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Elf on a Shelf: Part 1 Her stalker wasn't who she thought he was; Based on a post by LingeringAfterthought, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Honey smiled at the long line of children waiting to see Santa, flipping her phone from Google Translate back to see the information of the next little girl in line, who was looking up at her somberly with large liquid brown eyes. In her small face was a familiar mixture of fear and hope. Wonder; it was wonder in her eyes, Honey thought. Unlike the tired and jaded adults, dutifully shifting their weight from foot to foot, holding overstuffed shopping bags and all the coats of their kids as they distracted themselves on their phones, the children got more and more excited as they drew near the man in the furry red suit with white trim. Honey loved working with the children; because like them, she sometimes could still see the magic. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Norman shift uncomfortably in the painted plywood throne made for him to sit with the children and discuss their good behavior and of the wishes that they hoped would come true. Even at age 62, Norman still saw the magic with his merry bright blue eyes, but it faded when his prostate pained him. When the photographer got the shot the parent wanted, Honey walked to where most of the long line could see her as Norman flashed her a look of worshipful gratitude. The adults' faces immediately fell, knowing what was coming. "I'm afraid Santa needs to take a quick break because apparently the reindeer have begun arguing again!" Norman put his gloved hands up to his real beard, pulled a comically dismayed face, jumped up from his throne, and ran off toward the restrooms. Honey shook her head mournfully and continued, "The reindeer were all practicing their Christmas carols when Comet and Cupid couldn't decide how many times Santa checks his list in Santa Claus is Coming to Town! Does anyone here remember how it goes?" she asked, scanning the line for people game enough to help. Honey scampered back and forth along the line trying to choose among the eager volunteers, her white-trimmed, pink fur skirt flaring out around her thighs, her long legs clad in sparkly curly-toed ruby slippers and candy cane swirl stockings catching the eyes of several fathers. Suddenly, she gasped listening carefully to her headset, "Nina?" she called out. "Comet and Cupid say they will only stop arguing if 'Nina' gives the answer. Is there a 'Nina' here today? Nina?" Honey looked around at the crowd carefully until the little girl with the big brown eyes, who had been quietly waiting 57 minutes in line, gathered the courage to raise her hand. "Oh! Are you Nina?" she asked, running over and crouching down near the girl. "We just adopted her; she only speaks Portuguese," the weary woman holding her hand said quietly. Honey gasped and smiled widely, "Voc fala portugu s Nina? Maravilhosa!" she said, watching the little girl's eyes brighten excitedly. "Voc pode me dizer quantas vezes o Papai Noel verifica sua lista?" she asked, holding her microphone out to the little girl. "Duas vezes!" Nina said confidently into the mic. Honey listened carefully to her headset, concentrating, "'Duas vezes' it is! They've stopped arguing!" she announced. "But now, they want us all to sing the song in Portuguese! Nina, voc vai me ajudar a ensin -los a m sica?" she asked. Nina nodded and slowly she and Honey taught the familiar song to the crowd in a new language. As always, a hush came on the crowd when Honey began to sing. Heads raised up from forgotten phones. Vague smiles drifted onto the turning heads of passers-by in the mall as they paused in their frenetic search for gifts. It wasn't so much that Honey's voice was beautiful, though it certainly was. It was more that when Honey sang, it seemed to make the things that didn't really matter melt away. To those that believed in such things, Honey's voice was magic. When she sang, people held their breath and didn't even miss the air. Honey closed her eyes as she sang next to Nina. It was a newly acquired habit. Though she had been taught to let her eyes slowly drift over the audience, letting them make a connection with each person as she sang, she didn't do that anymore. She knew he was out there. She felt his presence frequently as she worked, but it was only when she sang that he came out into the open. She couldn't hold her voice steady when she saw him watching her, so she closed her eyes and let the magic continue for the crowd. When the song ended, Honey opened her eyes as the crowd cheered, finding his powerful form immediately as if she had been commanded to look at him. Zach. He had changed a lot in the year since he brought his sister's children through the long Santa line, drawing her almost too-large dark blue eyes to him then, as easily as he did now. After bringing his nieces and nephews through the line, he'd gone home and brought all his neighbors' kids to see Santa in five more trips, watching her the entire time. He looked at her as if he'd never seen anything like her in the world, like he couldn't believe she was real. She had loved feeling his eyes on her then, hearing his voice. She had wanted to climb up in his lap, feel his large arms curled around her, whisper to him about how good she had been that year, and of how much she hoped he would make her wishes come true. Of course, all that was before he'd told her he wanted to kill her. Zach's face looked leaner now, though his body seemed even larger, if such a thing was possible. His brooding, deep-set eyes were not merry, as they had been when children climbed his tree-like body in her line last year. They weren't nervously soft and adoring of every part of her, as they had been at their candle-lit dinner. His eyes weren't rageful or insane as you might expect from someone visiting their object of murderous hate, but rather; they were tortured, trapped. Pain and quiet desperation had taken up restless residence in the windows to his soul. Honey knew she shouldn't look at him so much, but she just wished she could understand what she had done wrong. Once the line of children and parents had cleared, it was long past the official closing time. Honey cleaned up the display and prepared it for the next day while Norman took one last lingering trip to the restroom. Her phone showed numerous messages from work friends from her other job asking where she was. The firm had planned a Christmas party at Gatsby's, a gorgeous club worthy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's glamorous hero. It was also the place where Zach had taken her on their first and last date. The Gatsby's waiter had looked stunned and confused when she shakily ordered herself an "angel shot," the code-phrase used to quietly ask bartenders or wait staff for help when you felt threatened, but after his initial shock, the waiter immediately escorted her secretly to a taxi waiting outside before Zach returned to the table. Gatsby's had saved her life; but she didn't want to go back there. After avoiding call after call from Zach, she finally answered and politely asked him never to call her again. To her surprise, he didn't. He never spoke to her again. Unless she sang, she never even saw him, but she felt his presence almost everywhere. It felt like she was haunted by him; haunted by something wonderful and magical that, inexplicably, went horribly wrong. Her phone buzzed again, the display showing that the firm's senior partner wanted to FaceTime her. Steeling herself, she answered. "Honey Lane where in the hell; oh my god lookit you!" Aaron Timberman held the phone high above his head with his long ex-basketball-player arms and Honey saw a crowd of her co-workers crowd into the picture behind him. "Um, hi sir. Sorry I'm late to;" "You're an elf!" "Um, yeah. It's a volunteer thing;" "Wait, wait, wait; you have the shoes? You know, with the; toes?" he slurred, motioning his finger in a spiral motion. Honey bit her lips and tilted the camera down her body, showing her entire costume, tilting her foot to show off the curled toe. "I'm sorry it got late tonight, but I'll be there as soon as I can get home and get changed;" Timberman looked around at the crowd surrounding him, "Guys, do we wanna see Honey Lane here at the party in some boring old Anne Klein shit, or do we want the elf?" he yelled, pointing at the screen. Behind him, almost a dozen of her co-workers began chanting "Elf, Elf, Elf, Elf!" "Get yer ass over here, Elf," Timberman ordered, poking at his screen several times before effectively ending the call. A few minutes later, Norman finally came back from the restroom and gave Honey a ride over to Gatsby's in his red SUV bedecked with a bumper sticker that read, "My other car's a SLEIGH!" Honey hopped out after getting bits of advice from Norman that would have been appropriate several decades ago. With flaming cheeks, she brushed the furry white pompom from her hat out of her face and told the smirking ma tre d which party she wanted, sighing when he grinned widely and escorted her through the middle of the main dining area, much to her horror. When the doors to the party room opened and she was greeted by another round of "Elf, Elf, Elf, Elf," she didn't feel much better. She was starving, so she headed over to the buffet and began loading up a plate with delicious-looking things on ice in shot glasses, impaled on sticks, or immersed in flames. She just spied a quiet table in a dark corner and was winding her way toward it to it to scarf down her only food since breakfast before she could be drawn into a drunken debate. That was the plan, anyway. "Hunnybaby! Lookit you! C'mon we gotta dance!" Lee James slurred to her fur-trimmed tits. With a sigh, she smiled and laid her plate down on a nearby table, promising to herself that she would eat right after enduring a dance with the favored junior partner. Unfortunately, after Lee angled her awkwardly around the dance floor, they'd drawn so much attention that everyone wanted to get pics of themselves toasting and dancing with the Christmas elf. At some point, she found herself in Timberman's arms with a glass of champagne in her hand. "Um; what?" she said, almost asking herself how she had gotten there. "I said you look lovely, tonight, Honey. Much better than in a shawl and sheath dress," he said, quickly twirling her around as they reached the edge of the dance floor. "Twirling makes my skirt go up; I'm dizzy," she murmured. A familiar dark figure flashed in the background and disappeared as Timberman turned her again. She looked around, trying to find the figure again, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Why was he there? Had she been singing again? "Well, I'll make sure nobody twirls you, my dear," he said, twirling her and smiling as her skirt flew up her long candy-cane striped legs. "The wives wouldn't like it." "I like your wife's dress Mr. Timberman; looks warm. It covers her ass when she sits, too," she slurred, frowning in confusion at the dark red drink in her hand now. Zach was frowning, and then he just looked blurry again as she swirled around. Maybe swirling made it harder for him to kill her. Why did he want to kill her? It just wasn't fair. Timberman leaned down and dipped her, "I'll make sure to give her your compliments. You know, if you like what wives wear, you should consider getting married. Lee is quite taken with you, you know," he said, stroking his hand against the soft pink velvet of her dress. Honey found herself drifting away and wandering inside her head again, thinking about Lee; he was handsome in an overly-polished way, said funny things, but they always sounded a little mean, like he wanted to be the only one laughing; and he also took her away from the food plate that just floated by on a table. It was still full. She should have eaten that food. What time was it? "He likes my boobs; and he doesn't want to kill me," she agreed eventually, surprised to find that Timberman was gone and she was dancing with Lee James again. "Well, I can't blame him for that; they're fucking perfect; just like everything else. I'm gonna come on them after you suck me off; he murmured, pulling her closer against him. "Let me take you home, Honey; penthouse view of the city; "Umm; no, that's not home; I live in the; railroad place; with the trains?" Honey explained, pointing in what she thought was the direction of the Lowertown Commons. Why did every guy think she lived with them tonight? "Sounds charming, Eliza Doolittle; you should trade up. You don't know how much I'd love twist your arms back and fuck this ass wide open over my balcony tonight," he said, reaching his hand under her skirt and greedily squeezing her bottom. "You'd like that, wouldn't you Honey? I can tell; Lee whispered, his cologne invading her head and making her queasy. "I feel sick; Honey whimpered and staggered away, trying to find the quiet table where the food was that would make her less drunk. The dance floor was confusing, though, always turning around and thumping and flashing. She leaned against a pillar until she got a better sense of where she was. She liked the pillar. It was big and strong; and it stroked her hair. "Honey; wake up, Honey. Open your mouth. You need to take these," the vaguely familiar voice said, cutting through the sleep that had been blocking out some of the pain she felt everywhere. She obediently opened her mouth and the hand put two caplets on her tongue. A water bottle squirted a little cool liquid into her mouth until she moaned and sucked harder, desperate for more. "Not too much. Wait until you can hold that down. I'll give you more in a bit. You don't want that IV back, do you?" "Nuh" Honey groaned. She hated needles. Sure, just about every part of her body hurt more than a needle did, right now, but somehow needle pain felt personal. Like with Zach. He didn't seem like someone who went around wanting to choke everybody; just her. She was nobody special; just a simple girl who kept lawyers organized and tried to be nice. Then, someone wonderful like Zach thought she needed to die. That hurt. Something about her made him go from being tender and intensely loving to someone who; it just didn't make sense. What did she do? Mercifully, sleep faded the pain and clouded her thoughts. Voices below her intruded into a wonderful dream where she was bouncing on clouds. Though not in the same room, the voices seemed strangely clear. "I can't; Terry, she cries when I do that," the pills voice said, making her eyes fly open. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it for a year, but she would never forget it. Her body reacted with a confused mix of emotions, her cheeks flushing and adrenaline searing a path all through her at the same time. "That's because it hurts her. You know what hurts more? Bedsores. Man up. Use the pillows to prop her weight against the parts that aren't hurt on whichever side. It's either this, or she goes back to the hospital, and I have it on good authority you won't be allowed to visit after what happened." "She was screaming; Zach gritted. "Yeah, well they were putting her shoulder back in. People scream. That still doesn't excuse what you did. Since when did you become such a pussy about pain?" Terry asked. "since her." "oh my god." "Shut up," Zach grunted. "Oh my god; "Yeah, that's not shutting up." "The great Z-dog has been taken down;" "Shut up, maggot, it's not like that. I'm just taking care of h;" "By a little bitty pink Christmas elf; Terry laughed. There was a scuffling sound and then a loud whoomp and a forceful exhalation of air. "So, I turn her every few hours until she can do it for herself?" Zach asked, casually. "Yes, sir," Terry choked. "Anything else?" "Clear liquids until she can hold stuff down. Talk to her. Ask her questions. If she seems disoriented or part of her face goes slack, she goes back to the hospital. Don't fuck around." "Got it. Are you squared away, or do we need to discuss this further?" "Squared away, sir," Terry choked, then gasped in relief, panting faintly. "Jesus Christ, you haven't lost your touch. We on for the hump tomorrow at 0 500?" "No. I'm gonna stick close here until she's;" "Got it. Hey, maybe they have those Baby Bjorn things in elf-size. Then, you could just strap her onto your ba; ow! ow! ow, ow, ow!" "You weren't particularly attached to the rest of that sentence, were you, maggot?" Zach growled. "Sir, no sir; Terry squeaked. "I didn't think so. You'll be back here Wednesday," Zach stated, more as an order than a question. "Yeah, if you want me to. Honestly, right now she just needs rest and TLC more than a medic. That stands for 'tender loving care' by the way, not;" "You were just going," Zach said, as the voices moved to another end of the room below her. "Hey, you wanna know what makes an elf's toes curl up like tha;" Terry asked, his question cut off by the slamming of the door. Honey listened, trembling and terrified as Zach paced the floor below her. Though his voice hadn't changed, he sounded nothing like the man that had wooed her so tenderly a year ago. He sounded dangerous, brutal even. He definitely sounded like the kind of person that went around wanting to choke everyone, she thought, strangely relieved that her heartbreak