Podcast appearances and mentions of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Sometimes monsters are real!   This week's episode is a foray into non-fiction, but no less scary for it. I'm talking to Pulitzer-winning Caroline Fraser about Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers   This is no grotesque revelling in death and sadism,however. Murderland examines the extreme violence that plagued her native Pacific Northwest in the late 20th century – and posits a link with the environmental damage of heavy industry in the region.   It's a compelling argument, and a horribly fascinating book. I slip the jokes in where I can (mostly at BTK's expense), but this one is a chiller!   Enjoy!   Other books mentioned:   Praire Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder (2017), by Caroline Fraser God's Perfect Child: Living and Dying in the Christian Science Church (1999), by Caroline Fraser The Balkan Trilogy (1960), by Olivia Manning   Support Talking Scared on Patreon   Check out the Talking Scared Merch line – at VoidMerch   Come talk books on Bluesky @talkscaredpod.bsky.social on Instagram/Threads, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Dukess's first book, The Last Book Party, was wildly successful by any measure—sold at auction, Indie Next pick, Discover New Writers pick… you probably read it. The second…Didn't sell. Not as in, not very many people bought it but as in, no publisher published it. She spent the requisite couple years or so, her agent signed on but… no takers. She felt like she was the only person in the whole entire world that that happened to… until she started asking around. Turns out, you know how people say writing books is hard? And publishing is tough? They're right!Never fear, Karen lived to tell the tail. Her next novel (do we call it second or third?), Welcome to Murder Week, is wonderful and available in a bookstore near you (and as you'll hear, I loved it and it's the perfect page-turner but not-anxiety-producing read for a swimming pool, beach, airplane ride or couch). But the real joy is that Karen is willing to dish. You'll hear:What happens when you want to be a bullet journal sticker getting writer with your butt in the chair but you're just … not.How to have fun writing a book that maybe no one will want (and why you'd better).How Karen found the right mindset to keep going.Karen's one rule as a beginning writer who couldn't quite get the hang of 1000 words a day. Links from the Pod:LauraPaloozaKaren Dukess, The Last Book PartyZibby EventsThe Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray#AmReadingKaren: The Original, Nell Stevens KJ: Welcome to Murder WeekKaren's Substack Keep Calm and Carry On, a Substack from Karen Dukess or find her on Instagram @karendukess, or her website www.karendukess.comDid you know Sarina's latest thriller is out NOW? Rowan Gallagher is a devoted single mother and a talented architect with a high-profile commission restoring an historic mansion for the most powerful family in Maine. But inside, she's a mess. She knows that stalking her ex's avatar all over Portland on her phone isn't the healthiest way to heal from their breakup. But she's out of ice cream and she's sick of romcoms. Watching his every move is both fascinating and infuriating. He's dining out while she's wallowing on the couch. The last straw comes when he parks in their favorite spot on the waterfront. In a weak moment, she leashes the dog and sets off to see who else is in his car. Instead of catching her ex in a kiss, Rowan becomes the first witness to his murder—and the primary suspect.Digital books at: Amazon | Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Audible Physical books at: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | More paperback links here!New! Transcript below!EPISODE 452 - TRANSCRIPTJess LaheyHey, it's Jess here. A few years ago, I got to go to Laura Palooza. Laura Palooza is the conference that is run by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association. I was invited because I wrote about Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House on the Prairie books, and at the very beginning of The Gift of Failure, there's a mention in the opening chapter. And I was invited to go, and it was fantastic. And I got to meet Dean Butler, who had played Almanzo, which was quite a moment for me, because I had been quite in love. Anyway, this year's Laura Palooza 2025 is going to be taking place July 8 through 11th, 2025. Laura Palooza 2025's theme is prairies, pioneers and pages. If you want more information on attending Laura Palooza 2025, you can go to L-I-W-L-R-A — L-I-W-L-R-A dot org slash laurapalooza. I will be putting it in the show notes for whatever episode this ends up on, and it's going to be really, really great. I'm jealous that I can't go again because it's not going to be near me. It's going to be in De Smet South, I hope that's how you pronounce it, South Dakota. But they're going to even have, like, a feature on the fashion at the time. They're going to have a section on planes, claims and all those land deals, a beginner's guide to mapping homestead claims. It's going to be cool, challenging gender norms. Laura Ingalls in fiction, and Rose Wilder Lane in reality. Folklore, fiction or forecasts, separating and linking science, storytelling and mythology in weather, lore, that's going to be by Dr. Barb Boustead, who has been on this very podcast. She's fantastic. Laura Palooza 2025... July, you should go, you should sign up. It's really fun. They're going to be doing a field trip also to the Ingalls Homestead, I believe. Check it out. It's pretty cool.Multiple Speakers:Is it recording? Now it's recording, yay. Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. I don't remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay, now one, two, three.KJ Dell'AntoniaHey, I'm KJ Dell'Antonia, and this is Hashtag AmWriting, the weekly podcast about writing all the things, short things, long things, pitches, proposals, fiction, nonfiction, in short or really actually, usually long. We are the podcast about sitting down and getting your work done. And I am KJ Dell'Antonia. I am the author of a bunch of novels, the most popular of which is The Chicken Sisters, and the most recent is Playing the Witch Card, and you should read them all. And I have with me today a guest that I'm really excited about for a topic that you all are going to love. So, with me today, I have Karen Dukess, and she is the author of The Last Book Party, which you might have read in 2019 because it was unmissable. It was everywhere. It was an Indie Next. It was a Discover New Writers pick, it was...it was all over the place. And that is partly what we're here to talk about today. And we're also here to talk about her new novel, Welcome to Murder Week, which I have just read and enjoyed, but mostly we're here to talk about the six years in between. So, welcome. I am so glad to have you here. So, Karen and I have met in person. We met at a Zibby book event and at an event for the amazing Annabel Monaghan, who also has a book out this summer. The lovely thing about the universe is that nobody reads just one book.Karen DukessThat is true. Thank you.KJ Dell'AntoniaSo, you can be like, yes, read Annabel's book, read my book. Read. I mean, anybody who reads? I mean, yeah, there are people who read just one book, it's probably not going to be ours. Oh, well, people seem to like the Bible. I don't know that's a popular one. See that? A lot around a lot of Crawdads, also see that. Okay, so anyway, tell us what the story of the long six-year journey between your very, very successful debut novel, and what is about to be your very different sophomore novel.Karen DukessSo, I feel like I have an upside-down writing career in that most people write a lot of novels that don't get published before they write a novel that gets published, and mine went backwards. So, The Last Book Party was my first novel, and I wrote it...Didn't... I wrote it, finished it when I was in my early 50's, around 54 -55, spent about four years writing it, and I had done a lot of writing before, then stopping and starting and thinking that. I must not have what it takes, because this is too hard. I didn't realize that novel writing just is hard, and that is the way it is for all but a few unicorn people. So that novel, I was so happy when I finally finished it. I was so satisfied to just finally have written a novel, and I was truly thrilled, and I I felt like, if it doesn't get published, I'll publish it myself. I'm just so happy to have achieved this goal. And then it sold incredibly quickly. It was unbelievable. I mean, it was like beyond my wildest dreams. It went to auction. It sold very quickly for a good advance, and the publishing experience was great, including the fact that they were originally going to publish it in 2020, but they decided to bump it up to 2019 I don't know why. But I was like, sure, I've waited to my 50's to get this book out, like the sooner the better. And then I dodged the bullet of waiting all these years to publish a novel and have it come out during the pandemic. So, the paperback came out in the pandemic, which wasn't great, but I still felt so grateful that I had gotten this book out before then. So, then I started working on my second novel, which later someone had given me some someone, a friend...it might have even been Annabel. Someone gave her the advice that your second novel, don't make it very, very personal. And I kind of wish I had gotten that advice, even though I'm not sure I would have listened to it. But the thing about a second novel, and I don't know if you experienced this, KJ, but if you have success with your first novel, the second novel is scary because you're like, was I a one hit wonder? You know, was it a fluke? Can I do this again? And people would say, well, you know how to write novels now. And I'd be like, no, I know how to write THAT novel. I have no idea how to write another novel. And the novel I wanted to write at that time was drawing on the many years I spent studying and living in Russia and working as a journalist in Russia. I was in Russia in the 90's, and I wrote a novel that was about an American woman's journey in Russia and some American journalists in Russia. But it was set in Russia in 2017 and with flashbacks to the 90's, and it was hard to write. It was not fun. I think I had, like, sitting on my shoulder this sort of like, oh, can she do it again? You know that kind of thing. And I knew that the luck I had the first one, like, you know, I knew it was unlike, unluck, unlikely to be like that again. Plus, I had this sense of like, this is my Russia novel. And even though it wasn't a novel like, directly about Russia, it still was my chance to sort of give my take on things there. So, I think I also had sitting on my shoulder, like all the journalists I know knew in Russia, and people that studied Russia and the real Russia experts, and what were they going to think of my take?KJ Dell'AntoniaOh, yeah.Karen DukessSo it was, it was not writing, sort of like joyfully, it was a tough novel to write. And then it was also, it was fiction, but it was sort of personal, midlife kind of novel. So, there was just a lot of baggage with that novel. And the writing of it was tough, you know, it was just, it took longer than I thought it it just, I just remember a lot of sort of hair pulling, kind of, you know, those writing days. I had a lot of them. I finished it. My agent said he loved it. I don't think he loved it as much as the other two novels I've written, but, you know, he was ready to send it out on submission. But as I was finishing it, I was getting more and more concerned, because I finished it right around when Russia invaded Ukraine. And my novel, which was set in 2017 Russia, now things were so different, and they had been increasingly becoming different. Suddenly it felt very anachronistic, because I wasn't writing with these big current events in mind. Plus, there was this whole kind of like, oh, Russia, yuck, nobody, you know. And I felt that too. So, I was nervous about it, and my agent was like, just finish it. You've spent this much time on it. Let's finish it and see what happens. And so, we sent it out, and the response I got was kind of... Uh not great, you know, it went to my publisher first. They'd write a first refusal, and we're like, this novel. It about American woman in Russia right now, it's just not the right time. And, you know, there may have been other things about the novel as well, but it was kind of a, like, not a good sell. So, we sent it out to maybe five or six more editors, you know, I got lovely rejection letters, you know. Well, I really enjoyed it. This part was so interesting. But, yeah, I don't know, I don't know how to market this novel right now. And it was, you know, it was crushing, of course, but it also kind of echoed my feelings about the novel. The whole thing gave me a knot in my stomach, yeah, so my agent said, well, we haven't really exhausted the possibilities yet. We can send it out another round, or you can revise it, or you can set it aside. And I felt really sure at that point that I just wanted to, I didn't want to keep submitting it. I just felt like not the right time. And it was disappointing, but it was also kind of a relief, because if someone had decided to publish that novel, I think I would have been really nervous for the whole time before it came out.KJ Dell'AntoniaI think the only thing worse than having your second novel not published is having it published to like, you know, universal hatred.Karen DukessYeah exactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaOr just, or just to your own disappointment, you know?Karen DukessYeah. And then there's a long lead time between the time and novel gets accepted and the time it gets published. And to just feel like, nervous that whole time, I just...