Podcasts about POV

Aled Fischer is making a POV documentary about the Minnesota State Fair, he gives us the rundown on what to expect and where we will be able to watch it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI news this week: MiniMax H3 Max on Fal is generating video faster than you can watch it, powering never-ending real-time channels (Fal Live, Levels.io's Infinite Slop, Reactor) and we're already breaking it.. On today's AI For Humans, Kevin Pereira and Gavin Purcell go hands-on with what real-time video actually makes possible. Gavin took an open-source interactive game demo, some Fal credits, and a POV dating sim and turned it into something very weird, and we'll show you what worked, what broke, and what it cost. Plus Runway's new Solaris model generates entire interfaces on the fly, and someone built a chatbot running at 14,000 tokens a second. Also: Sam Altman is out preaching about OpenAI's new Astra model, which may drop this week, and the leaks are leakin'.  Plus: Gavin handed his personal data to three different AI agents, including hot new startup Instinct, which found him a weird concert and a list of podcast bookings (and we may have a few invite codes to give away). Codex mass-edits a Google Calendar and Kevin finally plays the custom-trained MiniMax Music LoRA you asked for (all three of you). And an AI See What You Did There with The Office in Claudish, famous people falling on each other, and Jenny Krakovsky's feature film finished in 50 days. THE SLOP-AGGEDON IS UPON US. TURN YOUR AIRPODS UP TO 11. // Show Links // MiniMax H3 MAX Free Gen Page https://fal.ai/tools/minimax-h3-max Gavin's MiniMax H3 Max real-time test (it's very fast) https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2093098167906758734?s=20 Gavin's follow-up: the toms https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2093746610849403017?s=20 Fal Live, two never-ending channels https://fal.live/chaos Levels.io's Infinite Slop http://levels.io/infinite-slop Glitch platform https://x.com/thefirst_ad/status/2094442316086039004?s=20 Reactor https://live.reactor.inc/ H3 Max now supports video references https://x.com/fal/status/2094527664040124764?s=20 Interactive games with H3 Max (the GitHub Gavin started from) https://x.com/BlendiByl/status/2094337649859523015 Gorgeous website mockup made with H3 (prompt included) https://x.com/ShamsAmin56/status/2093710509858328605?s=20 Runway Solaris, a model for generated interfaces https://runway.com/news/research/introducing-solaris OpenAI Astra samples (supposedly) https://x.com/chetaslua/status/2094472807908569356?s=20 https://x.com/lyraxana/status/2094600793789694346?s=20 https://x.com/GaricaRosen6779/status/2094727306766111126?s=20 https://x.com/pankajkumar_dev/status/2094399865971450286?s=20 Astra makes Terraria https://x.com/alexgetmancom/status/2094762443310272735?s=20 Omarchy AI Operating System https://omarchy.org/ Instinct: The AI Agent Messaging System https://app.instinct.co/login PRE-ORDER KIM PURCELL'S BOOK FOR YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES https://kimpurcell.com/books/write-a-novel-in-100-days The concert Instinct found for Gavin https://tabularasa.itm.studio/m/tabula-rasa-presents-ramonpang The Office but everyone speaks Claudish https://x.com/venturetwins/status/2094536157686387114?s=20 Famous people punch each other and fall down https://x.com/sadlemonjuice/status/2094017087484092810?s=20 Jenny Krakovsky finished her feature film in 50 days https://x.com/jennykrakovsky/status/2094394793451200630?s=20   // Join the AI For Humans community // Join the AI For Humans Discord https://discord.gg/muD2TYgC8f Support AI For Humans on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AIForHumansShow Subscribe to the AI For Humans newsletter https://aiforhumans.beehiiv.com/ Follow AI For Humans on X: @AIForHumansShow https://x.com/AIForHumansShow Follow AI For Humans on TikTok: @aiforhumansshow https://www.tiktok.com/@aiforhumansshow Speaking and booking https://www.aiforhumans.show/  

This week, we open the cafe with a toast to Dolly Parton and the 332-million-book literacy legacy she built with the Imagination Library.In publishing news: the Anthropic settlement disbursement timeline; HarperCollins's appetite for more AI payouts; Audible's AI voice expansion; and why the "godfather of AI" still needed a human writer.Then we settle onto the Overthinking Couch for a deep dive into third-person POV.

On this episode, Ed examine the Vegas disappearance of William Wheeler, he criticizes at AI's analysis of Maura Murray's disappearance, Ed looks at the Fox Hollow Farms' murders from a missing persons POV, and he covers a bunch of other stuff including . . . his future trip Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nasty Neal interviews writer-director Arkar Soe Oo and star Li Li Kyaw Khaing about THE LAST FOOTAGE, Myanmar's first found-footage horror film, following its premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival!Shot entirely from a first-person perspective, THE LAST FOOTAGE follows a group whose getaway to a remote forest cabin becomes a nightmare when a young boy disappears. A desperate blood ritual resurrects a witch's dead son, while a reckless dark-web summoning awakens an ancient predator lurking in the wilderness.Arkar Soe Oo and Li Li Kyaw Khaing discuss bringing this groundbreaking Burmese horror film to life, creating its immersive POV style and introducing Myanmar genre cinema to international audiences.Subscribe for more horror movie interviews, independent film coverage and festival exclusives from Without Your Head with Nasty Neal.Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmwH7xVAhD-OOAqFWyTYTA/join#TheLastFootage #FantasiaFilmFestival #FoundFootage #HorrorMovies #MyanmarCinema #BurmeseCinema #HorrorInterview #IndependentHorror #WithoutYourHead #NastyNeal

Send us Fan MailPenn Cole returns to Besties and the Books Podcast returns to Besties to prepare us for all things Burn of the EverFlame! The final installation in her New York Times bestselling Kindred's Curse Saga drops EVERYWHERE on September 8th! That means that exactly one short week from today we will all know how Diem and Luther's journey ends… for better or for worse. How high on The Cryometer™ should you expect to get? We'll tell ya! This interview is completely spoiler free so we hope that it gets you excited for book four, and if you're new here, or to this series, that it'll encourage you to go pick it up! We have deep dives on Spark, Glow, AND Heat if you need a refresher, and a previous Penn Cole interview in which we ask her completely different questions than the ones we dive into today! Today we'll talk about how Penn handled the pressure to get this book out, how Burn is different than the previous three books, what the overarching themes and tropes are, and the unexpected POV's! Penn explains how important redemption and growth are to this story and how the heroine's journey often can look very different from the hero's experience, and why this is important. We also get the tea on whether or not this story is truly finished, what's next on Penn's horizon, and… the Hulu adaptation! Stick around for all of this, PLUS an unexpected smash or pass, Penn Cole style. And make sure to follow Penn @authorpenncole and at PennCole.com!

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Monday!! So.. we (Alex & Jules) found ourselves in some heat over our video games after kids take from Friday, so we had to get a guy's POV.. and you guys? He may have even HOTTER takes. Turns out Harrison was a GAMER gamer back in the day (18-hour Grand Theft Auto Sundays.. we have questions), but as a dad he has rules: there are more productive ways to decompress, never let it eat family time, and play when everyone's asleep. Then Jules asks the question that will surely put us back in the comments: are video games just Cocomelon for adults?! But before ALL that: it's officially HYROX race week for the dads (we're heading to DC later this week!) We settle the great seasonal debate: when does summer ACTUALLY end? Alex says Labor Day, Harrison says September 21st because "the sun does not lie." Plus Saturn Return (why your life flips upside down between 26 and 29.. planets, maybe!) and Tinx's 3-articles-a-day challenge. We're in. On the home front: Tate had her first gymnastics class

POV: you're my doll, and I'm going to be doing your wooden hair and makeup :) So sit back, relax, and enjoy this no talking (somewhat inaudible) wooden makeover!! Safe Space Calming gummies here:►Amazon: https://a.co/d/04D7qmwH► My Store: https://safespace.store/products/calmingSocials, Donos, & Products here:► https://linktr.ee/haleygutzFind me elsewhere:►ASMR INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/safespaceasmr/►PERSONAL INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/haleygutzz/►ASMR TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@safespaceasmr►SPOTIFY: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-space-asmrPost Times:►Sundays & Wednesdays 6pm estThis video was edited by Shawn!! Go show him all the love and reach out if you're interested in an amazing, professional editor! https://x.com/MrTheVestman#asmr #asmrsounds #asmrvideo #relax

We had the most incredible opportunity to co-host a Practical Magic fan event at the historic Texas Theatre in Dallas, Texas along side Alexandra Artrip aka the OG ANTONIA OWENS from the 1998 film! Join us for an in-depth recap of our whirlwind of a weekend!KillaKC's POV recap of the Practical Magic Meets and GreetBUILDING DALLAS: Episode: #11 : The revival and history of the 1926 property once known as the Wesley Inn

