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Episode Summary: When we think of Christmas, we picture the manger scene, shepherds in the fields, angels singing, and a star guiding the way. But what if we’ve been missing one of the most important parts of the story all along? In her new book, The Spirit of Christmas, award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti invites us to rediscover the Holy Spirit’s presence woven throughout the Christmas narrative—from Genesis in the Garden of Eden to the cry of a baby in Bethlehem. This conversation will open your eyes to the power, presence, and promise of the Spirit of God in ways that may forever change how you experience Christmas. Quotables from the episode: Christmas often stirs our hearts with nostalgia—decorations, carols, and retelling the story of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. Yet, as beautiful as those traditions are, there’s more to the Christmas story than we typically notice. Before the babe was conceived, the Holy Spirit was already at work, setting the stage and preparing the hearts of the biblical characters we know and love. This season, let Him set the stage and prepare your heart too. In her book, The Spirit of Christmas, Cynthia Ruchti helps us uncover the often-overlooked role of the Holy Spirit in God’s plan of redemption, reminding us that the Spirit has been present from the beginning—guiding, comforting, and empowering. If you’ve ever longed to experience Christmas with fresh wonder and deeper meaning, this conversation will encourage you to see the season through new eyes. I have found it fascinating that over the course of my life and maybe others have been in the same boat, we might grow up understanding Jesus quite well, or, and we hear Jesus loves me from when we're newborns and aren't even aware, perhaps, of that. And then I personally had gone through some seasons of my life where I thought, "I think I understand Jesus pretty well. I'm getting a good handle on who is this Jesus. I'm not sure I'm as familiar with God the Father as I need to be." So, I had a season of my life that was in my early 20s where I dove in and thought, "I need to know you better, God, my Father," and took an approach as I looked at the Word and noticed that throughout the Old Testament, God described himself as a God of love, which I thought was a New Testament idea. I understood who he was as the majestic Creator, and I think probably it kept him a little distant from me because I saw just that. Then a relative of mine had a heart transplant and I took a fresh Bible, and I circled everywhere in the Bible where the word love or heart appeared because I wanted this person who wasn't close to the Lord at the time to know and understand that God has been talking about the subject of love for a very long time. He's all over the Bible, so page after page was filled with the circled or the little heart drawn around the word love or the word heart. Then there came a season in my life where I thought, "I think I better understand now. We will never fully understand, but I think I better understand. God the Father, God the Son. Do I really understand the Holy Spirit? I know he is. I believe what the Bible tells me about the Holy Spirit, but do I really understand his role or how the different roles of the Trinity make a complete God for us? So, I investigated that, and I watched for his presence, but not as deeply as I did after I was challenged to look for the Holy Spirit's presence in the Christmas story. There was an editor who challenged me with that at a writer's conference. I found it fascinating. I thought that would be a very interesting study. We assume, I think, in the back of our minds that maybe the Holy Spirit is that presence that comes upon Mary in that moment when she conceives Jesus, the baby Jesus, as an infant just minutes old. And then we're not sure where else he might actually show up in the Christmas story. So that was a challenge to me, and I thought it sounded fascinating, but I didn't take the invitation from that editor seriously until a couple of weeks later, when she wrote to me and said, "I want you to write that book." So, then I got very serious and started the deep dive research of where is he? And in some ways, it was kind of a where's Waldo of the Holy Spirit in the Christmas story. That's what began this adventure. And for me, it really did alter my view of how I approach Christmas now for many reasons. And that was one of the reasons that I wanted us to have this conversation because I don't think we're alone in that tendency to not really acknowledge the Holy Spirit as much as we acknowledge Jesus or God the Father. I grew up in a denomination that the only time the Holy Spirit got mentioned was when it was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, period. So, I like that You took that editor up on the challenge to look for the Holy Spirit throughout the Christmas story. I wondered how far back I would have to trace to find the first evidence of the Holy Spirit and Christmas being linked together. And I realized it was in verse one. It was when the Spirit was hovering over the waters of a world that had yet to be created that was going to need a Redeemer. As we know, God has no beginning and no end, eternity past, eternity present farther than man can imagine. I realized that this in the formation with at creation, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, at creation forming a world that they knew was going to need a Redeemer and that that Redeemer was going to be thousands of years away from that moment. I saw the person of the Holy Spirit caring about what was going to happen all those centuries later, even in the creation process. How does that first crime connect to Christmas? There would have been no reason for Jesus to come as a