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessSo, I was relieved and disappointed. And I remember very well thinking like, oh, well, this is what people talk about. When they talk about, you have to be able to deal with rejection as a writer, because I hadn't dealt with it yet. I had been so lucky, and I really had this sense of like, all right, well, now I get to find out if I'm really a writer, like, can I deal with this and or can I not? And so, I was like, I'm going to write something else. But I was determined to write something very, very different. Like, I needed the whole experience to be different, yeah, and it ended up being kind of liberating, because I went on a trip with my sister to England. We went to the Peak District in England for a week. We rented a little cottage, and this was right before the novel went on submission, I think, or maybe right after, maybe it was on submission, I don't know. So, it was around the time when I wasn't feeling good about the novel, but I wasn't sure it was like a dead deal yet. And we had this absolutely fantastic week in the Peak District, where I was my first time traveling in the English countryside. I'd been to London, but I'd never been in the English countryside, and I felt like I was just stepping into the pages of all my favorite English novels, like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. And also, like I was stepping into scenes of every BritBox masterpiece, mystery thing, I had written, you know, think, oh my god, there's a vicar. And just really, I was in a... my sister, we have similar reading tastes, and we were just both in this mood, like everything was just kind of entertaining us, and we were laughing at ourselves for seeing England through all these fictional characters. So, when I came back, I think I came back, and that's when I kind of realized this Russian novel was dead or shortly thereafter. And I thought, okay, I'm going to, I'm going to write something about Americans going to England. I want to continue that mood. And I really felt like, if I'm going to do now that I knew you could spend years writing a novel and have it not get published, which I knew intellectually before, but I didn't, hadn't experienced it. I I just felt like, if I'm going to spend another couple years writing a novel like fun has to be the number one thing. It just has to be fun. I'm like, not going to be miserable again. I can't do something like the Russian novel again. I have to just entertain myself and make myself happy, and hopefully it will entertain other people and make them happy too. And that's how I landed on the idea of sending these writing about Americans that go to England to solve a fake murder mystery, which is what Welcome to Murder Week is about. And I just had such a good time writing it. And I wrote it quicker than I've ever written. I wrote it in a little over a year, and it was honestly delightful. Like, I couldn't believe it. Like, writing could actually be really fun.KJ Dell'AntoniaWho knew? The result is also delightful. It just, it's, it's kind of like every warm and lovely book setting on to you you've ever read. It is it Is that I really enjoyed it, So...Karen DukessI'm so glad.KJ Dell'AntoniaI don't know what the Russian novel was like. That doesn't sound fun.Karen DukessI mean it wasn't really heavy, because I'm not like a heavy writer... like it still had...KJ Dell'AntoniaRight.Karen DukessIn it, and it had emotion, etc., but I'm not sad that it's not out.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessLet's put it that way, yeah. So, yeah, this one was just fun. And I, you know, my initial idea was to send a group of Americans to England. Initially it was going to be a writing group. I like the idea of putting characters together who would not ordinarily know each other, but to have them together in a space and then a friend of mine said, Okay, so that's an idea. You're going to send some writers on a writing retreat to England, and what are they going to do there? Like, write? Like, that's not very interesting. And that's how I, kind of, you know, ended up moving to this thing where I could have them participate in this weeklong, solve a fake English village murder mystery. And I could have, you know, the villagers, some of them participating in this, and some eagerly participating, some cynical and send a bunch of Americans, you know, Britbox crazed Americans, to compete in this thing. And, yeah, that's, that's how it ended up. And it was fun.KJ Dell'AntoniaI, yeah. I mean, it reads like you had fun. I, as someone who has... so Playing the Witch Card has like a big game sort of Halloween event at the center of it. That would be really hard to do in reality. This is kind of like that.Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaLike, this is like the dream murder week, both from some of the point of view of someone who might want to put one on and from someone the point of view of someone who might want to go and do one. It's not, it's um, you know, it's not. Sometimes you read these and they're like, they're like, silly and hokey. It's like, very sincere, super fun murder week that anyone would wish that they could do that likes that kind of thing. Anyway, I yeah, I totally enjoyed it. All the characters were really fun. I could see that you must have had fun writing it.Karen DukessI did. And I also, you know, people often say, like, write the novel you want to read. And I really did that with this because I wanted it to have so it has a fake mystery, but then it has a real mystery as well.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessLike the main character, thirty-four-year-old Cath, little do you know, she goes on this trip because her estranged mother, before she died, booked them on it, and she's sort of reluctant to go, but can't get a refund. And then I sort of developed this whole story about she teams up with her house, shares a cottage with people to solve the fake mystery, but that she also solves the real mystery of why her mother wanted her to go, her late mother, and that was sort of like the writing the story you want to read. Because I like light and funny, but I also like something that has, like, some emotional heart to it, like I wanted to try to story that was fun, but that has something going on. And the more I wrote, the more Cath's serious story became part of the story, I think, in the first deeply satisfying, yeah, and the first version, the first draft that my agent read, and I had never shared a draft before with him, and, you know, I think I was just hoping he would be like, it's almost perfect. And he was like, well, I think Cath is the hardest story. I think you need to develop that more. And then I went back and did and sort of... blended the two. So, the whole experience was just, yeah, of course. Now I'm like, can I have fun again?KJ Dell'AntoniaYes, yes, you can. Nobody ever tells me my first draft is perfect, and I really hate that.Karen DukessYeah, I know. I think it's, I don't even know if I should have shared it with him, like, I just wanted him to say, like, it's amazing. And he was like, yeah, it could be really good.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, but you just want them to know that you're doing, yeah, I'm a I'm going to share the first draft of the thing I'm doing with my agent, and it might be a terrible idea, but I'm going to do it anyway, because I want her to know I'm doing a thing. And yeah, I'm excited. And yeah um...Karen Dukess I also think that, like, you know, when I said that, it was liberating, in a way, to sort of have the experience that I had with the Russian novel. I think it was also maybe by the time, you know, getting to the third novel, or maybe it's getting to my age. I felt sort of like, I think I gave my permission, myself, permission to write a novel that, yeah, it has a serious story at the heart of it, but it's not like a deeply serious book, you know? And I think there's a tendency to think like, you know, I would look at the world around me sometimes, when I was drafting it, and feel like there's so many serious things to write about, and I'm writing this funny story, like, is that super fluffy? And, you know, it was like, this is what I wanted to write? That's okay, you know? I don't have to prove anything. Like, here is my serious tome. You know, I really just wanted to give people like, an emotional, amusing, heartwarming experience. And that is okay.KJ Dell'AntoniaIt is funny how locked we get into that, both as writers and as readers, this idea that if it's not serious or experimental or deep or dark, it's, I don't know, somehow not worthy. There was somebody was reading somebody's Substack the other day, and they were sort of deeply apologizing for the book they had recommended, which sounded really amazing. And I was like, why you, you know, you clearly enjoyed this, and it sounded great. And I don't. I mean, as a reader, I don't want to read things that are dark and deep and serious A. all the time...Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd B. sometimes not at all.Karen DukessYeah, I do like to read dark and serious, but I've learned that I don't like to write that like writing a novel is, it's always so much more time than you think. I mean, even this one was quicker than usual. It's a lot of time, like you're living it. And I was just like, I can't live in a dark place, like I can read a dark book in a couple days, you know? And...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessWipe my eyes and move on. But...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessYou know...KJ Dell'AntoniaA light one.Karen DukessYou could assume... but you know. When I'm writing a novel, I'm going to bed thinking about their the characters, and I'm thinking about it when I'm exercising, and it's just like churning in there, and I just don't want to be in a dark place for two years.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, and most of the time people, I mean, I guess it just depends on, on who you are. But a heart, it's hardly ever dark all the time. I mean, even people that I have known that we're going through some really horrible things have found, you know, levity and joy and pleasure in in some parts of it. And I think we all hesitate to say, well, that's everyone. Or you got to, you know, we don't want to impose that on every, on anyone, because that's kind of also where we are is, is this delicate dance of not wanting to expect anybody else to be the way you think they're going to be. But I it just seems like people find levity, even in even the worst, even in the worst moments. And people want, um, solace, you know?Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'Antonia Something... something pleasant... something.Karen DukessYeah, I work with an editor, kind of a more like a writing coach, like she doesn't actually edit, but she sort of helps me figure out the story and stuff. And there was one point when she was reading a draft, and there's a scene in the book. I don't know if it's a minor thing, but when my main character Cath, who there's a little romance in it. And when she's first together with this guy, and they're sort of rolling around in bed, the first draft that, the first version of it, she accidentally hit her head on the headboard, and then she's like, “Oh my god, are you okay?” And she was like, “no”. My coach was like, no, no. I don't want to be anxious that maybe this guy is a little violent. Like, no, no, you've got to take that out. I don't want to be anxious in the reading of this book. And it was such a minor thing that I think she was like...KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd you had him hit his head instead, right? Yeah.Karen DukessBecause I don't think anyone was going to worry that she's violent. But it was funny. It was like, she was very much like this book is, there are books where you want the reader to feel anxious, but she's like, this book is not that I don't want anxiety in this book you know?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, yeah.Karen DukessLike she's still concerned about Cath and her story. You can feel sad about what she learns, but not anxiety.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou know I think you've really put your finger on something, because that is exactly right. This book is a page turner, like you want to find out what happens. You want to be with the characters you want to it's a hang and it's like, like, I read something recently where, um, in the middle, you, I found myself sort of, I was still reading it because it was a good hang, but in the middle I was just kind of, like, I forget why we're here. I forget what I'm wondering. You're not really wondering anything, but I like it, so I'll keep this. Your book was not like that at all. This is a fantastic hang but you're right. It never, it's not... that's exactly right. It's not, it's not anxiety producing. And I think that's its own vibe. Like you can have romances that are fun and they're good, but they actually, you do have anxiety around, you know, like, how the characters are going to pull themselves out of this, or how they're going to feel or, yeah, and you can have them or you don't. I like that as, like, a sort of a line in the sand.Karen DukessYeah, yeah. And then I kind of thought about it as I continued, like, yeah, okay, that's right. We're not going to go to like, the really unsettling places.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah. I mean, even if you really want to know what would what will happen, and you really want, like, the things that happen to turn out in satisfying ways, but it doesn't feel like, if they turn out in some like, there were a variety of available options, none of which felt horrible.Karen DukessYeah, exactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaThank you for that. Thank you for a lovely reading experience. So, what else did you take away? Like, what else did you change between the drafting of the book that does not end up being published, which you know, for all we know, is actually great, but the timing was really bad. What should you change?Karen DukessWhat changed for me... in writing?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, what are you changing? Did you change anything in your process?Karen DukessUm, I think I, I don't know if it was completely because of the experience with this book, but definitely it fed into it. Um, I worked with the same writing coach on the Russia book, and she keeps saying that book will be published someday. I'm like, yeah, maybe, maybe not. I don't really care, honestly at this point, but one thing that she really pushed on me, which I discovered in the writing of murder week, was really true, is that to be open and playful and just really to be creative, I needed that. I needed to be in the right mindset, like, I know your thing is always butt in chair, butt in chair. And it is true, you have to, you know, you have to push yourself to finish a novel. It's not easy. And there are times when you just have to push forward. But for me, in the drafting of it, like the butt in chair thing, for me, is more important in the revising and the final draft, when it's like, you've got to get through it, and you've just got to keep sitting there and doing it. But when I'm in this sort of creating stage, when I'm not sure what the story is, when I'm in those moods where I'm just like, sit down and work at this like, I don't write good stuff. I just don't. And she would sometimes say to me, like, if I would talk to her, and I was really angsty and I was really self-critical, or I don't like what I've written, or I don't know where I'm going with this, or whatever , she was really she would very much say, like, when you're in that kind of mood, just walk away. Don't sit at your computer. Like, that is not the time for butt in chair. That is the time for just go do something else and like, lighten up on yourself. And that was really true for this. And I'm trying to remind myself that as I work on the next novel that you know for me, being kind to myself and feeling playful and open is when I'm going to write the best stuff and surprise myself. And that applies whether I'm writing like a serious scene or a funny scene. And the tricky thing about it is, you know, it's always a little scary to write, so it's like, Am I walking away because I need to lighten up my mind, or am I just plain procrastinating?