felt a little less personal. How could she have been so wrong in her impression of him? She looked around the room, understanding now how the voices had reached her so easily. She was in an open industrial loft bedroom that opened onto the main floor below. Looking around, she realized she must be in Zach's huge bed, though if the crisply made side next to her was any indication, he hadn't been sleeping in it with her. Looking down her body, she gasped quietly. Her left arm was in a sling strapped to her chest, her legs were covered in bruises, and the right leg that was being stabbed with an invisible knife right now, was wrapped up in an air cast boot. What had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was feeling sick as she tried to get away from Lee's groping hands on the dance floor. After that; nothing. How did she get here? A beeping noise sounded below and Zach walked across the room to what sounded like a kitchen. The sound of water being poured into a cup, the ringing of a spoon stirring it, a pill bottle being opened. Honey shivered, realizing he was probably coming up to her, soon. She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, feigning sleep. Steps ascending to the loft bedroom. Ankle stabbing, stab, stab, stab, stab with every panicked heartbeat. A tray went down on the nightstand next to her. A chair across the room was lifted and set down by the bed. Honey told herself to breathe slowly, willing the tears welling behind her lids not to leak out of her eyes. He would leave her alone if she was sleeping, wouldn't he? "You're not sleeping," Zach's voice stated, quietly, and her stomach clenched in fear. "You've been waking up for these pills every four hours like a junkie. I know you don't want to talk to me, Honey, but until you're squared away, you're gonna have to. So, cut the crap, open your eyes, and let's get this done." Honey opened her eyes to see his grim face looking down at her. With one blink, large tears rolled down her pale cheeks, and Zach's jaw set angrily. Sitting down in the chair, he put his elbows on his knees and leaned his massive shoulders forward, looking at her. His hands looked like they could crush rocks as he gripped them together. "Let's get some things straight. I don't know what you think you know about me, but acting like I'm some kind of psycho is pretty shitty. You want nothing of me, that's fine, but you're hurt because you screamed and flung yourself down some stairs rather than let me help you to an Uber. You're staying here until you're well, because some shithead at that party gave you enough roofies to be in a coma for almost 3 days and I'm not dragging my ass to that rat trap of yours in the Commons every day to make sure they don't come back while you're weak. Are we clear?" he asked. Honey swallowed and nodded, wincing at the pain in her neck and head. That just seemed to make Zach angrier. "While you are here, you will do as you're told. You will eat what you get, and you will not complain. You see these, here?" he said, holding up the magic caplets that made everything better. "These are the last ones you're getting. I'm switching you to ibuprofen and Tylenol because, unchecked, this Sackler shit will fuck you up for good and that's not happening on my watch. Do you understand?" he asked. "Yes," Honey whispered. At the sound of her voice, Zach's mouth twitched, but at least he didn't look as angry as when she'd nodded and winced. "You will follow your doctor's orders to the last goddamn word. You will rest. You will do your therapy. You will let me help you and you will ask me for what you need because I am not a fucking mind reader. And so help me, if you do anything stupid like get out of that bed without me here to help you, or push yourself away from me like you did at Gatsby's, or any other drama shit that hurts even one hair on that head again, I will personally make you regret you were ever born." "Yes, Zach," Honey breathed, confused. Two more tears rolled down her cheeks. Without thinking, she leaned over to wipe them off on her shoulder and cried out in pain. Zach squeezed his clenched hands together and several of his knuckles cracked. "You don't use my name. You don't get to use my name. You're not getting under my skin again, you hear me?" Zach growled, using his rough knuckle to wipe her tears. "Orders a fucking angel shot in my own fucking club; fuck you. I don't have a name, you don't have a name. You're nothing to me. Understand?" "Yes, sir," she whispered. Honey leaned forward and took the last spoonful of broth into her mouth and swallowed, looking longingly at the noodles at the bottom of the cup. Zach caught a drop of broth at the bottom of her lower lip with the spoon and returned it to her mouth. "No," he said, seeing where her eyes lingered. "I can do it," she pleaded. "Please; I haven't had anything solid since; how long has it been?" "I said, no. You throw up on another pair of my skivvies and I'll be doing laundry twice a week," Zach said, dabbing her mouth with a paper towel. "Why do I have to wear your boxer briefs anyway? They feel weird. They have this hole-flap thing; and there are some places that aren't supposed to feel a breeze," Honey said, lifting the blanket to look down at his underwear loosely covering her hips. "Are you complaining?" he asked quietly. Honey's eyes darted quickly to his face, "No sir," she murmured, looking down at her lap. "I just thought if I had some of my things here, you wouldn't have to do the laundry so much." "I'll worry about what I have to do, Honey," he said, unthinkingly using her name. Startled, she looked up to see his eyes wandering over her, his massive t-shirt sleeves going down past her elbows. She felt ridiculous and disheveled, but something about the way he looked at her made her hold her breath. Then, without another word, he slurped the noodles out of the cup and took the tray downstairs. After that, the two settled into a quiet routine of him feeding her, giving her medicine, and watching her sleep most of the day. She would sometimes awaken to the soft repetitive sounds of him running on a treadmill, or the clinking of him lifting weights downstairs where she couldn't see him. Then, he would go to the bathroom and shower. After his shower, he came upstairs again in his towel and took some clothes from his dresser before going back downstairs to change. Honey found herself looking forward to those few seconds each day, watching his droplet-covered torso twist as he leaned over his dresser. He frowned as he flipped through his carefully folded underwear. "You wearing the grey ones?" he asked, not looking at her. Honey peeked under the covers, "Um, yes sir," she replied. "I'm supposed to wear the grey ones today," he grumbled to himself. Honey didn't say anything. Zach was the one who picked out which underwear she wore today. He was the one who looked away while he painstakingly slipped the old ones off her hips and pulled the new ones over her boot and up her legs until her bottom was covered again. There was nothing about her life that wasn't chosen and executed by him. If he wasn't happy about the color of his underwear, that was his fault. Still, Zach kept rummaging around in his underwear drawer as if another crisply folded grey pair would somehow magically appear. Finally, rather than offend him by laughing, Honey spoke, "Um; you know, if they're clean, I could wear the pair I had on when I went to the hospital and you could have these. It would get you back on schedule; Zach lifted his head from the drawer and glared at her, as if he thought she was making fun of him. Honey held carefully still and shrugged her uninjured limb. She wasn't making fun, she just wanted to help. The movement caused the huge neckline to gape over to the side, revealing her bare shoulder. She waited as Zach stared impassively at her, the vein at his neck throbbing. After a long moment, he walked over and stood next to her, the tuck of his towel right next to her face. With every breath, she inhaled the scent of his wet body and the bar soap he used. A rivulet of water painstakingly slid from his chest and down his abdomen, until finally disappearing into the tightly twisted white cotton. Honey glanced up to see that he had been reading her face as she watched the droplet's progress. With a shaking breath, she blushed and pulled the covers higher with her good arm. With a twist of his mouth, Zach pulled the neckline back over her shoulder again and quickly left the room. That night, after leaving her with a video baby monitor watching her on the nightstand, Zach returned with a bag of her underwear and some of her nightgowns. After watching her excitedly sort through them, Zach pushed them aside and sat on the edge of the bed. "There were a bunch of boxes with tags on them in your living room. What's that about?" he asked. Honey's eyes dropped, "Oh; that's the charity gift thing for kids. You sign up and get them something they wished for and wrap it up so they can have something under the tree, when they wouldn't have something otherwise. It's nice, you know? I signed up for a bunch and I was supposed to wrap them and get them back to the law firm, but I guess; sorry kids," she trailed off. Looking furious, yet carefully impassive at the same time, Zach cursed under his breath and left again, returning with the packages and a huge stack of unused Styrofoam clamshells from Gatsby's, and dumped them on the bed next to her. For the next few hours, they "wrapped" the presents, Zach carefully fitting items into an appropriate-sized takeout box, and Honey trying to make them pretty with ribbons. As she watched him work, occasionally cursing under his breath, she found herself smiling at his frowning face when he was strategizing how to fit a basketball into three disassembled clamshells. "What are you laughing at?" he said, glaring when he caught her at it. "I wasn't laughing. I was smiling." "Why were you smiling, then?" he asked. "I guess; I just like you; sir," she said, glancing over at him. Honey saw a hopeful softness steal into Zach's eyes until he forcibly wrestled it down and a look of hooded sarcasm shaded them. "Yeah, well; fool me once," he sneered. Angry, Honey closed her eyes, blocking him out the only way she could. "You know, that's; that's not fair. Not after what you said; you scared me!" she said, frustrated that, once again, tears were rolling down her cheeks. Zach choked out a mirthless laugh, "I scared you? What did I say, Honey? What did I fucking say? God! I was on eggshells all night trying not to fuck it up with you and then you just; why? Those creeps you were dancing with at that party, those fucking 'nice guys' that drugged you, they were saying shit that made my skin crawl! I didn't even kiss you! I couldn't! I could barely breathe just for looking at you on our date; you looked just like a fucking angel. What did I say, Honey? What did I say?" Honey reached over and grabbed her phone, flipping through her photo album to a screenshot taken shortly before she blocked his number. "You didn't say it; you texted it. I remember watching you leave for the restroom thinking I'd met the love of my life and then you sent me this; she said, handing her phone to him. Zach took the phone, his face going from an angry red to pale horror in a matter of seconds. "This; this; he gasped, "I didn't; send this; to you; he said, shaking his head. "Whoever had your phone did, sir!" she said, emphasizing the last word, making him wince. "I spent the last year thinking you wanted to do that to me; to kill me. Every time I felt you watching me, every crowd I saw you show up in, every dark room I had to go into, that's what I thought about. I thought that a man I was head over heels about; that I could be so wrong about him. So, excuse me for thinking I liked you, sir. I promise it won't ever happen again!" Honey cried herself to sleep that night, refusing to speak to, or even look at Zach again. When she awoke, the bedroom was empty, and a glass of water and a pain pill were waiting on the nightstand. After swallowing the pill, she stared at the ceiling, furious. She didn't want to be there anymore, to be helpless and dependent on him, to obey all his stupid rules. He didn't deserve to take care of her. So, she tightened the straps on her boot and increased the air pressure to hold her broken ankle tightly enough to walk without her crutches. Then, she took off Zach's t-shirt, pulled on her elf dress, and called herself an Uber. It was when she saw the anticipated arrival time of 8 minutes that she realized her mistake. There was no way for her to get down from the loft and out of the apartment quietly in that amount of time. If she used the crutches, she would be able to descend the stairs quickly enough, but they made such a distinctive clicking racket that they would surely wake up her gorilla-like guard. If she hopped down the stairs on her good foot, it might have worked, but her good arm was on the opposite side and she kept losing her balance. Eventually she decided on the most painful course, of going down on her good and bad legs, using her good arm for support. Her boot thunked horribly the first few times, until she got the hang of it and could place it more quietly on the next step and then hop her good foot down to support it before the scream inside her could escape her lips. By the time she reached the bottom, though, she was shaking with pain and exhausted. Curiosity forced her to look around the rest of the apartment as she caught her breath, sitting on the bottom step. It was clean and unmistakably masculine. Exercise equipment took up a lot of the space not already claimed by a leather couch and TV arrangement. Zach lay on the couch, made up with sheets to act as a bed, his feet sticking out over the arm, his hand tucked under the back of his head, his chest rising and falling under the rumpled sheet. If she wasn't so angry, she'd find him handsome; or maybe he still was handsome, she thought grudgingly, closing her eyes miserably and looking away. Why couldn't he be ugly? Life wasn't fair. Uber. Right. Screwing up her courage for what was ahead, she stood and slowly hobbled across the hardwood floor, agonizing over every painful thump and noisy squeak until she finally reached the door. She unlocked the five locks on his large door, each of them being well-oiled and working perfectly. She expected no less of her anal-retentive, grey-skivvies-on-Tuesdays captor. Finally, she tugged open the heavy door to find endless flights of icy steel-mesh stairs leading all the way down to the street where her Uber was waiting. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me; she cried, breaking down into tears. A strong arm slid down around her waist and mercifully shifted her weight off her throbbing foot, "I know. It sucks. You should try it with a rucksack full of bricks," Zach said, leaning his head down and breathing into her hair. "I want to go home," she whispered. "Let me take care of you; please," Zach murmured into the top of her head, "I; it was my fault this happened to you. I scared you, I know that now; but, please believe me that I would never want to hurt or frighten you like that." "It wasn't just that text," she said, pulling her head away and looking up at him angrily. "All year, I never had a moment's peace. Even when I couldn't see you, I could feel you waiting in the quiet or dark places. Even if you weren't there;" "I was there," he confessed. "I was always there. I didn't understand what had gone wrong. You didn't want to talk to me, and the world just didn't make sense to me unless I knew where you were, what you were doing; unless I knew you were safe." "Maybe you knew I was safe, but I didn't! I thought I'd done something; that somehow I deserved to have this beautiful, scary monster hunting me. I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done to destroy something that was so; wonderful." "You didn't do anything, Honey. Nothing at all. You were perfect. You were so perfect that I couldn't keep; you didn't do anything wrong. I never meant to send you that message; please, please believe me." "Why did you send it?" she asked, finally looking up into his eyes. The dark blue liquid pools of her eyes turned violet in the moonlight, and Zach felt a tightening in his chest. "I; I can't tell you that; but it was never meant for you." "You mean, you meant to send that message to someone else? To hurt them like that?" "Honey, I; Zach said, looking around, unable to meet her eyes, "Please, I can't; you wouldn't understand; my life isn't like that anymore." "I want to go home, Zach; please," she whispered. Zach closed his eyes for a long moment before he swallowed and nodded, looking like he was in more pain than she was. "I'll take you home tomorrow, okay? Or Terry will, if you don't want me to. He'll check the place out, make sure you're set up and safe there. You're tired, you're hurting, and your Uber's gone, now. Let me take you back upstairs and you can go in the morning. Please." At that moment, a throb of pain shot through her entire leg, and as angry as Honey was, she knew she couldn't face her empty apartment without a few more hours of rest. "Okay," she whispered. To be continued in part 2, Based on a post by Lingering Afterthought, in 3 parts, for Literotica.