A Mediocre Time with Tom and Dan — Episode Notes Episode: "Feathers and Bubbles" Hosts: Tom and Dan | Guest: Seth Petruzelli Sponsors / Ad Reads JustCallMoe.com — recording studio sponsor read at the top of the show; also plugged later as the presenting sponsor of the upcoming Tom and Dan Cruise. The Bart Marek Team (Bart Marek and Crystal Vann) — two full-time, experienced Florida realtors based in Clermont, offering "two-for-one" service for buying or selling; a personal testimonial about them helping sell a family member's house in St. Augustine; barttherealtor.com, call or text either agent directly. Fairvilla Megastore — sexual wellness superstore with multiple locations, described as having modern/high-tech products, costumes and lingerie for Halloween, Fairvilla University online educational courses, and a discreet "Secrets Hideaway" section; fairvilla.com. Don Mealy Chevrolet (Clermont) — longtime advertiser; contact GM JC Harrelson and mention Tom and Dan; plugged for Corvettes, trucks, and used vehicles, with a personal note about owning a Silverado and Traverse from them; DMChevy.com. Segment Rundown Cold open, grooming talk — Tom and Dan welcome Seth Petruzelli to the couch and razz him about his beard and blow-dried hair; a tangent on straighteners vs. blow-dryers leads into a bit about their wives' expensive Dyson hair tools. Recent celebrity deaths — The hosts run through a rough week of deaths, including Tim Curry, Dolly (referenced briefly), and the voice actor of Optimus Prime, riffing darkly on average lifespan. Seth's chronic chaos — Running bit that Seth is perpetually running late or juggling a crisis; today it's his dog and a vet appointment, plus it's revealed to be Seth's birthday. Seth's dog and Disney cruise — Seth brought his dog Rocky (a different Rocky than Tom's) on set; talk turns to Seth boarding him for four nights while Seth takes his first vacation in two and a half years, a Disney cruise with his wife and daughter Vera. Tom's dog Rocky and pet talk — Tom shows off his own dog Rocky on stream, admits he's been neglecting him since focusing on his young daughter, and the group jokes about pushing Tom's son Tommy toward wanting a dog or cat despite Tracy's reluctance. Karate class standards slipping — A tangent from the dojo talk about how kids today can't finish basic requirements (like a brown belt or three months of consistent training), tying into a broader "everything is getting weaker/no consequences" complaint, including schools making gym-class changing rooms optional now. Locker room embarrassment nostalgia — The hosts and Seth swap stories about being self-conscious getting undressed in front of others as kids and in a pro arena-football locker room as an adult. Seth's MRI/health update — Seth shares that he got a full-body MRI, compared it to one from two years prior, and got mostly good results except his prostate being "large side of normal." Seth's dojo being demolished — Seth explains his dojo's building is being torn down and he must vacate by November; he's negotiating a new space, planning to use students to help move (in exchange for food/drinks), and reflects on a black belt who's been especially helpful. Should Seth do a GoFundMe? — Debate over whether it's in good taste for a business to crowdfund when forced out by demolition, referencing a nearby business owner doing the same; jokes about a bikini car wash and a "GoFundMe vs. crowdfund" distinction (charity vs. general fundraising). The actual dojo car wash fundraiser — Dan recounts attending a real car-wash fundraiser for the dojo, paying more than requested because the kids did a thorough job. Daughter's Taco Bell complaint — Dan tells a story about his daughter filing an online complaint after Taco Bell repeatedly forgot part of her order. Joke about Seth's finances — Riffing on the idea that no one will donate to a GoFundMe for someone with a lakeside mansion, a boat, and a nice car, including a bit about trading in a BMW for a Hyundai. Dojo move logistics and mock fundraiser pitch — More detail on moving costs (a mirror company hired just to transport dojo mirrors, a dumpster for old equipment); the group jokingly pitches an absurd "buy a black belt" crowdfunding tier system, with Seth explaining the real distinction between an official ranked black belt and a "junior/in-house" one. AI in podcast production — The show discusses no longer paying a human for intro songs/jingles, now using AI for notes and occasionally songs (though they still do some manual ones too), and debate the line between AI convenience and "authenticity" compared to corporate radio. Prostitution sting debate — Sparked by 49ers owner Jed York's prostitution-sting arrest and a local Altamonte Springs sting ("Operation Midnight Heat," 37 arrests), the hosts argue undercover prostitution stings are a poor use of police resources compared to focusing on predators of minors, and make the case for regulating/legalizing sex work. Caller: Concrete Mike, prostitution talk — Concrete Mike calls in about hiring escorts for parties in the past; the call is plagued by a bad phone connection and cuts out repeatedly before the hosts move on. GTA 6 leak coverage — Detailed rundown of hacker "Cyber Leak's" leaked GTA 6 footage (starting August 18), new gameplay features (six-star wanted system, stamina and car-gas meters, a karma system, Red Dead-style bullet-time aiming), a leaked nudist-area clip, and a somber aside about how hyper-realistic "living a second life in a game" can feel. GTA franchise money talk — The hosts look up that the GTA franchise has made $11 billion total, with GTA 5 alone earning $815 million in its first 24 hours; confirmed November 19, 2026 release date for GTA 6. Caller: "J Volvo" — A young-sounding caller who turns out to be a 40-year-old Marine and brown belt calls in as a bit, pitching a "Fit Tom Fridays" 5K fundraiser idea for Seth's dojo; the hosts jokingly induct him as a rookie "cop" character and enjoy the surprise live call. New "Stage" Rock Band reboot — Discussion of an upcoming Rock Band-style rhythm game launching in December, with nostalgia about old Rock Band parties, and a broader riff on short attention spans/endless content (dating apps, streaming, mobile games) making it hard for any single game to hold interest. Six Flags roller coaster aneurysm story (teaser + full segment) — After a break, the hosts cover two women who suffered brain aneurysms riding Six Flags' X2 roller coaster, show POV footage of the ride's uniquely independently-spinning carts, and speculate (semi-jokingly) about the physics/anatomy behind why it happened. Flatulence and bathroom health talk — A crude tangent connecting back to Seth's MRI story, where he and the others discuss holding in gas, bowel habits, and general bathroom TMI. Voicemail: grandma question (Amedeus, Fort Myers) — A caller references a past on-air comment and asks which grandmother the hosts would rather "embarrass" in front of; leads to a riff on generational/cultural stereotypes about tougher vs. softer grandmothers. Voicemail: convenience store "big black mama" story (Debary Joe) — A caller shares a heartfelt/funny anecdote about a stranger's kindness at a gas station after a rough day, prompting brief pushback from a host about the framing of the story. Mad honey discussion — Seth explains he bought "mad honey" (a hallucinogenic honey from Nepal) and plans to have his wife try it first; the hosts detail its origins, effects, dangerous dosing risks, its history as an ancient biological weapon, and its recent viral popularity via a Joe Rogan clip. Nepal flooding aside — A brief, more serious detour about real disaster footage of catastrophic flooding in Nepal that circulated online. Psychedelics and mental health tangent — Talk shifts to Kratom, mushrooms, microdosing, and studies on psilocybin therapy for PTSD/anxiety; Seth admits he's more afraid of a mushroom trip than he ever was fighting professionally (referencing his MMA background against opponents like Kimbo Slice and Bob Sapp). Voicemail: adult content from caller "Mike" — A caller shares an explicit story from his younger years about hiring escorts for group parties at his house; the hosts summarize and react without repeating graphic detail. Voicemail: workplace exorcism question (BDM, Jacksonville) — A caller asks if anyone has heard of a business getting an exorcism, sparking a broader discussion about corporate superstition (feng shui, sage smudging, "energy"), with the hosts drawing a line between supernatural belief and legitimate ideas like attitude/mindset affecting outcomes. Voicemail: "Pure Pod" gadget — A caller points out that a produce-washing gadget advertised online is basically a vibrator; the hosts confirm the device is a real product marketed to skirt platform rules around selling sexual wellness items. Voicemail: old photo in ski resort system — A caller shares that a modern ski resort pulled up his decades-old childhood lift-ticket photo from a previous owner's records, leading to a discussion about how far back companies' digital recordkeeping goes and some personal skiing stories from the hosts. Dojo move update and wrap-up — Seth gives a final update: staying within a 3-mile radius under the new name "Soto Dojo," reviewing a lease, and dealing with a landlord dispute over alleged unpaid utility charges/liens the show insists were never billed properly. Studio/podcast future plugs and cruise pitch — The hosts float building a future glass-walled studio, mention recent released interviews (Patrick Warburton, Lorenzo Lamas), and give a detailed pitch for the upcoming Tom and Dan Cruise, including perks, cost, and booking details, before signing off. Key Dates / Plugs Mentioned November 2026 — Seth must vacate his current dojo location due to the building being demolished. November 19, 2026 — GTA 6 release date (confirmed unchanged despite ongoing leaks). December (2026) — New "Stage" Rock Band-style rhythm game launches. Ongoing — Seth relocating his dojo to a new spot within a 3-mile radius, tentatively named "Soto Dojo"; lease still being finalized. September 23–27, 2027 — Tom and Dan Cruise aboard the MSC Seashore (Thursday–Sunday), stopping in Nassau and a private island; includes unlimited drink package and free Wi-Fi for two, a live podcast taping, birthday party, and gambling night; $200 fully refundable deposit holds a spot, with payment installments available through Ahoy Cruises; presented by JustCallMoe.com. Recently released — New Patrick Warburton interview episode and a Lorenzo Lamas interview from the previous night. Notable Guests/Callers Seth Petruzelli — In-studio guest; martial arts instructor whose dojo is being forced to relocate. Concrete Mike — Phone-in caller; connection was too poor to complete his story. "J Volvo" — Phone-in caller; a 40-year-old Marine and brown belt who called in as a bit. Amedeus (Fort Myers) — Voicemail caller with a grandma-themed question. Debary Joe — Voicemail caller sharing a convenience-store story. Mike — Voicemail caller sharing a story from his past. BDM (Jacksonville) — Voicemail caller asking about a workplace exorcism. Unnamed caller — Voicemail about the "Pure Pod" produce washer. Unnamed caller (37 years old) — Voicemail about an old childhood ski resort photo resurfacing. ### Website: https://tomanddan.com/ App: https://tomanddan.com/app Become a BDM: https://tomanddan.com/registration Merch: https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomandDanLive Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/tomanddanlive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMediocreTime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomanddanlive/ X: https://x.com/TomAndDanLive TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@tomanddanshow Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/tomanddan ACT RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/61976/rss AMT RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/18904/rss

Larry Roman is back with PTF for another podcast. In this episode he talks all about Banishing's chances as he looks to defend his Charles Town Classic title and also discuses the impressive run from his new acquisition Pierre at Saratoga yesterday. Larry gives his thoughts on the Marshall Gramm situation as well, looking at it from the POV of a claiming owner. Last but not least, thoughts on this year's Travers Stakes.

In which Tommy shares a song about the tech-pocalypse--from the machines POV--and Galen leads us in some long-distance trivia.

Caroline Cash is heading back to Adventure Time for new one-shot. Marvel to release Winter Break Special. Marvel to take Venom's POV in new series.SUBSCRIBE ON RSS, APPLE, SPOTIFY, OR THE APP OF YOUR CHOICE. FOLLOW US ON BLUESKY, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, AND FACEBOOK. SUPPORT OUR SHOWS ON PATREON.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nina Simon's exciting new mystery is all about extremes and opposites. She shares the real-life sister trip she took that inspired My Sister Is Going to Kill Me and dishes about the Thors she's met on wilderness adventures, the mysterious plant central to her plot, how she balanced dual timelines, and exactly how dangerous a whitewater rafting trip down the Grand Canyon can be…even without a murderer along for the ride! Analyst Liv and artist Mandy couldn't be more different, but by the end of this novel, they've swapped places and learned to appreciate one other while teaming up to keep each other safe and solve a heinous crime. Nina explains that crafting the dual POV on a whitewater rafting trip is no easy trick, neither is deciding which characters to kill off, which to keep, and how much natural danger to include in this wilderness story. Learn more about Guest Nina Simon: https://ninaksimon.com/ Learn more about Host Melissa Westemeier: https://www.melwestemeier.com/

(SPOILER) Your Daily Roundup covers yesterday's POV ceremony in the Big Brother house, the reaction by some of the houseguests, DWTS: The Next Pro down to final 3, Hayden Panettiere's death, & a wild story involving an NFL owner arrested. Music written by Jimmer Podrasky (B'Jingo Songs/Machia Music/Bug Music BMI)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was one of the biggest weeks in the amusement industry in years, and Mike and EB have a ton to cover. First up: D23 - Disney's biannual fan convention, which featured Neil Patrick Harris hosting a full award-show-style presentation packed with 33 announcements about the future of Disney Parks and Experiences. The guys break down the highlights, including a Carousel of Progress refurbishment featuring new voices from Bryan Cranston and Jamie Lee Curtis, a Coco-themed attraction (the IP's first ever), a Magic Kingdom Villains Land finally getting its official name, and Dream Finder and Figment returning to Journey Into Imagination at Epcot. But the biggest surprise of the night: Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom will see the return of The Yeti. (HE'S HUGE! HE'S HUGE!) Then it's Quick Hits, where Mike and EB dig into the opening of NightFlight Expedition at Dollywood and the genuinely mixed early reactions — much of it, they argue, coming from riders misunderstanding the ride's intentionally storybook visual style. Plus a live call-in from the base of Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point, giving listeners a real taste of the launch in action. The back half is a can't-miss exclusive: Silver Dollar City's Director of Content and PR, Joey Thorsen, joins the show fresh off the announcement of Miner's Mountain Express, walking through a full POV narration of the ride, introducing its brand-new skunk and bat mascots, discussing the final year of the beloved Thunderation before it closes in January, breaking down how the new Daredevil Pass connects two previously separated areas of the park, and telling the wild true story of how the ride's real 15-story mining head frame ties back to America's 250th anniversary.

What'd you think of the episode? Send me a note!Formerly known as The Sensory W.I.S.E. Solutions Podcast — now The Sensory Code Podcast. Every week, pediatric occupational therapist Laura Petix helps you view behavior through a nervous system lens. When parents, caregivers, educators, and therapists understand how sensory processing differences affect learning and behavior, it changes the game forever.Laura brings a unique POV to the table: her clinical experience as a pediatric OT, her lived experience as a neurodivergent, ADHD, sensory-sensitive person, and her firsthand knowledge of parenting a neurodivergent child. However you're showing up — parent, provider, or both — you're in the right place. Just pull up a chair, grab your fidget, and lock in.~Formerly known as The Sensory W.I.S.E. Solutions Pocast~ Sensory Detectives Boot camp Waitlist The OT Butterfly InstagramWork with LauraThe Sensory Code BookThe Sensory Code NewsletterA Kids Book About Neurodiversity

I never watched Game of Thrones. Then I finally picked up George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones and I get it now.I went into the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire with almost no connection to the TV series. In fact, years ago I made it about four minutes into episode one before turning it off.The book was a very different story.It starts slowly enough, building the people, families, politics and world but somewhere around the first third it starts accelerating. By the final few hundred pages I was absolutely smashing through chapters just trying to find out what happened next.In this review I get into:Why George R. R. Martin's POV structure works so wellHow he manages to interweave so many characters and storylinesWhy the world somehow feels enormous while remaining groundedThe comparison with The Lord of the RingsThe brutality, darkness and unpredictability of the storyWhy the final third completely hooked meThe slightly uncomfortable reality of starting an unfinished seriesWhether you should read the book if you've already watched the showMy rating: 9/10.00:00 I finally read A Game of Thrones01:02 Going in without watching the TV series03:09 The problem with starting an unfinished series05:11 Bigger than The Lord of the Rings?06:19 Why the POV structure works so well08:15 When the book hits overdrive10:47 The dialogue, brutality & darkness11:51 Why the fantasy still feels grounded13:46 My final thoughts14:47 Should you read A Game of Thrones? Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFqTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

Run a business that takes appointments? Use code 'CEO' at https://glossgenius.com/cubicletoceo for 50% off your first two months of a premium plan. This is a free preview of a paid episode (50 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo Most acquisition stories only give you one side of the deal. Today's case study shares the POV of both buyer and seller. Julie Ball built Sparkle Hustle Grow, a subscription box for women entrepreneurs, and sold it in a 90-day deal. Carol Gavhane bought SHG in 2022 and eventually rebranded as Arrivée this year, a quarterly box built on the belief that rest is a strategy, not a reward. In this kickoff to our acquisition series, Julie shares how her business wasn't built to sell, so she spent months trimming the fat and building SOPs before listing with a business broker. The valuation ran 2 to 3X annual profit, and Carol bought at list price plus an inventory addendum, financed through a traditional bank loan rather than an SBA loan. Julie and Carol share how they worked together to create a win-win deal and what the other side of the sale looks like, four years later. Connect with Julie: https://mrsjulieball.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieball https://www.instagram.com/mrsjulieball Connect with Carol: https://arriveebox.com/ https://www.instagram.com/arriveebox https://www.facebook.com/arriveebox If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you make readers root for a character who has done something terrible? In this episode of The Dialogue Doctor Podcast, Jeff Elkins sits down with new author Aubrey W to talk through one of the hardest emotional arcs to pull off: repentance. Aubrey is working on a thriller built around a character who has done real harm, but she does not want the reader simply waiting for punishment. She wants the reader to long for redemption. That creates a powerful craft problem. How do you make a morally compromised character compelling without excusing what they have done? Jeff and Aubrey dig into what makes readers forgive, follow, and even love difficult characters. They talk about redemption arcs, unlikable protagonists, hidden wounds, vigilante logic, unreliable narrators, and the emotional difference between justice, revenge, repentance, and mercy. The conversation pulls examples from Six of Crows, Les Misérables, Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, Dexter, and Spider-Man to explore how authors can give readers permission to care about characters who are lying, hiding, hurting people, or justifying their worst choices. They also get into the practical craft of first-person POV, how to create two distinct narrator voices, how inner thought changes pacing, when a character should lie to the reader, and why some stories only work when we are trapped inside the character's head. Listen in if you are writing a thriller, a redemption arc, an unreliable narrator, a morally gray protagonist, or any character who needs the reader to think, "I hate what you're doing, but I still want you to change." Because redemption only works when the reader still believes there is someone inside the character worth saving.   For more, check out Dialogue Doctor.com