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, or am I walking away because I just don't know how to...Karen DukessSo, I think that is something though, that I do feel like I write better from a free place than from a sort of, like, grim, determined place.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, that makes sense.Karen DukessI think I was learning that and trying to learn that when I was writing the Russia novel, but it really came true with this one, which is why I think I was able to write it quicker, because it's actually, you know, the weaving together of the fake murder mystery and the real mystery and the arcs of all the different characters. Like, it wasn't simple putting all together, but yet it was simpler for me to write, because I was just looser about it.KJ Dell'AntoniaRight. I think you learned to trust that you would finish this, even if you didn't finish it today.Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaDoes that make sense?Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaI, yeah.Karen DukessAnd I just think, like, trusting the process is so important, you know. And I talk about this with friends in my writing group, you know, sometimes when you're like, working so hard to figure it out, because it feels good to figure the novel out before you write it, because then you don't have the anxiety of, what if I don't figure it out? But it doesn't always work best that way. I don't think, like, I think there are times for that, and there are times to just, like, just keep going and like, let it go a little and let some interesting things happen, and then you'll figure out how to put it all together for me anyway. But obviously I'm not a plotter kind of person, so...KJ Dell'AntoniaI think, yeah, I think that varies. But what's what I'm really hearing here is that, like, even you knew, okay, if I don't, maybe I don't sit down today. That doesn't mean I'm never sitting again, down again. And I think that is, that's part of what I struggle with in my like 1000 words a day. Just, just keep doing it time. And I, and I think I, too, have come around to the idea that I'm going to finish it like...Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaI'm not. I'm not suddenly, you know, just because I only got to 700 words today, that doesn't mean tomorrow I'm going to be like, yeah, I'm not a writer anymore. Oops!Karen Dukess Yeah, exactly. Well, I think, and I think I've learned that, like, I can't tell you how many times, I mean, I've listened to your podcast forever, and, like, years ago, I would listen to it, and I would be like, Yes, I'm going to do the stickers, or, Yes, I'm going to do 500 words a day, or, Yes, I'm going to text a friend or you know, none of that stuff. I could never sustain it.KJ Dell'AntoniaIt doesn't work for you.Karen DukessI have no routine; I have no methods. But what I've learned now is like, but I get books done, so it's okay, like, yeah, I will sometimes go a couple days where I don't write, or I will, you know, think I'm on a routine of 500 or 1000 words a day for a while, and then I'm not, and that's okay, because it's just like, I know that I can still get them done in my crazy way.KJ Dell'AntoniaThat is what we have tried to start saying more often, is, listen, this doesn't work for everybody. If you're doing something different and you're getting the work done, then you're great, yeah, if you're doing something different and you're not finishing things, then maybe try this.Karen DukessYeah, well I remember, like, when I was working on The Last Book Party, right before I got kind of serious on it, I was in a writing group, and I was starting, then I was like, I was learning in the writing group through, finally being in a community with other writers. So, like everybody struggles. Published writers struggle. Really great writers struggle like and that, and I loved reading interviews with writers like I couldn't get enough of interviews and essays about writer's struggles, because I had to, like, keep convincing myself that like, my struggles didn't mean I wasn't a writer. But then there was one point where I remember making a rule for myself. And I was like; I am not allowed to read about writing if I haven't written that day. You know, spend a lot of time...KJ Dell'AntoniaYes.Karen DukessWorking on your novel, but what you're actually doing is like, reading about writing and reading interviews and listening to podcasts. So, it's like, I cannot listen to KJ's podcast until I've done some writing. So, I've had to, I have had to make some rules.KJ Dell'Antonia Yeah, well, that's, I mean, that's how you turned yourself into somebody who gets the work done, and now into somebody who has her own like now you have a way people ask you, so what's your process? How did you get this done?Karen DukessI don't think anyone has tried my process, but yeah. And it can be different for every book, I guess, you know?KJ Dell'AntoniaHorrifyingly, I think that it can when you see pointed out, yeah, you that you knew how to write that book, that is so true, and that has been a huge thing for me, is to realize that even after writing a bunch of books, people still struggle, it's still hard, every book is hard. Every book has, I mean, we have a joke among the podcasts, you know, because you get to a point where you're like, okay, I hate this now, and we'll all be right, right-on target,Karen DukessExactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaBaby's developing nicely. Here's our 18-month checklist. Aww and you're crawling, and you hate your book. Yay!Karen DukessYeah, yeah. I don't think the process gets easier, but I think knowing that you can get through it makes it a little easier. Maybe it diminishes the panic a little bit like, you know, you'll figure it out. You'll figure it out.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, this, I mean, this has been great. I'm sure it's going to be inspirational for everyone. It is inspirational for me, because I also... so I have a book that I worked on for the last year and a half, and I, we didn't, we didn't try to sell it because, because it's not very good.Karen DukessAre you still working on it? Or...KJ Dell'AntoniaIt's leaving, it's living. I make these gestures as though, like, there's like, a blobby object over here that is my, but is my finished, but also not revised and not good uh...Karen DukessI had this theory about books, like, it's the same theory I had with au pairs.KJ Dell'AntoniaOkay.Karen DukessWe had a lot of au pairs when my kids were growing up and I was working out of the home, you know, not writing. And I felt like every time I selected, you know, they would come for a year. One or two of them stayed for two years. But every time I selected a new au pair, it was in reaction to the problems of the other... the previous au pair. So, like, when I had an au pair that was like a horrible driver, so much so that we had to, like, get rid of her. Then I was like, okay, where is it hardest to get a driver's license? Germany. Okay, I'm having a German au pair, you know. Then I had, like, a German au pair who was great, but it was like, she was too, I don't know, whatever if I had an au pair, that was like, two lax, then the next one was like, oh, this person has, like, you know, worked in a boys school. I want that.KJ Dell'AntoniaRight? yeah.Karen DukessAnd I feel like, you know, I wrote Welcome to Murder Week because I had had this tough experience with this Russia novel. Then it was like, I'm going to do something really fun. So, and I don't know that I would have written that if I hadn't needed so badly to have fun. I don't know that I would have said, no, yeah, forget doing something, you know, serious or with some geopolitical things in it. I'm going to write a, you know, a murder week story. I don't know that I would have written it if I could have gone on that vacation and just had a great time and come back and not felt the need.KJ Dell'AntoniaWritten something else.Karen DukessSo, you know, maybe the one that's not working is going to lead you to write the next fabulous thing.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, I hope I'm already well into... I'm well into something else, but, yeah, it's, you know, you spend a lot of time on something, not everything works. It's one of the reasons this is a terrible job, and you absolutely shouldn't do it unless you know, you can't do anything else,Karen DukessExactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaOr unless you really want to.Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaThere. That's that. That's really good advice. That's going to make a great bumper sticker. All right. So have you read anything good lately besides Welcome to Murder Week, which, in fact, is what I will be raving about in just a second.Karen DukessUm, yes, I read a book called The Original by Nell Stevens. It out in June. She's a British writer, and it's really good. It's sort of an also kind of genre, blending the way my book is, but it's very different. It's like a gothic novel. It's set in an old house in England in the 1800's and it involves an orphan who's being raised by relatives, and she has an incredible talent for painting forgeries, and she sort of has this secret business in selling forgeries, but it also involves an imposter who returns from abroad in the family, and there's a queer romance in it, and it's totally unlike anything I've read, and very compelling.KJ Dell'AntoniaOof, I love that.Karen DukessIn a really compelling way.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd by the time people hear that, that this, this will either be out, or like, buy your next week self a present. That sounds great.Karen DukessYeah, it was very... it's very good. It's kind of like a rainy day book. You know?KJ Dell'AntoniaI love that. Well, I already raved about Welcome to Murder Week, but I'm telling you all, it's a real it's a real joy. I want to compare it to things. But there's almost like it's, I'll think of things that I that I want to...Karen DukessIt's hard to compare because it's not a traditional mystery,KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, no, um, I feel like Clare Pooley's books are, and I can't even think of the titles of them, but that, yeah, that is kind of ringing the right bell for me. I don't know who else a little bit of the like the murder, like, if you really thought The Murder of Mr. Wickham was super fun, which I absolutely adored, that is completely different, and yet also it's the same, like, it's the same... I think the vibe we're looking for here is page turner, no anxiety. And I love that. I love that for all of us...in England.Karen Dukess Yes, yeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaSo go grab this one. You're going to enjoy it, all right. Well, thanks so much. This was really fun. Thank you for being so open, and not just, you know, wandering around saying, well, I just it took me six years to write this because it's very good.Karen DukessYeah, I have to say, you know, I think that writers should talk more often about their failures. And by that...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessI mean, like novels that they wrote and abandoned, or novels that they wrote and tried to get published and couldn't, because it was only until I wrote this Russian novel and didn't sell it, and I would mention it to people. Then all these writers I knew, and people I knew, you know, would suddenly tell me about their own published novels. And I was like, why did I know about this beforehand? There's no shame in it... you know? It's a tough business. It's a tough business. The writing is tough; the publishing is tough. And now I'm like, oh my god, like so many writers I know have novels that did not get published, and for whatever reason. And I'm sure many of those novels are great novels, and but knowing that you know the journey of being a writer, just like I don't know a single author who hasn't like lost their editor at some point, you know, their editor leaves. Then they find a new, you know, be assigned to a new editor. That happens everybody, and I realize how many people have novels that did not see the light of day, and it was comforting to know it. So, I think people should be more open about it.KJ Dell'AntoniaI think we just are afraid that, you know, a reader will hear, well, I don't know if she's capable of writing something... that doesn't work, maybe it's not very good, which readers aren't listening to anything. They can barely remember our names. They just know if the book sounded good and someone pressed it into their hands.Karen DukessYeah, had a great cover.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, had a great cover. Yeah, all, all of the things, and it's just, it's, it's just a little scary to admit, because I guess one of the scary things about it, of course, admitting that that has happened means it could happen again. And hey It could! Oh well.Karen DukessYeah, but I've survived it. So...KJ Dell'AntoniaYou've survived it, you would survive it again. And also, it didn't happen this time. Welcome to Murder Week is great, and everyone is going to be sitting with it by the pool looking very happy. This is my wish for you. All right?Karen DukessThank you. Thanks so much KJ.KJ Dell'AntoniaOh, thank you. Hey, anywhere people should follow you? Oh, you have a Substack. What is it? I love it!Karen DukessI have a Substack. I mean, I think on Substack you can find it by my name Karen Dukess, it's, I don't know... it's called, “Keep Calm and Carry On”, but I think you can just look me up by name on Substack, and I am on Instagram more often at Karen Dukess, as I post about books that I'm reading all the time. Obviously, there'll be a lot of quarter week stuff, but I try to, you know, I'm reading eclectically and all the time. So, I'm always posting about books. Those are probably the best places to find me. And I have my website with all my events on it.KJ Dell'AntoniaIt'll be linked. It'll be linked.Karen DukessGreat.KJ Dell'AntoniaHopefully I can get to something... all right. Well, thank you so much. And all you listeners out there, I mean, you know you do you, but in some way, keep your butt in the chair, hey and or your head in the game.Jess LaheyThe Hashtag AmWriting podcast is produced by Andrew perilla. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about her life in a log cabin on the American frontier. In this episode, step into her world of prairie life, hard work, and adventure, and learn how her stories became classics.