Elf on a Shelf: Part 1 Her stalker wasn't who she thought he was; Based on a post by LingeringAfterthought, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Honey smiled at the long line of children waiting to see Santa, flipping her phone from Google Translate back to see the information of the next little girl in line, who was looking up at her somberly with large liquid brown eyes. In her small face was a familiar mixture of fear and hope. Wonder; it was wonder in her eyes, Honey thought. Unlike the tired and jaded adults, dutifully shifting their weight from foot to foot, holding overstuffed shopping bags and all the coats of their kids as they distracted themselves on their phones, the children got more and more excited as they drew near the man in the furry red suit with white trim. Honey loved working with the children; because like them, she sometimes could still see the magic. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Norman shift uncomfortably in the painted plywood throne made for him to sit with the children and discuss their good behavior and of the wishes that they hoped would come true. Even at age 62, Norman still saw the magic with his merry bright blue eyes, but it faded when his prostate pained him. When the photographer got the shot the parent wanted, Honey walked to where most of the long line could see her as Norman flashed her a look of worshipful gratitude. The adults' faces immediately fell, knowing what was coming. "I'm afraid Santa needs to take a quick break because apparently the reindeer have begun arguing again!" Norman put his gloved hands up to his real beard, pulled a comically dismayed face, jumped up from his throne, and ran off toward the restrooms. Honey shook her head mournfully and continued, "The reindeer were all practicing their Christmas carols when Comet and Cupid couldn't decide how many times Santa checks his list in Santa Claus is Coming to Town! Does anyone here remember how it goes?" she asked, scanning the line for people game enough to help. Honey scampered back and forth along the line trying to choose among the eager volunteers, her white-trimmed, pink fur skirt flaring out around her thighs, her long legs clad in sparkly curly-toed ruby slippers and candy cane swirl stockings catching the eyes of several fathers. Suddenly, she gasped listening carefully to her headset, "Nina?" she called out. "Comet and Cupid say they will only stop arguing if 'Nina' gives the answer. Is there a 'Nina' here today? Nina?" Honey looked around at the crowd carefully until the little girl with the big brown eyes, who had been quietly waiting 57 minutes in line, gathered the courage to raise her hand. "Oh! Are you Nina?" she asked, running over and crouching down near the girl. "We just adopted her; she only speaks Portuguese," the weary woman holding her hand said quietly. Honey gasped and smiled widely, "Voc fala portugu s Nina? Maravilhosa!" she said, watching the little girl's eyes brighten excitedly. "Voc pode me dizer quantas vezes o Papai Noel verifica sua lista?" she asked, holding her microphone out to the little girl. "Duas vezes!" Nina said confidently into the mic. Honey listened carefully to her headset, concentrating, "'Duas vezes' it is! They've stopped arguing!" she announced. "But now, they want us all to sing the song in Portuguese! Nina, voc vai me ajudar a ensin -los a m sica?" she asked. Nina nodded and slowly she and Honey taught the familiar song to the crowd in a new language. As always, a hush came on the crowd when Honey began to sing. Heads raised up from forgotten phones. Vague smiles drifted onto the turning heads of passers-by in the mall as they paused in their frenetic search for gifts. It wasn't so much that Honey's voice was beautiful, though it certainly was. It was more that when Honey sang, it seemed to make the things that didn't really matter melt away. To those that believed in such things, Honey's voice was magic. When she sang, people held their breath and didn't even miss the air. Honey closed her eyes as she sang next to Nina. It was a newly acquired habit. Though she had been taught to let her eyes slowly drift over the audience, letting them make a connection with each person as she sang, she didn't do that anymore. She knew he was out there. She felt his presence frequently as she worked, but it was only when she sang that he came out into the open. She couldn't hold her voice steady when she saw him watching her, so she closed her eyes and let the magic continue for the crowd. When the song ended, Honey opened her eyes as the crowd cheered, finding his powerful form immediately as if she had been commanded to look at him. Zach. He had changed a lot in the year since he brought his sister's children through the long Santa line, drawing her almost too-large dark blue eyes to him then, as easily as he did now. After bringing his nieces and nephews through the line, he'd gone home and brought all his neighbors' kids to see Santa in five more trips, watching her the entire time. He looked at her as if he'd never seen anything like her in the world, like he couldn't believe she was real. She had loved feeling his eyes on her then, hearing his voice. She had wanted to climb up in his lap, feel his large arms curled around her, whisper to him about how good she had been that year, and of how much she hoped he would make her wishes come true. Of course, all that was before he'd told her he wanted to kill her. Zach's face looked leaner now, though his body seemed even larger, if such a thing was possible. His brooding, deep-set eyes were not merry, as they had been when children climbed his tree-like body in her line last year. They weren't nervously soft and adoring of every part of her, as they had been at their candle-lit dinner. His eyes weren't rageful or insane as you might expect from someone visiting their object of murderous hate, but rather; they were tortured, trapped. Pain and quiet desperation had taken up restless residence in the windows to his soul. Honey knew she shouldn't look at him so much, but she just wished she could understand what she had done wrong. Once the line of children and parents had cleared, it was long past the official closing time. Honey cleaned up the display and prepared it for the next day while Norman took one last lingering trip to the restroom. Her phone showed numerous messages from work friends from her other job asking where she was. The firm had planned a Christmas party at Gatsby's, a gorgeous club worthy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's glamorous hero. It was also the place where Zach had taken her on their first and last date. The Gatsby's waiter had looked stunned and confused when she shakily ordered herself an "angel shot," the code-phrase used to quietly ask bartenders or wait staff for help when you felt threatened, but after his initial shock, the waiter immediately escorted her secretly to a taxi waiting outside before Zach returned to the table. Gatsby's had saved her life; but she didn't want to go back there. After avoiding call after call from Zach, she finally answered and politely asked him never to call her again. To her surprise, he didn't. He never spoke to her again. Unless she sang, she never even saw him, but she felt his presence almost everywhere. It felt like she was haunted by him; haunted by something wonderful and magical that, inexplicably, went horribly wrong. Her phone buzzed again, the display showing that the firm's senior partner wanted to FaceTime her. Steeling herself, she answered. "Honey Lane where in the hell; oh my god lookit you!" Aaron Timberman held the phone high above his head with his long ex-basketball-player arms and Honey saw a crowd of her co-workers crowd into the picture behind him. "Um, hi sir. Sorry I'm late to;" "You're an elf!" "Um, yeah. It's a volunteer thing;" "Wait, wait, wait; you have the shoes? You know, with the; toes?" he slurred, motioning his finger in a spiral motion. Honey bit her lips and tilted the camera down her body, showing her entire costume, tilting her foot to show off the curled toe. "I'm sorry it got late tonight, but I'll be there as soon as I can get home and get changed;" Timberman looked around at the crowd surrounding him, "Guys, do we wanna see Honey Lane here at the party in some boring old Anne Klein shit, or do we want the elf?" he yelled, pointing at the screen. Behind him, almost a dozen of her co-workers began chanting "Elf, Elf, Elf, Elf!" "Get yer ass over here, Elf," Timberman ordered, poking at his screen several times before effectively ending the call. A few minutes later, Norman finally came back from the restroom and gave Honey a ride over to Gatsby's in his red SUV bedecked with a bumper sticker that read, "My other car's a SLEIGH!" Honey hopped out after getting bits of advice from Norman that would have been appropriate several decades ago. With flaming cheeks, she brushed the furry white pompom from her hat out of her face and told the smirking ma tre d which party she wanted, sighing when he grinned widely and escorted her through the middle of the main dining area, much to her horror. When the doors to the party room opened and she was greeted by another round of "Elf, Elf, Elf, Elf," she didn't feel much better. She was starving, so she headed over to the buffet and began loading up a plate with delicious-looking things on ice in shot glasses, impaled on sticks, or immersed in flames. She just spied a quiet table in a dark corner and was winding her way toward it to it to scarf down her only food since breakfast before she could be drawn into a drunken debate. That was the plan, anyway. "Hunnybaby! Lookit you! C'mon we gotta dance!" Lee James slurred to her fur-trimmed tits. With a sigh, she smiled and laid her plate down on a nearby table, promising to herself that she would eat right after enduring a dance with the favored junior partner. Unfortunately, after Lee angled her awkwardly around the dance floor, they'd drawn so much attention that everyone wanted to get pics of themselves toasting and dancing with the Christmas elf. At some point, she found herself in Timberman's arms with a glass of champagne in her hand. "Um; what?" she said, almost asking herself how she had gotten there. "I said you look lovely, tonight, Honey. Much better than in a shawl and sheath dress," he said, quickly twirling her around as they reached the edge of the dance floor. "Twirling makes my skirt go up; I'm dizzy," she murmured. A familiar dark figure flashed in the background and disappeared as Timberman turned her again. She looked around, trying to find the figure again, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Why was he there? Had she been singing again? "Well, I'll make sure nobody twirls you, my dear," he said, twirling her and smiling as her skirt flew up her long candy-cane striped legs. "The wives wouldn't like it." "I like your wife's dress Mr. Timberman; looks warm. It covers her ass when she sits, too," she slurred, frowning in confusion at the dark red drink in her hand now. Zach was frowning, and then he just looked blurry again as she swirled around. Maybe swirling made it harder for him to kill her. Why did he want to kill her? It just wasn't fair. Timberman leaned down and dipped her, "I'll make sure to give her your compliments. You know, if you like what wives wear, you should consider getting married. Lee is quite taken with you, you know," he said, stroking his hand against the soft pink velvet of her dress. Honey found herself drifting away and wandering inside her head again, thinking about Lee; he was handsome in an overly-polished way, said funny things, but they always sounded a little mean, like he wanted to be the only one laughing; and he also took her away from the food plate that just floated by on a table. It was still full. She should have eaten that food. What time was it? "He likes my boobs; and he doesn't want to kill me," she agreed eventually, surprised to find that Timberman was gone and she was dancing with Lee James again. "Well, I can't blame him for that; they're fucking perfect; just like everything else. I'm gonna come on them after you suck me off; he murmured, pulling her closer against him. "Let me take you home, Honey; penthouse view of the city; "Umm; no, that's not home; I live in the; railroad place; with the trains?" Honey explained, pointing in what she thought was the direction of the Lowertown Commons. Why did every guy think she lived with them tonight? "Sounds charming, Eliza Doolittle; you should trade up. You don't know how much I'd love twist your arms back and fuck this ass wide open over my balcony tonight," he said, reaching his hand under her skirt and greedily squeezing her bottom. "You'd like that, wouldn't you Honey? I can tell; Lee whispered, his cologne invading her head and making her queasy. "I feel sick; Honey whimpered and staggered away, trying to find the quiet table where the food was that would make her less drunk. The dance floor was confusing, though, always turning around and thumping and flashing. She leaned against a pillar until she got a better sense of where she was. She liked the pillar. It was big and strong; and it stroked her hair. "Honey; wake up, Honey. Open your mouth. You need to take these," the vaguely familiar voice said, cutting through the sleep that had been blocking out some of the pain she felt everywhere. She obediently opened her mouth and the hand put two caplets on her tongue. A water bottle squirted a little cool liquid into her mouth until she moaned and sucked harder, desperate for more. "Not too much. Wait until you can hold that down. I'll give you more in a bit. You don't want that IV back, do you?" "Nuh" Honey groaned. She hated needles. Sure, just about every part of her body hurt more than a needle did, right now, but somehow needle pain felt personal. Like with Zach. He didn't seem like someone who went around wanting to choke everybody; just her. She was nobody special; just a simple girl who kept lawyers organized and tried to be nice. Then, someone wonderful like Zach thought she needed to die. That hurt. Something about her made him go from being tender and intensely loving to someone who; it just didn't make sense. What did she do? Mercifully, sleep faded the pain and clouded her thoughts. Voices below her intruded into a wonderful dream where she was bouncing on clouds. Though not in the same room, the voices seemed strangely clear. "I can't; Terry, she cries when I do that," the pills voice said, making her eyes fly open. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it for a year, but she would never forget it. Her body reacted with a confused mix of emotions, her cheeks flushing and adrenaline searing a path all through her at the same time. "That's because it hurts her. You know what hurts more? Bedsores. Man up. Use the pillows to prop her weight against the parts that aren't hurt on whichever side. It's either this, or she goes back to the hospital, and I have it on good authority you won't be allowed to visit after what happened." "She was screaming; Zach gritted. "Yeah, well they were putting her shoulder back in. People scream. That still doesn't excuse what you did. Since when did you become such a pussy about pain?" Terry asked. "since her." "oh my god." "Shut up," Zach grunted. "Oh my god; "Yeah, that's not shutting up." "The great Z-dog has been taken down;" "Shut up, maggot, it's not like that. I'm just taking care of h;" "By a little bitty pink Christmas elf; Terry laughed. There was a scuffling sound and then a loud whoomp and a forceful exhalation of air. "So, I turn her every few hours until she can do it for herself?" Zach asked, casually. "Yes, sir," Terry choked. "Anything else?" "Clear liquids until she can hold stuff down. Talk to her. Ask her questions. If she seems disoriented or part of her face goes slack, she goes back to the hospital. Don't fuck around." "Got it. Are you squared away, or do we need to discuss this further?" "Squared away, sir," Terry choked, then gasped in relief, panting faintly. "Jesus Christ, you haven't lost your touch. We on for the hump tomorrow at 0 500?" "No. I'm gonna stick close here until she's;" "Got it. Hey, maybe they have those Baby Bjorn things in elf-size. Then, you could just strap her onto your ba; ow! ow! ow, ow, ow!" "You weren't particularly attached to the rest of that sentence, were you, maggot?" Zach growled. "Sir, no sir; Terry squeaked. "I didn't think so. You'll be back here Wednesday," Zach stated, more as an order than a question. "Yeah, if you want me to. Honestly, right now she just needs rest and TLC more than a medic. That stands for 'tender loving care' by the way, not;" "You were just going," Zach said, as the voices moved to another end of the room below her. "Hey, you wanna know what makes an elf's toes curl up like tha;" Terry asked, his question cut off by the slamming of the door. Honey listened, trembling and terrified as Zach paced the floor below her. Though his voice hadn't changed, he sounded nothing like the man that had wooed her so tenderly a year ago. He sounded dangerous, brutal even. He definitely sounded like the kind of person that went around wanting to choke everyone, she thought, strangely relieved that her heartbreak felt a little less personal. How could she have been so wrong in her impression of him? She looked around the room, understanding now how the voices had reached her so easily. She was in an open industrial loft bedroom that opened onto the main floor below. Looking around, she realized she must be in Zach's huge bed, though if the crisply made side next to her was any indication, he hadn't been sleeping in it with her. Looking down her body, she gasped quietly. Her left arm was in a sling strapped to her chest, her legs were covered in bruises, and the right leg that was being stabbed with an invisible knife right now, was wrapped up in an air cast boot. What had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was feeling sick as she tried to get away from Lee's groping hands on the dance floor. After that; nothing. How did she get here? A beeping noise sounded below and Zach walked across the room to what sounded like a kitchen. The sound of water being poured into a cup, the ringing of a spoon stirring it, a pill bottle being opened. Honey shivered, realizing he was probably coming up to her, soon. She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, feigning sleep. Steps ascending to the loft bedroom. Ankle stabbing, stab, stab, stab, stab with every panicked heartbeat. A tray went down on the nightstand next to her. A chair across the room was lifted and set down by the bed. Honey told herself to breathe slowly, willing the tears welling behind her lids not to leak out of her eyes. He would leave her alone if she was sleeping, wouldn't he? "You're not sleeping," Zach's voice stated, quietly, and her stomach clenched in fear. "You've been waking up for these pills every four hours like a junkie. I know you don't want to talk to me, Honey, but until you're squared away, you're gonna have to. So, cut the crap, open your eyes, and let's get this done." Honey opened her eyes to see his grim face looking down at her. With one blink, large tears rolled down her pale cheeks, and Zach's jaw set angrily. Sitting down in the chair, he put his elbows on his knees and leaned his massive shoulders forward, looking at her. His hands looked like they could crush rocks as he gripped them together. "Let's get some things straight. I don't know what you think you know about me, but acting like I'm some kind of psycho is pretty shitty. You want nothing of me, that's fine, but you're hurt because you screamed and flung yourself down some stairs rather than let me help you to an Uber. You're staying here until you're well, because some shithead at that party gave you enough roofies to be in a coma for almost 3 days and I'm not dragging my ass to that rat trap of yours in the Commons every day to make sure they don't come back while you're weak. Are we clear?" he asked. Honey swallowed and nodded, wincing at the pain in her neck and head. That just seemed to make Zach angrier. "While you are here, you will do as you're told. You will eat what you get, and you will not complain. You see these, here?" he said, holding up the magic caplets that made everything better. "These are the last ones you're getting. I'm switching you to ibuprofen and Tylenol because, unchecked, this Sackler shit will fuck you up for good and that's not happening on my watch. Do you understand?" he asked. "Yes," Honey whispered. At the sound of her voice, Zach's mouth twitched, but at least he didn't look as angry as when she'd nodded and winced. "You will follow your doctor's orders to the last goddamn word. You will rest. You will do your therapy. You will let me help you and you will ask me for what you need because I am not a fucking mind reader. And so help me, if you do anything stupid like get out of that bed without me here to help you, or push yourself away from me like you did at Gatsby's, or any other drama shit that hurts even one hair on that head again, I will personally make you regret you were ever born." "Yes, Zach," Honey breathed, confused. Two more tears rolled down her cheeks. Without thinking, she leaned over to wipe them off on her shoulder and cried out in pain. Zach squeezed his clenched hands together and several of his knuckles cracked. "You don't use my name. You don't get to use my name. You're not getting under my skin again, you hear me?" Zach growled, using his rough knuckle to wipe her tears. "Orders a fucking angel shot in my own fucking club; fuck you. I don't have a name, you don't have a name. You're nothing to me. Understand?" "Yes, sir," she whispered. Honey leaned forward and took the last spoonful of broth into her mouth and swallowed, looking longingly at the noodles at the bottom of the cup. Zach caught a drop of broth at the bottom of her lower lip with the spoon and returned it to her mouth. "No," he said, seeing where her eyes lingered. "I can do it," she pleaded. "Please; I haven't had anything solid since; how long has it been?" "I said, no. You throw up on another pair of my skivvies and I'll be doing laundry twice a week," Zach said, dabbing her mouth with a paper towel. "Why do I have to wear your boxer briefs anyway? They feel weird. They have this hole-flap thing; and there are some places that aren't supposed to feel a breeze," Honey said, lifting the blanket to look down at his underwear loosely covering her hips. "Are you complaining?" he asked quietly. Honey's eyes darted quickly to his face, "No sir," she murmured, looking down at her lap. "I just thought if I had some of my things here, you wouldn't have to do the laundry so much." "I'll worry about what I have to do, Honey," he said, unthinkingly using her name. Startled, she looked up to see his eyes wandering over her, his massive t-shirt sleeves going down past her elbows. She felt ridiculous and disheveled, but something about the way he looked at her made her hold her breath. Then, without another word, he slurped the noodles out of the cup and took the tray downstairs. After that, the two settled into a quiet routine of him feeding her, giving her medicine, and watching her sleep most of the day. She would sometimes awaken to the soft repetitive sounds of him running on a treadmill, or the clinking of him lifting weights downstairs where she couldn't see him. Then, he would go to the bathroom and shower. After his shower, he came upstairs again in his towel and took some clothes from his dresser before going back downstairs to change. Honey found herself looking forward to those few seconds each day, watching his droplet-covered torso twist as he leaned over his dresser. He frowned as he flipped through his carefully folded underwear. "You wearing the grey ones?" he asked, not looking at her. Honey peeked under the covers, "Um, yes sir," she replied. "I'm supposed to wear the grey ones today," he grumbled to himself. Honey didn't say anything. Zach was the one who picked out which underwear she wore today. He was the one who looked away while he painstakingly slipped the old ones off her hips and pulled the new ones over her boot and up her legs until her bottom was covered again. There was nothing about her life that wasn't chosen and executed by him. If he wasn't happy about the color of his underwear, that was his fault. Still, Zach kept rummaging around in his underwear drawer as if another crisply folded grey pair would somehow magically appear. Finally, rather than offend him by laughing, Honey spoke, "Um; you know, if they're clean, I could wear the pair I had on when I went to the hospital and you could have these. It would get you back on schedule; Zach lifted his head from the drawer and glared at her, as if he thought she was making fun of him. Honey held carefully still and shrugged her uninjured limb. She wasn't making fun, she just wanted to help. The movement caused the huge neckline to gape over to the side, revealing her bare shoulder. She waited as Zach stared impassively at her, the vein at his neck throbbing. After a long moment, he walked over and stood next to her, the tuck of his towel right next to her face. With every breath, she inhaled the scent of his wet body and the bar soap he used. A rivulet of water painstakingly slid from his chest and down his abdomen, until finally disappearing into the tightly twisted white cotton. Honey glanced up to see that he had been reading her face as she watched the droplet's progress. With a shaking breath, she blushed and pulled the covers higher with her good arm. With a twist of his mouth, Zach pulled the neckline back over her shoulder again and quickly left the room. That night, after leaving her with a video baby monitor watching her on the nightstand, Zach returned with a bag of her underwear and some of her nightgowns. After watching her excitedly sort through them, Zach pushed them aside and sat on the edge of the bed. "There were a bunch of boxes with tags on them in your living room. What's that about?" he asked. Honey's eyes dropped, "Oh; that's the charity gift thing for kids. You sign up and get them something they wished for and wrap it up so they can have something under the tree, when they wouldn't have something otherwise. It's nice, you know? I signed up for a bunch and I was supposed to wrap them and get them back to the law firm, but I guess; sorry kids," she trailed off. Looking furious, yet carefully impassive at the same time, Zach cursed under his breath and left again, returning with the packages and a huge stack of unused Styrofoam clamshells from Gatsby's, and dumped them on the bed next to her. For the next few hours, they "wrapped" the presents, Zach carefully fitting items into an appropriate-sized takeout box, and Honey trying to make them pretty with ribbons. As she watched him work, occasionally cursing under his breath, she found herself smiling at his frowning face when he was strategizing how to fit a basketball into three disassembled clamshells. "What are you laughing at?" he said, glaring when he caught her at it. "I wasn't laughing. I was smiling." "Why were you smiling, then?" he asked. "I guess; I just like you; sir," she said, glancing over at him. Honey saw a hopeful softness steal into Zach's eyes until he forcibly wrestled it down and a look of hooded sarcasm shaded them. "Yeah, well; fool me once," he sneered. Angry, Honey closed her eyes, blocking him out the only way she could. "You know, that's; that's not fair. Not after what you said; you scared me!" she said, frustrated that, once again, tears were rolling down her cheeks. Zach choked out a mirthless laugh, "I scared you? What did I say, Honey? What did I fucking say? God! I was on eggshells all night trying not to fuck it up with you and then you just; why? Those creeps you were dancing with at that party, those fucking 'nice guys' that drugged you, they were saying shit that made my skin crawl! I didn't even kiss you! I couldn't! I could barely breathe just for looking at you on our date; you looked just like a fucking angel. What did I say, Honey? What did I say?" Honey reached over and grabbed her phone, flipping through her photo album to a screenshot taken shortly before she blocked his number. "You didn't say it; you texted it. I remember watching you leave for the restroom thinking I'd met the love of my life and then you sent me this; she said, handing her phone to him. Zach took the phone, his face going from an angry red to pale horror in a matter of seconds. "This; this; he gasped, "I didn't; send this; to you; he said, shaking his head. "Whoever had your phone did, sir!" she said, emphasizing the last word, making him wince. "I spent the last year thinking you wanted to do that to me; to kill me. Every time I felt you watching me, every crowd I saw you show up in, every dark room I had to go into, that's what I thought about. I thought that a man I was head over heels about; that I could be so wrong about him. So, excuse me for thinking I liked you, sir. I promise it won't ever happen again!" Honey cried herself to sleep that night, refusing to speak to, or even look at Zach again. When she awoke, the bedroom was empty, and a glass of water and a pain pill were waiting on the nightstand. After swallowing the pill, she stared at the ceiling, furious. She didn't want to be there anymore, to be helpless and dependent on him, to obey all his stupid rules. He didn't deserve to take care of her. So, she tightened the straps on her boot and increased the air pressure to hold her broken ankle tightly enough to walk without her crutches. Then, she took off Zach's t-shirt, pulled on her elf dress, and called herself an Uber. It was when she saw the anticipated arrival time of 8 minutes that she realized her mistake. There was no way for her to get down from the loft and out of the apartment quietly in that amount of time. If she used the crutches, she would be able to descend the stairs quickly enough, but they made such a distinctive clicking racket that they would surely wake up her gorilla-like guard. If she hopped down the stairs on her good foot, it might have worked, but her good arm was on the opposite side and she kept losing her balance. Eventually she decided on the most painful course, of going down on her good and bad legs, using her good arm for support. Her boot thunked horribly the first few times, until she got the hang of it and could place it more quietly on the next step and then hop her good foot down to support it before the scream inside her could escape her lips. By the time she reached the bottom, though, she was shaking with pain and exhausted. Curiosity forced her to look around the rest of the apartment as she caught her breath, sitting on the bottom step. It was clean and unmistakably masculine. Exercise equipment took up a lot of the space not already claimed by a leather couch and TV arrangement. Zach lay on the couch, made up with sheets to act as a bed, his feet sticking out over the arm, his hand tucked under the back of his head, his chest rising and falling under the rumpled sheet. If she wasn't so angry, she'd find him handsome; or maybe he still was handsome, she thought grudgingly, closing her eyes miserably and looking away. Why couldn't he be ugly? Life wasn't fair. Uber. Right. Screwing up her courage for what was ahead, she stood and slowly hobbled across the hardwood floor, agonizing over every painful thump and noisy squeak until she finally reached the door. She unlocked the five locks on his large door, each of them being well-oiled and working perfectly. She expected no less of her anal-retentive, grey-skivvies-on-Tuesdays captor. Finally, she tugged open the heavy door to find endless flights of icy steel-mesh stairs leading all the way down to the street where her Uber was waiting. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me; she cried, breaking down into tears. A strong arm slid down around her waist and mercifully shifted her weight off her throbbing foot, "I know. It sucks. You should try it with a rucksack full of bricks," Zach said, leaning his head down and breathing into her hair. "I want to go home," she whispered. "Let me take care of you; please," Zach murmured into the top of her head, "I; it was my fault this happened to you. I scared you, I know that now; but, please believe me that I would never want to hurt or frighten you like that." "It wasn't just that text," she said, pulling her head away and looking up at him angrily. "All year, I never had a moment's peace. Even when I couldn't see you, I could feel you waiting in the quiet or dark places. Even if you weren't there;" "I was there," he confessed. "I was always there. I didn't understand what had gone wrong. You didn't want to talk to me, and the world just didn't make sense to me unless I knew where you were, what you were doing; unless I knew you were safe." "Maybe you knew I was safe, but I didn't! I thought I'd done something; that somehow I deserved to have this beautiful, scary monster hunting me. I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done to destroy something that was so; wonderful." "You didn't do anything, Honey. Nothing at all. You were perfect. You were so perfect that I couldn't keep; you didn't do anything wrong. I never meant to send you that message; please, please believe me." "Why did you send it?" she asked, finally looking up into his eyes. The dark blue liquid pools of her eyes turned violet in the moonlight, and Zach felt a tightening in his chest. "I; I can't tell you that; but it was never meant for you." "You mean, you meant to send that message to someone else? To hurt them like that?" "Honey, I; Zach said, looking around, unable to meet her eyes, "Please, I can't; you wouldn't understand; my life isn't like that anymore." "I want to go home, Zach; please," she whispered. Zach closed his eyes for a long moment before he swallowed and nodded, looking like he was in more pain than she was. "I'll take you home tomorrow, okay? Or Terry will, if you don't want me to. He'll check the place out, make sure you're set up and safe there. You're tired, you're hurting, and your Uber's gone, now. Let me take you back upstairs and you can go in the morning. Please." At that moment, a throb of pain shot through her entire leg, and as angry as Honey was, she knew she couldn't face her empty apartment without a few more hours of rest. "Okay," she whispered. To be continued in part 2, Based on a post by Lingering Afterthought, in 3 parts, for Literotica.