What's up, Group Chat!!!Your favorite crew is back with another entertaining recap of BB28! We will cover the nominations, POV results, and the live feeds. Thank you all for listening, sharing, and subscribing. We appreciate you.Byyyeee!- AWAGBT Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aye-who-all-gon-be-there--5034054/support.Exclusive Listener Discounts:Cozy Earth (21% OFF any product)Description - Luxurious bamboo sheets, pajamas, & morePromo code: https://cozyearth.com/discount/GROUPCHAT FS Drinks (20% OFF any product)Description - Café-quality bottled boba drinksPromo code: https://fsdrinks.com/discount/GROUPCHAT Molly BZ (10% OFF any product)Description - Artisan-crafted cookiesPromo code: https://mollybz.com/discount/GROUPCHAT

THE NIGHT HE CAME HOME—AND CHANGED HORROR FOREVER! Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/REJECTS #sponsored Jackie Bonsignore & Jon Maturan experience John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) in this full movie reaction and review of the landmark slasher classic. Fifteen years after a horrifying childhood crime, Michael Myers escapes confinement and returns to Haddonfield, where babysitter Laurie Strode slowly realizes that the silent figure watching her may be far more than an ordinary man. From the chilling opening POV and Michael appearing behind the hedge to the ghost-sheet disguise, the iconic head tilt, Laurie's closet confrontation, and John Carpenter's legendary Halloween theme, Jackie & Jon encounter the night The Shape became a horror icon—all without spoilers here! Halloween (1978) Full Movie Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Directed and scored by John Carpenter (The Thing, Escape from New York) and co-written by Debra Hill (The Fog, Halloween II), Halloween stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode (True Lies, Everything Everywhere All at Once), Donald Pleasence as Dr. Samuel Loomis (The Great Escape, You Only Live Twice), Nancy Kyes as Annie Brackett (Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween III), P.J. Soles as Lynda Van Der Klok (Carrie, Rock 'n' Roll High School), Charles Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett (The Fog, Escape from New York), and Nick Castle as Michael Myers / The Shape (Escape from New York, The Last Starfighter). Jackie & Jon discuss Jamie Lee Curtis' feature-film debut, Michael Myers' terrifying simplicity, Dr. Loomis' warnings, Dean Cundey's atmospheric cinematography, Carpenter's unforgettable score, the movie's slow-building suspense, its most influential scares, and whether the original Halloween remains the greatest slasher movie ever made. Follow Jackie Bonsignore: https://www.instagram.com/jackiebonsignore/ Follow Jon Maturan: https://www.instagram.com/jonmaturan/?hl=en Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BACK SEERS IN A BROKEN SEASON: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/...BACK MORDSCHLAG SWORD AND SORCERY: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/...Backers of both get an exclusive flipzine featuring stories from Jonathan Olfert and James D. MillsMatt's Substack: https://matthewjohnauthor.substack.co...James's Substack: jdmauthor.substack.comIsle of Swords: https://amzn.to/4x6WNltIn this episode of the Rogues in the House Podcast, we sit down with Jonathan Olfert, a prolific writer and Graham Wilcox editor of Old Moon Publishing to talk about Olfert's new Stone and Sorcery Novella, Seers in a Broken Season and what it's like writing from the POV of a mammoth.

You didn't sign up to post your morning coffee. You didn't sign up to document every corner of your house or have strangers know your dog's name. And if building a personal brand means becoming an influencer, you want no part of it. The problem is that's not what a personal brand actually is, and this episode is here to clear that up once and for all. Kate has been in this industry for eight years, and she's watched personal brand go through three completely distinct chapters: the pre-COVID era of authority signalling and low-frequency formality, the COVID era of personality-first documentation culture, and now the AI era, which has changed everything again. Because when AI made information free and infinite overnight, it also made one thing infinitely more valuable: your perspective. That is the entire game right now. Not your lifestyle. Not your hot takes. Not how many platforms you're on. Your point of view. In this episode she draws the clearest line she's ever drawn between what an influencer is and what a personal brand is, and why conflating the two has been keeping a lot of brilliant business owners from showing up online at all. She walks through why depth beats width every time, why you can run a seven-figure business with 5,000 followers, and why someone with 400,000 followers can have nothing to sell. She also gets into the two-platform rule, why consistency will always outperform volume, how to pull perspective out of even the most personal content so it actually builds your business, and what the non-negotiable components of a personal brand actually are. She then walks through some of the best personal brands in the online business space right now including Donald Miller, Mel Robbins, Alex Hormozi, Cody Sanchez, and Gary V, and breaks down exactly what each of them is doing right and why it works. If you've been avoiding personal brand because you think it requires something it doesn't, this is the episode that gives you your own back Timestamps:01:56 Personal brand vs influencer02:59 Common misconceptions05:53 Three eras of branding12:11 AI makes POV king16:37 Influence vs trust20:50 Privacy and BTS content23:22 Consistency over volume25:37 Followers and platforms29:54 Personal brand role models38:53 Core principles recap To join the Ambitious Network for free, click HERE. To connect with Kate on Instagram, click ⁠HERE⁠. To apply for ITI, click ⁠HERE⁠. To submit a question to be answered on the podcast, click HERE. 

You know what to do. You know the strategy. You may have already changed the Frame. You can see the situation differently. So why do you keep going back to the old pattern? In this episode of The Jason Drees Show, JDC coach Heather Esposito breaks down what may be happening when your mind understands the new POV — but the rest of your system hasn't caught up yet. Heather explores the relationship between your Mental Operating System and what she calls your Energetic Operating System — including your nervous system, past experiences, and the patterns your system has learned to predict and protect against. You'll learn why: Knowing better doesn't always mean you'll automatically do better An action that looks strategic can actually be coming from protection You can change a Frame mentally and still get pulled back into the old response Trying harder or becoming more disciplined may be solving the wrong problem Changing both the way you see something and the way your system responds to it can create a very different result Heather is a coach on the JDC team — and she's also one of the coaches Jason goes to when he needs coaching himself. If you've ever thought: “I know what to do. Why the fuck am I not doing it?” This episode is for you.

Looking for daily inspiration?  Get a quote from the top leaders in the industry in your inbox every morning.   What's the one premier event that brings the global attractions industry together? IAAPA Expo 2026, happening in Orlando, Florida, November 16th - 20th. It's where more than forty-thousand professionals come to share the wonder, explore over a thousand innovative exhibitors, and discover future-focused solutions. From education to networking to ideas that drive real business impact, IAAPA Expo is where what's next takes shape.   Register now and save up to 30% at IAAPA.org/IAAPAExpo.   Every attraction promises memorable experiences, yet the moments that stay with guests are often impossible to capture on a screen. Whether it's resisting the urge to view every experience through a phone, creating attractions that are better in person than on video, or designing experiences that inspire guests to return, the challenge is creating memories that last long after the visit ends. In this “extra helpings” episode where Matt shares even more thoughts from his recent CoasterNerdCon trip, Matt and Josh talk about why being present matters, and how attractions can create experiences that guests want to relive. Being Present in the Moment “I really wanted to just be present in the moment, and I wanted to take a picture with my mind instead of with my phone.” There is a balance between documenting experiences and fully enjoying them. From concerts to fireworks and theme parks, Matt and Josh reflect on how photos can preserve memories, yet they rarely recreate the emotions of actually being there. Guests should experience special moments firsthand rather than view everything through a camera lens. Experiences Go Beyond the Camera “Get out and experience it.” Roller coaster POV videos, virtual reality, and ride photography are all ways to capture the experience. While videos and photos can spark excitement, they cannot reproduce the physical sensations, atmosphere, sounds, and emotions of being on an attraction. Additionally, attraction photography creates lasting keepsakes without distracting guests from living the experience in real time. Bottling the Perfect Park Day “Well, the park is the bottle.” Inspired by a conversation at Knoebels, Matt explores the idea of "bottling" the feeling of a perfect day at a park. However, operators already package memorable experiences through the environment, attractions, food, and guest interactions. They also acknowledge that while consistency is important, the variety of each visit is what keeps guests coming back for something new. Creating Reasons to Return “One of the things I talk about from a guest experience standpoint is planting the seed for the next visit.” Exceptional guest experience extends beyond today's visit. By highlighting attractions guests have not yet experienced, encouraging different ways to enjoy familiar attractions, and promoting future opportunities, attractions can naturally inspire repeat visitation without relying solely on discounts or promotions. When Audio Becomes Part of the Attraction “It truly enhances the experience.” On-ride audio, synchronized music, and storytelling can elevate an attraction. Matt highlights recent examples that seamlessly blend audio with ride movements, while Josh reflects on Hard Rock Park's legendary music-driven roller coasters and why perfectly timed soundtracks create memories that guests still remember years later.   What attraction experience has stayed with you long after you left the park? Have you ever chosen to put your phone away and simply enjoy the moment? Share your thoughts with us on social media or by visiting AttractionPros.com. We'd love to continue the conversation and hear your perspective. To connect with AttractionPros: AttractionPros.com AttractionPros@gmail.com AttractionPros on Facebook AttractionPros on LinkedIn AttractionPros on Instagram AttractionPros on Twitter (X)

It's the ninth anniversary since The Live FAB Life Podcast debuted! In this return episode, I'm sharing the real story behind the seven-month hiatus: the slow fade that started last year, the mental block that made me hate even talking about my own offers, and the POV exercise in a photography community that cracked something open I didn't know was closed. I walk you through getting laid off after eighteen years in corporate tech, and what it revealed about how sanded-down and sanitized my own voice had become without me noticing. I also share where things stand now — the refresh (not rebrand) that I've been quietly doing all summer, what's ahead for this show, how Substack fits in, and the point of view I landed on after all of it. READ THE SHOW NOTES WORK WITH ME CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM JOIN THE COMMUNITY

Posloucháte Jedno procento Miloše Čermáka. Já jsem Miloš Čermák a moje jedno procento jsou dva centimetry na výšku a asi kilogram živé váhy. Jedno procento je taky podcast, kam si zvu zajímavé a zábavné hosty. Nebo prostě lidi, které mám rád či z různých důvodů obdivuju.Jirka Doležal splňuje vše, a proto je za sedmiletou existenci podcastu hostem již poněkolikáté. Známe se pětatřicet let, od roku 1990 takzvaně od vidění, nejčastěji v někdejší Národní knihovně, a v roce 1991 jsme oba zhruba ve stejnou dobu nastoupili do Reflexu. Pro mě byla práce novináře v podstatě splnění dětského snu. Pro Jirku nevím, on sám říká, že do novinařiny šel s jediným úkolem, a to zlegalizovat marihuanu. Před dvěma lety prohlásil, že už novinář není.Co dělá dnes? Fotí kavky na Kulaťáku. Vyhnaly odtamtud krysy, teď se schyluje k válce s holuby a Jirka fandí kavkám. Píše haiku, která ho napadají v tramvaji číslo 12: první dva řádky přijdou samy, třetí se dodělává. A haiku také vystavuje, lépe řečeno vystavoval. Na dřevěných sloupech kavárny Šesťák na Vítězném náměstí visela kakemona s jeho verši a on to považuje za největší průnik své tvorby do veřejného prostoru za celý život. K tomu si vydal bibliofilii v nákladu padesáti podepsaných a číslovaných výtisků. A až ho haiku přestanou napadat, což se prý od vydání knížky děje, vrátí se k broušení mečů.Jirka si do studia přinesl domácí úkol: vyvracení předsudků. Takže za prvé, mladá generace nejsou sněhové vločky. Ti povedení jsou o deset kilometrů dál, než jsme byli my. A za druhé, v Česku je neuvěřitelný intelektuální potenciál, jenže ho neumíme využít: viz Tomáš Mikolov, špičkový vědec, který se vrátil z amerických AI laboratoří do Prahy a pět let tu nedostal grant. Poslouchejte.Mluvili jsme o tom, že se díky AI možná blížíme civilizačnímu zlomu, a Jirka nahlas přemýšlí, co by to udělalo se všeobecným volebním právem. Povídali jsme si taky o inteligenčních testech pro chobotnice a o tom, jak by v nich dopadli někteří voliči. A mlivili jsme taky o smrti. A přesto to bylo překvapivě veselé vyprávění. Dozvíte se v něm , proč zkrachovala Jirkova rozvodová poradna a jaké ponaučení si z toho odnesl. Je to trochu zábavné a trochu dojemné.Já ještě připomínám, že pro vás v Inspirujse připravujeme nové workshopy na podzimní měsíce. Chceme ukazovat, k čemu AI používat a k čemu spíš ne, a jak hledat smysl v života v éře, kdy AI bude spousty věcí dělat líp než my. Zní to vznešeně, ale budeme to ukazovat zcela prakticky, na to, jak jsme AI zařadili do života my.Na září jsou už vyhlášené veřejné workshopy AI Masterclass a vibecoding pro neprogramátory, který dělám s Pavlem Kasíkem, tak se včas registrujte.Ale teď už přeju fajn poslech podcastu s Jirkou Doležalem.