Guest: Caroline Fraser is the author of Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder, which won the Pulitzer Prize as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Heartland Prize, and the Plutarch Award for best biography of the year.  She is also the author of God's Perfect Child: Living and Dying in the Christian Science Church, and her latest Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers. The post Serial Killers & Toxins: The Correlation appeared first on KPFA.

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse. Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 3 - 4 monthly bonus episodes Enjoy early access to my one early-release episode each month exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Did you know you can also listen to my regular and premium bedtime stories on Insight Timer? It's a peaceful space for rest and relaxation. For just $9.99/month, you'll get access to my premium stories plus meditations, music, and live sessions from other amazing teachers. https://insighttimer.com/relaxforawhile

This week I'm joined by Caroline Fraser, author of Prairie Fires, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of beloved author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Fraser's latest book, Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust In The Time Of Serial Killers, is a notable departure from the world of sunbonnets and covered wagons. This time, she explores the proliferation of serial killers—figures like the Green River Killer Gary Ridgeway, I-5 killer Randall Woodfield, and, of course, Ted Bundy—who haunted the Pacific Northwest during the 1970s to 1990s. Why were there so many serial killers during this time and in this region? Fraser points to the “lead-crime hypothesis,” which suggests that a spike in violent crime during this era can be traced back to widespread childhood lead exposure from gasoline, paint, and industrial sources. In the book, Fraser expands on this theory, connecting the ecological and societal dots between environmental toxins and waves of violent crime. She also draws on her own experience growing up in the Seattle area, giving personal context to a much larger story. GUEST BIO Caroline Fraser is the author of Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder, which won the Pulitzer Prize as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Heartland Prize, and the Plutarch Award for Best Biography of the Year. She is also the author of God's Perfect Child: Living and Dying in the Christian Science Church, and her writing has appeared in the New York Review of Books, the New Yorker, The Atlantic, the Los Angeles Times, and the London Review of Books, among other publications. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse. Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 3 - 4 monthly bonus episodes Enjoy early access to my one early-release episode each month exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

You've probably heard of the Ingalls family, or even met some of the clan through the Little House on the Prairie TV series, or beloved children's books about pioneer life in the 1860s by author Laura Ingalls Wilder.The story of the Ingalls family is inspiring, whether you watch it or read it. The fun and camaraderie shared by Charles, Caroline, Mary, Laura, and little Carrie is heartwarming, and makes many of us yearn for simpler times—before technology and the hurried expectations of modern life.In reality, the story portrayed in both the novels and television show isn't the whole story. The conditions of pioneer life were often harsh, and the situations families faced were dangerous. Starvation, violence, and death were all part of the history of the pioneers as well, and the darker themes of the Ingalls' life on the prairie were left out of the telling, in part to protect the children the books were intended for, and in part to preserve the memory of Laura Ingalls Wilders' parents, in whose memory she lovingly wrote her books.James 1:2–4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”What sustained the Ingalls family in books and television, and in life, was their shared faith in God. The legacy of Little House on the Prairie shows us when we invest our hope in the Lord, no floods or winds, grasshoppers or blizzards, poverty, or scorching prairie fires can knock us from the path, or separate us from His love.Let's pray.Lord, thank you for believers who came before us. God, help us to place our faith firmly in you, and to find strength and courage in you alone. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse. Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 3 - 4 monthly bonus episodes Enjoy early access to my one early-release episode each month exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 3 - 4 monthly bonus episodes Enjoy early access to my one early-release episode each month exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

Tonight, we'll read from the opening to the 1923 travel memoir Peaks of Shala by Rose Wilder Lane. It is about a walking tour of mountainous Albania. The daughter of writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lane was an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist. Though she is perhaps best known today for her work editing and shaping her mother's Little House series, Lane led a bold and independent life that took her far from the American frontier. In the early 1920s, she spent time as a foreign correspondent in postwar Europe, traveling through parts of the continent still recovering from World War I. Albania, then newly independent and largely unknown to the Western world, captured her imagination with its dramatic landscapes and fiercely traditional mountain communities. Peaks of Shala recounts her journey on foot through the northern Albanian highlands, a region governed more by ancient tribal codes than by any central government. Her writing blends observation and introspection, offering glimpses of rugged hospitality, isolated customs, and the physical demands of mountain travel. The book remains a rare first-hand account of a Western woman's experience in one of the most remote corners of Europe during a period of great transition. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

Send us a textWhile Canada has Anne of Green Gables about a girl growing up in the late 19th century, America has the Little House on the Prairie series. This episode we look at 2 books from the Prairie series, Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie by author Laura Ingalls Wilder. These semi-autobiographical books follow Laura, her parents (Charles and Caroline) and her sisters (Mary and Carrie) from their quiet life in woods of Wisconsin to their perilous journey out to the prairie in the Kansas. Given the time period, Wilder and the Prairie series are not without controversy. We discuss women's roles during the time period, Charles's hasty and ill-advised decisions, and the overt racist depictions of Native Americans. We recognize these books' place in the children's literature canon but we also discuss what space they occupy in our present day. These Books Made Me is a podcast about the literary heroines who shaped us and is a product of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System podcast network. Stay in touch with us via Twitter @PGCMLS with #TheseBooksMadeMe or by email at TheseBooksMadeMe@pgcmls.info. For recommended readalikes and deep dives into topics related to each episode, visit our blog at https://pgcmls.medium.com/.