How do indie creators reach global audiences while staying true to their values? In this second conversation, Anna Featherstone continues her chat with Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon about distribution, community, and marketing in the world of literary-inspired role-playing games. From Kickstarter to conventions and creative commons licensing, they share smart strategies for connecting stories with players worldwide. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. Gatekeeper Press — Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guests Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon are the award-winning designers and married duo behind Storybrewers Roleplaying, an Australian studio known for emotionally rich, character-driven tabletop role-playing games that explore history, literature, and queer narratives. Their work has earned multiple honors, including two ARPIA Game of the Year awards, Best Tabletop Game at SXSW Sydney, and back-to-back wins at the PAX Aus Indie Showcase. Based on Gadigal land in Sydney's inner west, they live with their dog Holiday and a rotating crew of foster cats. More at linktr.ee/storybrewers.

How do you turn a literary world into a collaborative storytelling experience? In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Anna Featherstone talks with Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon—the award-winning duo behind Storybrewers Roleplaying—about producing their book- and card-based role-playing games, including Good Society: A Jane Austen Roleplaying Game and My Late Father's Correspondence. Together, they explore how indie creators can merge writing, design, and ethics to craft imaginative, inclusive, and immersive books. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. Gatekeeper Press — Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guests Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon are the award-winning designers and married duo behind Storybrewers Roleplaying, an Australian studio known for emotionally rich, character-driven tabletop role-playing games that explore history, literature, and queer narratives. Their work has earned multiple honors, including two ARPIA Game of the Year awards, Best Tabletop Game at SXSW Sydney, and back-to-back wins at the PAX Aus Indie Showcase. Based on Gadigal land in Sydney's inner west, they live with their dog Holiday and a rotating crew of foster cats. More at linktr.ee/storybrewers.