YA Thrillers are living their best moment right now, and if you ever wanted to attend a barn party, or wondered what it would be like to be questioned by the police when your best friend is murdered, then this book is for you. Killing Sadie is Rachel Peterson's debut novel, published by SimonTeen. Here's what we do know: there was another infamous barn party at the McClain family farm last night, and things went horribly wrong. By the end of the night, there were two dead bodies in the old barn: seventeen-year-old Sadie Cooper and her killer, Mason Vreeland. The murder was heartbreakingly witnessed by Sadie's twin sister, Jayne, and Sadie died in her arms. Mason was killed by Sadie's boyfriend, Ben, in an attempt to save Sadie. Aside from figuring out Mason's motive, it should be an open-and-shut case. But it's not. The story unfolds just after the murders, and Jayne, Ben, and Sadie's best friend, Liz, are telling the cops what transpired at the party and the events leading up to it. But little details don't match. And those little details start to add up to big discrepancies. But who's lying, and why? The shocking truth is revealed in the third act, when the POV shifts to victim Sadie herself, in the days leading up to the party. Witness exactly what happened—and see if you can piece it all together. Because poor Sadie totally missed what was right in front of her. Want to know more about how this story came to be, what the inspiration was and how Rachel went about writing it (lots of planning, perhaps?), then check out this episode to learn more. Rachel's Links Website Instagram Buy the book

What's up, Group Chat!!!Your favorite crew is back with another entertaining recap of BB28! We will cover the nominations, POV results, and the live feeds!Thank you all for listening, sharing, and subscribing. We appreciate you.Byyyeee!- AWAGBT Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aye-who-all-gon-be-there--5034054/support.Exclusive Listener Discounts:Cozy Earth (21% OFF any product)Description - Luxurious bamboo sheets, pajamas, & morePromo code: https://cozyearth.com/discount/GROUPCHAT FS Drinks (20% OFF any product)Description - Café-quality bottled boba drinksPromo code: https://fsdrinks.com/discount/GROUPCHAT Molly BZ (10% OFF any product)Description - Artisan-crafted cookiesPromo code: https://mollybz.com/discount/GROUPCHAT