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of a few more chapters from By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

MUSICFireAid will take over two venues in Inglewood,California tonight, with a goal of getting people from around the world topledge money to help those affected by this month's Los Angeles area wildfires.The Intuit Dome concert will start at 9:30 p.m. Fans at the Intuit Domewill be able to view the Kia Forum show,An audio stream will beavailable on Apple Music, Spotify and SoundCloudA video stream will beavailable through Apple TV, MAX, Netflix, Paramount+, Prime Video and theAmazon Music Channel on Twitch, plus AMC Theatre locations in 70 U.S. markets.To make a donation, goto FireAidLA.org Dave MatthewsBand had to cancel some scheduled appearances due to an urgent familysituation Kendrick Lamar‘shalftime show at Super Bowl has sparked some premeditated outrage from 17Republican Louisiana legislators. TVAt least 10 Super Bowl ads this year sold for a record $8 MILLION.  And afterspending all that money Hulu's new series Paradise wasoriginally called Paradise City, but the title changed when the studio producing the seriescouldn't secure the rights to Guns n' Roses' "Paradise City"for the show's theme. 'Smallville' star TomWelling, who played Superman on the show, was arrested for DUI while in aYreka, California Arby's parking lot early Sunday morning Netflix is rebooting "Little House on the Prairie". The original series told the KIND OF true story of the Ingalls family, wholived on a farm in Minnesota in the late 1800s. It was loosely based on thebooks of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and it ran from 1974 to 1983. MOVING ON INTO MOVIENEWS:"Terrifier 4" will reveal the origin story of Art theClown.   We all know Leonardo DiCaprio's dating has been a headlinefor quite some time, as he only seems to date 25 year olds. Jennifer Love Hewitt remembers hearing grown men talk about her boobs when shewas 16. AND FINALLYThe 67th Grammys willair on CBS February 2nd from Los Angeles.  Your rock and metal nomineesare:Best Rock Performance Best Metal Performance Best Rock Song Best Rock Album AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ONCELEBRITIES!Follow us @RizzShow @MoonValjeanHere @KingScottRules @LernVsRadio @IamRafeWilliams – Check out King Scott's Linktr.ee/kingscottrules + band @FreeThe2SG and Check out Moon's bands GREEK FIRE @GreekFire GOLDFINGER @GoldfingerMusic THE TEENAGE DIRTBAGS @TheTeenageDbags and Lern's band @LaneNarrows http://www.1057thepoint.com/Rizz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MUSIC FireAid will take over two venues in Inglewood, California tonight, with a goal of getting people from around the world to pledge money to help those affected by this month's Los Angeles area wildfires. The Intuit Dome concert will start at 9:30 p.m. Fans at the Intuit Dome will be able to view the Kia Forum show, An audio stream will be available on Apple Music, Spotify and SoundCloud A video stream will be available through Apple TV, MAX, Netflix, Paramount+, Prime Video and the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, plus AMC Theatre locations in 70 U.S. markets. To make a donation, go to FireAidLA.org   Dave Matthews Band had to cancel some scheduled appearances due to an urgent family situation   Kendrick Lamar‘s halftime show at Super Bowl has sparked some premeditated outrage from 17 Republican Louisiana legislators. TV At least 10 Super Bowl ads this year sold for a record $8 MILLION.  And after spending all that money   Hulu's new series Paradise was originally called Paradise City, but the title changed when the studio producing the series couldn't secure the rights to Guns n' Roses' "Paradise City" for the show's theme.   'Smallville' star Tom Welling, who played Superman on the show, was arrested for DUI while in a Yreka, California Arby's parking lot early Sunday morning   Netflix is rebooting "Little House on the Prairie".  The original series told the KIND OF true story of the Ingalls family, who lived on a farm in Minnesota in the late 1800s. It was loosely based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and it ran from 1974 to 1983. MOVING ON INTO MOVIE NEWS: "Terrifier 4" will reveal the origin story of Art the Clown.    We all know Leonardo DiCaprio's dating has been a headline for quite some time, as he only seems to date 25 year olds.   Jennifer Love Hewitt remembers hearing grown men talk about her boobs when she was 16.   AND FINALLY The 67th Grammys will air on CBS February 2nd from Los Angeles.  Your rock and metal nominees are: Best Rock Performance   Best Metal Performance   Best Rock Song   Best Rock Album   AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES! Follow us @RizzShow @MoonValjeanHere @KingScottRules @LernVsRadio @IamRafeWilliams – Check out King Scott's Linktr.ee/kingscottrules + band @FreeThe2SG and Check out Moon's bands GREEK FIRE @GreekFire GOLDFINGER @GoldfingerMusic THE TEENAGE DIRTBAGS @TheTeenageDbags and Lern's band @LaneNarrows http://www.1057thepoint.com/Rizz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sara Billiet joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about upcoming events at the Kewanee Public Library. Don't miss "Story Time" with Sara on the Kewanee Public Library Facebook page every Tuesday at 1 PM.  The Kewanee Public Library Information Services Department invites adults to a friendly and exciting puzzle exchange event. Scheduled for January 30th, between 2 pm and 4 pm, this event will take place in the 2nd Floor Community Room. Participants are encouraged to bring puzzles that are gently used to swap them for others. Elementary students, it's time to get crafty for Valentine's Day! From February 5th to 7th at 3:30 PM, and again on February 8th, young crafters can learn to create hidden messages for friends and family. Meanwhile, on February 6th at 4 PM, the DIY Heart Hand-Warmer Craft will warm up winter hands with a fun sewing project. Book lovers in 4th-6th grades are wrapping up Where the Red Fern Grows with the Chapter Chasers Book Club on February 4th and 6th from 4 to 5 PM, and homeschooling families can bubble with excitement on February 6th at 2 PM with a bubblegum-making session. For tweens, coding returns on February 12th at 3:30 PM with instructor Andrew Mansheim. Youth aged 9 to 12 years old are invited to register in the 2nd Floor Youth Department or by calling 309-852-4505. Space will be limited. Adults don't miss the Lessons in Chemistry book club on February 17th at 2 PM and 6 PM and join us on February 22nd at 2 PM for a fascinating presentation on the real Laura Ingalls Wilder. Librarian Laura F. Keyes will be portraying Laura Ingalls Wilder. Ms. Keyes has been portraying historic women and lecturing on historic topics since 2008. (Due to the seriousness of the subject matter, this program is most appropriate for ages 10 and older). Keep up-to-date with the Kewanee Public Library on their website or Facebook Page.

In this conversation with John Notgrass, we explore how Laura's lifelong curiosity continues to shape our world. As a historical actor, John is passionate about sharing stories from the past to inspire and educate today's audiences.

Your mind is a garden; your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.Welcome, listeners, to today's episode—a conversation about transformation, resilience, and the untapped potential within each of us. Every person has a story, and within those stories are moments that define who we are and who we can become. If you've ever felt like it's too late to chase a dream, start fresh, or overcome a setback, let me remind you: your greatest chapter might still be unwritten.Think about this—Colonel Sanders was 62 when he franchised his first KFC. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book at 65. Vera Wang launched her iconic fashion career at 40. These are people who didn't let the clock define their success; instead, they let their determination rewrite their narratives.Today, we're not just talking about inspiring stories. We're digging deeper into the actionable habits, mindsets, and strategies that fuel resilience and ignite transformation. Whether it's finding purpose through creativity, building emotional resilience, or nourishing your mind and soul, this episode is about giving you tools to step into the person you've always wanted to be.So, whether you're driving to work, taking a break, or seeking inspiration, I invite you to tune in, reflect, and take notes. Let's uncover the power of small, intentional choices that can lead to monumental change. Because here's the truth: every moment is a chance to begin again. Let's dive into this journey of possibility and growth!The Power of Morning Routines Nutrition for a Healthy MindNurturing the Soul Through CreativityBuilding Emotional ResilienceEvening Wind-Down RitualsListen to 6 exceptional individuals and how late they start in their journey.

Westward expansion has been mythologized onscreen for more than a century—and its depiction has always been entwined with the politics and anxieties of the era. In the 1939 film “Stagecoach,” John Wayne crystallized our image of the archetypal cowboy; decades later, he played another memorable frontiersman in “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” which questions how society is constructed. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz trace the genre from these cinematic classics to its recent resurgence, marked by big-budget entries including “American Primeval,” which depicts nineteenth-century territorial conflicts in brutal, unsparing detail, and by the wild popularity of Taylor Sheridan's “neo-Westerns,” which bring the time-honored form to the modern day. Sheridan's series, namely “Yellowstone” and “Landman,” often center on a world-weary patriarch tasked with protecting land and property from outside forces waiting to seize it. Sometimes described as “red-state shows,” these works are deliberately slippery about their politics—but they pull in millions of viewers from across the ideological spectrum. What accounts for this success? “Whether or not we want to be living in a Western,” Schwartz says, “we very much still are.”Read, watch, and listen with the critics:“Yellowstone” (2018–24)“Landman” (2024—)“Horizon: An American Epic” (2024)“American Primeval” (2025—)“Stagecoach” (1939)“Dances with Wolves” (1990)“Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman” (1993–98)Laura Ingalls Wilder's “Little House on the Prairie” series“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962)“Shōgun” (2024)“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948)“Oppenheimer” (2023)New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

Are moral values given to us by our parents? Are they just arbitrary rules put on us by society? Or have morals “evolved” with us?