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, Anna Featherstone speaks with indie author Fiona Tarr about the production and distribution strategies that helped her grow from her first fantasy novel in 2014 to becoming a six-figure mystery and crime writer today. Fiona explains how she keeps her production pipeline on track, why her long-term preorder strategy has been so effective across platforms, and what she's learned about library distribution and audiobook production. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. Gatekeeper Press — Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Fiona Tarr writes bold, fast-paced crime and mystery novels set in small Australian towns and featuring strong female leads. Her bestselling Opal Fields series has reached number one in the Amazon Australia store and has drawn comparisons to Jane Harper, Patricia Wolf, and Melinda Leigh. A great-niece of My Brother Jack author George Johnston, Fiona brings a contemporary voice to her family's literary legacy. She lives in Noosa, Australia, with her husband, near their two adult children, and can be found on Facebook.

ALLi nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone interviews Catherine Bilson, who writes in multiple genres across four pen names, about the practicalities of updating and rebranding books. With more than 60 titles published and hundreds of translations under her belt, Catherine explains how indie authors can approach everything from refreshing blurbs and covers to managing keywords, metadata, and back matter. She also shares how to avoid common pitfalls, keep files organized, and treat updates as part of an author's long-term business strategy. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press—your partner in independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100 percent rights, 100 percent royalties, global distribution, and all-inclusive services—from editing to marketing. Gatekeeper Press: Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest RUBY-award–winning author Catherine Bilson writes in multiple genres across four pen names and also co-authors books with Ebony Oaten. Born and raised in the UK, she was once a rocket scientist before falling in love with an Australian and moving halfway around the world. Still married to her Aussie husband, she now lives in sunny southeast Queensland with their two teenage romance-heroes-in-training and two rescue cats.

ALLi nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone chats with Danica Favorite, community manager at PublishDrive, about the challenges indie authors face in global distribution. They discuss how writers can navigate multiple platforms, balance print, audio, and ebooks, and manage metadata. They also talk about new accessibility laws and when outside tools or services make sense—and when they may not. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Danica Favorite is the community manager at PublishDrive, a global self-publishing platform supporting authors at every stage—from formatting and metadata optimization to wide distribution and sales analytics. A multi-published author herself, Danica brings a unique blend of hands-on publishing experience, marketing savvy, and a deep understanding of the author journey. She regularly speaks at conferences about AI, metadata, and business strategy for authors.

In this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Anna Featherstone talks with Stuart Grant, founder of the Digital Authors Toolkit, about how authors can use augmented reality (AR). The discussion covers what AR is, how it fits into the publishing process, and practical, affordable ways for indie authors to experiment with it. Real-world examples and tools help illustrate whether AR is a good fit for a particular type of book or publishing stage. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Stuart Grant is the highest-rated author website designer on Reedsy, with more than 300 author sites to his credit. A former radio presenter and theatre lecturer, he now runs Digital Authors Toolkit, helping writers build beautiful, profitable, and future-ready websites. A regular speaker at the Self Publishing Show, Author Nation, and Ireland's Publishing Show, Grant is known for blending practical marketing advice with innovative tech such as AR, AI, and animation.

In this episode of the Production and Distribution stream of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, ALLi nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone speaks with Brad Andalman, co-founder of Vellum, the popular book formatting software used by thousands of indie authors. They discuss Vellum's origins, its evolution, and how it fits into the book production process—especially for authors looking to maintain control, streamline workflow, and update files efficiently. Brad also shares insights on how authors use Vellum in unexpected ways, recent feature updates, and how the team prioritizes new tools based on author feedback and publishing trends. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Brad Andalman is the co-founder of 180g, the company behind Vellum—the Mac-based software that simplifies professional-grade book formatting for indie authors. He launched the company in 2012 alongside Brad West after more than a decade at Pixar Animation Studios, where he helped build next-generation animation and rendering tools.

Host Anna Featherstone speaks with Julie Ganner and Dr. Agata Mrva-Montoya, co-authors of Books Without Barriers: A Practical Guide to Inclusive Publishing. They discuss how authors can make their books accessible from the start—by addressing formatting, fonts, image descriptions, and digital navigation. In this episode, you'll learn: What print disability means How to reach readers across formats Simple production changes that improve access Accessibility tips for children's books How semantic tagging and font choices support more readers Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guests Dr. Agata Mrva-Montoya is a senior lecturer and degree director of the Master of Publishing program in the Discipline of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney. Her research explores how technological innovation and power dynamics shape the publishing industry, with a particular focus on equitable access to literature and knowledge. She is president of the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disability and co-editor of Publishing Research Quarterly. Her background includes leading the implementation of accessible publishing practices at Sydney University Press. She is co-author of Books Without Barriers: A Practical Guide to Inclusive Publishing (2023), and her forthcoming book, Inclusive Publishing and the Quest for Reading Equity, will be published in August by Cambridge University Press. Julie Ganner, AE, is an accredited freelance editor and a lecturer in editing for the University of Sydney's Master of Publishing program. She represented the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) at the Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative (AIPI), a cross-industry forum on print accessibility, and is a former chair of IPEd's Accessibility Initiative Working Party. She is the 2025 winner of the Janet Mackenzie Medal, IPEd's highest honor, awarded in recognition of her service to the editing profession. Julie is co-author of Books Without Barriers: A Practical Guide to Inclusive Publishing (IPEd and Australian Publishers Association, 2023) and Inclusive Publishing in Australia: An Introductory Guide (AIPI, 2019). Both guides are available as free downloads in multiple formats.

Recently, BookVault—a company familiar to many of our U.S. and U.K. listeners—expanded its print-on-demand services to Australia. In this episode, ALLi's nonfiction advisor Anna Featherstone speaks with Alex Smith, BookVault's brand manager, to learn what the company offers, how it operates globally, and whether it might be a good fit for authors looking to diversify how they produce and distribute their books. In this episode, you'll learn: What BookVault is, which countries it currently serves, and how it compares to KDP, IngramSpark, and traditional book printers How special editions work—costs, timelines, trends, and possibilities The most common mistakes authors make with POD, and how to avoid them Why BookVault charges a setup fee—and how ALLi members can have it waived A crash course on bookbinding types: perfect bound, case bound, and saddle stitch Trends and innovations in indie publishing that have Alex excited about the future Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Alex Smith has been with Printondemand Worldwide, the parent company of BookVault, for more than seven years. During that time, he has gained extensive knowledge of the publishing industry. His experience positioned him to take a leading role in redeveloping the BookVault platform. Alex works closely with leading indie publishing entrepreneurs to ensure BookVault continues to deliver the innovative features authors and publishers need.

Bella chats with professor Laura Schulz.Laura is a Professor of Cognitive Sciences in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at MIT. She is also the director and principal investigator of the Early Childhood Cognition Lab. Laura's research focuses on understanding the infrastructure of human cognition and how it's constructed during early childhood. For example, Laura and her lab study children's causal reasoning, social cognition, emotion understanding, and the connection between play and learning. Laura has also received numerous scientific awards, such as the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology and the National Academy of Sciences Troland Award.In this episode, Laura shares personal stories about her journey in science and fascinating research projects that she and her students conducted with infants and children over the years. We also discussed the open science online platform for developmental research called Lookit, first developed by Kim Scott, who was one of Laura's PhD students. Laura also shared her vision for gearing the field towards a more open, accessible, and collaborative environment where data sharing is made possible among institutions across continents.If you find this episode interesting, please leave us a good review on your podcast platform! It only takes a few minutes, but it will allow our podcast to reach more people and hopefully get them excited about psychology and brain sciences.Links:Laura's lab: https://eccl.mit.edu/Lookit: https://lookit.mit.edu/Bella's website: https://bellafascendini.github.io/Bella's Twitter: @BellaFascendiniPodcast Twitter: @StanfordPsyPodPodcast Substack: https://stanfordpsypod.substack.com/Let us know what you think of this episode or the podcast! :) stanfordpsychpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, Anna Featherstone speaks with Rebekah Lambert, a poet, playwright, content strategist, and founder of the Freelance Jungle, about how authors can produce and distribute zines. They discuss how zines give writers permission not to be perfect, offer a low-pressure way to spark creativity, and help both fiction and nonfiction authors deepen connections with readers. Show Notes List of Australian Writers Festivals for 2025 Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Rebekah Lambert is a freelance content and community specialist who advocates for stress reduction and support for creatives and the self-employed through the Freelance Jungle and Patreon. She's committed to ending isolation in sole employment and raising awareness of freelance industry challenges. Currently studying counselling and trauma-informed care, Rebekah aims to help creatives recover from recent difficult years. When she's not advocating, she's making art, writing, or exploring Wollongong with her Labradorks, Gibson and George. Learn more at Unashamedly Creative or follow her on Instagram.

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Anna Featherstone talks with USA Today bestselling author Phillipa Nefri Clark about the practical side of book production and distribution. Phillipa shares her experiences with different publishing methods, from KDP and Kobo to direct sales and working with a digital-first publisher. She discusses hiring a well-known TV actor for her audiobook, handling production challenges, navigating translations, and managing finances with the help of a specialist accountant. Show Notes List of Australian Writers Festivals for 2025 Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest A USA Today bestselling author, Phillipa Nefri Clark lives just outside a beautiful town in country Victoria, Australia. She also inhabits the many worlds of her imagination, stockpiling stories beside her laptop. Phillipa writes from the heart about love, dreams, secrets, discovery, the sea, and the world as she knows it—or wishes it could be. She loves happy endings, heart-pounding suspense, and characters who stay with readers long after the final page. With a passion for music, the ocean, nature, reading, and writing, she is often found in the vegetable garden pondering a new story. Phillipa is both an indie author and is traditionally published by Storm Publishing. You can find her on her website or Facebook.