Jennie Nash hosts a #amwriting podcast BookLab with guest Kathleen Barber, author of Truth Be Told and newly released Sisterhood Above All (co-written with Amayah Shaienne), and discusses Barber's range across thrillers and romance, her character-first approach, and how RushTok inspired an authentic sorority-rush thriller featuring Madison, Shay, and Ava as tensions escalate and someone dies. They define RushTok as viral TikTok coverage of University of Alabama sorority recruitment and note its broad international fascination. In the BookLab, they evaluate three first-page submissions by asking “Would we turn the page?” They praise Heather's Trust Me for strong voice, vivid Austin setting, and an intriguing problem hook, with minor notes about genre context. They decline Odeon Omega due to unearned logistics and too much dialogue despite an intriguing title/advert. They find Empty Spaces compellingly written but confusing from too many names and unclear stakes, suggesting more interiority and clarity.#AmWriting is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Connect with KathleenVisit Kathleen's website to find her books and more: https://www.kathleenbarber.comTranscriptJennie: [00:00:00] Hi, I'm Jennie Nash, and you're listening to the #amwriting podcast, the place where we help writers of all kinds play big in your writing life, love the process, and stick with it long enough to finish what matters most. This is a book lab session where we answer the most important question about your first pages.Would we pick up the book? Would we turn the page? Today, I have a really special guest with me. I have Kathleen Barber here, who is so many things. She's the author of Truth Be Told, which was adapted as a series on Apple TV, Follow Me, Both Things Are True, and just brand new, like it came out four days ago, Sisterhood Above All, with, I'm gonna try her name, Amaya Chen?How do you-Barbara: Yeah. Uh, um, yeah. That's, that's very close. I think it's Amaya Chen.Jennie: Okay. Yeah. Uh, so we're gonna hear about that in a minute. Um, I haven't, I haven't cracked it open yet, but I'm so [00:01:00] excited for it. Um, Kathleen's also an Author Accelerator certified book coach and a former attorney, and she lives in Washington, DC with her family.So welcome, Kathleen.Barbara: Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be here.Jennie: So I watched your unboxing the other day. It was so fun, and I didn't realize that we had scheduled this right on top of, like the actual- Oh ... launch of your book.Barbara: No, that, that's okay. It's, it's great. Um, it gives me something to think about that's not just, like, spiraling.Like, is anybody gonna read my book? Is anybody gonna like it? Um, so it gives me something else to focus on.Jennie: Well, it's so interesting you say that because I think of you as this really seasoned pro and, you know, it's been really interesting for me to watch your career because you've written some really different kinds of books.You did a ... Well, your first book was obviously a big thriller and a huge success, and at one point, you pivoted to romance, and now you're doing ... Well, I, I saw that book list [00:02:00] called Sisterhood Above All, a soapy thriller Yes. Yes ... which is such a great description, and you did it with a collaborator. So you just seem interested in story to me.Barbara: I, I am. Yeah. I'm always very ... I always start a story with the characters. Um, and so then their story kind of spirals out from there. Um, yeah, so I, my last book that came out before this one was, was a rom-com. Um, and I was really nervous when I started writing it. I was like, “How am I going to write this when I've been writing suspense and thrillers before?”And it turns out that, like, at the heart of it, stories are stories, and people are people, and, you know, in a romance, happy things happen. In a thriller, bad things happen, but things still happen.Jennie: Amazing. So give us the overview of the brand new book, ‘cause it's, it's really juicy.Barbara: Yeah. Yeah, so I'm really excited about it.Um, Sisterhood Above All is a thriller set during sorority rush, and so it follows three different [00:03:00] women who are involved there. There's Madison, who is the president of what's she perceives as to be the coolest sorority on campus, so she's kind of the gatekeeper, and there's Shay, who is the president of a rival sorority and trying to shake, shake up the Greek institutions, and then there's Ava, who is a potential new member.She's going through rush. She's desperate to join Madison's sorority, um, and she might be a little too desperate. Uh, so you know, it's a thriller. Bad things happen. Somebody dies, um, you know, and things kind of spiral out, spiral out of control.Jennie: But tell us about the collaboration, ‘cause it's- Yeah ... so interesting how that came about and how it went and-Barbara: Yeah.You know, it was, it was a lot of fun. Um, I, like many writers, write alone, and I had never really considered collaborating with anybody before, um, but- But when I was kind of talking about this, I, I'd been pitching my agent a sorority themed thriller for a while. [00:04:00] Um, and at one point when, when Rush Talk was getting really big a couple summers ago, she was like, “This is the moment.This, you should write this book, but I think that in order to make it feel more authentic, we should bring in somebody who's living this in this moment.” Um, so one of her colleagues found Amaya, who, um, was up until very, very recently an active member of a sorority at the University of Alabama, and brought us together.And Amaya and I got along right away, and we both had kind of the same vision for what we wanted the book to be, and so collaborating with her was, was a lot of fun in a way that I had been nervous that it wouldn't be. But it was, it was a really good time, and I'm really, really proud of the book.Jennie: So for those who don't know or weren't following, can you tell us what Rush Talk-Barbara: YeahwasJennie: or isBarbara: or- Yeah ... shall be? Yes, yes, yes. So, um, so if you're gonna join a sorority, um, you go through, you go through recruitment and which is very slangily [00:05:00] called rush. Um, and so on TikTok a few years ago, um, people started sharing about their experiences during sorority rush, but specifically, uh, during sorority rush at the University of Alabama.Um, and it really took on a life of its own, like people were watching it like it was, you know, a television program. Uh, they made a documentary about it, which, you know, I'll, I will let you make your own conclusions about the documentary. Um, but people just got really, really into it, and people... And it was kind of appealing to people who had gone through sorority rush at some point, were thinking about going through a sorority rush, or who were just invested in, you know, watching people have these kind of outlandish experiences and, and share them.So, um, itJennie: was a lot of fun. My understanding was that it got very, very popular in other countries?Barbara: I- it's definitely... [00:06:00] Yeah. You know, um- So sorority, some, some sororities are international. Not, not all of them are. Um, but by and large, when they say international, they mean that there are chapters in Canada, not that, like, there are chapters in, you know, like Europe or, or other countries.And so it just, it's something that is so unique and so, like, uniquely about, like, this type of college experience that I think it's been really interesting to people in lots of different places.Jennie: Yeah, yeah. Fascinating. So obviously the book has been out, like, mere hours here. But, um, how does it feel? Are you, are you- It's excitingyou said you were excited and proud and- SoBarbara: exciting. Yeah. I'm, I'm, I'm really, really proud of the book. I love it. I mean, I know everybody, like, loves their own books, but I do. I truly, like, love this book, and I just really hope that the readers do too.Jennie: You know, it's not true that everybody loves their book.I, I was dying to have somebody on the podcast who will never come on the podcast. But I- Yeah ... I heard a story about somebody who [00:07:00] got a seven-figure deal for a book that they really didn't actually love, and then- Oh, no ... they, they wrote it. It came out, and then when they had to co- come time to do the publicity, they just dreaded it.They, it was like a, just they did it for the money. They got the money, and then didn't, didn't wanna talk about it, like felt sort of ashamed about it. And I was like, “Oh, please, come talk about that.” But of course they, they won't. So...Barbara: That's wild. Isn't that wild? That's wild. Yeah. I just, I just can't even imagine how that would feel.Um, I mean...Jennie: I know. Well, I, uh, the cover of this, um, of this new book, Sisterhood Above All, is- is really cool too. So we will link to it in the show notes, and everyone can go read it and check it out, and, um, Kathleen's other books, I've read them all, and you have such range and, um, like I said, [00:08:00] interesting stories.So with that, let's get to our, our Book Lab entries. We just always wanna start by thanking those who submitted. It's not easy to do this, to put your stuff out there with no context and no ability to talk back or anything and have random s- people on the internet, you know, talk about your stuff. So really appreciate the, the risk-taking of doing that, and we do this in order to help us all get better and, and learn, you know, what works and, and, um, for your own self or your own writing, what, what you want it to be.So what we're gonna do, as always, is I'm gonna read the entry, and then we're gonna ask ourselves, would we turn the page? So, um, the first entry is Fiction and it is, uh, author's name is [00:09:00] Heather and the name of the work is Trust Me. So here we goI can't tell you whether it's the Johnny Cash mural, clusters of candles nestled into every corner of the long stone bar, or the smoky scent of Palo Santo that tucks Austin into my head the first night. Maybe it's the unexpected jazz trio on a Tuesday in a town built for blues, country, and rock, or it could be the two cowboys deep in conversation at a table in the back of the bar.I'll later, I'll later learn that making a hot Austin guy a cowboy because of his hat, faded jeans, and scuffed boots is the same as labing- labeling a frat bro in a hoodie and sweats an athlete. It's just how they dress. I can tell you I like the looks of Austin men a hell of a lot better, especially that wide silver belt buckle that dresses up the whole package in a bow.It's going [00:10:00] on nine PM when I arrive at Whistlers in East Austin, and the bartender hands, hands me a peach-colored mezcal craft cocktail. Fresh juice, pungent herbs, and the smoky sister to tequila are the perfect salve after what's transpired since my flight landed from New York two hours earlier. I follow the snake tattoo on his foreha- forearm as the bartender shakes another cocktail for the couple next to me.Damn, he's hot, too. The crowd starts to pick up, and I signal Snake Tattoo for another before I lose his attention for good. The warm agave liquor spreads through my bones, and I start to relax. Maybe this isn't the disaster I think it is. Maybe I can actually pull it off. I glance around at the mostly twenty and thirty-something crowd angling for spots at the bar.The women wear short dresses and long hair. The men, well, those jeans are something, along with their finely cut biceps and well-placed tattoos. Can't help but glance over at those cowboys again and get a warm smile in [00:11:00] return. Easy, girl. Back to business. I have a problem, and this second mezcal is going to help me solve it.All right. What do you think? What was your first impression?Barbara: I really enjoyed that. I would definitely turn the page there. I, I feel like there was, like, a really strong sense of, sense of place, and I, in particular, I really enjoyed the, the first line, not only because it gives us that sense of place, but it, because it also then tells us something about the narrator and how she perceives the world around her in that first line.Jennie: Yeah, and, and there's a good m- a, a good question at hand here, which is what's she doing here?Barbara: Mm-hmm.Jennie: She's come from New York. We get that. It's a little unclear how, how old she is, ‘cause she's referencing other people's ages, but not her own, so we, we don't really know what's happening or what, what's, what's about.[00:12:00] Um, I mean, I thought the writ-Barbara: Well, IJennie: agree. Yeah. I thought the writing was great. It sort of tripped along-Barbara: Mm ...Jennie: um, nicely. IBarbara: like at the end where... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to step on you. No,Jennie: no, go. Yeah. I like atBarbara: the end, I like at the end where, um, she says she has a problem, and the second mezcal is gonna help her solve it.I thought that was really interesting, ‘cause I, it piqued my interest, made me wanna know what the problem is, but it's also kind of funny. Like, the mezcal's probably not gonna help you solve your problem, but it's like...Jennie: Yeah. No, it's so true. I was longing for a little bit more of a sense of what's happening here.I mean, this could be any kind of story at this point. It could be she could be a spy. She could be an assassin. She could be trying to get a guy back. Like, we, there's really no sense of what the story's gonna be. I always like that on the first page. What about you?Barbara: Yeah. I, I agree with you. I, it, it could, it could go in any direction.I kind of [00:13:00] sense from the tone that it's, you know, it's going to be something, uh- Well, I guess I don't know. You know, honestly. Now, now that I'm looking at it again and thinking about it, um, you're right, it could be... The, the problem that she has could be a thriller problem, or it could be a romantic problem, since she's kind of made, made comments about the different men.I think that was a hint to me that it might be a romantic problem that she's having, but I actually don't know.Jennie: Yeah. The, the- obviously she's clocking all the hot guys in this bar, which tells us something, either about her or what she's up to. We don't know. Um, but yeah, it's, um, really good detail, like the, you mentioned that first line, and I liked the line about her sh- the self-awareness about, you know, she calls him a cowboy and then she says, you know, sort of like, “Oh, right, that's not really fair.”Mm-hmm. “We don't know.” [00:14:00] You know, that, I thought that was, made me think- Yeah ... this character's gonna know themselves.Barbara: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I agree with that. I, I also really enjoyed the kind of specificity that she uses in the descriptions, like when she talks about, you know, the, the cocktail that she's drinking, and the tattoo on the bartender's arm.Like, I just felt like those details really made the story come alive for me. So that, like, even if I didn't exactly know where we were going, I could, I could picture where we were.Jennie: Yeah. Yeah. That's really well said. Well, we like this. I think I would, I would turn the page.Barbara: I would, I would too, yeah. Mm-hmm.Jennie: We would turn the page. Um, I mean, the only notes I think for me would be, I mean, it's always so tricky, because if we were picking this book up, the title, Trust Me, doesn't really tell us anything, but the cover would.Outro: Mm-hmm.Jennie: The vibe of the cover would. We'd have a little more context for where we were and [00:15:00] what this was about, and that would probably help with the issue that, that I have, which is, well, what kind of book is this?We don't know. Um, and you know, now that I'm thinking of it, we don't even know whe- where we are in time. Um, I'm, I'm assuming modern day, but I don't know why I assumed that. It, maybe it's not. So maybe just a tiny bit more of a sense of- Uh, context for the reader. Mm-hmm. But that's my only note. L- do you have any notes?Barbara: Yeah. You know, I honestly don't think that I, I have any additional notes. I mean, I, I really enjoyed this selection, and I would definitely keep reading here.Jennie: Well, Heather, that's high praise, soBarbara: Yeah, I, I usually have ideas. I usually have notes but I don't.Jennie: Yeah, that's, uh, that's g- a good one for us to start with, and very fun, I hope, for you to hear that from Kathleen.All right, let's [00:16:00] go to our, our next one. This is fiction. It's called Odeon Omega, um, and the author is ... Well, the, the, um, it's coming across as, um, Sound Smith, but who knows what that is? So, um, Odeon Omega, they will know who they are, for sure. All right, here we go. “The grand O-O opening continues all month long at your new entertainment destination, the one and only, first of its kind on this or any other coast, the all-new, all-excitement Odeon Omega.‘Gah!' Emmy shrieked from the bathroom. ‘You can turn the TV volume down now, Seth. We're done.' Seth was still lying in bed, his naked body mostly covered with Emmy's cream-colored, satiny soft sheets. He chuckled while reaching for the remote. ‘I wasn't the one who turned it up.' ‘I know that. I have to [00:17:00] turn the TV way up like that, though.It's the only way to drown out the neighbors. The walls in this place are so damn thin, and they're always banging on them, disturbing me when I'm trying to have sex.' ‘Those b******s,' Seth chuckled. ‘I'm saying, I like ... I'm saying, like, what am I supposed to do? Not f**k? Hey, that is so not an option,' Seth p- Seth pressed the mute button, then went back to lying on his back, his hands behind his head.Another noise startled him, this one coming from Emmy's phone. A toneless version of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun blared from Emmy's clutch purse. ‘Turn that off, too,' Emmy shouted from the bathroom. ‘That's my mother's ringtone. I don't feel like talking to her right now.' Seth rolled over to the nightstand and opened her clutch and found the button to silence Emmy's phone.He lingered on the image of Emmy's mother. ‘Wow, Emmy, you and your mom could pass for sisters, easy.' ‘Ew, don't tell me that,' Emmy said. ‘Tell her that, but not me. Bet you're already imagining yourself in a threesome with her and me, [00:18:00] aren't you?' ‘Huh, what's that?' Seth was distracted by Emmy's driver's license in the clutch's interior pocket.He slid it out of the pocket and read what he assumed was Emmy's birth name. ‘Myrtle? What? Your re- your real name is Myrtle?' Emmy stepped out of the bathroom, still naked from their lovemaking, with a sky blue-colored towel clenched between her legs.”That's a vibe.Barbara: It is. It is, yeah. I mean, opening, uh, opening in the aftermath of sex is a, is a bold choice. I'll be honest, I don't feel like I have very much context for what's happening here. Um, it seems like Emmy and Seth don't know each other veryJennie: well. I got that sense, too. I got that sense, too, and that the sex that she has this system for turning up the TV has been for other people.Barbara: Mm-hmm. [00:19:00] Yeah. On, on that note, though, I did kind of have, uh, a fundamental disbelief about the setup that was giving me a stumbling block when I was reading this, just because it didn't seem to make a lot of sense to me that she would turn up the television to distract herself from the neighbors, when I would think that that would be more distracting or, you know, just use music or...And I didn't really understand why she would be explaining it to him after the fact instead of in the moment. Um, that felt like it was perhaps just put there for the reader,Jennie: so that we could be distracted. Yeah, it was a little explainy, a little... Yeah, like a, um, we use that term info dump, and an info dump doesn't have to be a whole scene.It can just be a line like that where I, I didn't buy it either that she would actually say that to him now. Mm-hmm. If... He probably would've said, “Why are you turning the TV on?”Barbara: Right.Jennie: Earlier.Barbara: Yeah. Yeah, [00:20:00] yeah, and it seemed like that would be the conversation that would have before we got to this moment. So that was something that, that I struggled with a bit.Jennie: I also didn't believe, it felt like, uh, unearned that he's pulling this license out of her purse. I could see, I could see that he might have seen something on her phone if he's turning her phone off. But-Barbara: Mm-hmm ...Jennie: to, to actually then see... I kept, like I was trying to think through the logistics. Like, okay, see one of those little slidey things inside a purse, but you can't see- Mmthe driver's license. Like, why would he reach in and pull it out? It felt like the author wanted us to get to this moment where- Mm-hmm ... Seth got this information.Barbara: Mm-hmm. Yeah.Jennie: It, yeah, it felt unearned to me.Barbara: Yeah. I, I agree, especially because it doesn't seem like Seth knows her very well, obviously. Then for him to be [00:21:00] digging around in her clutch purse felt- Untrue to the situation, um, unless something else was going on that we don't hear about.Jennie: Yeah, yeah. Um, this... When I said, like, “Well, this is a vibe,” this character has a, a tone or a style or sense about, like a sort of swagger about- Mm-hmm ... her that interests me. Um, I happen to be in the middle... I'm behind everybody else, but I'm in the middle of reading Yesteryear. Oh. Have you read-Barbara: Oh. Yes, yes.Jennie: Don't tell me what ha- I, I- Don't tell me ...Barbara: I w- I won't. I was also late to it, and everybody was trying to tell me about it, and I was just constantly walking around going, “No spoilers, no spoilers.” Yeah.Jennie: But the, that character has, has such a brashness- Mm-hmm ... of point of view and opinion in both, um, both parts of the story there, and there's something about this character that rem- reminds me of that.[00:22:00] There's like a, I don't know, um, a, just a brashness. S- And I, I've been enjoying that protagonist- Mm-hmm ... the Yesteryear protagonist, just ‘cause it's unusual. I've read a tiny bit, and I know people are saying, “Oh, she is so unlikable,” but there's just something of a character that's so owning their, um-Barbara: Mm-hmmJennie: way, and this woman's ownership of, of her sexuality, I guess, I, I thought was- Hmm ... interesting.Barbara: Yeah. No, I, I, I know what you mean, and I, I, I am intrigued by her as a character because, I mean, again, here she, she seems to have kind of an interesting setup in a, an apartment building that has thin walls, um, has this system of turning up her television, um, but not with Seth before.So, you know, it seems like she's had several partners back to this, this space. Um, but she seems very, very confident and, like you said, kind of swaggery [00:23:00] with him. Um, so yeah, I, I am intrigued to know more about, like, who she is and what makes her that way. Um...Jennie: Yeah. Uh, for me, probably not enough to turn the page.Um-Barbara: Not for, not for me either. I-Jennie: Yeah. And, and I have to say that the thing that intrigues me the most about this whole thing is that the title of this book is Odeon Omega, and that's the random, um- I think that's the random show on TVBarbara: Yeah,Jennie: the- Am I ma- am IBarbara: making that up? No, no, no, that, that, that's the first line.It's, um, it sounds like it's maybe like a commercial. I was kind of envisioning it from the way that it was spelled out as, you know, kind of like, uh, oh, the way that like a, a carnival or like a car salesman is like, “The grand o- o- opening.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, that's kind of how I was envisioning it.Um, so I, I didn't, I did enjoy s- seeing that right up front, um, [00:24:00] but I wanted more context to understand what it was, because without that, I, I don't know what that line means. Um-Jennie: And that just the author's choice, like, okay, the TV's on f- for a random reason- Mm-hmm ... or for her systematic sex reason, and, and she's hearing this show opening, and then that's the title of the book.Like, something about this, I, I thought of it as a, yeah, like a carnival or a show or something- Mm-hmm ... a theme park, um, that there's g- that's gonna become central to the story. It's kind of an interesting way of putting that in in, and presumably- Mm ... it will come back, um- Yeah ... in an important way. But I, I was intrigued by that most of all, actually.Barbara: Yeah. No, same, especially because that's the moment that Emmy says, “Turn the volume down.” So I was, uh, so it made it seem, to me at least, that there was something about that particular advertisement that she [00:25:00] was reacting to, and I wanted to know what that was.Jennie: Well, that's a really great point, and I think if we were to give this writer some guidance- Um, it might be to make more of that.Mm. If the character reacts more to that. Like, in, you know, that she can't hear it or that it's upsets her in a particular way, or she gives us some information or context about that so that we, I don't know, I guess we need to be more grounded in, in what's happening.Barbara: Yeah. And I also just feel like that would give us a little bit more s- because it, that's right there in the title, so it's obviously gonna be important to the story.And so like that would give us a little bit of curiosity about what it is and would propel us to try and understand why she's reacting the way that she is. Um-Jennie: Yeah. And just from a technical [00:26:00] standpoint, I'm looking at this entry, it's almost all dialogue.Barbara: Mm-hmm.Jennie: Which I think is hard on a, an opening page.Uh, don't you? I think-Barbara: I, I do. I, I would really have liked to see a little bit more interiority from Emmy here to kind of, I don't know, understand how she feels, not only about that advertisement, but about, about Seth. Like, did she li- does she like Seth, or is he just like a guy, you know? Um, I just wanted to know a little bit more about how she, who I'm presuming is the protagonist, is experiencing this scene.Jennie: Yeah. Um, yeah, there was even a moment when I thought, “Is she selling sex?” Mm-hmm. Is, is that... Is she a sex worker? Um, you know- True ... so too many questions about what's, what's happening here, which I think could be solved by, um, balancing out the dialogue, um, w- with some other information. [00:27:00] Mm-hmm. Um, yeah, I mean, I'm, um, I'm hoping that this character gets a story that we want, we want to read ‘cause I'm intrigued.Barbara: Yeah. Same. Same.Jennie: Yeah. All right. We have one more that we're going to, um, read. Do you wanna read this one? From your little, “Oh, oh, oh,” opening- ... I was like, “Oh, maybe you're a good narrator. I'm not.”Barbara: Sure. Sure. I'll, I'll read it. Um, so this one is called Empty Spaces. Um, it's fiction. I'm not entirely certain who the author is, unless I'm missing that in the spreadsheet.It looks like perhaps it starts with a T. Um, but here, here is the submission. “April 1st, 1995. ‘Please, please, please,' Corey sputtered, gripping the black receiver with both hands while the operator relayed her [00:28:00] request. ‘Person-to-person call for Tess. Will you accept the charges?' ‘No, she's asleep.' Corey knew her mother was at the beige phone on the kitchen wall a thousand miles away.Then her father's voice in the background. ‘Honey, let the girl talk to her dau-...' And dial tone. Corey slammed the receiver back into its cradle. ‘What the f**k?' She missed. Her knuckles scraped the chrome holder, and she unleashed her fury on the edge of the black payphone. ‘F**k, f**k, f*****g f****r.' The rain that had been collecting in the roo- in the rim of the payphone box was shaken loose by her tantrum and cascaded down inside the collar of her flay- flight jacket.Well, Charlie's flight jacket. ‘Skipper,' came Top's quiet baritone from behind her. ‘We're ready to roll.' ‘Thanks, Top.' Corey accepted the styrofoam cup of coffee he handed her, then sloshed her way to the lead truck, Arlo trotting at her heels. She hoisted herself up into the passenger side of the rig. Arlo curled up beside her and dug his head into her lap.Why did her mother have to be such a [00:29:00] little b***h? And on this night. Was it too much to expect her to remember that it was Charlie's birthday? No, Maria remembered. She was the one who kept a file of birthday cards, organized by month and paper clipped to envelopes, neatly stamped and addressed to the recipient.But nobody sends a birthday card to a dead person.” After a few minutes, Top started his status report. “Got word from the 24-hour man. The lot they gave us was too small and underwater. He put up a fuss and got us moved to the football field at the high school.” Corey took a sip. “It'll be nice to have a dry lot.Daisy's got that one nail that looks a little soft.” She fiddled with the radio, settling on a country station, what else was there, and yawned. “Where are we headed tonight?” And that is it.Jennie: Wow, well, author T., uh, Wood, what a treat to have Kathleen Barber read your, read your stuff like that. Gee, you, you sounded amazing.You sounded like you'd written that. That was so cool. Do you- I, uh- ... narrate your own books?Barbara: I, I do not, but I have [00:30:00] small children, and I read aloud every night.Jennie: Do you do the voices?Barbara: Oh, yes, I definitely do the voices.Jennie: Do you do all of them, like, in aBarbara: very- I do all of them.Jennie: You do?Barbara: Yeah, yeah. My, my kids were really into the Wings of Fire series, so I've read all of those books, and there are many, many dragons, and they all have different voices, and if I do not remember the different voice, my children will be like, “Mommy, that's not what Peril sounds like,” and then I'll have to remember and try again,Jennie: so.Take notes? Do you have, do you have a guide? Do you just remember? Um,Barbara: no, I just, I just try and remember.Jennie: Oh,Barbara: my. I should take notes, but I'm not that organized. I just go off.Jennie: That, that's amazing. That's amazing. Um, just while we're talking about it, is there audio already for the new book, for, uh, Sisterhood Above All?Barbara: There, there is. There is, yeah. Um, I recently got, uh, got a peek at it, and I am very, very excited. We have a different [00:31:00] narrator for each of the POV characters, and they are all fantastic. Super excited.Jennie: Amazing. All right, so back to this, back to this work. Um, I thought this was great. Uh, did you, did you, how did you feel reading it?Barbara: I, I, I enjoyed reading it. Um, when, when I was, when I was reading it the first time, I, I found myself getting stopped a few times because I felt like there were a lot of names, and I was confused. Um, you know, it's, it's in- I don't feel like an author needs to spell out for me who every single character is on the first page at all.Um, it just felt like in a small amount of time, there were a lot of names that I felt like I was trying to keep track of, and that was a bit confusing for me. Slowed me down a little bit.Jennie: I agree with that. Actually, the first time that I read it And [00:32:00] admittedly, I was scanning these really fast the first time I read it, but there, there's something to that, how things hit your head.But I thought that, um, I thought Daisy was a horse because I was like the one nail that looks a little soft, like is who, what- Yeah ... where would that matter that we need to be on grass? And, and, and then I was like, “Wait, who even is Daisy?” So I got stuck on that- Yeah ... for sure. And, um, and then the, um, there's a nickname that I think the main...I think Corey, the, the other character calls her Skipper, so I was confused by that. Right. So it, yeah. Yeah. Are those some of the things that you mean?Barbara: Yeah. The, those was... And I was also just a little confused when I first started reading that it starts out with person to person call for Tess, and then we're talking about her mother.And I, I thought at first that her mother was [00:33:00] named Tess, and that, and that the operator was trying to reach her, and that her mother was simply not, simply not wanting to talk even though she was by the phone. But then later on I realized that her mother is actually named Maria, and that Tess must be somebody else.Um, I think Corey's daughter, but I didn't, I didn't catch that on first reading. I had to read it again to be able to understand that.Jennie: Yeah. So there, there is a lot going on for sure. When I said that I thought it was great, I- I'm, I'm hoping that this character's some kind of trucker just because that's cool, and, um, it, it seemed like we have some tension both in whatever's happening around...You know, like, they have a 24-hour man. They're... Uh, so there's something afoot. Like, there's a pr- a project or something afoot that feels like it's not gonna go well or something's gonna [00:34:00] happen there. Um, and I also, you know, now we have the thing with the, well, we learn I think it's the mom. But, um, th- there- Yeahwere enough elements of intrigue, like, what's, what's going on here, what's gonna happen, that I... And I thought it was well-written.Barbara: Yeah. No, and I, one of the things that I really enjoyed was the way, the, the descriptions of what the, what the scenery looks like with the, with like the weather. So like there's, there's the rain, um, there's another line about how when they're like getting into the truck that like the lot is underwater, so I'm kind of like envisioning...I actually don't know what time of day it is, but for some reason I'm envisioning it being a little bit darker, but that might just be because of, of the rain that's happening. Maybe that's what's making me think that it's, it's a little bit darker outside, but I'm like envisioning the, the rain, and they're getting into the rig.But I, I didn't get that she was a truck driver. I, I, I think maybe... But I, but I, [00:35:00] I don't know. I don't know. I thought that maybe she was some sort of- Some sort of, like, news person. But I don't... ‘Cause I don't actually, I don't actually know what a 24-hour man is, so I think that might have... Okay. Yeah. No, I don't know.I was just like... So I, so I didn't know. Um, but I was, I was curious to know... Yeah. I was gonna say, I was curious to know why she was making this call to her mother at this moment, and why she was so desperate for her mother to answer the phone at this moment. Um, so yeah, th- those were, those are questions that I had.Jennie: Usually, back in the day, which this was, um, will you accept the charges was something you did when you had no money.Barbara: Mm-hmm.Jennie: You know, you would call home or wherever and, ‘cause you didn't have money to make a call, so the operator would place the call and ask the [00:36:00] person to accept the charges. Mm-hmm. And normally you would do that with somebody who knows you have, you're having a problem, or, you know.So, like, this is a very particular moment that led me to believe that she didn't, she didn't even have money for a call. So- Mm-hmm ... I don't know why I placed her as a trucker. Like, she climbed into the- Oh, okay ... the rig. She s- she sloshed her way to the lead truck. She's fiddling with the radio station. Like, what, where we headed?Yeah. Like, we're just on a job. I totally made her a truckerBarbara: and I- Yeah. No, no, no. I, well, I think maybe the reason I thought maybe she wasn't was because there were all these other... Because, like, Top is there, and the, it's, it's a lead truck, and she's, she's getting into the passenger side. And there's also a, a, a dog, I assume.I assume Arlo's a dog. I suppose it could be some other sort of animal that's, that's with her, but I, I assume Arlo's a dog. Um- Well,Jennie: so this is actually a really great [00:37:00] conversation for anybody listening, and particularly for this author. You can see that if you confuse your reader They're gonna spend their time with these kinds of questions.Like, is the mother Tess or is it Corey? Is this woman a trucker or not? Is... You know, and those are not the kind of questions you want to be leaving your reader with. Those are-Barbara: Yeah ...Jennie: um, I don't know w- how we would describe them, almost logistics. They're,Barbara: they're more like de- yeah, yeah, exactly. ‘Cause I mean, they're, I, I, I enjoy getting a good question at the start of reading something, you know?Like, you know, I mean, for example, it's, it's really interesting that Corey made what seems to be a collect call, and they didn't just not answer it. They answered it, and then hung up on her, which feels, like, very purposeful. And so, like, I'm very, I'm very curious about that relationship. I'm curious about the fact that, that Charlie is, is dead, um, and [00:38:00] who Charlie is to the, to the narrator.These are things that, like, have piqued my curiosity, and I would like to learn more about, um, would inspire me to read more, to learn more about those things. Uh, but then those other things that we were talking about, like, well, like, who is this? W- what kind of animal is Daisy? Like, what are, where are they actually going?Like, what, what is, what is the goal here? What, what is the deal about the, the lot and the, and the football field? The, w- what are we gonna do here? Those are questions that, that slowed me down, and made me less likely to want to keep reading.Jennie: Yeah. I loved that line, “But nobody sends a birthday card to a dead person.”Barbara: Yeah.Jennie: And I, I'm thinking- Really poignant ... that that's the center of this story, you know, s- who, who was Charlie? I think you said that. Mm-hmm. Was-Barbara: Mm-hmm.Jennie: And ‘cause she's got the jacket.Barbara: Yeah.Jennie: She's got Charlie's jacket, so- That, that'sBarbara: true, and sh- and she's wearing it, I think. [00:39:00]Jennie: Yeah, and, and so- I mean, I suppose Charlie could be a child if this person is older.Barbara: Yeah.Jennie: Like, you know, um, but y- I ... So I had this weird reaction to this, which is I thought it was fun, and maybe that was you reading it. I thought, I thought the writing was great, but I wouldn't turn the page. I'd be frustrated. You know, if, if there was another book or another story that was, um, didn't make me work so hard- Mmto figure out where I was or what was happening, I would choose that over this. So it's a weird combination for me of great job, but it's a no for me.Barbara: Yeah,Jennie: that- What about you?Barbara: That's, that's how I felt. There, there were a lot of elements here that I think are, that are intriguing and that if presented slightly differently would make me want to turn the page.But as, as it is right now, I, I would not. [00:40:00]Jennie: I agree with that. I think it feels close. Mm-hmm. Um, so how could we give this person some direction for, um- Yeah ... well, you talked about all the names, and I don't think the solution is ID all these names.Barbara: Right.Jennie: Mm-hmm. That's gonna be clunky. Or ID all these people. Um-Barbara: Yeah.I, I think for, for me personally, what I think would help was if we were to get a bit more of a peek inside the nar- inside Corey's head, so we could understand from her perspective why it's important that she's making this call, like, what the goal is with the truck. Um, if we just saw it a little bit more from her view and got to know a little bit more of the information that she already holds in her head, I think that would go a long way to making the story feel more accessible to the reader.Jennie: That's really well said, and [00:41:00] hopefully that helps the writer for your next pass to, to think about. But I- there's something, there's something good I think here going on. Mm-hmm. And, uh, I have the same, um, comment that I had earlier. I, I wanna know what kind of story I'm in, and I'm s- and I'm not sure. We were talking about sorting out these relationships and what's happening with the field and the truck and then the weather and all that, but again, is thisThere's no sense of what kind of story this is going to be. And, um, I, I always want a little more. And, and the title is Empty Spaces, which doesn't help, um- Yeah ... point us to that. I hear that. So just a little more, um, of a sense of what world are we? What, what problem do we have? What world are we in? Um, you know, and even just that last bit where the character turns the radio station on and yawns, “Where are we headed [00:42:00] tonight?”It- there's, there's not an urgency of It's, s- nobody's running from anything. There's no- Right ... threat, uh,except for the mom who won't answer the call.Barbara: Yeah, yeah.Jennie: Yeah. Um, so a little, a little more of a sense of what's at stake. Um, I know, we always are asking so much on a first page, but- I know ...Barbara: uh. I know, but e- you know, it's, there are so many things to read, you know, from, like agents, editors, readers, all have so many things to choose from, and so it's just so important to nail that first page, you know?Jennie: How many times do you rewrite your first pages?Barbara: Oh my gosh, so many times. So many times. Yeah. Yeah, well, um, ‘cause usually I write the first page, and then I write the rest of the book, and then I'm like, “Oh, like, the rest of the book does something different. I need to go back and, like, make this first page...”Also, I do, I often do the thing that I think a lot of writers do, which is, [00:43:00] once you've written a little bit further, you realize that, like, you've started at the wrong spot. Um, I mean, the, one of, one of the things that helps me when I, when I think to do it is to use one of the exercises that's in, that's in your work, where you, where you start what, you, you write the beginning and the ending before you even start anything.Um, and I, I, when I remember to do that the right way, that really, definitely helps me. Um, but I don't always remember to do that, and so I have, like, partway in, and then I'm like, “Wait, no, the first page.” So,Jennie: it's- Well, that, yeah, that's a, um, a step in the blueprint for a book book. Um, it's a good one, for sure.Uh, well, thank you so much for joining me for, for this, Kathleen, and congratulations on the new book. Um, for everyone listening, go check out, you can find everything at KathleenBarber.com. And, um, you can find Sisterhood Above All, which is brand new and just out and sounds like so much [00:44:00] fun. I, it's on my TBR, TBR.Yay. I just can't read, I just can't read thrillers at night. I get too scared. So,Barbara: um-Jennie: That'sBarbara: fair. That's fair ...Jennie: I, I have to wait till I'm, like, on a plane or, um, you know, somewhere where I'm reading during the day. Yeah. Is this one, is this one l- scary scary?Barbara: I mean, it's, it's not, like, scary scary. It's, it's not, like, uh- It's, it's not like there's someone who's out there to kill you for reasons that you cannot control.You know what I mean? Like, it's like- Yeah, yeah ... it would be scary to the people inside the book, but it should not be scary to you. ButJennie: I understand how- Well, we don't need to reas- We don't need to reassure me because people love these, love these- Yeah ... and, uh, what a fun, fun setting and setup for- Thank youa thriller. It's, it's exciting. Thanks. So can't wait to see how, how the world receives it. And- Mm ... um, I always hate to say this to somebody whose book just came out, but can't wait to see what you do next. [00:45:00]Barbara: Don't worry, I'm already writingJennie: stuff. Oh, yeah. Do you, ooh, do you wanna, do you wanna tell or no?Barbara: I, I do not, just ‘cause I get really superstitious about it, but, um, but I have something that I'm working on that I'm excited about, so you know, we'll see how it goes.Jennie: I love it. Well, thank you for joining us for Book Life, Jennifer.Barbara: Thanks for having me. That was a lot of fun.Jennie: For our listeners, let's get back to work and finish what matters most.Outro: The hashtag amwriting podcast is produced by Andrew Perilla. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output because everyone deserves to be paid for their [00:46:00] work This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