human being if there were any way that we as humans could have behaved ourselves without him. And it wasn't very long into that early beginning creation story before that was so evident that without Christ present, without the Holy spirit present within us. We were never going to be able to satisfy what needed to be satisfied and keep us in a place where we could walk daily, in essence, walking by the Spirit like it talks about in the New Testament. When I began to put the pieces together of this incredible depth of story, this depth of even the communion of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, we saw the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament present in brief moments leading up to when Jesus would be born and then later on as we take that story even farther to his death and his resurrection and his intentional promise, “Hang in there people it's not only okay that I go back to heaven it's better for you that I do because then the Holy Spirit can come, reside inside you, and help you operate out of a place of knowing exactly my heart, knowing what God my Father,” Jesus said, “wants of you, and what will help you to live a life that will allow you to pillow your head every night in peace, no matter what's going on in the rest of your life.” The other thing that I really appreciate about Jesus knowing our every need is when he reminds us that he's got to send the Holy Spirit to remind us of all truth. As a neuropsychologist, that's one of the areas that I love to focus on the most because I have a short memory, and I need those reminders. I love how the spirit of Christmas is our reminder of the gift of the spirit. I didn't grow up in a denomination that had an actual practice of Advent, of intentional preparation for Christmas season. I knew the word, Advent. I knew it was a good word. I knew it was a healthy word and lovely, but we just didn't have that particular practice. We oftentimes, even with Lent, that was another, it seemed like it was for a denomination that was more liturgical, let's say, in thought. But I think more and more these days, we're realizing that every heart needs to be prepared. Every heart needs to “prepare him room” as the one Christmas carol says. It’s actually for any day, but when we think about Christmas in particular, it is so easy to get caught up in all the to -dos and all the menus and all the party planning and all the some-things we're very happy to participate in, some things that just seem like one more chore. And it's kind of this wild cacophony of noise and tension, and there may be relationships that are especially challenged at Christmastime, there may be work -related things that are especially difficult at Christmastime. That is not at all what this is supposed to be about. But we early church members apparently understood that we need time to get our hearts ready for this such, such a holy, holy season. And the Holy Spirit is part of that. As we take a look at what was the Holy Spirit's role in the original story that began way back at creation, but was threaded throughout Scripture as He was present in speaking to Isaiah about a virgin shall conceive way back then. And it didn't say shall conceive in the next day or two. Again, thousands of years from that prophecy, but the Holy Spirit was inspiring that prophet Isaiah to speak of that. And as we look at it in the time period in which those words were spoken, there was chaos. There was political chaos. There was trouble on every hand. There was the son of a king who was now the king, and he was being a lousy king. And this interesting thing: I think he wanted to do the right thing. King Ahaz, I think, wanted to do the right thing. He heard from God, but he didn't trust that what he heard from God was enough. He needed to find other voices that he would listen to. He was getting influenced by all kinds of other people. And Isaiah was trying to bring him back to, "No, there is one God, and you can trust him." And as the Spirit was inspiring Isaiah to speak the words, he was saying to King Ahaz, "Ask God, ask him for a sign, and he'll tell you.” Ahaz didn't have that kind of relationship with God. So, he said, "Oh, I don't want to test God in any way." And through the Holy Spirit's words, through Isaiah, we hear, and if we set it in modern language, we might say, "I'll give you a sign. A virgin is going to conceive and bear a son." And then, and we know some of the rest of that wording. How interesting that in a chaotic world, with a king who wasn't paying attention to the right voices, not unlike the worlds we might be operating in: maybe our boss isn't listening to the right voice, but we have to respond to the boss. Maybe our family members are all chaotic and confused and worrying about where are we going to set Uncle Ralph this Christmas, because he's going to torture these family members even with just teasing. That's the very world that a savior was promised to that world, promised by the Holy Spirit. And it's the same with us now. When I started to study, what was the Holy Spirit's role? He often came to those in the biblical story, some of it in the New Testament now, he came to those who were fearful. They were in danger for their lives. And the Holy Spirit would come on the scene and bring peace or hope or comfort. He would bring guidance where there wasn't any guidance. He accompanied Mary on her journey to visit Elizabeth. Nobody else did. We're not told anybody else was there on that journey, which was a long journey for Mary, except the Holy Spirit, who had to have been whispering comfort and strength, and “you will get through this. I'm here for you. I am with you. I am always with you.” And then Mary and Elizabeth met one another and the baby in Elizabeth's womb knew the Savior was being carried by this woman who couldn't even feel kicks