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, Anna Featherstone speaks with audiobook marketing and distribution expert Lindsay Senior about how to distribute your audiobook globally. They discuss distribution platforms, library access, pricing strategies, and ways indie authors can reach more listeners. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Lindsay Senior is a seasoned audiobook marketing and distribution expert with a passion for helping authors bring their stories to life in audio. As the head of marketing at Author's Republic, she works closely with independent authors and publishers to maximize their audiobook sales across 50+ global platforms—including Audible, Apple, Spotify, Google, and major library networks. Lindsay brings a deep understanding of the audiobook publishing landscape and audience engagement.

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, Anna Featherstone speaks with professional indexer Madeleine Davis, president of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers. Together, they explore the critical role of indexes in nonfiction books, discussing why authors should consider investing in professional indexing, the process of creating an index, and how a great index can enhance the usability and longevity of a book. Davis also shares fascinating insights from her career, tips for working with indexers, and even some lighthearted moments from the world of indexing. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish!  Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Madeleine Davis is the president of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) and has been a professional indexer since 1994. She has provided back-of-book indexes for trade publishers and university publishers for general, academic, textbooks, and legal publications. She has also given presentations about indexing at various international indexing conferences and seminars and has had articles published in The Indexer, a journal published on behalf of indexing societies worldwide.

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone talks with author and indie publishing expert Mark Leslie Lefebvre about how to get your books into libraries. They discuss the benefits of library distribution, strategies for working with librarians, and how to make your book a good fit for library collections. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish!  Sponsors This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Mark Leslie Lefebvre began working in the book industry in 1992, the same year his first published story appeared in print. In the more than thirty years since, he has published thrillers, fiction, urban fantasy, paranormal nonfiction, and books about writing and publishing. He has also worked as president of the Canadian Booksellers Association, director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations for Rakuten Kobo, and professional adviser for Sheridan College's Creative Writing and Publishing Honors Program.

 Chip Zdarsky! We interview Chip Zdarsky! Lookit us! Talking to other people and stuff. Chip of course is a comic writer/artist of such books as Sex Criminals, Public Domain, Kaptara, Jughead, Howard the Duck, Daredevil and that little title… Continue Reading → The post 387: The Chip Zdarsky Interview – Add Beards, Do Cocaine appeared first on Zero Issues Comic Podcast.

Welcome to a special THN Extra: Take a Look It’s In a Book Club Review – Dan McDaid’s Dega! We appreciate your understanding as Joe fights off a nasty case of the Legacy Virus. As a token of our thanks, we proudly present our full review of the new graphic novel from Dan McDaid…DEGA! Enjoy! […] The post THN Extra: Take a Look It’s In a Book Club Review – Dan McDaid’s Dega! appeared first on The Two-Headed Nerd Comic Book Podcast.

Like our last episode, we cover the deaths of scientists, largely from the US, who died in mysterious circumstances while working in the fields of virology and bio weapons. Is this a conspiracy? What does it MEAN? Or is it just a series of unrelated mishaps. Join us as we delve into it! Cruel Tea is a part of the Pod Moth Network https://podmoth.network/Join our discord! Check out our merch and patreon! Lookit our other projects: https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSources: **will update later today!**Support the show

What a trip down memory lane this turned out to be https://imgur.com/a/BkMq0UQ

Bella chats with professor Laura Schulz.Laura is a Professor of Cognitive Sciences in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at MIT. She is also the director and principal investigator of the Early Childhood Cognition Lab. Laura's research focuses on understanding the infrastructure of human cognition and how it's constructed during early childhood. For example, Laura and her lab study children's causal reasoning, social cognition, emotion understanding, and the connection between play and learning. Laura has also received numerous scientific awards, such as the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology and the National Academy of Sciences Troland Award.In this episode, Laura shares personal stories about her journey in science and fascinating research projects that she and her students conducted with infants and children over the years. We also discussed the open science online platform for developmental research called Lookit, first developed by Kim Scott, who was one of Laura's PhD students. Laura also shared her vision for gearing the field towards a more open, accessible, and collaborative environment where data sharing is made possible among institutions across continents.If you find this episode interesting, please leave us a good review on your podcast platform! It only takes a few minutes, but it will allow our podcast to reach more people and hopefully get them excited about psychology and brain sciences.Links:Laura's lab: https://eccl.mit.edu/Lookit: https://lookit.mit.edu/Bella's website: https://bellafascendini.github.io/Bella's Twitter: @BellaFascendiniPodcast Twitter: @StanfordPsyPodPodcast Substack: https://stanfordpsypod.substack.com/Let us know what you think of this episode or the podcast! :) stanfordpsychpodcast@gmail.com

Behold the future of DIY record labels! Something a bit different for you this week as we're joined by Pikey, Ben and Ben from Serial Bowl Records as well as Mr Jonny Wilson from Cat's Claw Records.They've got some brutal advice for aspiring label people, we hear what records they wished they'd released and a bit about what possessed them to get into this game.Tom's had a Halloween make up mishap, we discuss podcast etiquette, Niall dresses in a way that gets the guests riled up, Tom's editing skills are tested to the max and we talk business.Music this week is from The Cheap Pops, Scene Killers, Ramones, Lookit! Martians, Jaded Eyes, Dan Vapid & The Cheats, Polite Force, Bear Away and Sink Alaska.

A rare beauty and New Orleans socialite, Delphine, from the outside, was the perfect picture of Creole aristocracy. A gracious hostess, a wife and mother, a wealthy landowner kind to her slaves...except...she wasn't. Instead, behind closed doors, she was a monster. But the folklore around her has blurred the actual history? What's the true story of the Widow Blanque?Cruel Tea is a part of the PodMoth Network! Have a podcast? Want us to guest host/collab? Heck yeah ya do! Message us @ lillianasterios@icloud.comRead our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahava**correction: Nicholas Cage built a giant pyramid tomb for himself, not to LaLaurie, but it still annoyed the crud out of New Orleans residents lol Sources:https://ghostcitytours.com/new-orleans/ghost-stories/coven-untrue-american-horror-story/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphine_LaLauriehttps://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/delphine-lalaurie/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGkIYB2djYI&t=1301shttps://allthatsinteresting.com/madame-lalaurie only as an example of the misinformationSupport the show

Everyone knows the legend. The Ax Man sent a letter to the paper in New Orleans that if you had a live jazz band playing, he wouldn't kill you and your family. He said he was a demon from hell. But that letter was likely a hoax. What if the ax man was responsible for far more killings than we were lead to believe? Join us as we delve into this American folklore in search of the truth. Cruel Tea is a part of the Podmoth Network! podmoth.networkHave a podcast? Want us to guest host/collab? Heck yeah ya do! Message us @ lillianasterios@icloud.comRead our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahavaSources:(as soon as Willow wakes up

Specifically, the character James Patrick Marsh from Hotel and the Hotel itself! Just like our previous cases that have taken on a folklore tall tale type status, there's a lot of misinformation out there! Like, was HH Holmes Jack the Ripper (spoiler alert: NO). In this episode, Willow does a deep dive on "America's First Serial Killer" Herman Mudgett, more famously known as HH Holmes. **This episode has a couple hiccups in audio. We've since resolved the issue, but please be aware there's a little background noise**Cruel Tea is a part of the Podmoth Network! podmoth.networkCheck us out on the Jodi Arias episode on Saturday is for the Ghouls Podcast! : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-64-the-jody-arias-case-feat-cruel-tea-podcast/id1570983561?i=1000581999849Read our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahavaSOURCES:https://youtu.be/UFSkNY-Nb-kFrom mysteriouschicago.comhttps://youtu.be/3Fg_QSbSeqs victims list: https://mysteriouschicago.com/new-master-list-of-hh-holmes-victims/https://www.salon.com/2017/07/29/the-white-city-devils-early-life-i-think-that-he-would-have-killed-her/https://casocriminal.org/en/serial-killer/h-h-holmes-the-serial-killer-who-built-a-castle-to-kill-people/https://allthatsinteresting.com/hh-holmes-hotelhttps://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/h-h-holmes-tests-confirm-serial-killers-body-in-grave-124868/amp/http://martinhillortiz.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-twenty-seven-murders-of-henry-h_27.htmlWild Society: True Crime PodcastH.H. Holmes + Lake Michigan Triangle https://www.buzzsprout.com/1358788/6211951H.H. Holmes “own story”  autobiography  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko5ayT9nHO8Murder Hotel Documentaryhttps://tubitv.com/movies/521153/murder-hotel?start=trueUM Medical School Class of 1884 Holmes is #38 and Leacock is #73https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-hs1501/HS1501?chaperone=S-BHL-X-HS1501+HS1501;evl=full-image;quality=6;size=50;subview=detail;view=entrySupport the show

Today…William and Matilda change the whole game, while building a dynasty that will last a thousand years and counting. NEW PATREON MEMBER! Thank you so much to "Look It's Grandma" for becoming a new Supporting Listener of the podcast. I am very humbled for any generosity I receive, and our Patreon Members and fans are absolutely the best! THANK YOU! Members-Only Series on Patreon: Don't forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what's happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member! Just follow this link to our Patreon page to peruse the right “subscription” for you: https://www.patreon.com/FortunesWheelPodcast. Social Media: Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Music: Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G] --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/fortuneswheelpodcast/support

Many historical events and places inspired AHS's Hotel. Everything from the HH Holmes's Murder Castle in Chicago, to serial killers, to vampires. The Hotel Cecil in Los Angeles California was a big inspiration too. But why? Suicides, murders, two famous serial killers and the bizarre case of Eliza Lam put it on the map. However, just like most things, there's a lot of disinformation out there. On this Merris Monday, we seek the truth apart from the myth. Cruel Tea is a part of the Podmoth Network! podmoth.networkCheck us out on Saturday is for the Ghouls Podcast! : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-64-the-jody-arias-case-feat-cruel-tea-podcast/id1570983561?i=1000581999849Read our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahavaSOURCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Hotel_(Los_Angeles)https://allthatsinteresting.com/cecil-hotel-los-angeleshttps://deadline.com/2022/08/cecil-hotel-los-angeles-homeless-1235091415/https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/haunted/articles/inside-the-infamous-cecil-hotelhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Unterwegerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_RamirezSupport the show

October 5th 2022. Tommy Unit LIVE!! #556 – New tunes from Bitch Queens, KILLER KIN, Suzi Moon, Nosebleed, Faintest Idea, The Pigeon Boys, The Budweisers, Sweatpants Party, The Wimpys, The Speedways, Killer Hearts, The Short Fuses, The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Hambone Skinny, The Cheap Pops, and Look It, Martians!! We're LIVE, Wednesday nights, 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT … Continue reading Tommy Unit LIVE!! #556 →

October 5th 2022. Tommy Unit LIVE!! #556 – New tunes from Bitch Queens, KILLER KIN, Suzi Moon, Nosebleed, Faintest Idea, The Pigeon Boys, The Budweisers, Sweatpants Party, The Wimpys, The Speedways, Killer Hearts, The Short Fuses, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Hambone Skinny, The Cheap Pops, and Look It, Martians!! We're LIVE, Wednesday nights, 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT … Continue reading Tommy Unit LIVE!! #556 →

So, we all know this case right? It's one of America's most infamous unsolved murders. It's the story of a beautiful, young starlet, an aspiring actress working her way through Hollywood, waiting tables when she's murdered by a sadistic psycho killer and left in an upscale neighborhood, brutally dismembered. Except...that's not the real truth.  Join us as we debunk the lies and get down to WHO the Black Dahlia really was, Elizabeth Short. We also cover the famous suspects...and why not a single one of them is viable. Cruel Tea is a part of the Podmoth Network! podmoth.networkRead our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahavaSOURCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Dahliahttps://reelreviews.com/shorttakes-56/morbidly-hollywood-no-ad/black-dahlia-death3https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/black-dahliahttps://www.biography.com/news/black-dahlia-murder-mysteryhttps://www.novelsuspects.com/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-black-dahlia/https://www.iamnotastalker.com/2013/10/15/the-spot-where-the-black-dahlias-body-was-found/https://allthatsinteresting.com/black-dahlia-killerGreat debunk on this YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ziTdhX4TcSupport the show

TW/CW: Su*cideFrom a century's old curse, to mysterious illnesses and deaths cumulating in murder, the Murder Mansion in Los Feliz has a rich and fascinating history. Join us as we explore the tragedy that left it abandoned for over 60 years and learn how it inspired American Horror Story's first season! Cruel Tea is a part of the Podmoth Network! podmoth.networkRead our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahavaSources: recent owners https://nypost.com/article/inside-loz-feliz-murders-house-harold-perelson/morbid tourism https://www.morbidtourism.com/locations/id/5f5288015421b300173f6753LA Weekly https://www.laweekly.com/the-story-of-the-los-feliz-murder-mansion-and-its-paranormal-aftermath/Los Feliz Curse::http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/curse.htmlhttps://youtu.be/ghZxx0QADmUhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/03/28/150-years-of-misfortune-in-l-a-s-griffith-park-a-curse-ghosts-and-now-an-unknown-womans-skull/Bella Fiori https://youtu.be/NjmmDCHhCOsNew Buyers https://nypost.com/article/inside-loz-feliz-murders-house-harold-perelson/Los Feliz Murder Mansion Podcast: https://thelosfelizmurdermansion.com/Support the show