AI news this week: Mark Zuckerberg says superintelligence is coming and Meta wants to build it for everyone. Meanwhile, a new Annenberg survey shows opposition to AI data centers jumped 12 percent in just four months. So... do people even want this? On today's AI For Humans, Kevin Pereira and Gavin Purcell dig into the widening gap between the people building AI and the people living next to it. Anthropic makes real progress on the Riemann Hypothesis, one of the hardest math problems in the world, apparently because Claude was told "good job champ, keep going." And OpenAI's little agents broke out of their sandbox, with one hacking its way into a gym. It's a weird time for AI. Also: Anthropic leans into health & biology research, Claude starts watermarking AI generated content, Apple eyes Chinese memory chips amid the supply crunch, and OpenAI delays Astra for "cybersecurity" reasons. Plus: Seedance 2.5 makes Gavin the face of Prada, a two minute mini-movie made entirely on local hardware with MiniMax H3, Suno cuts a deal with the music industry, Spotify says AI personas won't get recommended, and a fresh Slop-Trough with Cursed Slop, The Archive Inbetween & Mario 64: War on Terror. THE ROBOTS ARE GETTING SMARTER. THE HUMANS ARE GETTING SUSPICIOUS.   // Show Links // Zuck says superintelligence is for everyone https://www.meta.com/thefutureisforeveryone/ Open weights on Muse Spark coming https://x.com/finkd/status/2086755195535413696?s=20 Data center opposition rose 12% over four months (Annenberg survey) https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/opposition-to-local-data-centers-rises-sharply-annenberg-survey-finds/ Anthropic leans into health & biology https://x.com/AndrewCurran_/status/2087025539114750168?s=20 How Claude marks AI generated content https://support.claude.com/en/articles/16266773-how-claude-marks-ai-generated-content Anthropic makes progress on the Riemann Hypothesis https://www.anthropic.com/research/riemann-zeta "Keep going, believe in yourself" https://x.com/NickADobos/status/2086926299927552061?s=20 Apple reportedly testing Chinese memory chips https://gizmodo.com/apple-reportedly-testing-controversial-chinese-chips-as-memory-supply-crunch-intensifies-2000796483 OpenAI's Astra delayed due to "cybersecurity" https://x.com/sama/status/2085862292311396515?s=20 OpenClaw hacked into a gym https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/tech-industry-is-buzzing-after-a-claude-agent-hacked-into-a-gym/ Seedance 2.5's new type of prompting https://bytedance.larkoffice.com/docx/A88jd0B47oAd8zxWp5ycZFMfnxh Gavin as the face of Prada https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2085712203446149173?s=20 Single shot flipping across multiple scenes https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2086097266390221187?s=20 Single shot balloon POV into space https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2087004434207498416?s=20 Gavin's two minute local MiniMax H3 mini-movie https://x.com/gavinpurcell/status/2087243349338329561?s=20 FAL's Realism LORA https://x.com/fal/status/2086883706891808867?s=20 MiniMax H3 video references https://x.com/toyxyz3/status/2086443622262820904?s=20 https://x.com/LikeToasters/status/2086831194780360979?s=20 Suno's new models "in partnership with the music industry" https://suno.com/blog/suno-updates-tos Suno on building the future of music responsibly https://suno.com/blog/building-the-future-of-music-responsibly Fenix Flexin says "I never denied using AI" https://www.xxlmag.com/fenix-flexin-admits-rubberz-ai/ Spotify's AI personas won't get recommended https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/11/spotify-will-label-ai-persona-profiles-and-exclude-their-music-from-recommendations/ Gavin's Fig AI video essay: The Optimistic Case for AI (from an AI) https://youtu.be/efUqvbmuweU?si=AWlp5plnjJ0gVaia Cursed Slop https://cursedslop.com/   // Join the AI For Humans community // Join the AI For Humans Discord https://discord.gg/muD2TYgC8f Support AI For Humans on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AIForHumansShow Subscribe to the AI For Humans newsletter https://aiforhumans.beehiiv.com/ Follow AI For Humans on X: @AIForHumansShow https://x.com/AIForHumansShow Follow AI For Humans on TikTok: @aiforhumansshow https://www.tiktok.com/@aiforhumansshow Speaking and booking https://www.aiforhumans.show/  