in her own body yet. It was too new, too soon. So, as I look at whether it's darkness or depression or anxiety or legitimate fear or relationship troubles, those scenes were the scenes where the Holy Spirit showed up in the Bible. Those are the scenes I need him to show up in my Christmas. He is there. I just may not have observed that he was there, is there, and was there in the original Christmas story too. The Spirit of Christmas reminds us and brings us back to that recognition that he always was there, and he is there today. To us, waiting often seems purposeless and painful, yet the cry of “how long?” appears throughout scripture. I think one of the things that is toughest about any waiting time is believing you are alone in the waiting. I think honestly, whether it's waiting for a diagnosis or it's waiting for the medicine to kick in, or it's waiting for family members to reconcile, or it's waiting for the job that we believe is out there somewhere that we haven't found yet, whatever the situation is, I believe that what intensifies that waiting experience and makes it full of tension in the natural is the belief that we're alone. Even if we have a loving spouse to share with or we have other family members or a good friend we can converse with, deep down in our soul, it's that misunderstanding that makes us believe that we are alone. And the Holy Spirit is saying, "Untrue. This is untrue. I am here in the waiting, and that's what will make everything change." Mary had a long wait after that moment when the angel said, "You will bear a Savior." She had waiting even from those early days of raising this little baby. Before Jesus' ultimate ministry began, there was another waiting time where she was by his side before the ultimate reason he came to earth was fulfilled. Mary got to witness much of that, even being at the foot of the cross as she watched that ultimate moment then that we relate to Easter but it's so much part of the Christmas story too. As we discover where the Holy Spirit is present, we mimic what he did or what he said. If we see him as comforter, who can we be a comforter for? If we see him as a provider, who can we be a provider for? One of the tips that was given in the book as an idea was, do you really need your Christmas meal more than you need to give your Christmas meal to a family that has none? Can I have turkey any time of the year? Absolutely I can. Would it be a better move for our family to take our meal and give it to someone who has none? I would be acting like the Holy Spirit did and like the heart of Jesus is to forego a need that I think is a need of my own to meet somebody else's need. I make a parallel of the idea of if I'm looking for the Holy Spirit, what I'm looking for is the kind of fruit that he provides: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self -control. So, if I'm going to give good gifts like the Holy Spirit gives, how can I be peace for someone who needs it? How can I be a presence? How can I be evidence of faithfulness? That might be in a visit to someone who is ignored or overlooked during the holiday. We think of those things as philanthropic sometimes or we think of them as just plain old kindness but on the other hand if we see it as the kind of thing the Holy Spirit does, then we realize this is far holier of an act than just a kind deed. When we look at it from that approach and we take that approach we're fueled to be able to and do it more and more and enjoy the process and not see it as an obligation. It has always bothered me the idea of anyone spending Christmas alone. When we discuss the idea of the Holy Spirit is always present, what a better way to show that presence and that love that Jesus came to offer us by reaching out to those who might be alone, who are wondering “where is God today? Does he even see me?” Those are the people who are the most grateful for the smallest of acts because they feel seen. And isn't that what we all want? It's such a gift to know that we are seen by the Holy Spirit. The day after Christmas we're often sitting in a pile of opened packages and empty boxes and toys that the batteries have run out already, and maybe disappointments for how we hoped it would go that it didn't. There are people who are taking ornaments out of the box and it might be baby's first Christmas. We may remember that special day and the ornament brings us pain because hanging it on the tree may be a reminder that that child is no longer here or is estranged from us. Someone will have a Christmas like that. We intentionally set up the devotional to be a short read, one a day, so that for day after day after day of December, including the day after Christmas, there's a reminder of places you might not have thought to look, until I wrote the book. And then we also include a list of helpful hints. We include a downloadable that has to do with how many of these different roles did the Holy Spirit play in this actual event? Part of the advice and the very practical advice is maybe do what I did and make it an actual adventure. Take time to intentionally watch for his presence or be his presence. Let his presence in you shine somehow throughout the holiday season. It can't help but change what your Christmas looks like. One of the outcomes of my own journey to take a better, stronger look at what is this all about is that it really helps us to understand where the meaning of Christmas is and where the meaning isn't. The meaning of Christmas isn't how many parties can I get on my calendar. The meaning is likely more in what can I remove and not lose anything but instead gain. I might gain time that I needed. I might gain a more peaceful attitude toward this season. I might see that some of the things I have worked so hard to do or thought they were so important to make Christmas perfect, aren’t that