Podcasts about New Zealand

This week we're joined by Joy and Joey from JJ Paranormal, a duo who keep it real as skeptics first and believers second. No crazy town talk, just honest ghost hunting at its best!But here's the twist… they've made ghost hunting a family experience. With their son occasionally joining them, we unpack what it actually looks like to bring the paranormal into everyday life, and where the line sits between curiosity and reality.〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

To find The Cosmic Peach Podcast---> https://open.spotify.com/show/0a2MALZHeOng77TuwryzZU?si=7bf9298c27424781To Sign up for our Patreon go to-> Patreon.com/cultofconspiracypodcastTo Find The Cajun Knight Youtube Channel---> click hereTo find the Meta Mysteries Podcast---> https://open.spotify.com/show/6IshwF6qc2iuqz3WTPz9Wv?si=3a32c8f730b34e79Cult Of Conspiracy Linktree ---> https://linktr.ee/cultofconspiracyhttps://flavorsforest.com/cult/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cult-of-conspiracy--5700337/support.

In this episode, Kyle introduces musician and Chek Institute trainee Adam Fallen, an advanced BioGeometry student trained under the late Dr. Robert Gilbert. Fallen recounts growing up in Charleston's School of the Arts, starting guitar at 12, gigging professionally by 15, touring with Clay Aiken at 18, moving to New York, and performing with Queen Latifah at the Super Bowl while also touring with major pop artists. Burnout and health issues on the road led him to holistic medicine, ayahuasca, Stanislav Grof's birth-trauma ideas, and ultimately Paul Chek's teachings. He describes a BioGeometry intervention that restored his hearing, deeper study of EMFs and “centering” quality, and how BioGeometry improved the host's sleep and home environment. Fallen explains moving from LA to Austin after New Zealand building-biology study, fires, and illness, then outlines his upcoming book EARS (Energy, Awareness, Rhythm, Sauce), his Fallen Frequency Podcast, and a free energy assessment offer. Connect with Adam here: Instagram Fallen Frequency From Kyle: The Community is coming! Click here to learn more   Our Sponsors: Let's level up your nicotine routine with Lucy. Go to Lucy.co/KKP and use promo code (KKP) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy offers FREE SHIPPING and has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind. These are the b3 bands I was talking about. They are amazing, I highly recommend incorporating them into your movement practice.   Connect with Kyle: I'm back on Instagram, come say hey @kylekingsbu Twitter: @kingsbu Our Farm Initiative: @gardenersofeden.earth Odysee: odysee.com/@KyleKingsburypod Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kyle-Kingsbury Kyle's Website: www.kingsbu.com - Gardeners of Eden site   If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe & leave a 5-star review with your thoughts!

For millions of years, the islands of New Zealand remained a pristine wilderness, untouched by human footsteps.  That changed in the 13th century when the world's most elite mariners executed one of history's greatest feats of navigation.  Guided by the stars and ocean swells, the Māori arrived with a "Great Fleet" of double-hulled canoes, completing the final chapter of Polynesian migration.  From the extinction of the giant Moa to resistance to the British, the Māori established a culture that endures to this day. Learn more about the Māori settlement of New Zealand on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Save 50% on Unlimited premium wireless plans starting at $15/month at MintMobile.com/EED Audible Listen to Project Hail Mary Audible.com/hailmary Fast Growing Trees Get 20% off your first purchase when using the code DAILY at checkout at fastgrowingtrees.com/daily Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Ds7Rx7jvPJ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The problem with signs. "And these signs will accompany those who believe...," Jesus said. Or did He? We're pretty sure Mark didn't write the last section of the Gospel of Mark. "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign" - we know the Lord said that. "The Jews ask for signs," Paul informs us, but they don't understand or accept the proofs God has provided. What are we to think about miracles in general, and about this passage in Mark 16? Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS03182026_0.mp3Scripture References: Mark 16

The last time Kimberley May joined the show, she was a 4:27 miler pulling back the curtain on what it takes to compete at the highest level of collegiate running.Since then, her career has accelerated into something much bigger.In early 2025, May ran 8:44.73 for the indoor 3,000m, breaking the Providence College record and posting one of the fastest times in NCAA history. Over the past year, she has also risen to become the second-fastest New Zealand woman ever in both the 1,500m and the mile, cementing herself among the most accomplished middle-distance athletes her country has produced.Her personal bests tell the story of remarkable range and progression: 2:03.46 (800m), 4:04.40 (1500m), 4:27.36 (mile), 8:44.73 (3,000m), and 15:26.50 (5,000m). That 4:04.40 in the 1500m ranks No. 2 all-time in New Zealand history, while her 4:27 indoor mile also sits second-fastest ever by a New Zealand woman.Now, after a historic run at Providence, May is entering the next stage of her career: signing professionally with New Balance and stepping onto the global stage of middle-distance running. From NCAA standout to international contender, the trajectory of Kimberley May is only just beginning.Tap into the Kimberley May Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word“PODCAST” below and I'll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I'll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!S H O W  N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run  -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

Does consistency and patience win in the end? Geoff Driver is General Manager at Australian Foundation Investment Company (AFIC), the century-old ASX mainstay managing $10B in assets. Amid an upcoming CEO transition and questions about performance, Geoff explains why he remains confident in AFIC’s philosophy of seeking resilient businesses with quality balance sheets. So, why does AFIC avoid “cyclical” sectors like gold and small-caps, even when they’re having a strong run? How does AFIC’s listed investment company (LIC) structure work, and how is it different from the “open-ended” structure of an ETF? We examine Australia’s obsession with dividends, the technicalities and the benefits for different tax brackets, the power of the franking credit system, and why Geoff believes it creates a fairer market for individual shareholders. Plus, why AFIC won’t be starting a big international portfolio anytime soon. For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunchShared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website. Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News: No news items this week Main Topic: Neoplasia in Reptiles We dive into reptile neoplasia and discuss this topic in conjunction with a discussion of two recent papers from The Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery: Reptile Oncology: Current Insights and Future Perspectives. Part 1 & 2. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded items. All purchases help support our podcast , helping pay for our production costs. So the bonus for you is that you get some great merchandise and you feel good inside for supporting us – win:win. So click on this link and get shopping. Order now: VetGurus Shop. Say Hi! Send us an email: VetGurus@Gmail.com. We love hearing from our listeners – give us a yell now! Become a Patron Become a Patron of VetGurus: Support us by ‘throwing a bone’ to the VetGurus – a small regular donation to help pay for our production costs. It’s easy; just go to our Patreon site. You can be a rabbit.. or an echidna.. one day we are hoping for a Guru level patron! https://www.patreon.com/VetGurus Support our Sponsors Microchips Australia: Microchips Australia is the Australian distributor for: Trovan microchips, readers and reading systems; Lone Star Veterinary Retractor systems and Petrek GPS tracking products. Microchips Australia is run by veterinarians experienced in small and large animal as well as avian and exotic practice, they know exactly what is needed for your practice. Chemical Essentials. Cleaning and disinfection products and solutions for a wide variety of industries throughout Australia, as well as specific markets in New Zealand, Singapore and Papua New Guinea. The sole importer of the internationally acclaimed F10SC Disinfectant and its related range of advanced cleaning, personal hygiene and animal skin care products. Specialised Animal Nutrition. Specialised Animal Nutrition is the Australian distributor of Oxbow Animal Health products. Used and recommended by top exotic animal veterinarians around the globe,  the Oxbow range comprises premium life-staged feeds and supportive care products for small herbivores. About Our Podcast The veterinary podcast about veterinary medicine and surgery, current news items of interest, case reports and anecdotes. Wait: It's not all about veterinary matters! We also discuss other areas we are passionate about, including photography and wildlife. Thanks for joining us – Brendan and Mark. Our podcast is for veterinarians, veterinary students and veterinary nurses/technicians. If you are at pet owner please search elsewhere – there are lots of great podcasts aimed specifically at pet owners. Disclaimer Any discussion of medical or veterinary matters is of a general nature. Consult a veterinarian with experience in the appropriate field for specific information relating to topics mentioned in our podcast or on our website.

In this episode, Carl asks a deceptively simple question: Are you waiting for information, or are you waiting for permission? Reflecting on conversations he had after moving to New Zealand, Carl explores how often people say they can't make a big life decision because they lack money, timing, or certainty—when the real barrier may be a fear of acting in uncertainty. In complex systems like careers, markets, and family life, clarity rarely comes before the move. Carl invites us to examine whether we're truly missing information or quietly waiting for reassurance that everything will be okay—and reminds us that emotional data deserves a place in the decision-making process.Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most impactful weekly email on the web! Sign up for the Weekly Letter from Certified Financial Planner™ and New York Times columnist Carl Richards here: https://behaviorgap.com/ 

Birgit Hermann is a global leadership coach, speaker, executive leader, ocean advocate, professional freediver, and extreme endurance athlete who translates lessons from the edge into meaningful impact for people and planet.  She supports purpose-driven leaders to turn bold challenges into grounded, values-led action. She has raced the Marathon des Sables, run a marathon in Antarctica, freedived beneath Arctic ice without a wetsuit, and cycled across the African continent — often as the only woman on the start line. Alongside these edge-tested experiences, Birgit brings over 20 years of leading and coaching teams across marine conservation, climate resilience, international development, and peace building in more than 20 countries. Based between Timor-Leste, Germany, New Zealand, and Egypt, she is the founder of Inspired by Nature and the author of B.O.L.D.E.R.™ — a leadership framework forged at the edge and built for real-world change. ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Birgit Growing up in Germany Spending a lot of her life in Asia- Pacific, specifically New Zealand Considering herself a change maker  Working in management positions in relation to climate change adaptions, marine conservation, supporting livelihoods and communities to make changes for the better  Growing up sporty and active  Becoming an outdoor lover after moving to New Zealand  Being a competitive swimmer for many years Trying all sports from judo, to volleyball and cycling  Being interested in different cultures and travelling  Deciding to do her Masters Degree in New Zealand  Deciding to take on Tour d'Afrique Cycling 12,000km from north to south Africa Feeing unsettled and wanting more from life  Getting her courage together to sign up for the challenge  Planning and training for a 4 month challenge Changing her perspective on what's possible  The physical achievement and trusting herself Realising how all the small steps accumulate over time especially at the end of the journey and looking back on what's been achieved Knowing that there was more to what she believed she could achieve  Deciding to spend more time in Africa  Freeing herself up to be open to something new  Testing herself in a new environment  Making something close to impossible happen Starting to think and dream big  Why the physical experience can change your mindset  Knowing that the next step was the right step  Why it wasn't easy  Deciding to head back to New Zealand Being a pioneer and looking to find a role model  Continuing to take on big challenges Living in Timor-Leste in 2016  Wanting to share her experiences of traveling the world while doing endurance challenges  Her experience in Antarctica and wanting to raise awareness and funds for climate change Learning how to free-dive and the benefits experienced  The importance of relaxing - truly relaxing The journey over the last 3 years and putting all the lessons together Boosting her confidence and starting to work for herself Deciding to write her book Being a trail blazer, and shifting culture The lessons to be learned  Inspire change, shift culture and build sustainable impact - without burnout!  Who would benefit from reading from the book Wanting to make a positive change in the world Shout out for the Tough Girl Podcast! How to connect with Birgit Final words of advice for other women who want to live bolder  Talk about it!! Why it's the first step - talking about it out loud.  There will be people who will support you.  Social Media Website: www.birgithermann.com Instagram: @b_inspiredbynature Facebook: @b.inspiredbynature Youtube: @b.inspiredbynature  Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/birgithermann Direct link to the book: www.birgithermann.com/bolder.html  