I Iran ser det gamle sikkerhedsapparat ud til at konsolidere sin magt over et samfund, ramt af amerikanske og israelske angreb, af blokader mod olie-havne og med en økonomi i ruiner. Det er en iransk ledelse, der holder Trump fanget i en konflikt, han får sværere og sværere ved at trække sig ud af - uden at erkende nederlag. Trumps og Netanyahus angreb på Iran d. 28. februar var strategisk uforberedt. Der var hverken militær nok til at vinde eller en strategi for at trække sig ud efter krigen. De havde ikke forventet, at Iran ville angribe USA's arabiske allierede, lukke Hormuz-strædet og tage den globale økonomi som gidsel for at overleve - og vinde. Nu stiller Iran nye krav for at indgå en aftale - som Trump næppe vil acceptere. Dagens gæster: Rasmus Elling, Iran-ekspert og lektor ved Københavns Universitet, Hans Henrik Fafner, Udlandsredaktør for POV med base i Tel Aviv, Lone Dencker Wisborg, tidligere ambassadør i USA og ved NATO. Vært: Steffen Gram.

This is a bit of a unique episode - not your usual "how to build a culture of experimentation" type episode. And you shouldn't skip this episode because 'it's not experimentation so i don't care' - this episode is SUPER important for anyone in an individual contributor role to hear her wisdom. Mallory "Take the Mantle" Randall is a seasoned veteran who's gone through all of the different stages in her career. And she's learned super valuable career growth things, moving from individual contributor, to managing a small team, to managing MANY teams as VP. So many CROs and experimentation people fixate too much on their program, they don't realize there are people outside of the organization with different goals, trying to accomplish different things. This is why her POV is so important. We got into:- When you start your job, understanding your peers is just as important (if not more important) than actually getting your program off the ground- Peers need you to push back - understanding HOW to push back, thoughtfully (and respectfully) is key. And picking and choosing your battles will help you grow in your career and get more things done- There are limitations to 'being right' - just because you're right, doesn't mean people will listen to you. Go follow Mallory on LinkedIn (we told her she's going to post more though leadership now, so stay tuned for amazing content coming from her):⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorysiler/Also go follow Shiva Manjunath on LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiva-manjunath/⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our newsletter for more memes, clips, and awesome content!⁠⁠https://fromatob.beehiiv.com/

Let's talk about Metas! where are we heading with POV filming and who better to talk about it with then the 2 guys getting millions of views with this style of content! Harrison Kramer and Adam Axford! Support the show and grab some Merch! Leave a voicemail for The Magic Guys Join The Magic Guys Discord!!! Email Us - themagicguysshow@gmail.com The Podcast where Professional Magicians, Josh Norbido, Doug Conn & Nick Kay take on the important questions of life (Mainly from our youtube subscribers) and deliver answers from a Magicians point of view. Come hang out with us while we chat about our lives as Magicians and the ups and downs that go with it. 

I interviewed Négar Motevalymeidanshah & Gwenaelle Clauwaert about Less Than 5gr of Saffron on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at Venice Immersive in Venice, Italy. Here is the story synopsis for Less Than 5gr of Saffron: "Golnaz is a young Iranian immigrant trying to adjust to her new life in Germany. One evening, returning from her job (as an assistant at a migrant reception centre in the Berlin suburbs), she is starving, and her refrigerator is empty. She decides to go to the nearest supermarket. The supermarket has just received a new product: saffron. Even though it is very expensive for her, she cannot resist: she buys a packet of saffron. Emotions overwhelm her. She feels the need to cook a home-cooked meal to help her overcome her homesickness. She prepares rice and adds saffron, a comfort food from her past. But she never expected that this moment would plunge her back into the most traumatic events of her life. Most notably, three years ago, she survived a tragic drowning that took her family while traveling illegally by boat." Here are the contextual domains that are explored: Exile and being a refugee [12]. Takes place in a new [4] home far from home [9] whose memory of family who died [8] all brought back through the embodied experience of food and saffron [1]. "The project evokes our capacity to identify profoundly with a survivor by placing her in a universally familiar-preparing a meal." Here is the Elemental Center of Gravity: 1st Center of Gravity of Earth Element / Environmental and Embodied Presence: Quinitessential and paradigmatic example of spatial storytelling taking through a variety of immersive and spatial contexts with seamless transitions and edits. Also switches between 3rd person and 1st person POV2nd Center of Gravity of Water Element / Emotional Presence: Like living within a Lucid Dream, very dynamic, poetic. It's cut to music, and so it very much has a music video type pacing and rhythm. Some really elegant spatial transitions, and powerful moments that use metaphors that were just extremely visceral and moving. The piece very much relies upon flashbacks and memories of traumatic moments of escaping authoritarian contexts. So you start off in the mudance context of a kitchen from a first-person POV, but then upon smelling the saffron spice, then it immediately transports you into these violent memories of being an exiled refugee. It's also farily brief, and so short and sweet.3rd Center of Gravity of Air Element / Mental and Social Presence: No words, Poetic Dream Logic. Meaning is discerned through the poetic interpretations of the juxtaposition of a visual and spatial storytelling lanuage. Very powerfully done.4th Center of Gravity of Fire Element / Active Presence: No narrative agency or any embodied Interactions Archetypal Themes and Character Explored: Connections to flavors and smells of food to memory. Sadness, harshness, limitations, constraint. Sudden and unexpected trauma -- "she never expected that this moment would plunge her back into the most traumatic events of her life" Artist Statement: "Less than 5 Gr of Saffron tackles a subject we think we've already seen too much of: the often tragic circumstances under which many migrants flee their home countries in search of a better future. A hundred times, stories of shipwrecks and the numbers of those drowned have filled our screens, anonymous people who disappear from our memories with a snap of the fingers. The project evokes our capacity to identify profoundly with a survivor by placing her in a universally familiar-preparing a meal. In today's extremely violent context, this empathetic experience helps to rekindle within us a common humanity, whether we have experienced such trauma firsthand or not." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7VtxTHx_H0 This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

I interviewed Kris Hofmann about Out of Nowhere on Sunday, August 31, 2025 at Venice Immersive in Venice, Italy. Here is the story synopsis for Out of Nowhere: "Out of Nowhere gently explores how preserving alluvial forests, marshes and wetlands can help us face the challenges of an ever angrier, unpredictable climate. Told through the eyes of Anna, a lifelong resident of Hallein, a historic town at the foot of the Austrian Alps, the experience flows from first-hand experience of the devastating floods that hit Europe in 2021 to reveal how reconnecting with nature may be key to protecting ourselves going forward." Here are the contextual domains that are explored: Looking at the impact of extreme weather events of nature [4] on our homes [4], communities [11], and our lives [1]. Are there ways that we could collective act [11] in order to help prevent and preserve nature through various rewilding activities.[4] Here is the Elemental Center of Gravity: 1st Center of Gravity of Earth Element / Environmental and Embodied Presence: Mostly told through montage and environmental storytelling. Switches from third-person POV and Dioramas into more first-person and embodied CGI recreations of the aftermath of extreme weather events2nd Center of Gravity of Fire Element / Active Presence: Light embodied interactions to gate the narrative3rd Center of Gravity of Air Element / Mental and Social Presence: I believe that it was mostly Voice Over Narration, but could have had some dialogue4th Center of Gravity of Water Element / Emotional Presence: immersive animation, the primarily uses a bit of spatial collaging type of technique to juxtapose these scenes together to tell a broder story. Archetypal Themes and Character Explored: Climate Change Leading to more and more Extreme Weather Events. So unexpected and catastrophic events that have utter transformative potential to bring about change. Also an account of the destruction of aspects of reality from homes to environments. A look into the Past to Prepare for the Future. "Each one of these events carries stories of personal loss, but also of inspiring resilience. If we can come together in the aftermath of a disaster, shouldn't we be able to do so in preparation?" Solution to "give nature back a little bit of room whereever possible" for "climate resilience plans" that includes rewilding efforts -- Planting trees at the table top diorama scale. Healthy riverline ecosystems can help to protect us Artist Statement: "Every other month we hear about yet another devastating extreme weather event — most recently in Nigeria, Pakistan, or Texas, and also close to home for me, with severe floods in Austria and across Europe in 2021 and 2024. Each one of these events carries stories of personal loss, but also of inspiring resilience. If we can come together in the aftermath of a disaster, shouldn't we be able to do so in preparation? The rise in extreme weather is linked to climate change. As this intensifies, it's important to remember that we have an ally in nature when it comes to protecting ourselves. Restoring healthy riverine ecosystems isn't just good ecology — it's self-preservation. I really hope the project sparks reflection — and maybe even action — on how we live with our rivers. " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20WWsJnqlWI This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

Thriller writers hear the advice all the time: get to the inciting incident fast. But what happens when you get there so quickly the reader has not had time to care? In this episode of The Dialogue Doctor Podcast, Jeff Elkins sits down with author Jed to look at the opening chapters of a corporate thriller with a romantic subplot. Jed's story begins with a stolen item, a veiled threat, a high-pressure professional team, and the kind of tense setup thriller readers expect. The problem is not that the opening lacks conflict. The problem is that the story may be moving so efficiently that the reader does not yet know who to emotionally follow. Jeff and Jed dig into one of the trickiest craft problems in thriller writing: how to use third-person omniscient POV without making the reader feel unanchored. They talk about "head-hopping," the difference between omniscient narration and a guiding narrator, and how a small narrative guide can help direct the reader's emotional experience through a big cast. They also explore why a thriller opening may need a little more character interaction before the crime lands, how dialogue can make a professional team feel alive, why a front-loaded letter may distance the reader, and how to balance fast pacing with enough emotional connection to make the tension matter. Watch this episode if you are writing a thriller, working with a large cast, struggling with POV, or trying to figure out how to make your opening chapter feel tense, cinematic, and emotionally grounded. Because a great thriller does not just start with something going wrong. It starts with readers knowing exactly why they should care.