important. How can we make Christmas any more perfect? Something that God did, that God was all over and did. What we often call essential to Christmas, whether it's that meal or the certain decorations or the tradition that we had of cutting down our own tree or the special hot cocoa that grandma makes; If any of those things are removed from our traditions, is Christmas still going to happen? Absolutely. What's our heart going to be like if we miss the cocoa? Not much difference. What if we miss the Holy Spirit in Christmas? That will make a huge difference - For sure. The idea that the Trinity loved what they created together despite humanity's fall is so powerful. We are the ones He came to save. The Bible would call us Gentiles; we were not born into the original children of Israel. We all can trace our lineage way back to the beginning, but we weren't considered the original children of Israel to which much of the Bible was written. But we are the ones he came to save. There's a verse in Galatians that I don't have memorized yet, but I want to, where it talks about God sent the Son so that we could have the Holy Spirit. When I stumbled on that verse, I thought, He sent Jesus to save us, yes. Jesus had to come as a human, had to leave everything he knew that was so perfect and come into this imperfect world and tolerate us. So, I'm now just fascinated by that idea that God the Father sent the Son to save the world so that we could have the Holy Spirit. That makes the complete picture. And that makes the waiting easier. It makes the feelings of defeat easier. And it makes those times of joy richer. The Holy Spirit, like God the Father and Jesus the Son, is always true to Himself. But that truth shows up in his behavior, we might say, throughout the Christmas story. And it will always be related to something that is so completely positive, but also so completely meeting the needs of the human heart, which is the need for his presence, the need for his comfort, the need for his peace. Scripture References: Luke 1:49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.” Recommended Resources: The Spirit of Christmas: Discovering His Presence Throughout the Advent Season by Cynthia Ruchti Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Cynthia Ruchti: Website / Facebook / Instagram / X / LinkedIn For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: Cynthia Ruchti is an acclaimed writer and speaker. A former radio producer, she is a popular media guest and has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online outlets. Her written work has received recognition with Publishers Weekly starred reviews, Christian Retailing's BEST Awards, Readers' Choice Awards, Reviewers' Choice Awards, The Carol Award, two Christy finalists, and more. Her tagline is, "I can't unravel. I'm hemmed in Hope." Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nagasaki: The Last Witnesses (Penguin Random House, 2025) is the second volume in a prize-worthy two-book series based on years of irreplicable personal interviews with survivors about each of the atomic bomb drops, first in Hiroshima and then Nagasaki, that hastened the end of the Pacific War. On August 6, 1945, the United States unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen. Then, just three days later, when Japan showed no sign of surrender, the United States took aim at Nagasaki.Rendered in harrowing detail, this historical narrative is the second and final volume in M. G. Sheftall's series Embers. Sheftall has spent years personally interviewing hibakusha—the Japanese word for atomic bomb survivors. These last living witnesses are a vanishing memory resource, the only people who can still provide us with reliable and detailed testimony about life in their cities before the use of nuclear weaponry.The result is an intimate, firsthand account of life in Nagasaki, and the story of incomprehensible devastation and resilience in the aftermath of the second atomic bomb drop. This blow-by-blow account takes us from the city streets, as word of the attack on Hiroshima reaches civilians, to the cockpit of Bockscar, when Charles Sweeney dropped “Fat Man,” to the interminable six days while the world waited to see if Japan would surrender to the Allies–or if more bombs would fall. Related Genres: Asian World History, 1950 – Present Military History, World War II Military History Praise for M.G. Sheftall's Embers Series: “Sheftall's meticulous, novelistic recreations are deeply immersive. It's an invaluable contribution to 20th century history.”—Publishers Weekly on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II) (starred review)“A definitive account of a watershed moment in history.”—Kirkus on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II)“M.G. Sheftall's Hiroshima presents as a master class in eyewitness storytelling. As poignant as it is powerful, this gripping narrative chronicles one of history's darkest nightmare moments—the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945—and the memories of its surviving eyewitnesses. As the events fade from living memory, Hiroshima is at once a brilliant tribute and a cautionary tale.”—Annie Jacobsen, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario“An important, deep-dive book into most every detail about the atomic bomb's making and use, in anger. A strong argument for why it must never be allowed to be used for any reason whatsoever. This book adds significantly to the argument that we need to back up fast and return to nuclear arms reduction.”—Charles Pellegrino, author of To Hell and Back: The Last Train from Hiroshima“M.G. Sheftall takes us on a deep dive into one of the most significant and horrific events in world history. Hiroshima is a gripping, moving story of fear and shame, courage and grace, and a powerful argument that we should never, ever use these weapons again.”