First episode of our October theme: The Stories Behind American Horror StoryWhen the colony's founder left to go get supplies, he never intended on being gone three years. But John White thought that he'd find the colonists just as he left them. Except when he returned, they weren't there at all. With only the word "CROATOAN" carved on a post, he had no time or ability to search for them on the neighboring island. As a result, the Lost Colonists of Roanoke became America's first unsolved mystery. Did they die? Were they killed by the Spanish? Indigenous people in the area? Aliens? BIGFOOT? The answer can never be definitive, but we have a pretty good guess...Cruel Tea is a part of the Podmoth Network! podmoth.networkRead our books! Lookit our art! Send us an anniversary present! https://linktr.ee/cruelteaSend Willow some Birthday Love: Cashapp- $willowahavaVenmo- @willowahavaPayPal- @wi11owahavaSources: https://www.livescience.com/vanished-colonists-at-roanokehttps://www.history.com/news/what-happened-to-the-lost-colony-of-roanokehttps://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-mystery-lost-roanoke-lost-colony-1921594https://www.britannica.com/story/the-lost-colony-of-roanokehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colonyhttps://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/roanoke-colonies-the/Buzzsprout — Easiest Way to Start a PodcastStart podcasting today. It's the easiest way to start, grow, and monetize your podcast.BrandSupport the show

The Queen has been buried and the economy is pretty much following her, and that's just in one week. Whilst we stock up on canned food and shotguns, let's relax to nine songs from Faintest Idea, Bad Decisions, Bluebirds, My Latest Failure, Red Flag 77, Girls In Synthesis, Crash Induction, Bender and Lookit! Martians.Voice of Jeff, Poetry Corner, Timo, Tony has your Facebook comments, last week, heavy coffins, budget, pound vs everything, car trouble, From the Vaults, no gig this week, Windows 7 vs Windows 11, Show 888, painful edits, Tories, this week, heating, energy bills, Goose Fair, Paul's off to Spain, flip flops, Izzatwat, Facebook changes and a reminder of the ways you can listen.Song 1: Faintest Idea – Nose DiveSong 2: Bad Decisions – Time GhettoSong 3: Bluebirds – Unload Your GunsSong 4: My Latest Failure – Bad DreamsSong 5: Red Flag 77 – Insane PeopleSong 6: Girls In Synthesis – My HusbandSong 7: Crash Induction – Fitbit NitwitSong 8: Bender – Iggy Pop Became A Horrific MonsterSong 9: Lookit! Martians - I Don't Want To Hang Around With You No More

Episode 356... Take a break from (nearly) useless social media and listen to some more 2022 Bandcamp finds along with some usual greats. A pathetic attempt at a Labor Day block of tunes as well. Enjoy (Mark voice)!Download and stream here (iTunes and Google Podcasts as well):BRROOOOS GRRRRRIMMM 356Airing Wednesdays 7pm PST on PUNK ROCK DEMONSTRATION. Also Fridays and Saturdays 7pm PST on RIPPER RADIO.Send us stuff  to brothersgrimpunk@gmail.com.Punkscape...Sweden No Way Out 1:24 MANIC RIDE A New Low LP Les cais de Xixón 1:13 Pifia Records PT#16. DESANICIU - "Tapecer de mio" Tape Skip Juice 2:06 Absolute Order? Skip Juice SF Sharpest Fool 1:35 Warning? Unattaniable Demo Bros Grim Theme Song by Jeff from Loopy Scoop TapesLookit, Martians! (bkgrd) - Drunkistan 2:16 RTTB.Records Summer Feelings Volume 3 I want beer 1:51 DEAD MEAT 1987 demo-unreleased lp Battle hymn 1:37 YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE - war mad world demo 1983 Redneck assholes 0:35 SLOW DEATH - st demo 1985 american paranoia (klax radio) 1:27 CONDEMNED (ATTITUDE) - 1986-1988 Hi Mom, It's Me! 1:00 The Queers Love Songs For the Retarded Kids Watch T.V. (bkgrd) 2:04 Combustible Edison Four Rooms HUNG UP 0:45 DJINN "HELL IS REAL" LP Singapore Murder Machine 2:22 Demolition Axe House Of Torture Sweden CHANGE 1:13 XIAO CHANGE (sungle, not title track like said) France Enemy Leash 1:28 Grunt! Demo UK Backpackers Scum 1:17 GEVÄL GEVÄL Flint, MI BITE THE LEDGE 1:11 Stunner STUNNER DEMO UK Night Sight 1:03 Unified Action Unified Action EP The Weight (bkgrd) 3:51 Gurkha They've Taken Everything The Towel 1:56 Guttermouth Guttermouth/The New Threat Split EP Forced Labor 1:17 Circle Jerks Group Sex / Wild In the Streets Uniforms of Brutality 0:57 FORGET Once the nightmare started Toil and Labor 1:40 Anticitizen Bootleg Slave Labor 1:32 Government Warning No Moderation Miami Pink (bkgrd) 3:44 Mexican Slum Rats L.A.R.C. IOU 2:25 The New Threat Guttermouth/The New Threat Split EP Weight of The World (vII) 1:26 Iron Boots Complete Discography LP_Grave Mistake Recs Спасибо стране / Drowing in shit 1:47 DISTRESS split `7 ep w/ IRRITATION What's the Point 1:22 Static Age Sliver of Hope Rock & Roll and Alcohol 2:30 Batmobile Brand New Blisters  Let's Go (bkgrd) 2:19 The Routers 60's Sounds Punk Gang 1:11 Snake Church Winter Demo 2016 Russia TRAUMA OF GENERATION 1:38 Terminal Addiction EP 2021 Fast 'n' Loud 2:18 The Ejected A Touch of Class Bored Generation 3:16 The Accidents Here Goes Nothing Punch Drunk (bkgrd) 2:58 Combustible Edison Four Rooms L.A. For The Worse 1:51 Ruined Age Hellscape

Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt? Join us today as we learn about one of the most notable United States First Ladies--Eleanor Roosevelt. Sources: Pastan, Amy. “Pp 46-47.” First Ladies, DK Pub., London, 2017. Kramer, Sydelle. “Pp 89-92.” The Look-It-up Book of First Ladies, Random House, New York, 2001. Send us listener mail! Send an audio message: anchor.fm/inquisikids-daily/message Send an email: podcast@inquisikids.com

About 30 years ago, I saw my first Gary Halbert newsletter. It was printed, on paper. I was blown away. I didn't know what I was reading. But I couldn't stop reading it. In fact, I must have read it 20 times. I had been writing professionally myself for almost 20 years. But I knew I didn't know how to write like Gary was writing. And for a good long while, I couldn't figure out what he was doing. Now, I know. What Gary did, the way he wrote, was unique and is still beyond my powers of description today. I wouldn't ever pretend that I could write the way he could – I can't. Who can? But I did figure out a couple of key things, that launched my copywriting career and led to millions of dollars in sales. The first thing was that he knew how to sell with the written word. Which is something we've talked about a lot on this podcast. The second thing was that he wrote in a totally conversational way, at the same time he was selling. And that's something we've never really dug into before today on this podcast. But today we do. Look – It should be the easiest thing in the world, but for most copywriters, it's one of the hardest things to do. I'm talking about writing like you talk. Or, to use the technical term, “conversational copywriting.” But face it. The more your copy comes across like you talking to your prospect, the less likely your prospects are going to think to themselves, “Oh, this is an ad” — and put up their defenses. The worst thing about this is, as far as I can tell, no one else has thought that this is a skill that can be taught. Most copywriters and copy chiefs grudgingly admit that the better copywriters can do this and the lesser copywriters can't, but that's about as far as they go. I think different. I think most people can learn this, but it's not a matter of wishing it and having it so. It's a skill. It doesn't come naturally and it doesn't just sort of seep into your writing by itself over time. I think it's a skill you can learn, piece by piece. And I've broken it down into pieces and steps to learn it. Today, we'll look at • Why it's so hard • Why it's so important to write in a conversational way • What gets in the way for most people • And four comprehensive action steps you can take to get better at it.Download.

We lied to you two weeks ago. Well, Brett Ballantini lied. He said there would be another Farm podcast in a week, but with the home opener last Tuesday, it didn't happen. But thankfully for him, Darren Black picked up the phone and snapped on his monitor to chat up the early MVPs of the system: Brett is contractually prevented from actually listening to any SSS podcasts, instead compelled by SBN to do more, more, more ... so, did Darren predict greatness for clubber Carlos Pérez at Charlotte this year? Also, keep an eye on Angry Seby Forget the Y guys, what's up with slugging Laz Rivera? The pros and cons of Jason Bilous' and Caleb Freeman's starts in Birmingham (featuring a new Farm podcast character, “Mr. Bill”-ous Who wins the race to Alabama, the big bat of Bryan Ramos or the all-around play and experience of Oscar Colás? Is Sean Burke the new Konnor Pilkington — whether as trade chip, or legit down-the-road starter? For all the blue chips in Kannapolis, boy howdy if catcher Colby Smelley isn't our first weekly MVP Benyamín Bailey Will Have His Revenge on Kannapolis Cristian Mena — say what? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Evan Haller from Music at the Blissful joins the show to talk about his Kindie music career and about his fun call and response song "Peel Banana".  Check out the music video featuring his son and be sure to purchase, stream or download his brand new album Oh My Heaven! Look It's Evan.  Find the Song at:  Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/7uDtxPkGApVUxRlnHQ7rlT?si=b37c356c60264da8  iTunes/Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/peel-banana/1546287598?i=1546287600 Peel Banana has been added to the KINDIE ROCK STARS Spotify playlist.  Add the KINDIE ROCK STARS Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5TOwB9JN1IsOznSEjk4EKs?si=224bca5b2ca94c7e  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHj1oMjudJBqSTkWqJbQoBQ 

James: A Life Transformed A look at the Faith Journey of James This week in our James series we are going to pause our progression through the letter itself, to take a look at the heart transformation of the Man behind the letter. As we have walked through the book of James, it's easy to see he takes Faith in Jesus and how we act seriously. They are inseparable for James. But where did this passion come from in James's heart? James has experienced life in Christ and he knows it's so transformative, so magnificent, so revolutionary that if it doesn't change everything for us, we haven't really experienced Jesus. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3:20-21‬‬ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” The crowd of people trying to see Jesus is so big, is so excited, desiring to be in his presence, that Jesus and his disciples cannot even have a meal. Verse 21 records a different response from his family however. When Jesus' family heard about him and all that was happening, they didn't come to join the crowd, they came to take him back home because they reckoned he was out of his mind. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3:31-35‬‬ Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.” Within the crowd that is pressing in, those on the inside, there are some noticeably absent from this inner circle of followers. His own family... In only a few words Jesus radically redefines what it means to be a part of HIS family. He says “Look It's not just who knows about me, it's not even those who are related to me. My family is those who do the will of God, those who have responded by faith in Me as their Lord” In one moment, Jesus embraced every seeker, every person who has the guts to bring their brokenness, their needs, and even their mess, before him. He stands with open arms to those who seek him, longing to transform and restore. Where are you in this story? Are you hungry for him, longing to be restored in his loving embrace? To know what it is to belong, to be forgiven and restored, to celebrate new life Or are you outside with James and the rest, thinking this Jesus thing is crazy? Maybe it's skepticism, maybe its fear that keeps you outside. Fear of what Jesus might say, that you've said no to Jesus too long or too many times. Friends the beauty we find in the life of James is that it doesn't end here in this moment of doubt. James will go on to live a completely different life than what we see here. And so can you… So what about James? We know that James' journey began in familiarity but ultimately gave way to living faith, that changed the trajectory of his life forever. From a doubting onlooker to a dedicated disciple, it was a magnificent transformation... ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:3-8‬‬ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Did you catch verse 7? Then he (the resurrected Lord) appeared to James, then to all the apostles, In words so simple they are easy to miss, I think we get a glimpse of what happened in heart and life of James that lead him to be the compassionate and zealous man we have come to know in his letter. James encountered the Resurrected Lord. I believe that transformation is the source of passion, the reason James is so thorough and to the point in his letter. He doesn't want a single one of his readers to miss out on the life that is available in Christ. The grace offered to James in transformation is the same grace that God extends to you today. No matter where you are in your Jesus story today- it doesn't have to end there. Your life can be different because of Christ. James in 8 Minutes This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

In the ongoing drama surrounding the murder of Gabrielle Petito, Bob realized that the media are telling us everything under the sun, except for what matters most.TEDDY ROOSEVELT: Surely there never was a fight better worth making than the one which we are in.GARFIELD: Welcome to Bully Pulpit. That was Teddy Roosevelt. I'm Bob Garfield with Episode 10: Airing Dirty Laundrie. GABRIELLE PETITO: Hello, hello, and good morning. It is really nice and sunny today. It's only ten o'clock in the morning, but it rained all afternoon yesterday…oh, my God!GARFIELD: That's from a YouTube post a few weeks ago by wannabe travel vlogger Gabrielle Petito, documenting her cross-country van journey with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. We see them hiking, taking in sunsets, eating camp-style, hugging and kissing and frolicking, doing cartwheels on Santa Monica beach — two attractive young people living the dream.That the dreamy footage obscured a gathering nightmare, of course, is by now, hardly news to you.FOX NEWS REPORTER: Yeah, good morning Todd and Gillian. Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito were on a cross-country trip they were documenting for their YouTube series, but on September 1st, Brian returned home alone and has been hiding out at his parents' house, right behind me.Yesterday, North Port police named him a person of interest in this case.GARFIELD: Now, people go missing all the time in this country. One this month was Gregory Martin, a 70-year-old Buford, Georgia man, afflicted with dementia, who strayed away from his optometrist's office. You did not see anything about him on the news before he turned up safe and sound. You probably haven't heard of Quawan Charles, who was 15 when he went missing last year from his rural Louisiana home. If you were to Google “missing teenagers 2020,” you wouldn't find his picture. A lot of white schoolgirls, not a lot of black male schoolboys. His disappearance did not captivate the nation, or even the local police.LOCAL TV REPORTER: The family called the Baldwin Police Department and St. Mary Parish Sheriff's office to report him missing. Although the family asked that an amber alert be issued, officers declined to do so. The family claims the police downplayed their concerns, including speculating Charles may simply be attending a football game and not answering his phone. Charles' body was found days later, on November 3rd, in a wooded area about thirty minutes from his hometown. GARFIELD: And incredibly, in 2019, more than 5,590 Native American women were reported missing. You cannot name a single one of them. But when I say Natalee Holloway, or Jaycee Dugard, Elizabeth Smart, Laci Peterson, Chandra Levy — all of whom were TV news fodder for weeks or months at a time over the past couple of decades — you can most likely tell their heartbreaking stories, most likely in intimate detail. This is called “Missing White Woman Syndrome,” a term coined twenty years ago by the late journalist Gwen Ifill, and lately invoked by the New York Times and others in a “here-we-go-again” sort of way. This was Good Morning America: GOOD MORNING AMERICA REPORTER: Gabby Petito is one of so many reported missing each year. At the end of 2020, the FBI had over 89,000 active missing persons cases. 45% of those cases: people of color. Petito's story has renewed debate about which cases get attention and the media's seeming infatuation with missing white women. GARFIELD: If anything about that surprises you — I mean, anything — I don't even know what to say. Lookit: by American TV-news standards, the fact that Chandra Levy and Laci Peterson were brunette was practically affirmative action. So, of coursethe fate of skinny, blonde Gabby Petito, unlike Quawon Charles, has gripped the country as an irresistible true-crime mystery played out in real time. Clue by clue. Revelation by revelation. Twist by twist. Newsbreak by newsbreak — tragedy as infotainment, costumed (with all the obligatory sobriety and furrowed anchor brows) as journalism.LOCAL TV REPORTER: That's right Keith, good evening to you. North Port police admitted this search warrant last week. The detective writes that Gabby Petito's phone had been shut off for at least fifteen days. The investigator also says...TRAVEL BLOGGER 1: This is most definitely Gabby Petito's Ford transit van. TRAVEL BLOGGER 2: And I slowed it down, so you can possibly see it a little bit better.ABC NEWS REPORTER: In the last 24 hours, we've gotten more information on the final days leading up to Gabby's disappearance. Police just released audio of a 911 call out of Utah, where the caller reported seeing a domestic fight between Gabby and Brian on August 12th...CLARK COUNTY 911 CALL: “We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl.”“He was slapping her?”“Yes. And then we stopped, they ran up and down the sidewalk, he proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car, and they drove off.”ABC NEWS REPORTER: Police in Utah pulled the couple over last month, after responding to calls of a domestic incident while they were road tripping across the country. Officers said Petito was crying...POLICE BODY CAM: “What's your guys' names?”“Gabby.”“I'm Brian.” “Gabby, Brian. Ok. What's going on? Why are you crying?” “I'm not crying. We've just been fighting this morning.”FBI PRESSER: Human remains were discovered consistent with the description of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito.CNN REPORTER: The news coming as the search is intensifying for Gabby Petito's fiance, Brian Laundrie, whose parents told police he disappeared a week ago today.LOCAL TV REPORTER: Yesterday, they, along with the FBI and several other agencies, spent the weekend scouring through the Carlton Reserve at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. They have not found anything yet. The search ended just after six pm last night. North Port police have yet to tell us if they plan to resume that search there today, but I can tell you it is a very large, dense place with lots of shrubs, so it will take some time to get through.LOCAL TV REPORTER: Detective work, DNA and digital foots prints. The FBI is fanning out and zeroing in. From a North Port family home to Wyoming.GARFIELD: Gabby's death is obviously an unspeakable tragedy for her, for her loved ones, and for the loved ones of Brian Laundrie. For almost everyone else on the planet, it's merely pulp non-fiction — undoubtedly destined to be formally Hollywoodized in a four-part streaming series. Which, wholly apart from the implicit racism, is tragic itself. There are deep problems in this world, politically and environmentally, and the media and audience both have invested their scarce time resources in a morbid drama that offers virtually no significance, no insight, no meaning to anyone but the principals. There is one flicker of possibility, about which more in a moment, but I need to remind you what all-Gabby-all-the-time has squeezed out of the news.VALERIE MASON: With further warming in the coming years, we expect to see new extremes that are unprecedented in magnitude, frequency, timing, or in regions that have never encountered those types of extremes.GARFIELD: That was climate scientist Valerie Mason-Delmotte, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a couple of weeks ago, joining the UN General Assembly in declaring Code Red for Humanity.ABC NEWS REPORTER: The report's authors are essentially sending the world's leaders a final wake-up call: Curb emissions and dramatically reduce consumption, or face a world that is fundamentally different.GARFIELD: Yeah, that lasted one news cycle. One. The end of life on Earth as we know it. One news cycle.Oh, we're awash in coverage of national politics and the latest on Trump's every utterance, including talking in his sleep, but the death spiral of the media business has meant vastly shrunken newsrooms, vanishing local coverage, empty statehouse bureaus — and the biggest stories in the history of the planet treated like wheat germ occasionally to be sprinkled on the Trump-ruptions.CNN REPORTER: Trump sent a letter riddled with lies to Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, asking him to decertify the results in Georgia, citing all sorts of debunked claims. GARFIELD: Celebrity crap.REPORTER: The Crown's Emmy nominated actress, Emma Corrin, made a bizarre fashion statement in a strapless frock and bonnet, quite a different look from her Princess Diana role.GARFIELD: And anti-vaccination a******s disrupting school board meetings.ANTI-VAXXERS: Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!GARFIELD: To which we can now add the story of Gabby Petito, who went on a travel adventure seeking fame, and achieved it, posthumously, like some sort of sick cosmic joke.But, as I said, a glimmer. A glimmer of something of value to be drawn from the morbid fascination with this mystery — namely, that it is not especially mysterious. Because as we comb through the endless clues and tidbits gathered by investigators, the press and random online civilians, we discover lurking within this saga a lesson.You'll recall the traffic stop, by Utah park police, who had seen the couple's van speeding erratically. The stop lasted 1 hour and 17 minutes, and the bodycam footage displays remarkably engaged and conscientious cops trying to get to the bottom of the couple's argument, in which Brian got scratched on the face and arms and Gabby had her face squeezed like a dog whose owner is trying to shut it up. What the police discovered, from both subjects, was that the two frequently triggered one another, leading to violent arguments that sometimes got physical. Brian said Gabby was very anxious and emotional and, you know, the girl crazy. And Gabby said, it's true. This led to a piece of advice from one officer to a crying Gabrielle. The relationship, he said, was toxic, and dangerous.POLICE OFFICER: It may be bad for your soul, just saying. I'm not telling you what to do with your life, but if you know you have anxiety, look at the situations you can get in, you know what I mean? Now, we're not here to be mean to you or anything but you know, there's a first time and then it usually...GARFIELD: And then, usually it gets worse. Because the pathology of domestic violence is a pathology of repeated episodes spiraling ever downward. If Brian was mishandling her in a speeding vehicle on unfamiliar mountain roads, the worst was surely yet to come. This is the lesson — the universal lesson — to be drawn from this horrifying saga. There are lovers' spats and there is battering and the difference, the fatal difference, is often on display. Every parent and every sibling and every friend of every woman — not to mention the cops who get called to the scene of a domestic — should be vigilant for these signs and be prepared to intervene before it is too late.But did that single salient issue dominate the news coverage? No. We have 24/7 on the search for Brian Laundrie. But to be reminded of the real stakes here, I had to happen upon a Facebook post, from an author named Julie Perkins Cantrell, who in a now viral message codified the thirty lessons of the Gabby Petito tragedy, culminating in this: “When we see someone at her emotional end during a domestic dispute, we shouldn't assume that she's crazy. We shouldn't buy into the false narrative given by the abuser. We shouldn't believe the cover-up story given by the target, who has been conditioned to carry all the blame and shame. And we shouldn't assume they're going to be okay.”All of America now knows Brian Laundrie is a suspect-- the only suspect -- in Gabby's murder. What we haven't been informed of by the media — but what we should internalize — is another Code Red for Humanity: the murderous ending of the online Van Life Journey was all too foreseeable before the couple even backed out of their Florida driveway.All right, we're done here. We encourage you to become a paid subscriber to Booksmart Studios, so you can get extra content — including my weekly text column — from Bully Pulpit, from Lexicon Valley, and from Banished.Meantime, please please please share our podcasts with friends, colleagues, relatives, total strangers, and your social networks: Twitter, Insta, Facebook. And then also please rate us on iTunes. That is invaluable. Look, we're trying to bring unapologetic scrutiny to the world of ideas, and we simply can't do that without you. Thank you in advance.Bully Pulpit is produced by Mike Vuolo and Matthew Schwartz. Our theme was composed by Julie Miller and the team at Harvest Creative Services in Lansing, Michigan. Bully Pulpit is a production of Booksmart Studios. I'm Bob Garfield. Get full access to Bully Pulpit at bullypulpit.substack.com/subscribe

"Then he's out there running around like an idiot. I go out and line up beside him in the face-off and I say 'Lookit...if you don't knock this shit off, we're gonna find out who's tougher...me or you.'"Mad Dog. Scourge of the Red Army. The Hound. Grass Fairy?Bob Kelly had a lot of nicknames. No player in the history of the league played the game quite like him. He was as tenacious and fierce as any Flyer who ever put on the uniform. Scored the game winning goal on the way to Cup #2.  Appropriately unassisted. He was a force on the ice.  Bob Kelly is now one of the best ambassadors the Flyers have ever had.Get to know him.I'm your host Zak Kindrachuk.My dad used to play hockey.Haddon Planning Group Since 1981, we've taken an x-ray of your financial life to ensure you can live comfortably & retire

Why is Tampa Bay up 2-0 in their series? Who won the Jack Adams Award? Why can't they just call it the "Hey Lookit What You Did!" Trophy? Who's going to win the Selke? Plus another round of Wheel of Forwards, this time with more Russians!Follow the podcast on Twitter @LockedOnCapsFollow Amy on Twitter @AmyRothenbergerLike and follow the podcast on Facebook @locapitalsSend an email: lockedoncaps@gmail.comAmy also has another hockey podcast where she swears and yells a lot with her friend Julie, but it doesn't happen daily, or even weekly. You can find it @puckeruppodcastSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.ManscapedGo to Manscaped.com and use code LOCKED to get 20% Off and Free Shipping. Manscaped is #1 in men's below the belt grooming and offers precision-engineered tools for your family jewels.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you'll get $10 off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

THIS IS SEASON #2 ON "SKYLER MOON SHOW" -No matter Which BATTLE in life, SHE WINS! With •CALM, •COLLECTIVE, •WELL PRESENTED MANNER, SHE •FIGHTS BATTLES• THROUGHOUT THE YEARS... LISTEN to the EPISODE, & find out "HOW" this woman JUST went through a surgery removing the cancer on her NECK ☹️ due to the 11% chance of cancer she got (off of her saliva gland) it has had effects her. It's actually had a POSITIVE effect on her - OPENED her EYES, MADE HER think DIFFERENTLY. It's a beautiful interview I hope you enjoy

DOWNLOAD: Lookit! Ep. 13 “Haunt on Eden” A visit to one of my favorite haunts of all time. I’ve been to Universal, Kings Dominion, and Six Flags, and none has compared to the originality and intimacy of “Haunt on Eden”. Enjoy! Please visit them at: http://www.hauntoneden.com

DOWNLOAD: Lookit! Ep. 12 “Norman Lear” Mr. Little and I discuss the history, and our love for one Mr. Norman Lear. This is one of the most important people in television history. It was great having my close friend, and the host of Tube Tunes with me to help relive the golden days of television. … More Lookit! Ep. 12 “Norman Lear”

DOWNLOAD: Lookit! Ep. 11 “70’s Halloween Records” Happy Halloween!! Listen as Mr. Lappie and I go down our top 10 most favorite Halloween records of all time! We hope everyone enjoys some nostalgia, and has a wonderful Halloween Season! Our Halloween Records List: Matt’s List: The Sounds of Halloween (1986) (Hallmark Records) (https://www.discogs.com/No-Artist-The-Sounds-Of-Halloween/release/2271897) The Haunted Horror House … More Lookit! Ep. 11 “70’s Halloween Records”

DOWNLOAD: Lookit! Ep. 10 “The Evil Deads” This morning, Jeff and I discussed all we could in 40 min. about “The Evil Dead” franchise. We threw in a bit of history, some hear say, and a little embellished trivia. So sit back and enjoy the boom sticks and grooviness as we shop smart, shop S-Mart! … More Lookit! Ep. 10 “The Evil Deads”

DOWNLOAD: LOOKit! Ep. 9 “Minecraft” This week my buddies Bill and Louis come on by to teach me what they know about the PC game “Minecraft”. Music for this episode is performed by Daniel Rosenfeld, also known as C418. MUSIC: Daniel Rosenfeld, also known as C418.