What's up, Group Chat!!!Your favorite crew is back with another entertaining recap of BB28! We will cover the nominations, POV results, and everything that went down on the live feeds!Thank you all for listening, sharing, and subscribing. We appreciate you.Byyyeee!- AWAGBT Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aye-who-all-gon-be-there--5034054/support.Exclusive Listener Discounts:Cozy Earth (21% OFF any product)Description - Luxurious bamboo sheets, pajamas, & morePromo code: https://cozyearth.com/discount/GROUPCHAT FS Drinks (20% OFF any product)Description - Café-quality bottled boba drinksPromo code: https://fsdrinks.com/discount/GROUPCHAT Molly BZ (10% OFF any product)Description - Artisan-crafted cookiesPromo code: https://mollybz.com/discount/GROUPCHAT

בפרק הזה אנחנו מארחים את שחר פלד, מנכ"ל ומייסד-שותף של חברת Terra Security, לשיחה מרתקת על העתיד של עולם הסייבר ההתקפי (Offensive Security). שחר משתף כיצד סוכני AI אוטונומיים מחליפים את בדיקות החדירות (Pen Testing) המסורתיות, מאפשרים לארגונים לזהות חולשות בזמן אמת, וכיצד מונעים מרובוטים לגרום נזק ולהפיל מערכות ייצור רגישות. בנוסף, שוחחנו על שירותו הצבאי והמילואים, המעבר שלו לניו יורק כדי להוביל את הצמיחה של החברה, על האתגרים הכלכליים של סטארטאפים ישראלים כיום, ומה נדרש באמת כדי לבנות חברת סייבר שמכוונת להנפקה ציבורית ענקית.חותמת זמן0:00 - הצגת Security Terra: תקיפה רציפה באמצעות סוכני AI5:40 - מאחורי הקלעים של Terra: המייסדים, הגיוסים והצמיחה המהירה7:28 - המסלול הלא שגרתי של המנכ"ל: מלוחם ועד להקמת סטארטאפ12:17 - התחרות בשוק הסייבר: איך מתבלטים כשהכל נשמע אותו הדבר?14:30 - האם מודלי הבינה המלאכותית הגדולים יבלעו את שוק הסייבר?20:47 - תהליך המכירה: מהצעת הערך ועד להוכחת היכולות )PoV)28:02 - המעבר לניו יורק והאתגרים שבדרך: שער הדולר ורעש שיווקי33:01 - החזון: להפוך לחברת סייבר ציבורית ענקית

–The results are in — a PR of 1:23 WITHOUT any penalties!.Today's episode I am sharing my thoughts & happenings from my recent HYROX solo open race this past May 2026.There may be some details you can take from my POV when prepping for a HYROX as well as changes that may be considered for a future HYROX.Sit back, grab your coffee & take a listen to my effects from HYROX NYC--Links:  What is HYROX?..#FunctionWithPurpose#FPTEducation-----The Function with Purpose Podcast.All things health - wellness - fitness - & education through the physical therapy perspective.Fortress PT is here to serve the Charlotte-Metro area by highlighting the importance of how & why physical therapy should be a part of your health & wellness lifestyle.PURSUIT | PRECISION | PURPOSE..DISCLAIMER:  THIS PODCAST SERVES FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.  IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR ADVICE FROM YOUR PERSONAL PHYSICAL THERAPIST OR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL(S)...Amy@fortressphysicaltherapy.com980-272-8044https://linktr.ee/FortressPT.#FunctionWithPurpose #DrAmyPT #FPTosteopractor #FPTAthlete #FPTEducation #FPTTraining #TeamFPT #Charlotteagenda #CharlotteNC #CharlotteMetroArea #QueenCity #704 #980 #Physicaltherapy #Physio #Physiotherapy #GetPT1st #Physical #Therapy #Health #Wellness #Fitness #CLT#charlottephysicaltherapy #charlottephysicaltherapist

Ep 181Why haven't Kendrick Lamar and The Game spoken in over a decade?New comments from Top give us more insight into their fallout, pointing back to The Game bringing Drake to Compton for the "100" video. While some are calling Kendrick emotional for cutting Game off, Cole looks at the situation from another angle: maybe Kendrick simply learned where Game's loyalty stood.Plus, Pooh Shiesty drops All Eyes On Shiest through 1017 while sitting behind bars. Is releasing an album right now a smart move, or is Gucci Mane the only person who really wins?The Stem Society — hip-hop conversation without the stan wars.Timestamps(0:34) The reveal of The Game/Kendrick beef(2:54) Podcasters taking shots at Kendrick(4:50) Kendrick's POV(6:00) The Game is a chaser(8:24) Could The Game help Kendrick?(11:56) Pooh Shiesty drops a new album in jail(12:48) What's the play behind this?(18:03) Pooh Shiesty was managed wrong(20:15) Could this album put him in prison?(21:46) Cole's Corner - Tyga & Fenix Flexin Ai drama

The Legendarium GT crew has invited Mike from "Mike's Book Reviews" to challenge one another on who is the truest Joe Abercrombie fan. And there's only one sensible way to do so - a draft. Listen along to see who got their favorite POV character, book in the series, and is ultimately crowned as the biggest stan. (FULL SPOILER WARNING)”Mike's Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_DGonIiSrLBGLz0ProiWATHIS IS NOT AN AUDIOBOOK!Music is Galactic Damages by Jingle Punks.Find us on:Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/FNcpuuA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/greenteampod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@greenteampod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/thelegendarium/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Suggestion Box: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/Nsz6URWeq3JeeZnGA⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we continue our series on Category Reviews - prying knowledge out of industry veterans from all angles. Last week we touched on how soon a broker/brand should reach out, what buyers like to see and what they do or do not want to hear + much more! If you missed that episode - it's worthy of a Spotify or Apple Podcasts listen! This week we will capitalize on buying experience from Darren Viscount who has nearly 30 years of retail buying under his belt in various roles from Category Manager to Director of Purchasing of Center Store/Vitamins. Darren has been very involved in all aspects of CPG the last 6+ years on LinkedIn and we look foward to hearing his perspective! We will also get the sales POV from Kate Cash. Kate has nearly 20 years in the CPG space starting her roots in a natural foods co-op, working as a broker and various sales roles - working her way up from a sales rep to a VP of Sales and now runs her own sales agency helping brands scale and providing them with customized sales leadership.

DOP Gustav Danielsson, FSF on shooting HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms with naturalistic firelight, practical battlefield fog, and in-camera POV shots Podcast highlights include: -How Gustav and director Owen Harris planned the show's night time, fire-light-driven look. -Beginning their shoot day at dusk to catch the natural blue hour light in the wide shots before moving into closer setups. -Pulling off the massive dueling tournament in Episode 5, using practical fog and mud to set the mood. -The sinister gray mist was chosen as a practical solution to use fewer extras, and added to the atmosphere of dread as it obscured the combatants. As for the mud, it looked great, but the production team had to adjust as it quickly became hard as concrete when it dried. -Using a Ronin 4D rigged to an operator's chest for the helmet POV shots. Rather than adding digital effects, the second unit shot the visceral mace-impact perspective entirely in-camera. -Shooting the flashback sequences on a Panavision's T-Series Anamorphic lenses to distinguish it from the present-day story without adjusting the color grade. Find Gustav Danielsson: https://gustavdanielsson.com/ Instagram: @gustavdanielssson A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently streaming on HBO. SHOW RUNDOWN: 02:39 Close Focus 10:44-01:04:42 Gustav Danielsson Interview 01:05:10 Short Ends 01:14:26 Credits The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast Facebook: @cinepod Instagram: @thecinepod Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Buddha taught a path of awakened living, but how does that manifest in today's world of constant connectivity and widespread suffering? How do we keep our hearts open without being defined or hardened by the pain that surrounds us, whether personal, collective, or historical? How do we navigate the paradox of holding both pain and joy, without mistaking suffering for punishment or personal failure? Can we infuse our compassion with wisdom and perspective to find the agency to take meaningful action in our communities? In her new series, Engaged Compassion, Sharon delves into these questions and more, engaging in candid conversations with a diverse group of teachers, activists, and changemakers. For the eighth episode in the series, Sharon speaks with Rev. Paul Raushenbush. This is his first appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast. Rev. Raushenbush is President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. An ordained Baptist minister, Rev. Raushenbush is a longtime interfaith leader and renowned advocate for civil rights and religious freedom. Rev. Raushenbush has published two books and contributed essays to several volumes on faith in public life. He also hosts the weekly podcast and radio show “The State of Belief,” in partnership with Religion News Service.In this conversation, Sharon and Paul speak about:• How Rev. Raushenbush came to service• The Social Gospel• Rev. Raushenbush's interfaith family • How spiritual practice can fuel activism• Insisting on joy in moments of great sorrow• Embodying the future we hope for now• Rev. Raushenbush's POV that we are all neighbors• Figuring out how to help• What inspired this Engaged Compassion series • How art can be resistance• Where Rev. Raushenbush turns for inspiration• The work of Interfaith Alliance • The possibilities of lovingkindness• Rev. Raushenbush's husband's new book, “Good Morning Moon”Additional ResourcesThe episode closes with a reflection from Rev. Raushenbush. Learn more about Rev. Raushenbush's work right here. Learn more about Interfaith Alliance right here, including its many local chapters.Related Metta Hour EpisodesEpisode 281: The first episode of the Engaged Compassion Series with Jerry Colonna, released in March of 2026.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rosanna Pilcher is a narrator and voice actor who records under a pseudonym - and she has a problem. So much of social media marketing requires showing your face, being on camera, being "real." But what do you do when you can't reveal who you are? In this Summer Series episode, Marc breaks down creative options available to voice actors who need to build a brand and a following without ever showing their face. Inside this episode: Why you don't need to show your face to build a loyal following - and the faceless YouTube channels with tens of millions of subscribers that prove it POV content - how to take your audience into the booth with you without ever appearing on screen Recording in silhouette - and why the mystery can become your most powerful marketing asset How to build a visual brand around something other than your face - a signature hat, a color palette, an animated avatar, a mascot Making the voice the celebrity - signature lines, consistent music, distinctive performances Using book content to drive engagement - the three lines that gave you chills, character showcases, accent challenges, repeatable content pillars Why authors understand pseudonyms better than most - and how to turn famous pen names into a content series The back catalog strategy - why you don't have to wait for the next book to start building content Whether you're working under a pseudonym or just prefer to keep your face off camera, this episode will give you more content ideas than you can use.

This mini content creation episode is going to be for anybody who has really envied the person where anytime something happens in their life, they turn it into really good content.You're just like, "How is it that you had a home renovation and now you have 20 pieces of content?" Or, "How were you able to go to the grocery store and now you have a carousel that, like, 100 people are sharing?"You're someone who has a bright personality. You talk to strangers, you talk to Uber drivers, you take vacations sometimes. You know, you're doing the things. You're living in your life full send. You're cooking, you have hobbies, you have friends, you have a family.You have so much material in your life, and you know you can be creating more content. But what you're struggling with is how do you go from something that happened to a piece of content that connects to your brand and your business and gets other people to wanna interact with that content?So we have a very specific episode today where I'm gonna show you exactly how to do that. So I'm gonna be giving you, like, a little bit more of a social media marketing formula.So I know a lot of you guys are listening to me when you're in the shower or you're on carpool duty or whatever. But if you're listening to me and you're in a space where you can pull out your phone with the notes app, or you can pull out a notebook, this would definitely be the episode to do so.But if you're in the car, it's gonna be honestly such a quick episode. So listen to it, and then if you're like, "Oh my gosh, I resonate with this so much," you can go through it later again and use it as a workshop.So let's just dig right into it.In this episode, we break down" → Turn everyday moments into strategic content→ Connect what happens in your life back to your brand messaging→ Use your messaging strategy to make content creation easier→ Build content pillars from your brand POV statements→ Create content that connects back to your business instead of just posting something because it's cute→ Use content strategy to turn one story into multiple pieces of content→ Repurpose stories across social media marketing platforms→ Create content without waiting for the “perfect” idea or experienceThe biggest thing I want you to take away from this episode is that you don't need a more interesting life.You need to get better at connecting what's already happening in your life to what you believe, what you sell, and what your audience needs to hear.That's where your brand messaging comes in.When you're clear on your messaging strategy, you don't have to sit down and force yourself to come up with 30 random content ideas. You can look at what's happening around you and start seeing the connections.And suddenly, content creation gets a whole lot easier.If you're a founder scaling your business and you know you have so much material to work with but you're struggling to turn your experiences, expertise, and ideas into content that connects with your audience, this episode is for you.And if you're realizing you don't actually have clear brand POV statements yet… we should absolutely work together.Reach out to me at @mywritehandwoman on Instagram or head to mywritehandwoman.com to get a feel for where you're at with your brand messaging and figure out the best way for us to work together.And if you really enjoyed this episode — if you were like, "Wow, this was a master class in 10 minutes" — I would so appreciate it if you subscribe to the podcast or leave me a review or rating. It really, really helps the show grow and allows me to bring you more episodes like this one.Until then, guys, stay magical, and I'll see you next week.This was produced by Your Girl Media Follow us @yourgirlmedia Feeling the pull to have more of me in your world? DM me on Instagram: @mywritehandwomanWork on Your Messaging or Copy with Me: The WebsiteFind Your Brand Messaging Superpower: Take the QuizBook a Messaging Intensive: Book with Me Put Yourself in a Category of One. Join My Unicorn Messaging Membership: Join Here

New York Times bestselling author Laura Moriarty spoke with us about her teaching philosophy as a creative writing professor, the craft of historical fiction, and the research process behind her latest novel, SUNLIGHT FINDS YOU. Laura Moriarty is the New York Times bestselling author of The Chaperone, The Center of Everything, The Rest of Her Life, While I'm Falling, and a Creative Writing Professor at the University of Kansas. Her latest novel is Sunlight Finds You, described as a book that “explores the fervor of young love, the shock of parental betrayal, and the long-term consequences of adolescent choices.”  A Kirkus starred review wrote of the work, “Moriarty has an unusual gift for voice, a spark that can turn a novel about ordinary events into something compelling…A rich, rewarding slice of history that should remind us how important it is for women to have choices of all kinds.” Laura Moriarty received her master's degree from the University of Kansas and was awarded the George Bennett Fellowship for Creative Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Laura Moriarty, Milena, and I discussed: Her early career in social work and how she almost became a doctor Why she loves working with graduate students on their WIPs The research process that went into Sunlight Finds You What changing the POV can do for your narrative How incorporating psychological authenticity over modern values can improve historical fiction And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web english.ku.edu/people/laura-moriarty Sunlight Finds You: A Novel by Laura Moriarty (Amazon) Laura Moriarty Amazon Author Page Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices