished book. There are as many ways to write as there are writers. A relaxed author chooses the process that works in the most effective way for them and makes the book the best it can be. Mark: When it comes to process, there are times when you're doing something that feels natural, versus times when you're learning a new skill. Consciously and purposefully learning new skills can be stressful; particularly because it's something we often put so much emphasis or importance upon. But when you adapt on-going learning as a normal part of your life, a natural part of who and what you are, that stress can flow away. I'm always about learning new skills; but over time I've learned how to absorb learning into my everyday processes. I'm a pantser, or discovery writer, or whatever term we can apply that makes us feel better about it. And every time I've tried to stringently outline a book, it has been a stressful experience and I've not been satisfied with the process or the result. Perhaps I satisfied the part of me that thought I wanted to be more like other writers, but I didn't satisfy the creative person in me. I was denying that flow that has worked for me. I did, of course, naturally introduce a few new learnings into my attempts to outline; so I stuck with those elements that worked, and abandoned the elements that weren't working, or were causing me stress. The thought of self-improvement often comes with images of blood, sweat, and tears. It doesn't have to. You don't have to bleed to do this; it can be something that you do at your own pace. You can do it in a way that you're comfortable with so it's causing you no stress, but allowing you to learn and grow and improve. And if it doesn't work but you force yourself to keep doing it because a famous writer or a six-figure author said, “this is the way to do it,” you create pressure. And when you don't do it that way, you can think of yourself as a failure as opposed to thinking of it as, “No, this is just the way that I do things.” When you accept how you do things, if they result in effectively getting things done and feeling good about it at the same time, you have less resistance, you have less friction, you have less tension. Constantly learning, adapting, and evolving is good. But forcing ourselves to try to be or do something that we are not or that doesn't work for us, that causes needless anxiety. “I think a large part of it comes down to reminding myself WHY I write. This can mean looking back at positive reviews, so I can see how much joy others get from my writing, or even just writing something brand new for the sake of exploring an idea. Writing something just for me, rather than for an audience, reminds me how much I enjoy writing, which helps me to unwind a bit and approach my projects with more playfulness.” – Icy Sedgwick You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. The post The Relaxed Author Writing Tips With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre first appeared on The Creative Penn.

This week we welcome writer/director/producer MAR on the show to talk about how he got his next feature Dresden Sun made starring Chrisitina Ricci, MAR also talks about why he likes taking on multiple roles as a filmmaker. After that we read a apple podcast review and talk about the current statuses of our projects, enjoy! Don't forget to support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/mmihpodcast Leave us a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-movies-is-hard-the-struggles-of-indie-filmmaking/id1006416952 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on Nintendo Pow BlockThe Game Awards 2025 are officially in the books, and in this episode of Nintendo Pow Block, Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig break down the winners, biggest announcements, and standout moments from Geoff Keighley's winter birthday bash. The show was completely dominated by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which swept Game of the Year along with Best Direction, Narrative, Art Direction, Score, Performance, RPG, and Indie categories, while other major winners included Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Mario Kart World, No Man's Sky, and Arc Raiders. Beyond the awards, they dive into a massive slate of announcements, including the reveal of Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic from Casey Hudson, Larian's next RPG Divinity, Bruce Straley's Coven of the Chicken Foot, Remedy's Control: Resonant, two new Tomb Raider projects (Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst), Mega Man: Dual Override, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, Phasmophobia coming to Switch 2, and many more.All that and more on Nintendo Pow Block!Follow our Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Founder of Boss Rush Media and the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Boss Rush Community: Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Boss Rush Network: Follow Boss Rush Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Boss Rush Network:Support Boss Rush on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy merch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website at BossRush.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more great content.Thank you for your Support!Thank you for watching or listening to Nintendo Pow Block, the Nintendo podcast from Boss Rush Network! If you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe to the channel, give the video a Like, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast app, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review—it really helps! For more great content, visit our website at BossRush.net. Thanks for your continued support of Nintendo Pow Block and our independent endeavor with the Boss Rush Network!#TheGameAwards #NintendoSwitch2 #NintendoPowBlock #NintendoPodcast #TheGameAwards2025 #Nintendo #Switch2 #NintendoSwitch #NintendoNews #GamingNews #GameAwards #VideoGames #IndieGames #AAA #GameAnnouncements #GamingCommunity #NintendoFans #GameOfTheYear

Ever wondered why everyone's suddenly talking about layering their favourite scents? In this special year-end episode, Karen dives into the layered world of fragrance - examining the trend that's gone from perfume-enthusiast secret to must-try for, indie creators, everyday scent lovers and brands. Discover how scent layering is shaking up traditions, what it means for your personal perfume wardrobe, and why this mix-and-match approach is more than just a passing fad. KEY TAKEAWAYS Scent layering isn't a passing fad, it's transforming how we wear perfume, from “one signature scent” to full fragrance wardrobes. This new layering culture is about ownership: making scents personal, playful, and aligned with who you are, not what a brand tells you to wear. TikTok and social media have blown layering wide open, but not every “hack” is safe or even smells good. Mixing random perfumes together can lead to skin issues. Purpose-made layering scents are safer and smarter. They are building blocks that home users can combine to create their own unique scents. Being a scent minimalist can make layering easier. A small, well-chosen collection often works better than shelves of half-loved bottles. Sustainability, biotech, wellness, healing, and ritual will all play bigger roles in the future of fragrance. AI and online tools can inspire ideas, but they can't yet replace real perfumery skills or safety knowledge. Take the time to stay up to date with this and other tech. BEST MOMENTS “There's some interesting stuff going on with how people relate to scent now, as opposed to how they used to five, ten years ago.” “There are companies that create, I suppose, what you would call a cord - simple fragrances that they actually actively sell as being able to be combined together.” “It's about fragrance becoming something that people participate in, like cooking or mixology, rather than something that they are relying on an expert to tell them what to buy.” EPISODE RESOURCES In Person Classes: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/studio-classes EPC layering sets - https://experimentalperfumeclub.com/pages/perfume-creation-sets VALUABLE RESOURCES Getting Started Guide: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/podcast-getting-started-guide Artisan Perfumery Mastermind: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/artisan-perfumery-mastermind Website: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Fragrance expert, author, teacher, and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way. Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances. With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques. Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing. CONTACT DETAILS Website - https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karengilbert/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KarenGilbert.co.uk YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@KarenGilbertPerfumeMaking Email - karen@karengilbert.co.uk This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

This week's show, after a 1948 Leon Rene recall: brand new Neko Case, Black Watch, Buzzcocks, The Saints (modern), Corin Ashley, Ratboys, Divine Comedy, and Colin Blunstone, plus Huey “Piano” Smith & His Clowns, Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, Carla Thomas,...

This is the final episode of Rooted in Retail 2025, where Crystal Vilkaitis, the Wolf of Main Street, reflects on the year and shares exactly what retailers should bring into 2026—and what to leave behind. From elevating in-store experiences to mastering live selling, paid ads, and AI, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help your retail business thrive in the new year.Crystal breaks down practical strategies to make 2026 your most successful year yet![2:18] - Events are exploding as people crave connection.[5:28] - Consistency in customer experience starts with employee support & training[9:04] - Organic reach isn't enough; strategic ads grow visibility, foot traffic, and email lists.[17:21] - A fast-growing retail channel; plan ahead with product themes, pre-ads, and post-event marketing.[19:20] - Posting imperfect content builds trust, connection, and consistency.[24:46] - AI is here to stay—tools for automation, customer insights, and efficiency.Join the Rooted in Retail Facebook Group to continue the conversation Join our newsletter for all the latest marketing news for retailers Show off your super fandom by getting your Rooted in Retail Merch!