We know the evidence for Jesus; what's the evidence for you? We're confident that the Lord was raised to new life because of the Empty Tomb, because of the eyewitnesses who died rather than change their story, because of the changed lives and the changed world. But do you and I have any evidence that we've come back from the dead, to "walk in newness of life?" What is our resurrection story? How are we different - and who can tell? We're back in Mark, chapter 16 with Jim. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS03172026_0.mp3Scripture References: Mark 16

James Bryce (1838–1922) was a leading figure in Britain's Liberal Party and a distinguished historian, a versatile scholar-politician who moved seamlessly between academia and politics. He was, among many other things, a cabinet minister and a popular ambassador, an expert on American politics and on Roman law, an advocate for the Armenian people and an architect of the League of Nations, a world traveller and a climber of Mount Ararat. In Liberal Worlds: James Bryce and the Democratic Intellect (Princeton UP, 2025), Stuart Jones offers an intellectual biography of Bryce, tracing a Scots-Ulster Presbyterian's assimilation to the increasingly multiconfessional Victorian state, and a late Victorian Liberal's encounter with the wider world. Jones shows how a polymathic intelligence grappled with a dizzyingly wide range of concerns and issues, including the challenges of democracy and race relations, the rise of modern universities and the reconstruction of the international order after World War I.In mapping the evolution of Bryce's thought, Liberal Worlds illuminates the international intellectual networks and the many places across the globe that shaped his thinking. Jones considers, for example, why a man who had a lifelong revulsion against slavery seemed to accept racial segregation in the American South; how a vigorous activist for girls' and women's education became a tenacious parliamentary critic of women's suffrage; and why, over the objections of his Ulster Presbyterian family, he backed Irish home rule. Above all, Jones rescues Bryce—immensely influential in his time, now little remembered—from being consigned to a historical pigeonhole, restoring him to the centre of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century debates over the nature of democratic politics. Stuart Jones is professor of intellectual history at the University of Manchester. He is the author of The French State in Question: Public Law and Political Argument in the Third Republic, Victorian Political Thought, and Intellect and Character in Victorian England: Mark Pattison and the Invention of the Don. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This week I'm joined by New Zealander and author Carolyn Deck, who begins sharing her story of growing up in a home shaped by brokenness and neglect. With an alcoholic mother and an absent father, Carolyn learned early to fend for herself. Instead of being nurtured, she found herself caring for her mother while her own needs went unmet. The message she absorbed from her chaotic childhood was painful and persistent. She believed she was unworthy of attention or care because her parents consistently chose themselves over her. As a teenager, Carolyn received the opportunity to travel to the United States as a foreign exchange student and lived with a loving family in Kansas. For the first time, she witnessed what a healthy family could look like, and hope began to grow in her heart. During that time, she also sensed God speaking gently to her, assuring her that He saw her and would meet her needs. But when Carolyn returned to New Zealand, the welcome she longed for never came. Instead, she faced another painful experience of abandonment that would shape the next chapter of her journey. Connect with Carolyn:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.deck Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyn.deck/   Links Mentioned: Carolyn's books: Above the Turbulence: Your Ticket Out of Pain to Purpose Christian Marriage: Devotionals From Both Perspectives (Christian Devotional Collaborations)   All proceeds from Carolyn's book goes to the ministry, Faces with Names. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k4MriY50rQ   To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.    

Episode 609 of the A Minute to Midnite Show. Tony is joined by Leo Hohmann. Implications from War in the Middle East plus surveillance state.

Nvidia’s growth is tied to a massive global build-out of AI infrastructure — but most of the spending isn’t coming from consumers. It’s coming from hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Google pouring hundreds of billions into data centres and AI chips. We unpack whether that spending boom can continue, why Big Tech is now turning to debt markets to fund it, and what happens if expectations around AI start to cool. This bite is from our episode ‘The winners and losers of an AI revolution’. For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website. Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, The Cross Examiner and JMike confront the alarming rise of Christian nationalism in the military and the psychological weight of deconversion! From the ethics of animal consumption to the mechanics of prophecy, the hosts challenge callers to ground their reality in evidence rather than "personal truth."Michael in NM asks about slavery and murder but shifts to veganism. Hosts discuss legal distinctions, altruistic evolution, and moral anti-realism. Is speciesism just biological conditioning? What threshold makes a life worth saving?Debbie in FL asks why believers proselytize. Graham uses a "drain cleaner" analogy to explain the theist mindset of "saving" people. JMike suggests using rattling questions. Can we bridge the gap if "no" means "not enough bribe"?Chapter on TikTok asks for the best theistic argument. JMike and Graham dismantle the "look at the trees" and fine-tuning claims. They identify the "presuppositional" trap. Why use God as a placeholder for things science hasn't explained yet?Pete in MI uses a family coincidence to claim "personal truth." The hosts critique mind-dependent reality and the failure to investigate natural causes. Is a spooky feeling sufficient evidence, or just a coincidence counting the hits?Marcus in New Zealand cites prophecy about a magazine. Hosts expose circular logic and unfalsifiable claims. They urge him to raise his bar for evidence. Can savvy predictions prove God, or are they just savvy humans counting hits?Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Dr. Sam Bailey is a co-author of the number 1 best seller in Amazon Microbiology Science: ‘Virus Mania' which examines how the medical industry continually invents epidemics to make billion-dollar profits at our expense. She has stood against the Covid scam and the Covid vaccinations. Her story is inspiring and a reminder of how God leads us and never wastes anything.  #BardsFM_HealthAndWellness #DrSamBailey #RealHealth Bards Nation Health Store: www.bardsnationhealth.com EnviroKlenz Air Purification, promo code BARDS to save 10%: www.enviroklenz.com EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here MYPillow promo code: BARDS >> Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  White Oak Pastures Grassfed Meats, Get $20 off any order $150 or more. Promo Code BARDS: www.whiteoakpastures.com/BARDS BardsFM CAP, Celebrating 50 Million Downloads: https://ambitiousfaith.net Morning Intro Music Provided by Brian Kahanek: www.briankahanek.com Windblown Media 20% Discount with promo code BARDS: windblownmedia.com Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> TheFoundersBible.com Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here EMF Solutions to keep your home safe: https://www.emfsol.com/?aff=bards Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS26: TreadliteBroadforks.com No Knot Today Natural Skin Products: NoKnotToday.com Health, Nutrition and Detox Consulting: HealthIsLocal.com Destination Real Food Book on Amazon: click here Images In Bloom Soaps and Things: ImagesInBloom.com Angeline Design: AngelineDesign.com DONATE: Click here Mailing Address: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740 Sutherlin, OR  97479

What makes a character so compelling that readers will forgive almost anything about the plot? How do you move beyond vague flaws and generic descriptions to create people who feel pulled from real life? In this solo episode, I share 15 actionable tips for writing deep characters, curated from past interviews on the podcast. In the intro, thoughts from London Book Fair [Instagram reel @jfpennauthor; Publishing Perspectives; Audible; Spotify]; Insights from a 7-figure author business [BookBub]. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community and get articles, discounts, and extra audio and video tutorials on writing craft, author business, and AI tools, at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn This episode has been created from previous episodes of The Creative Penn Podcast, curated by Joanna Penn, as well as chapters from How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book. Links to the individual episodes are included in the transcript below. In this episode: Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' trifecta, how to hook readers on the very first page Define the Dramatic Question: Who is your character when the chips are down? Absolute specificity. Why “she's controlling” isn't good enough Understand the Heroine's Journey, strength through connection, not solo action Use ‘Metaphor Families' to anchor dialogue and give every character a distinctive voice Find the Diagnostic Detail, the moments that prove a character is real Writing pain onto the page without writing memoir Write diverse characters as real people, not stereotypes or plot devices Give your protagonist a morally neutral ‘hero' status. Compelling beats likeable. Build vibrant side characters for series longevity and spin-off potential Use voice as a rhythmic tool Link character and plot until they're inseparable Why discovery writers can write out of order and still build deep character Find the sensory details that make characters live and breathe More help with how to write fiction here, or in my book, How to Write a Novel. Writing Characters: 15 Tips for Writing Deep Character in Your Fiction In today's episode, I'm sharing fifteen tips for writing deep characters, synthesised from some of the most insightful interviews on The Creative Penn Podcast over the past few years, combined with what I've learned across more than forty books of my own. I'll be referencing episodes with Matt Bird, Will Storr, Gail Carriger, Barbara Nickless, and Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. I'll also draw on my own book, How to Write a Novel, which covers these fundamentals in detail. Whether you're writing your first novel or your fiftieth, whether you're a plotter or a discovery writer like me, these tips will help you create characters that readers believe in, care about, and invest in—and keep coming back for more. Let's get into it. 1. Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' Trifecta When I spoke with Matt Bird on episode 624, he laid out the three things you need to achieve on the very first page of your book or in the first ten minutes of a film. He calls it “Believe, Care, and Invest.” First, the reader must believe the character is a real person, somehow proving they are not a cardboard imitation of a human being, not just a generic type walking through a generic plot. Second, the reader must care about the character's circumstances. And third, the reader must invest in the character's ability to solve the story's central problem. Matt used The Hunger Games as his primary example, and it's brilliant. On the very first page, we believe Katniss's voice. Suzanne Collins writes in first person with a staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short declarative sentences—that immediately grounds us in a survivalist mentality. We care because Katniss is starving. She's protecting her little sister. And we invest because she is out there bow hunting, which Matt pointed out is one of the most badass things a character can do. She even kills a lynx two pages in and sells the pelt. We invest in her resourcefulness and grit before the plot has even begun. Matt was very clear that this has nothing to do with the character being “likable.” He said his subtitle, Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love, doesn't mean the character has to be a good person. He described “hero” as both gender-neutral and morally neutral. A hero can be totally evil or totally good. What matters is that we believe, care, and invest. He demonstrated this beautifully by breaking down the first ten minutes of WeCrashed, where the characters of Adam and Rebekah Neumann are absolutely not likable, but we are completely hooked. Adam steals his neighbour's Chinese food through a carefully orchestrated con involving an imaginary beer. It's not admirable behaviour, but the tradecraft involved, as Matt put it—using a term from spy movies—makes us invest in him. We see a character trying to solve the big problem of his life, which is that he's poor and wants to be rich, and we want to see if he can pull it off. Actionable step: Go to the first page of your current work in progress. Does it achieve all three? Does the reader believe this is a real person with a distinctive voice? Do they care about the character's circumstances? And do they invest in the character's ability to handle what's coming? If even one of those three is missing, that's your revision priority. 2. Define the Dramatic Question: Who Are They Really? Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling, came on episode 490 and gave one of the most powerful frameworks I've ever heard for character-driven fiction. He explained that the human brain evolved language primarily to swap social information—in other words, to gossip. We are wired to monitor other people, to ask the question: who is this person when the chips are down? That's what Will calls the Dramatic Question, and it's what he believes lies at the heart of all compelling storytelling. It's not a question about plot. It's a question about the character's soul. And every scene in your novel should force the character to answer it. His example of Lawrence of Arabia is unforgettable. The Dramatic Question for the entire film is: who are you, Lawrence? Are you ordinary or are you extraordinary? At the beginning, Lawrence is a cocky, rebellious young soldier who believes his rebelliousness makes him superior. Every iconic scene in that three-hour film tests that belief. Sometimes Lawrence acts as though he truly is extraordinary—leading the Arabs into battle, being hailed as a god—and sometimes the world strips him bare and he sees himself as ordinary. Because it's a tragedy, he never overcomes his flaw. He doubles down on his belief that he's extraordinary until he becomes monstrous, culminating in that iconic scene where he lifts a bloody dagger and sees his own reflection with horror. Will also used Jaws to demonstrate how this works in a pure action thriller. Brody's dramatic question is simple: are you going to be old Brody who is terrified of the water, or new Brody who can overcome that fear? Every scene where the shark appears is really asking that question. And the last moment of the film isn't the shark blowing up. It's Brody swimming back through the water, saying he used to be scared of the water and he can't imagine why. Actionable step: Write down the Dramatic Question for your protagonist in a single sentence. Is it “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you brave enough to love again?” or “Will you sacrifice your principles for survival?” If you can't answer this with specificity, your character might still be a sketch rather than a person. 3. Get rid of Vague Flaws, and use Absolute Specificity This was one of Will Storr's most important points. He said that vague thinking about characters is really the enemy. When he teaches workshops and asks writers to describe their character's flaw, most of them say something like “they're very controlling.” And Will's response is: that's not good enough. Everyone is controlling. How are they controlling? What's the specific mechanism? He gave the example of a profile he read of Theresa May during the UK's Brexit chaos. Someone who knew her said that Theresa May's problem was that she always thinks she's the only adult in every room she goes into. Will said that stopped him in his tracks because it's so precise. If you define a character with that level of specificity, you can take them and put them in any genre, any situation—a spaceship, a Victorian drawing room, a school playground—and you will know exactly how they're going to behave. The same applies to Arthur Miller's Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, as Will described it: a man who believes absolutely in capitalistic success and the idea that when you die, you're going to be weighed on a scale, just as God weighs you for sin, but now you're weighed for success. That's not a vague flaw. That's a worldview you can drop into any story and watch it combust. Will made another counterintuitive point that I found really valuable: writers often think that piling on multiple traits will create a complex character, but the opposite is true. Starting with one highly specific flaw and running it through the demands of a relentless plot is what generates complexity. You end up with a far more nuanced, original character than if you'd started with a laundry list of vague attributes. Actionable step: Take your protagonist's flaw and pressure-test it. Is it specific enough that you could place this character in any situation and predict their behaviour? If you're stuck at “she's stubborn” or “he's insecure,” keep pushing. What kind of stubborn? What kind of insecure? Find the diagnostic sentence—the Theresa May level of precision. 4. Understand the Heroine's Journey: Strength Through Connection Gail Carriger came on episode 550 to discuss her nonfiction book, The Heroine's Journey, and it completely reframed how I think about some of my own fiction. Gail explained that the core difference between the Hero's Journey and the Heroine's Journey comes down to how strength and victory are defined. The Hero's Journey is about strength through solo action. The hero must be continually isolated to get stronger. He goes out of civilisation, faces strife alone, and achieves victory through physical prowess and self-actualisation. The Heroine's Journey is the opposite. The heroine achieves her goals by activating a network. She's a delegator, a general. She identifies where she can't do something alone, finds the people who can help, and portions out the work for mutual gain. Gail put it simply: the heroine is very good at asking for help, which our culture tends to devalue but which is actually a powerful form of strength. Crucially, Gail stressed that gender is irrelevant to which journey you're writing. Her go-to examples are striking: the recent Wonder Woman film is practically a beat-for-beat hero's journey—Gilgamesh on screen, as Gail described it. Meanwhile, Harry Potter, both the first book and the series as a whole, is a classic heroine's journey. Harry's power comes from his network—Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix, his friendships with Ron and Hermione. He doesn't defeat Voldemort alone. He defeats Voldemort because of love and connection. This distinction has real practical consequences for writers. If you're writing a hero's journey and you hit writer's block, Gail said, the solution is usually to isolate your hero further and pile on more strife. But if you're writing a heroine's journey, the solution is probably to throw a new character into the scene—someone who has advice to offer or a skill the heroine lacks. The actual solutions to writer's block are different depending on which narrative you're writing. As I reflected on my own work, I realised that my ARKANE thriller protagonist, Morgan Sierra, follows a hero's journey—she's a solo operative, a lone wolf like Jack Reacher or James Bond. But my Mapwalker fantasy series follows a heroine's journey, with Sienna and her group of friends working together. I hadn't consciously chosen those paths; the stories led me there. But understanding the framework helps me write more intentionally now. Actionable step: Identify which journey your protagonist is on. Does your character gain strength by being alone (hero) or by building connections (heroine)? This will inform every plot decision you make, from how they face obstacles to how your story ends. 5. Use ‘Metaphor Families' to Anchor Dialogue and Voice One of the most practical techniques Matt Bird shared on episode 624 is the idea of assigning each character a “metaphor family”—a specific well of language that they draw from. This gives each character a distinctive voice that goes beyond accent or dialect. Matt explained how in The Wire, one of the most beloved TV shows of all time, every character has a different metaphor family. What struck him was that Omar, this iconic character, never utters a single curse word in the entire series. His metaphor family is pirate. He talks about parlays, uses language that feels like it belongs in Pirates of the Caribbean, and it creates this incredible ironic counterpoint against his urban setting. It tells us immediately that this is a character who sees himself in a tradition of people that doesn't match his immediate surroundings. Matt also referenced the UK version of The Office, where Gareth works at a paper company but aspires to the military. So all of his language is drawn from a military metaphor family. He doesn't talk about filing and photocopying; he talks about tactics and discipline and being on the front line. This tells us that the character has a life and dreams beyond the immediate scene—and it's the gap between aspiration and reality that makes him both funny and believable. He pointed out that a metaphor family sometimes comes from a character's background, but it's often more interesting when it comes from their aspirations. What does your character want to be? What world do they fantasise about inhabiting? That's where their language should come from. In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a spiritual hermit, but his metaphor family is military. He uses the language of generals and commanders, and that ironic counterpoint is part of what makes him feel so rich. Actionable step: Assign each of your main characters a metaphor family. It could be based on their job, their background, or—more interestingly—their secret aspirations. Then go through your dialogue and make sure each character is consistently drawing from that well of language. If two characters sound the same when you strip away the dialogue tags, this is the fix. 6. Find the Diagnostic Detail: The Diagonal Toast Avoid clichéd character tags—the random scar, the eye patch, the mysterious limp—unless they serve a deep narrative purpose. Matt Bird on episode 624 was very funny about this: he pointed out that Nick Fury, Odin, and eventually Thor all have eye patches in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eye patches are done, he said. You cannot do eye patches anymore. Instead, look for what I'm calling the “diagonal toast” detail, after a scene Matt described from Captain Marvel. In the film, Captain Marvel is trying to determine whether Nick Fury is who he says he is. She asks him to prove he isn't a shapeshifting alien. Fury shares biographical details—his history, his mother—but then she pushes further and says, name one more thing you couldn't possibly have made up about yourself. And Fury says: if toast is cut diagonally, I can't eat it. Matt said that detail is gold for a writer because it feels pulled from a real life. You can pull it from your own life and gift it to your characters, and the reader can tell it's not manufactured. He gave another example from The Sopranos: Tony Soprano's mother won't answer the phone after dark. The show's creator, David Chase, confirmed on the DVD commentary that this came from his own mother, who genuinely would not answer the phone after dark and couldn't explain why. Matt's practical advice was to keep a journal. Write down the strange, specific things that people do or say. Mine your own life for those hyper-specific details. You just need one per book. In my own writing, I've used this approach. In my ARKANE thrillers, my character Morgan Sierra has always been Angelina Jolie in my mind—specifically Jolie in Lara Croft or Mr and Mrs Smith. And Blake Daniel in my crime thriller series was based on Jesse Williams from Grey's Anatomy. I paste pictures of actors into my Scrivener projects. It helps with visuals, but also with the sense of the character, their energy and physicality. But visual details only take you so far. It's the behavioural quirks—the diagonal toast moments—that make a character feel genuinely alive. That said, physical character tags can work brilliantly when they serve the story. As I discuss in How to Write a Novel, Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike is an amputee, and his pain and the physical challenges of his prosthesis are a key part of every story—it's not a cosmetic detail, it's woven into the action and the character's psychology. My character Blake Daniel always wears gloves to cover the scars on his hands, which provides an angle into his wounded past as well as a visual cue for the reader. And of course, Harry Potter's lightning-shaped scar isn't just a mark—it's a direct connection to his nemesis and the mythology of the entire series. The rule of thumb is: if the tag tells us something about the character's interior life or connects to the plot, it's earning its place. If it's just there to make the character visually distinctive, it's probably a crutch. Game of Thrones takes character tags further with the family houses, each with their own mottos and sigils. The Starks say “Winter is coming” and their sigil is a dire wolf. Those aren't just labels—they're worldview made visible. Actionable step: Start a “diagonal toast” notebook. Every time you notice something strange and specific about someone's behaviour—something that feels too real to be made up—write it down. Then gift it to a character who needs more texture. 7. Displace Your Own Trauma into the Work Barbara Nickless shared something deeply personal on episode 732 that fundamentally changed how I think about putting pain onto the page. While starting At First Light, the first book in her Dr. Evan Wilding series, she lost her son to epilepsy—something called SUDEP, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. One day he was there, and the next day he was gone. Barbara said that writing helped her cope with the trauma, that doing a deep dive into Old English literature and the Viking Age for the book's research became a lifeline. But here's what's important: she didn't give Dr. Evan Wilding her exact trauma. Evan Wilding is four feet five inches, and Barbara described how he has to walk through a world that won't adjust to him. That's its own form of learning to cope when circumstances are beyond your control. She displaced her genuine grief into the character's different but parallel struggle. When I asked her about the difference between writing for therapy and writing for an audience, she drew on her experience teaching creative writing to veterans through a collaboration between the US Department of Defense and the National Endowment for the Arts. She said she's found that she can pour her heartache into her characters and process it through them, even when writing professionally, and that the genuine emotion is what touches readers. We've all been through our own losses and griefs, so seeing how a character copes can be deeply meaningful. I've always found that putting my own pain onto the page is the most direct way to connect with a reader's soul. My character Morgan Sierra's musings on religion and the supernatural are often my own. Her restlessness, her fascination with the darker edges of faith—those come from me. But her Krav Maga fighting skills and her ability to kill the bad guys are definitely her own. That gap between what's mine and what's hers is where the fiction lives. Barbara also said something on that episode that I wrote down and stuck on my wall. She said the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul. I've been thinking about that ever since. On my own wall, I have “Measure your life by what you create.” Different words, same truth. Actionable step: If you're carrying something heavy—grief, anger, fear, regret—consider how you might displace it into a character's different but emotionally parallel struggle. Don't copy your exact situation; transform it. The emotion will be genuine, and the reader will feel it. 8. Write Diverse Characters as Real People When I spoke with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673—Sarah is Choctaw and a historical fiction author honoured by the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian—she offered a perspective that every fiction writer needs to hear. The key message was to move away from stereotypes. Don't write your American Indian character as the “Wise Guide” who exists solely to dispense mystic wisdom to the white protagonist. Don't limit diverse characters to historical settings, as though they only exist in the past. Place them in normal, contemporary roles. Your spaceship captain, your forensic scientist, your small-town baker—any of them can be American Indian, or Nigerian, or Japanese, and their heritage should be a lived-in part of their identity, not the sole reason they exist in the story. I write international thrillers and dark fantasy, and my fiction is populated with characters from all over the world. I have a multi-cultural family and I've lived in many places and travelled widely, so I've met, worked with, and had relationships with people from different cultures. I find story ideas through travel, and if I set my books in a certain place, then the story is naturally populated with the people who live there. As I discuss in my book, How to Write a Novel, the world is a diverse place, so your fiction needs to be populated with all kinds of people. If I only populated my fiction with characters like me, they would be boring novels. There are many dimensions of difference—race, nationality, sex, age, body type, ability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, class, culture, education level—and even then, don't assume that similar types of people think the same way. Some authors worry they will make mistakes. We live in a time of outrage, and some authors have been criticised for writing outside their own experience. So is it too dangerous to try? Of course not. The media amplifies outliers, and most authors include diverse characters in every book without causing offence because they work hard to get it right. It's about awareness, research, and intent. Actionable step: Audit the cast of your current work in progress. Have you written a mono-cultural perspective for all of them? If so, consider who could bring a different background, perspective, or set of cultural specifics to the story. Not as a token addition, but as a real person with a real life. 9. Respect Tribal and Cultural Specificity Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673 was emphatic about one thing: never treat diverse groups as monolithic. If you're writing a Native American character, you must research the specific nation. Choctaw is not Navajo, just as British is not French. Sarah described the distinct cultural markers of the Choctaw people—the diamond pattern you'll see on traditional shirts and dresses, which represents the diamondback rattlesnake. They have distinct dances and songs. She said that if she saw someone in traditional dress at a distance, she would know whether they were Choctaw based on what they were wearing. She encouraged writers who want to write specifically about a nation to get to know those people. Go to events, go to a powwow, learn about the individual culture. She noted that a big misconception is that American Indians exist only in the past—she stressed that they are still here, still living their cultures, and fiction should reflect that present reality. I took a similar approach when writing Destroyer of Worlds, which is set mostly in India. I read books about Hindu myth, watched documentaries about the sadhus, and had one of my Indian readers from Mumbai check my cultural references. For Risen Gods, set in New Zealand with a young Maori protagonist, I studied books about Maori mythology and fiction by Maori authors, and had a male Maori reader check for cultural issues. Research is simply an act of empathy. The practical takeaway is this: if you're going to include a character from a specific cultural background, do the work. Use specific cultural details rather than generic signifiers. Sarah talked about how even she fell into stereotypes when she was first writing, until her mother pointed them out. If someone from within a culture can fall into those traps, the rest of us certainly can. Do the research, try your best, ask for help, and apologise if you need to. Actionable step: If you're writing a character from a specific culture, identify three to five sensory or behavioural details that are particular to that culture—not the generic version, but the real, researched, lived-in version. Consider hiring a sensitivity reader from that community to check your work. 10. Give Your Protagonist a Morally Neutral ‘Hero' Status Matt Bird was clear about this on episode 624: the word “hero” simply means the protagonist, the person we follow through the story. It's a functional role, not a moral label. We don't have to like them. We don't even have to root for their goals in a moral sense. We just have to find them compelling enough to invest our attention in their problem-solving. Think of Succession, where every member of the Roy family is varying degrees of awful, and yet the show was utterly compelling. Or WeCrashed, where Adam Neumann is a narcissistic con artist, but we can't look away because he's trying to solve the enormous problem of building an empire from nothing, and the tradecraft he employs is fascinating. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, readers must want to spend time with your characters. They don't have to be lovable or even likable—that will depend on your genre and story choices—but they have to be captivating enough that we want to spend time with them. A character who is trying to solve a massive problem will naturally draw investment from the audience, even if we wouldn't want to have tea with them. Will Storr extended this idea by pointing out that the audience will actually root for a character to solve their problem even if the audience doesn't actually want the character's goal to be achieved in the real world. We don't really want more billionaires, but we invested in Adam Neumann's rise because that was the problem the story posed, and our brains are wired to invest in problem-solving. This connects to something deeper: what does your character want, and why? As I explore in How to Write a Novel, desire operates on multiple levels. Take a character like Phil, who joins the military during wartime. On the surface, she wants to serve her country. But she also wants to escape her dead-end town and learn new skills. Deeper still, her father and grandfather served, and by joining up, she hopes to finally earn their respect. And perhaps deepest of all, her father died on a mission under mysterious circumstances, and she wants to find out what happened from the inside. That layering of motivation is what turns a flat character into a three-dimensional one. The audience doesn't need to be told all of this explicitly. It can emerge through action, dialogue, and the choices the character makes under pressure. But you, the writer, need to know it. You need to know what your character really wants deep down, because that desire—more than any external plot device—is what drives the story forward. And your antagonist needs the same depth. They also want something, often diametrically opposed to your protagonist, and they need a reason that makes sense to them. In my ARKANE thriller Tree of Life, my antagonist is the heiress of a Brazilian mining empire who wants to restore the Earth to its original state to atone for the destruction caused by her father's company. She's part of a radical ecological group who believe the only way to restore Nature is to end all human life. It's extreme, but in an era of climate change, it's a motivation readers can understand—even if they disagree with the solution. Actionable step: If you're struggling to make a morally grey character work, make sure their problem is big enough and their methods are specific and interesting enough that we invest in the how, even if we're ambivalent about the what. 11. Build Vibrant Side Characters Gail Carriger made a point on episode 550 that was equal parts craft advice and business strategy. In a Heroine's Journey model, side characters aren't just fodder to be killed off to motivate the hero. They form a network. And because you don't have to kill them—unlike in a hero's journey, where allies are often betrayed or removed so the hero can be further isolated—you can pick up those side characters and give them their own books. Gail said this creates a really voracious reader base. You write one series with vivid side characters, and then readers fall in love with those side characters and want their stories. So you write spin-offs. The romance genre does this brilliantly—think of the Bridgerton books, where each sibling gets their own novel. The side character in one book becomes the protagonist in the next. Barbara Nickless experienced this firsthand with her Dr. Evan Wilding series. She has River Wilding, Evan's adventurous brother, and Diana, the axe-throwing research assistant, and her editor has already expressed interest in a spin-off series with those characters. Barbara described creating characters she wants to spend time with, or characters who give her nightmares but also intrigue her. That's the dual test: are they interesting enough for you to write, and interesting enough for readers to demand more? As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, characters that span series can deepen the reader's relationship with them as you expand their backstory into new plots. Readers will remember the character more than the plot or the book title, and look forward to the next instalment because they want more time with those people. British crime author Angela Marsons described it as readers feeling like returning to her characters is like putting on a pair of old slippers. Actionable step: Look at your supporting cast. Is there a side character who is vivid enough to carry their own story? If not, what could you add—a specific hobby, a distinct voice, a compelling backstory—that would make readers want more of them? 12. Use Voice as a Rhythmic Tool Voice is one of the most important elements of novel writing, and Matt Bird helped me think about it in a technical, mechanical way that I found really useful. He pointed out that the ratio of periods to commas defines a character's internal reality. A staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short sentences—suggests a character who is certain, grounded, or perhaps survivalist and traumatised. Katniss in The Hunger Games has a period-heavy voice. She's in survival mode. She doesn't have time for complexity or qualification. A flowing, comma-heavy style suggests someone more academic, more nuanced, or possibly more scattered and manipulative. The character who qualifies everything, who adds sub-clauses and digressions, is a different kind of person from the character who speaks in declarations. This is something you can actually measure. Pull up a passage of your character's dialogue or internal monologue and count the periods versus the commas. If the rhythm doesn't match who the character is supposed to be, you've found a mismatch you can fix. Sentence length is the heartbeat of your character's persona. And voice extends beyond rhythm to the words themselves. As I discussed in the metaphor families tip, each character should draw from a distinctive well of language. But voice also encompasses their relationship to silence. Some characters talk around the thing they mean; others say it straight. Some are self-deprecating; others are blunt to the point of rudeness. All of these choices are character choices, not just style choices. I find it useful to read my dialogue aloud—and not just to check for naturalness, but to hear whether each character sounds distinct. If you could swap dialogue lines between two characters and nobody would notice, you have a voice problem. One practical test: cover the dialogue tags and see if you can tell who's speaking from the words alone. Actionable step: Choose a key passage from your protagonist's point of view and read it aloud. Does the rhythm match the character? A soldier under fire should not sound like a philosophy professor at a wine tasting. Adjust the ratio of periods to commas until the voice feels right. 13. Link Character and Plot Until They're Inseparable Will Storr made the case on episode 490 that the number one problem he sees in the writing he encounters—in workshops, in submissions, even in published books—is that the characters and the plots are unconnected. There's a story happening, and there are people in it, but the story isn't a product of who those people are. He said a story should be like life. In our lives, the plots are intimately connected to who we are as characters. The goals we pursue, the obstacles we face, the same problems that keep recurring—these are products of our personalities, our flaws, our specific ways of being in the world. His framework is that your plot should be designed specifically to plot against your character. You've got a character with a particular flaw; the plot exists to test that flaw over and over until the character either transforms or doubles down and explodes. Jaws is the perfect example. Brody is afraid of water. A shark shows up in the coastal town he's responsible for protecting. The entire plot is engineered to force him to confront the one thing he cannot face. Will pointed out that the whole plot of Jaws is structured around Brody's flaw. It begins with the shark arriving, the midpoint is when Brody finally gets the courage to go into the water, and the very final scene isn't the shark blowing up—it's Brody swimming back through the water. Even a film that's ninety-eight percent action is, at its core, structured around a character with a character flaw. This is the standard I aspire to in my own work, even in my action-heavy thrillers. The external plot should be a mirror of the internal struggle. When those two are aligned, the story becomes irresistible. Will also made an important point about series fiction, which is where most commercial authors live. I asked him how this works when your character can't be transformed at the end of every book because there has to be a next book. His answer was elegant: you don't cure them. Episodic TV characters like Fleabag or David Brent or Basil Fawlty never truly change—and the fact that they don't change is actually the source of the comedy. But every episode throws a new story event at them that tests and exposes their flaw. You just keep throwing story events at them again and again. That's a soap opera, a sitcom, and a book series. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, character flaws are aspects of personality that affect the person so much that facing and overcoming them becomes central to the plot. In Jaws, the protagonist Brody is afraid of the water, but he has to overcome that flaw to destroy the killer shark and save the town. But remember, your characters should feel like real people, so never define them purely by their flaws. The character addicted to painkillers might also be a brilliant and successful female lawyer who gets up at four in the morning to work out at the gym, likes eighties music, and volunteers at the local dog shelter at weekends. Character wounds are different from flaws. They're formed from life experience and are part of your character's backstory—traumatic events that happened before the events of your novel but shape the character's reactions in the present. In my ARKANE thrillers, Morgan Sierra's husband Elian died in her arms during a military operation. This happened before the series begins, but her memories of it recur when she faces a firefight, and she struggles to find happiness again for fear of losing someone she loves once more. And then there's the perennial advice: show, don't tell. Most writers have heard this so many times that it's easy to nod and then promptly write scenes that tell rather than show. Basically, you need to reveal your character through action and dialogue, rather than explanation. In my thriller Day of the Vikings, Morgan Sierra fights a Neo-Viking in the halls of the British Museum and brings him down with Krav Maga. That fight scene isn't just about showing action. It opens up questions about her backstory, demonstrates character, and moves the plot forward. Telling would be something like: “Morgan was an expert in Krav Maga.” Showing is the reader discovering it through the scene itself. Actionable step: Look at the main plot events of your novel. For each major turning point, ask: does this scene specifically test my protagonist's flaw? If not, can you redesign the scene so that it does? The tighter the connection between character and plot, the more powerful the story. 14. The ‘Maestra' Approach: Write Out of Order If you're a discovery writer like me, you may feel like the deep character work I've been describing sounds more suited to plotters. But Barbara Nickless gave me a beautiful metaphor on episode 732 that reframes it entirely. Barbara described her evolving writing process as being like a maestra standing in front of an orchestra. Sometimes you bring in the horns—a certain theme—and sometimes you bring in the strings—a certain character—and sometimes you turn to the soloist. It's a more organic and jumping-around process than linear writing, and Barbara said she's only recently given herself permission to work this way. When I told her that I use Scrivener to write in scenes out of order and then drag and drop them into a structure later, she was genuinely intrigued. And this is how I've always worked. I'll see the story in my mind like a movie trailer—flashes of the big emotional scenes, the pivotal confrontations, the moments of revelation—and I write those first. I don't know how they hang together until quite late in the process. Then I'll move scenes around, print the whole thing out, and figure out the connective tissue. The point is that discovery writers can absolutely build deep characters. Sometimes writing the big emotional scenes first is how you discover who the character is before you fill in the rest. You don't need a twenty-page character worksheet or a 200-page outline like Jeffery Deaver. You need to be willing to follow the character into the unknown and trust that the structure will emerge. As Barbara said, she writes to know what she's thinking. That's the discovery writer's credo. And I would add: I write to know who my characters are. Actionable step: If you're stuck on your current chapter, skip it. Write the scene that's burning in your imagination, even if it's from the middle or the end. That scene might be the key to unlocking who your character really is. 15. Use Research to Help with Empathy Research shouldn't just be about factual accuracy—it's a tool for finding the sensory details that create empathy. Barbara Nickless described research as almost an excuse to explore things that fascinate her, and I feel exactly the same way. I would go so far as to say that writing is an excuse for me to explore the things that interest me. Barbara and I both travel for our stories. For her Dr. Evan Wilding books, she did deep research into Old English literature and the Viking Age. For my thriller End of Days, I transcribed hours of video from Appalachian snake-handling churches on YouTube to understand the worldview of the worshippers, because my antagonist was brought up in that tradition. I couldn't just make that up. I had to hear their language, feel their conviction, understand why they would hold venomous serpents as an act of faith. Barbara also mentioned getting to Israel and the West Bank for research, and I've been to both places too. Finding that one specific sensory detail—the smell of a particular location, the specific way an expert handles a tool, the sound of a particular kind of music—makes the character's life feel lived-in. It's the difference between a character who is described as living in a place and a character who inhabits it. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, don't write what you know. Write what you want to learn about. I love research. It's part of why I'm an author in the first place. I take any excuse to dive into a world different from my own. Research using books, films, podcasts, and travel, and focus particularly on sources produced by people from the worldview you want to understand. Actionable step: For your next piece of character research, go beyond reading. Watch a documentary, visit a location, talk to someone who lives the experience. Find one sensory detail—a smell, a sound, a texture—that you couldn't have invented. That detail will make your character feel real. Bonus: Measure Your Life by What You Create In an age of AI and a tsunami of content, your ultimate brand protection is the quality of your human creation. Barbara Nickless said that the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul, and I believe that with every fibre of my being. Don't be afraid to take that step back, like I did with my deadlifting. Take the time to master these deeper craft skills. It might feel like you're slowing down or going backwards by not chasing the latest marketing trend, but it's the only way to step forward into a sustainable, high-quality career. Your characters are your signature. No AI can replicate the specificity of your lived experience, the emotional truth of your displaced trauma, or the sensory details you've gathered from a life of curiosity and travel. Those are yours. Pour them into your characters, and they will resonate for years to come. Actionable Takeaway: Identify the Dramatic Question for your current protagonist. Can you state it in a single sentence with the kind of specificity Will Storr described? Is it as clear as “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you the only adult in the room?” If you can't answer it with that kind of precision, your character might still be a sketch. Give them a diagonal toast moment today. Find the one hyper-specific detail that proves they are not an imitation of life. And then ask yourself: does your plot test your character's flaw in every major scene? If you can align those two things—a precisely defined character and a plot that exists to test them—you will have a story that readers cannot put down. References and Deep Dives The episodes I've referenced today are all available with full transcripts at TheCreativePenn.com: Episode 732 — Facing Fears, and Writing Unique Characters with Barbara Nickless Episode 673 — Writing Choctaw Characters and Diversity in Fiction with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer Episode 624 — Writing Characters with Matt Bird Episode 550 — The Heroine's Journey with Gail Carriger Episode 490 — How Character Flaws Shape Story with Will Storr Books mentioned: The Secrets of Character: Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love by Matt Bird The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book by Joanna Penn You can find all my books for authors at CreativePennBooks.com and my fiction and memoir at JFPennBooks.com Happy writing! How was this episode created? This episode was initiated created by NotebookLM based on YouTube videos of the episodes linked above from YouTube/TheCreativePenn, plus my text chapters on character from How to Write a Novel. NotebookLM created a blog post from the material and then I expanded it and fact checked it with Claude.ai 4.6 Opus, and then I used my voice clone at ElevenLabs to narrate it. The post Writing Characters: 15 Actionable Tips For Writing Deep Character first appeared on The Creative Penn.

We review the news and racing from the weekend. Ruth Croft is an elite ultra-trail runner from New Zealand, recognized for her remarkable achievements in the sport including winning the prestigious Tarawera 102K for the 4th consecutive year last month. Ruth's dedication and passion for running make her a credible voice in the ultra-trail running community as she chats to us about her ultra-trail running success, training innovations and race strategies. In this episode, Ruth Croft shares her journey from high school athletics to becoming one of the most complete female ultra-trail runners globally. She discusses her training methods including weight vest workouts, altitude adaptation and race nutrition strategies, along with insights into her race experiences and future plans. 00:00 – Calling in from Wanaka 07.09 – Tri news 25:06 – Ruth Croft introduction 26:44 – Ruth Croft 1:05:14 - Muscular durability LINKS: Follow Ruth on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ruthcrofty/ Scott Johnston of Evoke Endurance at https://evokeendurance.com/ Paul Booth Sports Nutritionist at https://performancegainsnutrition.com/ Val Burke Exercise Physiologist at https://valburke.com/ Neversecond Nutrition at https://never2.com/ IM703 Dallas at https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-dallas-little-elm IM703 Geelong at https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-geelong

Maybe we can't know what the Resurrection is, but we can see what it does. It's a weird thing about life: People argue about when human life begins, or how all life began, but we have to admit that we can't define it. We can only see its effects. Maybe it's the same way with the special kind of life we call "resurrection." That would explain why our friend Mark ends his Gospel not with a discussion of how Jesus was raised, but by showing us the impact it had on people. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS03162026_0.mp3Scripture References: Mark 16

In this episode of Your Employment Matters, Beverly Williams welcomes Dr. John Huber and his son Sean Huber for a candid conversation about career paths, parenting, risk taking, and what it really means to build a satisfying life. Dr. Huber shares his journey from West Orange, New Jersey to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and eventually into private practice. He speaks openly about the persistence it took to gain admission to dental school, the value of mentorship, and how staying connected to scholarship sponsors and professional relationships helped shape his long-term success. His story reinforces a powerful truth: relationships are assets, and gratitude plus follow-through matter. Sean's path looks very different but carries the same underlying themes. After studying film at Drexel University, he left a job he loved to tour full time with his band Modern Baseball. What could have been a risky detour became a defining chapter. Touring the U.S., Europe, New Zealand, and beyond taught him resilience, adaptability, and problem solving. Today, he continues to perform while building a meaningful career in the craft beer industry. Now at Triple Bottom Brewing in Philadelphia, Sean works at a certified B Corp that operates on a “beer, people, planet” model. Beyond producing beer, the brewery runs a 16-week apprenticeship program for justice-affected and housing-insecure individuals, offering job training, reentry support, and employment placement. It is business with intention, not just profit. Throughout the conversation, several key themes emerge: Networking is not manipulation. It is intentional relationship building. Dr. Huber stayed in touch with scholarship sponsors and mentors, which opened doors and strengthened his professional foundation. Risk can be responsible. Sean's decision to leave a stable job for music was bold, but it was informed by passion and relationships. He never abandoned work ethic. Parents must balance protection and permission. Letting children travel, relocate, and pursue unconventional paths is difficult, but growth requires space. Satisfaction matters more than status. Both men emphasize enjoying their work. You can hear it in how they talk about it. Regret is usually about presence, not position. Dr. Huber wishes he had worked a little less and “smelled the roses” more. Sean wishes he had slowed down enough to absorb more culture and learning during his fast-paced touring years. The episode also touches on remote work and shifting workplace expectations post-COVID. Beverly reminds listeners that flexibility is possible, but profitability still drives business decisions. Employees must remain productive and adaptable. Employers must recognize that flexibility can strengthen performance and retention. What stands out most is the tone between father and son. There is respect, pride, and mutual recognition that hard work and character matter more than job titles. Different personalities. Different journeys. Same foundation. If you are navigating your own career crossroads, here are the takeaways: Build real relationships and maintain them. Choose paths that align with your values and energy. Accept that change is part of growth. Understand that success is rarely linear. Remember that satisfaction sustains performance. Careers evolve. Industries shift. Opportunities appear in unexpected places. The key is staying open, staying connected, and staying committed to doing good work wherever you land. Leaving a review of this podcast is encouraged and greatly appreciated.  Check out Beverly Williams book: Your GPS to Employment Success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Habits of High Performers Podcast, you'll learn what it really takes to perform at the highest level when the pressure is relentless, the stakes are high, and there is no room to hide. Olympian Annie Kunz shares the mindset, habits, and systems that helped her go from talented athlete to Olympic heptathlete, and why mastering your inner world is often the true difference-maker. We break down the power of mindfulness, journaling, identity, gratitude, and daily repetition. Annie opens up about learning to surrender, how she trained her brain to believe she was an Olympian before it happened, and why your self-image shapes your performance more than you realise. She also shares how to reset after setbacks, stay present under pressure, and build systems that carry you when motivation disappears.Annie also reflects on life beyond sport, the identity shift that comes when a career chapter ends, and the deeper role faith, purpose, and perspective have played in her journey. She finishes with the habits that ground her each day and a powerful reminder that success is not just about talent, but discipline, commitment, and doing the little things well over time.Connect with Annie on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/annie_kunz7/If you're interested in having me deliver a keynote or workshop for your team contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.comWebsite: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/James Laughlin is a High Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.Send me a personal text messageJoin me at the 2026 Goal-setting Workshop here - jjlaughlin.com/2026goals - If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.comSupport the show

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Examining everything from popular novels to politics, an investigation of persistent fascination with Nazis—and where it might take us. We live in an age where Hitler and the Nazis dominate our cultural imagination, shaping values once defined by religion. Historian Alec Ryrie explores why society remains captivated by this struggle, from history and fiction to modern myths such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. He examines the costs of our Nazi obsession and questions what will come as our anti-Nazi moral consensus frays and both the Left and Right begin to move on. With a fresh take on modern history and pop culture, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It (Reaktion, 2025) offers a thought-provoking look at the culture wars and our shifting political crises, challenging assumptions on both sides and asking what a new moral vision might look like. Alec Ryrie is professor of the history of Christianity at Durham University and a fellow of the British Academy. His previous books include Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt. He lives in rural County Durham. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Just south of Auckland, a massive development is underway that could become home to 60,000 people. Kiwi Property CEO Clive Mackenzie explains the vision behind Drury — a 50-hectare mixed-use town centre designed to support Auckland’s southward growth. From securing anchor tenants like Costco and New World, to working with government on transport, infrastructure and community facilities, we unpack what it actually takes to build a town from the ground up. This bite is from our episode ‘Kiwi Property’s retail “fortress”’. For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunchShared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website. Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, host Alan Clarke: Portfolio Manager for Diversified Funds and External Managers at Amova Asset Management, explains the Manager of Managers approach: tapping the world's top specialist fund managers to build smarter, globally diversified portfolios. With over 20 years in investment management, Alan breaks down how this strategy may work well considering interest rates, explosive AI growth and the ever present risk of a share market correction.Book in a free 15-min phone call with Darcy Ungaro (financial adviser).Sign up to the fortnightly newsletter!Thank You Swyftx: With over 1 million customers across New Zealand and Australia. Ask yourself …”Where can crypto take you?". Check out Swyftx.Provincia: Whether you're looking to invest, or you have a commercial property that needs better management - they the true one-stop shop for wholesale industrial investors. Check out Provincia.co.nz for more.Affiliate Links!The Bitcoin Adviser: Plan for intergenerational digital wealth.Hatch: For US markets.Revolut: For a new type of banking.Sharesies: For local, and international markets.Loan My Coins: Bitcoin lending product.Exodus: Get rewards on your first $2,500 of swapsOnline courses:Take the free, 5-part online course Crypto 101: Crypto with ConfidenceGet Social:Check out the most watched/downloaded episodes hereFollow on YouTube , Instagram, TikTok: @theeverydayinvestor, X (@UngaroDarcy), LinkedIn.www.radicalinvestment.co.nz________________________Disclaimer: Please act independently from any content provided in these episodes; it's not financial advice, because there's no accounting for your individual circumstances. Do your own research, and take a broad range of opinions into account. Ideally, engage a financial adviser / pay for advice!

Liam Messam is one of the most beloved figures in New Zealand rugby. Two-time Super Rugby champion, All Black, World Cup winner, and a 20-year servant of the Chiefs. But behind the jersey is a story most people have never heard.Adopted at six weeks old into a Rotorua family that went on to foster close to a thousand children, Liam opens up about identity, belonging, and the household that gave him everything he is today.In this episode we get into the conversation with Gordon Titchens at 16 that changed the trajectory of his career, being cut from the 2011 World Cup squad and walking through Auckland Airport alone into a media scrum, what Chiefs Mana actually means and where it came from, why Gilbert Enoka personally called him to be part of the 2023 World Cup Human Library alongside Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu, leading the haka for the All Blacks after being voluntold by Keven Mealamu, getting a yellow card as a water boy at the World Cup, and completing an Ironman at 108kg with almost no marathon training.Plus lessons from Richie McCaw, Sonny Bill Williams and Dave Rennie, why he signed his last Waikato contract for $1, and how losing his mum to dementia shaped the brain health supplement brand he's building today.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by the legends at Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cult members, this one's for you. We sit down with Karly from Spellbound Healing to talk about the kind of healing that doesn't always fit neatly into the mainstream box. From energy work and personal transformation to the deeper questions about consciousness and the unseen forces that shape our lives, this conversation goes straight into the territory you know we love exploring. If you've ever felt like there's more going on beneath the surface, this episode will definitely get your mind turning.〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

We're bringing you this podcast episode from a frozen lake in the Canadian Rockies. British Columbia, Canada. Something happened last week that floored us. Literally. Something that we've waited 30 years to see. We love you. Thank you for your gorgeous support. If you would like to show us some love, you can do so by leaving us a review wherever you listen to this podcast.  It would also be wonderful if you shared this episode with a friend. Kia Kaha, Liz and Brian x   Links mentioned in the show: Liz's new book: You Won't Just Cry When They Die: Love, Loss and the Heartbreaking Reality of Grief If you are struggling and hurting right now, please know you are not alone. I wrote this little book to be a gentle companion, to help you survive, cope, and begin to heal when your whole world falls apart. The book is available to purchase at all major online bookstores. To support my work directly as an independent author, you can purchase all formats (hardback, e-book, audiobook) via my website: www.elizabethdeacle.com ❤️Join Liz's inner circle. Liz's free newsletter is here: https://itsadrama.com/frontrow/

In Conservatism, Past and Present: A Philosophical Introduction (Routledge, 2025), Tristan J. Rogers argues that philosophical conservatism is a coherent and compelling set of historically rooted ideas about conserving and promoting the human good. Part I, “Conservatism Past,” presents a history of conservative ideas, exploring themes, such as the search for wisdom, the limits of philosophy, reform in preference to revolution, the relationship between authority and freedom, and liberty as a living tradition. Major figures include Aristotle, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Edmund Burke, G.W.F. Hegel, and Roger Scruton. Part II, “Conservatism Present,” applies philosophical conservatism to contemporary conservative politics, focusing on issues such as nationalism, populism, the family, education, and responsibility. Rogers shows that conservatism has been defined differently at different times: as a loose set of connected ideas reacting against the French Revolution; as a kind of disposition or instinct in favor of the status quo; and more recently as any ideas opposed to the political left. But he also allows a set of questions to guide his argument for conservatism's merits: What is conservatism? Is it a coherent and attractive philosophy? What are conservatives for? And how is today's conservatism related to its past? In his answers, Rogers paints a compelling and coherent picture of an aligned and attractive set of ideas. Dr. Tristan J. Rogers teaches Logic and Latin at Donum Dei Classical Academy in San Francisco, CA. He has also taught philosophy at Santa Clara University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of California, Davis. He is the author of The Authority of Virtue: Institutions and Character in the Good Society (2020). Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This week Greg Your Co-Pilot returns after a month long adventure traveling through Australia and New Zealand. Plus Captain Dennis is now in a 2 plane household! The post Just Plane Radio 3-14-26 appeared first on Just Plane Radio.

In Conservatism, Past and Present: A Philosophical Introduction (Routledge, 2025), Tristan J. Rogers argues that philosophical conservatism is a coherent and compelling set of historically rooted ideas about conserving and promoting the human good. Part I, “Conservatism Past,” presents a history of conservative ideas, exploring themes, such as the search for wisdom, the limits of philosophy, reform in preference to revolution, the relationship between authority and freedom, and liberty as a living tradition. Major figures include Aristotle, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Edmund Burke, G.W.F. Hegel, and Roger Scruton. Part II, “Conservatism Present,” applies philosophical conservatism to contemporary conservative politics, focusing on issues such as nationalism, populism, the family, education, and responsibility. Rogers shows that conservatism has been defined differently at different times: as a loose set of connected ideas reacting against the French Revolution; as a kind of disposition or instinct in favor of the status quo; and more recently as any ideas opposed to the political left. But he also allows a set of questions to guide his argument for conservatism's merits: What is conservatism? Is it a coherent and attractive philosophy? What are conservatives for? And how is today's conservatism related to its past? In his answers, Rogers paints a compelling and coherent picture of an aligned and attractive set of ideas. Dr. Tristan J. Rogers teaches Logic and Latin at Donum Dei Classical Academy in San Francisco, CA. He has also taught philosophy at Santa Clara University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of California, Davis. He is the author of The Authority of Virtue: Institutions and Character in the Good Society (2020). Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Welcome to another episode of Spooky Gay Bullsh!t, our weekly hangout where we break down all of the hot topics from the world of the weird, the scary, and issues that affect the LGBTQIA2+ community! This week, we cover: a motel shut down after two women are found dead in the same room, a dank donation gets two New Zealand teens in trouble, solving the mystery at the core of a 127-year-old coffin flop, a Canadian in Vegas gets caught trying to take a flamingo, and exposed ankles get a stripping troupe banned from social media. PLUS: stick around until the end of the episode to hear our chat with Ian Tuason, Nina Kiri, and Adam DiMarco from the new movie, Undertone! See you next Friday for more Spooky Gay Bullsh!t!   Join the Secret Society That Doesn't Suck for exclusive weekly mini episodes, livestreams, and a whole lot more! patreon.com/thatsspooky Get into our new apparel store and the rest of our merch! thatsspooky.com/store Check out our website for show notes, photos, and more at thatsspooky.com Follow us on Instagram for photos from today's episode and all the memes @thatsspookypod We're on Twitter! Follow us at @thatsspookypod Don't forget to send your spooky gay B.S. to thatsspookypod@gmail.com  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a successful hunt to Africa, New Zealand, or Europe, is it hard to bring your animals home? It doesn't have to be. In this episode Wyatt Fetner of Safari Specialty Importers talks through the process of bringing horns, antlers, skulls, and hides back to the states.  Wyatt is a fellow gun nut, and in addition to discussing how to import animal parts, he tells the fascinating story of an extraordinary vintage double-barreled dangerous-game rifle he found in England. ENJOY! https://safarispecialtyimporters.com   FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!  Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry   Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "How to Set Up A 7mm PRC for Sucess" and "Best Cartridge for Moose & Woodland Bison." Check 'em out!  Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.swiftbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ https://javelinbipod.com  

Vogue's had an incident, Joanne's got something to tell everyone and Pavarotti had a cake named after him. These are the facts in todays episode. Besides that, Jessie Buckley upset the cat community and there's a tour coming to Australia and New Zealand (and the USA... AND Canada).If you'd like to get in touch, you can send an email to hello@MTGMpod.comYou can now watch FULL video epsiodes of My Therapist Ghosted Me! Visit www.youtube.com/@mtgmpod and remember to subscribe!Please review Global's Privacy Policy: https://global.com/legal/privacy-policy/For merch, tour dates and more visit: www.mytherapistghostedme.comJoanne's comedy gigs: www.joannemcnally.comThis episode contains explicit language and adult themes that may not be suitable for all listeners.

On New Year's Eve 1997, Ben Smart and Olivia Hope boarded a yacht in New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds after missing their ride back to shore. By morning, they had vanished—launching one of the country's most debated murder cases. Need more WMMM in your life? Join the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/witchesmagicmurdermystery Want WMMM Merch? Check out the podcast store: https://witches-magic-murder-mystery-podcast-store.myshopify.com   Our Youtube Channel has longer versions of our episodes, with less editing and more outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/c/WitchesMagicMurderMysteryPodcast Sources:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Ben_Smart_and_Olivia_Hope https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/ben-smart-and-olivia-hope-timeline-of-events/ https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/ben-smart-and-olivia-hope-case https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/ben-smart-and-olivia-hope-case https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/scott-watson-parole-hearing-decision/https://www.paroleboard.govt.nz/decisions https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/r-v-watson https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/107745722/scott-watson-appeal-bid https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/451385/scott-watson-supporters-seek-royal-commission https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gerald-mcneilly-testimony-scott-watson-trial/ https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/ben-smart-olivia-hope-trial-jailhouse-informanthttps://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/scott-watson-denies-confession-to-inmate/ All Witches, Magic, Murder, & Mystery episodes are a mix of Kara and Megan's personal thoughts and opinions in response to the information that is publicly available at the time of recording, as well as, in some cases, personal accounts provided by listeners. In regard to these self-reported personal accounts, there can be no assurance that the information provided is 100% accurate.  If you love the Trash Witch art (see our Patreon or the Podcast store), Tiffini Scherbing of Scherbing Arts created her. Like her Scherbing Arts page on F acebook, or follow her on instagram at @scherbingarts76! She can create anything you need.  TikTok: @wmmmpodcast Instagram: @witchesmagicmurdermystery Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/465405701297488/ Email all your weird stories: witchesmagicmurdermystery@gmail.com Get to know us better:                  Kara: @many_adventures_of_kara on Instagram              Megan: @meganmakesjokes on TikTok, @megan_whitmer on Instagram  WMMM Podcast P.O. Box 910674 Lexington, KY 40591 Music credit: Chloe's Lullaby (podcast theme) by Robert Austin. Available on Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, Bandcamp, and Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Stewart Alsop III sits down with Tom Faye — experimenter, author of The 90 Day Client Acquisition Code, and founder of Carbon Credits Marketplace — to talk about solar energy, off-grid living, and the solarpunk vision of a technology-powered utopia. They cover everything from perovskite solar cells and portable container-based solar systems, to carbon credits, ESG investing, and blockchain verification of clean energy output. The conversation also winds through AI training data, business automation, and the data labeling industry before circling back to some bigger questions about human nature, geopolitics, and what genuine self-reliance looks like in 2025. You can find Tom and his work at Carbon Credits Marketplace on LinkedIn and his energy consumption data visualization is also shared there. His book The 90 Day Client Acquisition Code is available for those looking to explore business automation further.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Tom Fay and his work01:03 Understanding Solar Punk: Utopian Tech and Culture02:15 Current State of Solar Technology and Storage03:45 Living Off-Grid: Solar, Batteries, and Remote Work06:11 Solar Energy in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities12:21 Powering Communities with Mobile Solar Solutions16:50 The Vision of Solar Punk: Self-Sufficient Communities22:54 Existing Examples: Great Barrier Island and Others26:06 Overfishing, Environmental Challenges, and Technological Solutions28:34 Using Technology to Address Second-Order Environmental Problems36:35 Data, AI, and the Future of Energy Management43:13 Carbon Credits, Blockchain, and ESG Reporting45:27 The Geopolitics of Green Energy and Resource Control46:53 How to Connect with Tom Fay and Future ProjectsKey InsightsSolarpunk represents a genuine near-future possibility, not just an aesthetic. As solar panels and lithium batteries become cheaper and more efficient, the vision of abundant, decentralized clean energy is becoming a practical reality rather than a utopian fantasy.Perovskite solar cells are pushing efficiency roughly 22% beyond conventional panels, and the bigger revolution happening right now is on the storage side — cheaper, higher-capacity batteries are what will truly unlock solar's potential at scale.Africa may leapfrog the West on solar adoption, just as it leapfrogged landlines with mobile phones. People in energy-scarce countries viscerally understand the value of clean power in a way that people in the West, accustomed to reliable grids, simply don't.Portable solar container units — self-contained, deployable systems — already exist and are making off-grid energy viable for farms, mines, remote lodges, and even data centers, with a roughly five-to-one solar-to-load footprint required.Carbon credits generated from verified solar output, tracked via IoT smart meters and stamped on blockchain, represent a long-term business opportunity that survives political shifts because institutional investors and banks operate on independent ESG mandates.AI training data is a present and real economic opportunity, but a shrinking one. The window for humans — especially lawyers, scientists, and specialists — to get paid for their expertise is closing fast as labs pivot toward synthetic data generation.True self-reliance comes down to four things: food, water, power, and transportation. With solar and Starlink, the gap between remote wilderness and connected civilization has essentially collapsed — something unimaginable even a generation ago.

Thomas Coyle MNZM is one of New Zealand's most seasoned forensic experts. He joins Susie to talk about his new memoir, The Dead Speak: My Life in Forensics.

Jesus did not die for Himself, and He did not rise for Himself! Jim has given this message the provocative title, He's Alive - So What? "What does that mean to me?" as we're always asking. Well, a lot. Because the Lord's resurrection wasn't the only one of its kind, just the first of its kind. We might call it a prototype. The Apostles used phrases like, "firstborn among many brethren," and "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." We're in Mark, chapter 16. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS03132026_0.mp3Scripture References: Mark 16

"Roman theatre" is a term often used to describe the theatre of ancient Italy during the second and third century BCE. Plautus and Terence are referred to as ‘Roman playwrights,' and Rome itself is generally regarded as the driving force behind the development of theatrical culture in Italy. But was this early theatre in Italy specifically or characteristically Roman? Using previously marginalised archaeological source material and placing it in constructive dialogue with the surviving ancient literature, A New History of Ancient Roman Theatre (Liverpool UP, 2025) offers a significant reinterpretation of how theatre developed in the Italian peninsula, as well as a radical reappraisal of the role of Republican Rome as the impetus for cultural change. Challenging a long-held scholarly consensus, it is argued that whilst Rome would eventually rise to political and cultural dominance, the archaeological evidence does not encourage us to view Rome as a significant factor in the development of theatre in Italy until at least the end of the first century BCE and the construction of the Theatre of Pompey. Our attention is directed instead to other cities in the Italian peninsula during the third and second centuries BCE, which have hitherto been greatly overshadowed by imperialistic narratives of Roman cultural development. Jessica Clarke is a historian and archaeologist specialising in ancient Roman theatre and entertainment culture. She was awarded her PhD by University College London in 2024. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Roberto Belmont y Juan Manuel Torreblanca abren el tema de los apocalipsis proféticos desde su raíz: apocalipsis como revelación y profecía como anuncio de una catástrofe capaz de poner a prueba a una civilización. En el camino revisan el caso de Juan de Patmos, el marco simbólico del libro de las Revelaciones y lecturas modernas de Nostradamus, Baba Vanga y Benjamín Solari Parravicini, con énfasis en el patrón repetido de guerra global, hambre, epidemias y “señales” que cada época intenta encajar. El episodio se vuelve especialmente tangible cuando conectan la recurrencia del diluvio en tradiciones antiguas con hallazgos y debates sobre la Black Mat, una capa oscura distribuida globalmente asociada por algunos a incendios extensos, megainundaciones y cambios abruptos del clima como el Younger Dryas. Finalmente, Torreblanca describe un modelo de análisis por variables (guerra nuclear, radiación, altura, agua, suelos fértiles, energía y aislamiento de blancos) para estimar lugares más “salvables”, destacando Patagonia, Altiplano boliviano, sur de Nueva Zelanda, Islandia y cordilleras como los Pirineos. Roberto Belmont and Juan Manuel Torreblanca begin by defining apocalypse in its original sense as revelation, then explore prophecy as an announcement of a civilization-level disruption that tests belief systems and social order. They revisit John of Patmos and the symbolic structure of Revelation, and examine modern cultural readings of Nostradamus, Baba Vanga, and Benjamín Solari Parravicini, emphasizing how poetic ambiguity invites endless “fits” to current events. The episode becomes concrete when they link the universality of flood myths to contested geological discussions around the Black Mat, a dark layer reported across regions and associated by some interpretations with intense burning, massive flooding, and abrupt climate change connected to the Younger Dryas. Finally, Torreblanca outlines a multi-variable survival model (nuclear risk, radiation drift, elevation, clean water, fertile soils, geothermal capacity, and distance from strategic targets) and highlights top candidates such as Patagonia, the Bolivian Altiplano, southern New Zealand, Iceland, and mountain ranges like the Pyrenees. Roberto Belmont e Juan Manuel Torreblanca começam definindo apocalipse no sentido original de revelação, e profecia como aviso de um evento catastrófico capaz de abalar sociedades e crenças. Eles revisitam João de Patmos e o caráter simbólico do livro do Apocalipse, além de leituras contemporâneas de Nostradamus, Baba Vanga e Benjamín Solari Parravicini, destacando como textos poéticos e ambíguos acabam sendo encaixados em diferentes épocas. A conversa ganha corpo ao relacionar a recorrência do dilúvio em tradições antigas a debates sobre a Black Mat, uma camada escura registrada em diferentes regiões e associada por algumas interpretações a queimadas extensas, megainundações e mudanças abruptas ligadas ao Younger Dryas. Por fim, Torreblanca apresenta um modelo de análise por variáveis (risco nuclear, radiação, altitude, água, solos férteis, energia geotérmica e isolamento) e aponta candidatos como Patagônia, Altiplano boliviano, sul da Nova Zelândia, Islândia e cadeias montanhosas como os Pirineus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"Roman theatre" is a term often used to describe the theatre of ancient Italy during the second and third century BCE. Plautus and Terence are referred to as ‘Roman playwrights,' and Rome itself is generally regarded as the driving force behind the development of theatrical culture in Italy. But was this early theatre in Italy specifically or characteristically Roman? Using previously marginalised archaeological source material and placing it in constructive dialogue with the surviving ancient literature, A New History of Ancient Roman Theatre (Liverpool UP, 2025) offers a significant reinterpretation of how theatre developed in the Italian peninsula, as well as a radical reappraisal of the role of Republican Rome as the impetus for cultural change. Challenging a long-held scholarly consensus, it is argued that whilst Rome would eventually rise to political and cultural dominance, the archaeological evidence does not encourage us to view Rome as a significant factor in the development of theatre in Italy until at least the end of the first century BCE and the construction of the Theatre of Pompey. Our attention is directed instead to other cities in the Italian peninsula during the third and second centuries BCE, which have hitherto been greatly overshadowed by imperialistic narratives of Roman cultural development. Jessica Clarke is a historian and archaeologist specialising in ancient Roman theatre and entertainment culture. She was awarded her PhD by University College London in 2024. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The world has a northern bias: our politics, culture, and literature all tend to view the northern viewpoint as the default position, leaving the far southern latitudes (Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Southern Africa among others), as a faraway land full of strangeness. But what if you live in those lands? How can a strange, faraway place be home? In this episode, Jacke talks to Elleke Boehmer about her book Southern Imagining: A Literary and Cultural History of the Far Southern Hemisphere, which analyzes the impact of the world's northern bias on literature and culture--and offers an alternative perspective to the way we usually look at the world. PLUS John McMurtrie (Literary Journeys: Mapping Fictional Travels Across the World of Literature) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The head guide at Avon Valley Safaris is none other than the legendary Kate Bryant. Kate guides stone sheep and moose in Canada during fall in the northern hemisphere and heads back to New Zealand to guide red deer, fallow, and sheep during their fall as well. I had such a good time hunting with her that I couldn't help but sit down with her and Darren to talk about the unique challenges of guiding in New Zealand and internationally. This episode is really a behind the scenes look at what it takes to make a hunting operation world class. 

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

In Part 2 of our New Zealand cruise series, we take a deep dive into our experience sailing aboard the beautiful Discovery Princess. We're sharing a full ship review, including our thoughts on the cabins, dining, entertainment, and overall vibe of the ship after spending 8 nights onboard. From buffet favorites to specialty dining highlights, we'll talk about what impressed us—and what didn't. We also tackle a big travel question: Is New Zealand best experienced by cruise ship? While cruising offers incredible scenic sail-ins and the convenience of visiting multiple ports without unpacking, New Zealand is also a destination famous for its inland adventures and road-trip culture. We break down the pros and cons of visiting New Zealand by cruise, including what you'll see from the coast—and what you might miss by not exploring deeper inland. I n this episode we cover: Our full Discovery Princess ship review Cabin comfort and layout Food highlights and dining surprises What the ship does really well The biggest advantages of cruising New Zealand Why some travelers may prefer exploring the country by land If you're considering a New Zealand cruise—or wondering how Discovery Princess stacks up—this episode will help you decide. Visit us on AmazonLive! https://www.amazon.com/live/cruisetipstv

When Trisha was pregnant with her second baby, she read Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering — a book that completely reframed how she understood labor, and to this day remains her favorite book on pregnancy. Trisha's second birth unfolded in just three hours, a stark contrast to her first. That book was written by Dr. Sarah J. Buckley, and we've long dreamed of getting her on the show. That day has finally come!Dr. Buckley is a New Zealand–trained family physician and leading researcher on the hormonal physiology of childbirth, and today she walks us through the science of oxytocin and why it matters so profoundly in labor. We explore how the maternal brain modulates pain, how safety and privacy influence hormone flow, and why certain features of modern maternity care can unintentionally trigger stress responses that disrupt physiological birth.This episode is a deep dive into the biology of labor — and what women truly need for it to unfold as designed.In this episode, we discuss:The "Safety Triad": Why feeling private, safe, and unobserved is a biological requirement, not a luxury.The Pitocin Paradox: The shocking truth about synthetic "oxytocin", its unknown half-life, and why it doesn't offer the same brain benefits as the real thing.The Epidural Gap: How numbing the sensation of labor interrupts your natural hormonal feedback loop.The Baby's Experience: What the fetal catecholamine surge is and what it means for your newborn's first moments after birth.Sarah BuckleySend a text Needed

The 1885 Preller-Maxwell Murder Of St. LouisAd-Free Safe House Edition Episode 101 spans three years and three continents as a pair of British dandies meet on the steamer ship coming out of Liverpool and make a pact to travel together across the United States and on to Auckland, New Zealand. One of them only makes it as far a St. Louis before his body is found packed in a trunk in a hotel room and his partner gone with all of his traveling money. The case, the chase, the trial and the final reckoning all make national headlines and a celebrity out of the murderer, but that's not going to make this end any better for him.This is one of my favorite stories with one of my favorite tropes: The Trunk Murder. Hear More Stories About TRUNK MURDERSBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.You can pay more if you want to, but rent at the Safe House is still just a buck a week, and you can get access to over 400 ad-free episodes from the dusty vault, Safe House Exclusives, direct access to the Boss, and whatever personal services you require.We invite you to our other PULPULAR MEDIA podcasts:If disaster is more your jam, check out CATASTROPHIC CALAMITIES, telling the stories of famous and forgotten tragedies of the 19th and 20th centuries. What could go wrong? Everything!For brand-new tales in the old clothes from the golden era of popular literature, give your ears a treat with PULP MAGAZINES with two new stories every week.