Just because we live on a homestead, it doesn't mean that my children react to an orange like Laura Ingalls Wilder. We also don't chase every consumer trend for the holidays. We focus on our needs, family, and home-cooked food. Hear how we celebrate on our homestead and how I plan to bring in the New Year! Episode Links Episode about Homestead Misconceptions: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/episode-126-are-there-misconceptions-about-being-a-homesteader/ Business/Homestead Coaching: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/homestead-business/ Episode with Durenda Wilson: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/episode-106-an-honest-talk-about-raising-boys-with-durenda-wilson/ Pray for and donate to Durenda's medical costs: https://www.givesendgo.com/durenda-wilson What topics do you want me to cover?: hello@thehomesteadeducation.com Find Kody Website: www.thehomesteadeducation.com Curriculum: www.homesteadsciencecurriculum.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/homestead_education Facebook: www.facebook.com/thehomesteadeducation  

Guest host David Horton of Radford University and Clay discuss the history of Christmas, especially its modern invention during the mid 19th century in England and the United States. Thomas Jefferson, a deist, did not celebrate Christmas, but as someone who grew up in the Anglican tradition, he did not shun it the way New England Puritans of the period did. Jefferson was likelier to observe Boxing Day than Christmas, which protestants regarded as another Saint's Day. Clay recites Waddie Mitchell's cowboy poem about Christmas. Clay and David exchange Christmas memories and their favorite recipes for Christmas cookies. At the end of the program, Clay reads his favorite Christmas story, a chapter from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie.

Join Rachel as she chats about what she's baking, the history of some of the traditional foods, and of course what Laura Ingalls Wilder had to say about the holiday. Find The Show Notes and Links Mentioned at: https://redemptionpermaculture.com/thanksgiving-live-with-rachel/

Send us a textNot often do we find people who make the case for how race, liberty, and equality belong together. Even less often do we find them making arguments in the height of racially and economically troubled times. And EVEN LESS do we find audio clips of them doing so. These people are inspiring. They stand up against the currents of the time to speak their minds, for the benefit of everyone. In doing so, they garner respect and build coalitions across ideological lines, because they have to. We can learn from them and aspire to be like them today.In a really unique episode, I am excited to welcome David Beito to the podcast to talk about Rose Wilder Lane's column, "Rose Lane Says," and how she brought together these three concepts of race, liberty, and equality to make an appealing case for freedom. He shares with us a clip of Lane herself, speaking on these issues. Want to explore more?Timothy Sandefur on Freedom's Furies, a Great Antidote podcast.Nico Perrino on Individual Rights and Free Expression, a Great Antidote podcast.Rachel Ferguson on Black Liberation Through the Marketplace, a Great Antidote podcast. Alice Temnick, Prudence on the Prairie, at Speaking of SmithMustafa Akyol, Liberty Was Islam's First Call, at the Online Library of LibertyNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: I wanted to let you know that I'm currently facing a sudden and very serious family health crisis involving my daughter Emily which is impacting my ability to prepare and edit episodes as I would like. Over the next few weeks...if an episode isn't posted as scheduled, please know it may be due to these stressful circumstances. I deeply appreciate your understanding and patience during this challenging time and I am so grateful for your support. Thank you for being here and I look forward to sharing more sleepy stories with you here on Drift Off.Tonight, join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep.  Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill PaulseBecome a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

It this special episode of the Rapid City Public Library Podcast, we share a Thanksgiving recollection written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and look into the not-so-pleasant historical roots of early Thanksgivings.Recorded and edited by Adrian Ludens. Music by Eddar Kedem and Itay Kashki. Used by permission.

The memoir is a fascinating form to explore. I'm always intrigued as to how an author can adapt their life and fit it into the confines of a page. How does one capture all its complexities, contradictions, and fleeting moments, in a narrative that feels both honest and coherent? My guest today is Susanna Crossman, a British-French writer, essayist, and clinical arts therapist, who has just published Home is Where We Start with Penguin Random House. The book is her own account of growing up in ‘the fallout of the Utopian Dream' – in a politically revolutionary Community in the late 1970s. In the fascinating work, she blends memoir and social commentary, weaving philosophical ideas into the wider narrative of her own experiences with community and disillusionment. It was great talking with Susanna today, and I'm so pleased to be able to share her insightful, nuanced thoughts about literature in general. Susanna has recently started a Substack, which you can check out here. Susanna Crossman's four books were: On The Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder (1937) The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera (1984) Memoirs of Hadrian, Marguerite Yourcenar (1951) What is Ancient Philosophy?, Pierre Hadot (1995) Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Ashlie, host of Advice from The Cheerbrarian, LOVES books and loves to prescribe books to friends, listeners and strangers based on a few questions. We talk about breaking up with your phone, the benefits of parallel reading multiple books at the same time, and book discovery. Keep up with Ashlie online Advice from the Cheerbrarian: https://open.spotify.com/show/77y9HmJHzKhZZ8wyspnCqb Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ardaigle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheerbrarian/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@cheerbrarian TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cheerbrarian Advice from the Cheerbrarian website: https://www.cheerbrarian.com/ Unrequired Reading: https://www.cheerbrarian.com/unrequired-reading Show Notes Star Trek: The Next Generation: https://www.startrek.com/series/star-trek-the-next-generation Advice from the Cheerbrarian - "Your Brain is a Dirty Dirty Liar (Your Brain Part 1)": https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ardaigle/episodes/Your-Brain-is-a-Dirty-Dirty-Liar-Your-Brain---Part-1-e2gle2k My Stroke of Insight by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor Advice from the Cheerbrarian - "YOU'RE REJECTED. Now what?": https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ardaigle/episodes/YOURE-REJECTED--Now-what-e2if0cq The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Gallup Advice from the Cheerbrarian - "The Power of Yes (Part 1)": https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ardaigle/episodes/The-Power-of-Yes-Part-1---Say-Yes-to-Being-the-Best-at-Being-the-Worst-e2pm271 Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder: https://littlehousebooks.com/ Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery: The Cat Who... series by Lilian Jackson Braun: https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?11710 Stuart Little by E.B. White Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1984 by George Orwell Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Beartown by Fredrik Backman: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman The Power of Fun by Catherine Price Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris 10% Happier by Dan Harris How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman: https://www.goodreads.com/series/299267-thursday-murder-club Murder, She Wrote on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder,_She_Wrote Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French: https://www.goodreads.com/series/51639-dublin-murder-squad Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: https://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-special-victims-unit In the Woods by Tana French: https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-the-woods-tana-french/11716028?ean=9780143113492 Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde: https://www.goodreads.com/series/43680-thursday-next Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Yes Please by Amy Poehler The Wreckage of My Presence: Essays by Casey Rose Wilson Joyful Recollections of Trauma by Paul Scheer Finding Favorites - "Paul Scheer loves the L.A. Clippers": https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/paul-scheer-hdtgm-la-clippers/ Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck Craft Sequence series by Max Gladstone: https://www.goodreads.com/series/91029-craft-sequence Finding Favorites bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/FindingFavoritesPodcast House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace Good Morning America Book Club: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/bookclub Happiness Falls by Angie Kim: Advice from the Cheerbrarian - "Cheerbrarian Presents - Author Angie Kim": https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ardaigle/episodes/Cheerbrarian-Presents---Author-Angie-Kim-e2jbg6p Reese's Book Club: https://reesesbookclub.com/ Advice from the Cheerbrarian - "Six Tips to (try to) Read More Books": https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ardaigle/episodes/Six-Tips-to-try-to-Read-More-Books-e2jto9s Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, join Jen and Lane in discussing the beloved Little House series. Although written as children's books, the captivating relationships, struggles, and triumphs of the lives of the pioneers have appealed to audiences universally. The story of the Ingalls has been loved by many, including through the incredibly popular TV series. Whether a returning fan of the series, or a first time reader, enjoy deep insights into the world of Little House. Referred to in the episode: ⁠ Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder (bookshop.org paperback) Episode Links: ⁠Little House on the Prairie ([Link description]) Little House on the Prairie (libro.fm audiobook) Show Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠⁠

Join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. I also wanted to let you know that I'm currently facing a sudden and serious family health crisis involving my daughter Emily which is impacting my ability to prepare and edit episodes as I would like. Over the next few weeks...if an episode isn't posted as scheduled, please know it may be due to these stressful circumstances. I deeply appreciate your understanding and patience during this challenging time and I am grateful for your support. Thank you for being here and I look forward to sharing more sleepy stories with you here on Drift Off.Goodnight my friend and sweet dreams!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

This month I have a couple of presentations this month. We've got events in Walnut Grove, MN; Mansfield, MO; and with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association. Plus, we have a new book on Rose Wilder Lane. 

Glynnis MacNicol is the author of three books including I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure and No One Tells You This. She wrote, produced, and hosted WILDER: A Reckoning with the Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and she writes the weekly newsletter Good Decisions. On today's show, Annmarie and Glynnis talk about seeking friendship and pleasure in Paris, the joys of middle age, and how to ask for what you want– and get it.    Episode Sponsors: Mostly Books – An independent bookstore in Tucson, Arizona, for readers of all ages. We offer a carefully curated selection of New & Used Books, Greeting Cards, T-shirts, and Gifts. Stop by our store in Tucson or buy books and Libro.fm audiobooks on our website: mostlybooksaz.com. Books Are Magic – A family-owned independent bookstore in Brooklyn, committed to being a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive space for all people. We believe that books are indeed magic and that literature is one of the best ways to create empathy, transportation, and transformation. Stop by or shop online at booksaremagic.net Books by Glynnis MacNicol I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself No One Tells You This Becoming a Baker The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women, co-authored with Rachel Sklar Other Authors and Titles Mentioned in This Episode: Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close, by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center, by Rhaina Cohen Here are the trailers for two Katharine Hepburn movies, Adam's Rib and Desk Set. Follow Glynnis MacNicol: Instagram: @noonetellsyouthis glynnismacnicol.com **Writing Workshops and Wish Fulfillment:  If you know you've been looking for the kind of female friendship Glynnis talks about in this interview and in her book, consider joining Annmarie and her co-leader, Phyllis Biffle Elmore, for a writing retreat in France! Learn more here.  You can travel to a beautiful place, meet other wise women, and write your own stories. We'd love to help you make that wish come true.  As of this moment, we only have 3 spots left, but you can click this link for $900 off.  The password is RetreatWriteRepeat  and the coupon code is 25AK In 2025, Annmarie is teaching online Tuesday nights for Writing Workshops. Learn more and register HERE. For her folks interested in an online Saturday morning writing class, message Annmarie to learn more.  Photo credit: Jamie Magnifico Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep. And remember, the best adventures await when you drift off… Goodnight my friend! Sweet dreams...Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulse.Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

Carole O'Neill's guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Christine Gunderson, author of the book Friends with Secrets, which is Christine's debut novel. She wrote Friends with Secrets in her minivan in the school pick up line, at piano lessons, during drama rehearsals, at swim team practice, basketball practice, crew practice, and in lots of other unglamourous and uncomfortable places where only a parent who writes would write. Like all writers, she started life as a reader. She was born and raised on a fourth-generation family farm in rural North Dakota where she devoured Laura Ingalls Wilder books in her very own little house on the prairie. She also burned holes in her chenille bedspread while attempting to read Trixie Belden books under the covers when she was supposed to be asleep. During these formative years growing up on the farm, she learned to haul grain, drive a combine, and pick rocks, skills that have yet to be useful later in life. Growing up on the prairie fifty miles from the nearest McDonalds has also given her an aversion to trees, and lifelong craving for wide open spaces. She eventually left the farm to attend college and seek her fortune. She pursued the kind of jobs where one gets paid to talk and write and no one cares that she failed algebra. She worked as television anchor and reporter and a Capitol Hill press secretary, then left it all behind to stay home with her children, where algebra continues to baffle her all these years later. She currently lives in the Washington D.C. suburbs with her three children, Star the Wonder Dog, and a very patient husband. When not writing, she is sailing the Chesapeake Bay with her family, playing Star Wars monopoly, re-reading Jane Austen novels or unloading the dishwasher. In Carole's book review, she stated that women have often been told, “You can have it all - just not at the same time.” Christine proves that theory wrong in her debut novel, Friends with Secrets. Nikki and Ainsley are two modern women on opposite ends of the motherhood spectrum. Nikki has just been told she's been replaced at her television station as their anchor, while she spends most of her maternity leave struggling to convince her newborn son that her breast milk will really satisfy him, while her three older children destroy the aisles of the grocery store playing baby food pong down aisle five. Ainsley has no problem convincing her children of anything because she has the help of a nanny, housekeeper, cook, clothing designer and a husband with more money than God, who is running for congress. How these two women become a force to reckon with is what keeps you laughing out loud from the beginning. The secrets they share require the skills of both women to unravel. When they discover a way to expose the truth of Ainsley's past life that threatens her husband's future, you can't turn the pages fast enough to find out if they're right. Gunderson's research comes from her real-life experience in television, proving you can balance motherhood, friendship, and career. This novel is a must read. Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1 Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290 You can follow Author Christine Gunderson Website: https://christinegunderson.com/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/47221896.Christine_Gunderson IG: @gunderchristine FB: @christine.i.gunderson X: @GunderChristine LinkedIn: @Christine-Gunderson-b1274a315   Purchase Friends with Secrets on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Xv54zd Ebook: https://amzn.to/3zrvU3g   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   #christinegunderson #friendswithsecrets #familyfiction #contemporaryfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Join me for a relaxing bedtime reading of By the Shores of Silver Lake, the next book in the beloved Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we'll journey with the Ingalls family as they begin their new adventure on the Dakota prairie. Settle in, take a deep breath, and let the soothing narration guide you to peaceful sleep.  Sweet dreams! And remember, the best adventures await when you drift off… Goodnight my friend!Music in this episode is by Anders Schill Paulsen via Epidemic SoundBecome a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.

October is also an unusually busy month with things happening not only in events, but in the news. Find 2 events at Malone that just recently popped up, information about a TV show documentary, word on an on-going display, tours in Simi Valley, and a class at the Newberry.

Lian Dolan goes to South Dakota and wants to tell you all about the Little Town on the Prairie and the South Dakota Festival of Books. Plus, an interview with Caroline Fraser, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Wilder called Prairie Fires. A South Dakota Special with new material. Thanks to our sponsors: Better Help , online therapy betterhelp.com/satellite Navage, daily nasal therapy Navage.com/SISTERS and use our promo code SISTERS OSEA, clean beauty products OSEAMalibu.com, use code satsisters for 10 % off Links for the show South Dakota Festival of Books~ click here. South Dakota Public Radio interview with Lian Dolan and Mona Susan Power on In The Moment with Lori Moore ~ click here Visit Brookings ~ click here Visit De Smet ~ click here Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Tour ~ click here Ingalls Homestead ~ click here Wilder, the podcast The History Chicks podcast about Laura Ingalls Wilder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tracy Chevalier is an award-winning American-British novelist of 11 books, including the immensely popular Girl with a Pearl Earring, which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and was adapted into a film, which was nominated for three Academy Awards.  Tracy has also edited anthologies such as Why Willows Weep, a collection of tales from the woods to raise money for the Woodland Trust, and Reader, I Married Him, a collection of short stories commissioned to mark the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Brontë. In addition to her writing, Tracy has been actively involved with various organisations including the Royal Literary Fund, Patron of the Dorchester Literary Festival and the Woodland Trust. Tracy's latest novel, The Glassmaker, follows a family of Venetian glassmakers from the Renaissance to present day. Tracy's book choices are: **Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder ** Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison ** Restoration by Rose Tremain ** Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood ** Life After Life by Kate Atkinson Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder was illustrated by Garth Williams. Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women's Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women's Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don't want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

On September 11, 1974 the premiere of Little House on the Prairie captivated audiences worldwide. This beloved series brought Laura Ingalls Wilder's written stories to life, forever changing the lives of the cast, crew, and fans.Before we delve into the episode, we address the recent happenings with the recent fan events in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The Cast of Little House appreciates the love and support from Bonnetheads everywhere who have been through a difficult time this past week. We appreciate you and promise that 2025 will be a great year for Little House events!And did you see the Cozi TV documentary?! It was great! You can catch it again on 9/25.Did you see the Little House on the Prairie Magazine?! It is out now!And then, we delve into the first episode of Little House, aired exactly 50 years ago-- "A Harvest of Friends". Find out our impressions of how this episode introduced the themes, characters and world of Little House to the public, and find out where the heck Alison and Dean were the day it premiered! Did viewers believe the set was real? What was the initial response of the TV critics? And let's face it...not only was Sept. 11th 1974 the premiere of Little House, it was also the premiere of Shirtless Pa, rockin' some good ol' broken ribs! Then! Join us on Patreon, where we will have the recorded video of our LIVE Q&A session from the evening of Sept. 11th 2004! Was it really cayenne pepper on that Cinnamon chicken? Not on Patreon yet? Join us! And be a part of our live events, as well as bonus material that's super fun and informative!The party is on Patreon! Haven't signed up yet? Link is below!PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/LittleHousePodcastLOVING LITTLE HOUSE: THE 50th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Wednesday Sept. 25th - 11am/10am Cwatch the promo here: https://f.io/nBkZbjMowww.LittleHouse50Podcast.com to connect with our hosts and link to their websites.*The merch shop is under renovation - we will keep you posted on the status!*www.LivinOnaPrairieTV.com  Check out the award-winning series created by Pamela Bob, with special guest stars Alison Arngrim and Charlotte Stewart.Little House 50th Anniversary Bus Tours - www.SimiValleyChamber.org  select Little House 50th Anniversary and then Bus Tickets Facebook/Instagram/TikTok:Dean Butler @officialdeanbutlerAlison Arngrim @alisonarngrimPamela Bob @thepamelabob, @prairietv LITTLE HOUSE EVENTS DEAN BUTLER:September 27th-29th Mansfield, MOWilder DaysAddress: 100 E ParksquareMansfield, MO  65704United StatesOctober 4th- Tulsa, OK - Barnes & Noble SouthroadsOctober 5th- Tulsa, OK - Tulsa State FairOctober 17th- Burlington, VT - Barnes & NobleOctober 19th- Burke, NY- Almanzo Wilder HomesteadMay 16th-18th- Tulsa, OK - Country ConALISON ARNGRIM & MELISSA GILBERT:Alison and Melissa Gilbert will be appearing at:FAN X in Salt Lake City,  Sept 26 - 28https://fanxsaltlake.com/FACEBOOK LIVE with PAMELA and DEANhttps://fb.watch/sXZvDxawWr/

Dean Butler is an actor, producer, and director best known for his role as Almanzo Wilder (the man Laura Ingalls married) in Little House on the Prairie, based on the beloved Little House book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He appeared in the final four seasons of the show, the spin-off show Little House: A New Beginning, and the three post-series TV movies. He was also a producer for NBC Golf's Emmy-nominated series Feherty for over ten seasons. "The idea of being a cowboy and riding horses began for me at our family ranch in northern California," Dean Butler says. "In this picture, I'm holding our horse, Cricket, with my sister Meg in the saddle. Those beautiful summer days in the country with my family all around me shaped my entire life and prepared me for what was to come in the years ahead." Now, on the occasion of Little House on the Prairie's 50th Anniversary in 2024, he's sharing the details of his young life as an aspiring cowboy and what he learned from Michael Landon in touching a new memoir. READ Check out Prairie Man from the library! ABOUT THE AUTHOR & INTERVIEWER Cast just before his twenty-third birthday, Dean Butler joined Little House on the Prairie halfway through its run, gaining instant celebrity and fans' enduring affection. Ironically, when the late, great Michael Landon remarked that Little House would outlive everyone involved in making it, Butler deemed it unlikely. Yet for four decades and counting, Butler has been defined in the public eye as Almanzo Wilder—a role he views as the great gift of his life. Interviewer Devan Stuart Lesley is a longtime journalist and owner of Legacy Talent Group, representing actors and models throughout the Southeast. Her expansive media career experience includes print, radio, and TV journalism; commercial, news, documentary, and independent film producing; assistant directing; acting; and voice-over. She is a freelance correspondent for People magazine and founder of Stuart Media, LLC specializing in corporate media. As a volunteer, Lesley is co-founder and past President of the Norman Studios Silent Film Museum, a 501c3 nonprofit organization working to restore and reopen Jacksonville's sole remaining silent film studio complex, where some of the nation's first African American-cast films were produced. She also is a member of the Jacksonville Mayor's Commission on Motion Picture, Television, and Commercial Production; Film Florida's Marketing & Communications Committee and Industry & Association Council; Women in Film and Television's Jacksonville, FL and New York chapters; and the Northeast Florida Press Club. THE LIBRARY RECOMMENDS More memoirs from the Little House on the Prairie cast: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim Lessons from the Prairie by Melissa Francis Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House by Melissa Sue Anderson --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at https://bit.ly/JaxLibraryUpdates  Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaxLibrary/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxlibrary/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions@coj.net 

Nonfiction writer Alissa Quart joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss how the American obsession with “bootstrap narratives” led to the publishing industry championing Hillbilly Elegy, the bestselling and problematic memoir by J.D. Vance, who was subsequently elected to the Senate and is now the Republican vice presidential nominee. Quart talks about Vance's failure to credit those who have contributed to his success and reflects on both the fetishization of poverty and the importance of authentic representation. She also explains the long tradition of self-made man narratives and their underlying queer romantic elements, and compares Vance's work to that of writers like Laura Ingalls Wilder and Horatio Alger. She critiques Vance's recent remarks about childless and professional women and suggests the need for a more nuanced and expansive understanding of community. Quart talks about the nonprofit she leads, the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, and reads from her book, Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf. Alissa Quart Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream Thoughts and Prayers  Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America  Monetized  Republic of Outsiders: The Power of Amateurs, Dreamers, and Rebels  Economic Hardship Reporting Project   "JD Vance is the Toxic Byproduct of America's Obsession with Bootstrap Narratives" | Literary Hub Others: Laura Ingalls Wilder Horatio Alger Barbara Ehrenreich Dorothy Allison Elizabeth Catte Alex Miller Bobbi Dempsey Ann Larson Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6, Episode 32: “The East Palestine Train Derailment and Your Health: Kerri Arsenault on the Pervasive and Ongoing Risks of Dioxin”  “‘Dangerous and un-American': new recording of JD Vance's dark vision of women and immigration” by Jason Wilson | The Guardian Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis Going for Broke with Ray Suarez | The Nation Going for Broke | NPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa Gilbert grew up in front of all of our eyes playing Laura Ingalls Wilder on Little House on the Prairie, and she managed to avoid some of the pitfalls that beset other child stars. Then she met Rob Lowe, and America's Sweetheart started a whole new chapter. It's included two divorces - one trashy, one very much not trashy - and a whole lot of spiderwebs. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at patreon.com/trashydivorces! Want a personalized message for someone in your life? Check us out on Cameo! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Sponsors Green Chef. Visit greenchef.com/trashyclass for 50% off your first box and 50 free credits with ClassPass! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The #AmWriting team is so excited to present this interview with Dr. Barb Mayes Boustead – because it's an #AmWriting success story! Barb was the random winner of The Summer Blueprint Challenge we ran in the summer of 2022. She won a Blueprint review with Jennie Nash – and the book proposal that came out of that work recently landed Barb a book deal. (Want a chance at something like that for yourself? Keep reading—we're hosting a new Blueprint Sprint!)Her book, WILDER WEATHER: What Laura Ingalls Wilder Can Teach Us About Watching the Weather, Understanding Our Climate, and Protecting What We Cherish, will be published by the South Dakota Historical Society Press in 2025 — a perfect match of topic and publisher, as you will hear in this episode. We are offering this challenge again this summer — and this same prize. Anyone who finishes the Blueprint this summer is eligible to enter the drawing to win a Blueprint review. You can read all about the Blueprint challenge HERE — and you can join us at anytime this summer. We'd love to have you for the podcasts (there are ten in the series), the AMAs, and the write-alongs! Any paid subscriber is welcome.To learn more about Dr. Barb Mayes Boustead's work, check out her Substack here: You can also visit her author website and find her on Instagram at @windbarbYou can download a draft of her book proposal HERE.The Laura Ingalls Wilder conference she mentions in the show is LaurapaloozaThe Blueprint Barb did is from Jennie Nash's Blueprint for a Nonfiction Book: Plan and Pitch Your Big IdeaAre you a “sticker”?Regular listeners know that whenever we meet our writing goals around here, we text each other one word: STICKER. (and then we add a cute sticker to our calendar, because we're fun like that).We call supporters of the #AmWriting podcast “stickers” too—and while our regular podcasts and shownotes go out to all of our listeners, we have created a few things just for stickers. First, there's the Summer Blueprint for a Book Sprint—10 weeks dedicated to working with coaches and a community to figure out how to turn your next idea—or your struggling draft—into the book you want to write. You can join it anytime (the how-to is below).Stickers can also submit the first page of their WIP to the Booklab First Pages podcast, where we might choose it to discuss, review and offer ideas for persuading agents, editors and readers that they want to turn that page and see what happens next. (Find the link to submit a first page HERE.)I'm a sticker! Give it all to me now.To join the Blueprint for a Book Summer Sprint, you must be a paid subscriber. Then, opt-in and set up your podcast feed. Don't worry, it's simple! Click here to go to your #AmWriting account, and when you see this screen, do two things:* Toggle “Blueprint for a Book” from “off” (grey) to “on” (green).* Click “set up podcast” next to Blueprint for a Book and follow the easy instructions.Once you set those things up, you'll get all the future Blueprint emails and podcasts (and if you're joining the party a bit late, just head to our website and click on Blueprint for a Book in the top menu). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Listen, spending the summer in Paris isn't in the cards for us, but spending an episode with Glynnis MacNicol talking about 1) her summer in Paris 2) her book about it, I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself and 3) her Thingies…a surprisingly close second.Glynnis MacNicol's memoir I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself is out this week! We also love her previous book No One Tells You This and her podcast Wilder, about the life and times and lasting impact (for better and/or worse!) of Laura Ingalls Wilder.Glynnis's Thingies include VIO2 Mouth Tape, not putting moisturizer on after retinol (she likes La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum, ideally purchased in France!), Last Summer directed by Catherine Breillat, and Garnier Ombrelle Face Sun Protection.The books she mentioned: Speedboat by Renata Adler, Middlemarch by George Eliot, The Guest by Emma Cline, Swimming in Paris by Colombe Schneck, and The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy. Re: the golden age of podcasts, we're very excited about A.J. Daulerio's The Small Bow Podcast, Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike, Lemme Say This with Hunter Harris and Peyton Dix, and Fashion People with Lauren Sherman. What are your Thingies? Share ‘em with us at with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva! Prepare your wardrobe for summer with Johnny Was and use the code ATHINGORTWO for 20% off your order.Give your nails polish with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.YAY.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This special episode comes from the audiobook edition of ROCTOGENARIANS, a brand-new collection of stories from Mo Rocca that celebrates the triumphs of people who made their biggest marks late in life. Chances are, you know something about the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. If, like sixty million other people, you once enjoyed the Little House books, you'll know that the series breaks off when Laura, at eighteen, marries Almanzo Wilder and leaves her parents to start her own life and her own family in her own little house. But Laura Ingalls Wilder didn't publish Little House in the Big Woods until she was sixty-five. So what happened in the intervening years? And how did the heroine of the books become the beloved author who, many years later, told these charming stories? ROCTOGENARIANS is available wherever hardcover, ebooks and audiobooks are sold. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4bOBgn6See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send me a text message to let me know if you're enjoying the show! Join us for a nostalgic bedtime story as we begin this special series with the soothing narration of the beloved classic "On the Banks of Plum Creek" penned by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this episode, we delve into the first five chapters, where the Ingalls family move to their new home by the creek and begin their adventurous life on the prairie.Every Wednesday in June and July, we'll feature new chapters from this classic timeless tale, perfect for relaxing and drifting off to sleep. This Wednesday night bedtime storytelling will be in addition to the regular Tuesday evening episodes. Immerse yourself in the gentle rhythms of prairie life, the warmth of family bonds, and the simplicity of days gone by.Tune in each week to experience the full 41-chapter journey of "On the Banks of Plum Creek." Don't miss out on this relaxing bedtime story series that promises to bring calm and relaxation to your evenings.P.S. This 7 HR bedtime audiobook will be made available to all Drift Off Premium members once this special series is complete. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out!Become a Drift Off Premium member today and receive: intro free listening to all episodes NO ADS or sponsorship announcements access 2 monthly bonus episodes get early access and listen first to upcoming episodes exclusive access to full length audiobooks for your enjoyment and relaxation *You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR using the link driftoff.supercast.comFeel free to drop by on the podcast website to learn more about it!https://www.driftoffpodcast.com Content Warning Disclaimer: This podcast is a sleep aid for adults. Most stories may be family friendly, however, adult supervision is required! We recommend that parents/guardians listen to the full episode first to decide whether or not the story is appropriate for their young listener. Safety Disclaimer: Podcast content is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for medical, psychological or professional counselling. Only listen when you can relax safely.