—Evan Thomas, author of Road to Surrender: Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II“A compelling analysis of the suffering endured by the citizens of Hiroshima in the aftermath of the dropping of the nuclear bomb on 6 August 1945. Written by a scholar who lives and works in Japan, and who has interviewed many of the last survivors, this is a book that offers valuable insights into Japanese thinking during the war and the subsequent struggle to rebuild the country.”—Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz and The Holocaust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Nagasaki: The Last Witnesses (Penguin Random House, 2025) is the second volume in a prize-worthy two-book series based on years of irreplicable personal interviews with survivors about each of the atomic bomb drops, first in Hiroshima and then Nagasaki, that hastened the end of the Pacific War. On August 6, 1945, the United States unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen. Then, just three days later, when Japan showed no sign of surrender, the United States took aim at Nagasaki.Rendered in harrowing detail, this historical narrative is the second and final volume in M. G. Sheftall's series Embers. Sheftall has spent years personally interviewing hibakusha—the Japanese word for atomic bomb survivors. These last living witnesses are a vanishing memory resource, the only people who can still provide us with reliable and detailed testimony about life in their cities before the use of nuclear weaponry.The result is an intimate, firsthand account of life in Nagasaki, and the story of incomprehensible devastation and resilience in the aftermath of the second atomic bomb drop. This blow-by-blow account takes us from the city streets, as word of the attack on Hiroshima reaches civilians, to the cockpit of Bockscar, when Charles Sweeney dropped “Fat Man,” to the interminable six days while the world waited to see if Japan would surrender to the Allies–or if more bombs would fall. Related Genres: Asian World History, 1950 – Present Military History, World War II Military History Praise for M.G. Sheftall's Embers Series: “Sheftall's meticulous, novelistic recreations are deeply immersive. It's an invaluable contribution to 20th century history.”—Publishers Weekly on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II) (starred review)“A definitive account of a watershed moment in history.”—Kirkus on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II)“M.G. Sheftall's Hiroshima presents as a master class in eyewitness storytelling. As poignant as it is powerful, this gripping narrative chronicles one of history's darkest nightmare moments—the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945—and the memories of its surviving eyewitnesses. As the events fade from living memory, Hiroshima is at once a brilliant tribute and a cautionary tale.”—Annie Jacobsen, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario“An important, deep-dive book into most every detail about the atomic bomb's making and use, in anger. A strong argument for why it must never be allowed to be used for any reason whatsoever. This book adds significantly to the argument that we need to back up fast and return to nuclear arms reduction.”—Charles Pellegrino, author of To Hell and Back: The Last Train from Hiroshima“M.G. Sheftall takes us on a deep dive into one of the most significant and horrific events in world history. Hiroshima is a gripping, moving story of fear and shame, courage and grace, and a powerful argument that we should never, ever use these weapons again.”—Evan Thomas, author of Road to Surrender: Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II“A compelling analysis of the suffering endured by the citizens of Hiroshima in the aftermath of the dropping of the nuclear bomb on 6 August 1945. Written by a scholar who lives and works in Japan, and who has interviewed many of the last survivors, this is a book that offers valuable insights into Japanese thinking during the war and the subsequent struggle to rebuild the country.”—Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz and The Holocaust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Nagasaki: The Last Witnesses (Penguin Random House, 2025) is the second volume in a prize-worthy two-book series based on years of irreplicable personal interviews with survivors about each of the atomic bomb drops, first in Hiroshima and then Nagasaki, that hastened the end of the Pacific War. On August 6, 1945, the United States unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen. Then, just three days later, when Japan showed no sign of surrender, the United States took aim at Nagasaki.Rendered in harrowing detail, this historical narrative is the second and final volume in M. G. Sheftall's series Embers. Sheftall has spent years personally interviewing hibakusha—the Japanese word for atomic bomb survivors. These last living witnesses are a vanishing memory resource, the only people who can still provide us with reliable and detailed testimony about life in their cities before the use of nuclear weaponry.The result is an intimate, firsthand account of life in Nagasaki, and the story of incomprehensible devastation and resilience in the aftermath of the second atomic bomb drop. This blow-by-blow account takes us from the city streets, as word of the attack on Hiroshima reaches civilians, to the cockpit of Bockscar, when Charles Sweeney dropped “Fat Man,” to the interminable six days while the world waited to see if Japan would surrender to the Allies–or if more bombs would fall. Related Genres: Asian World History, 1950 – Present Military History, World War II Military History Praise for M.G. Sheftall's Embers Series: “Sheftall's meticulous, novelistic recreations are deeply immersive. It's an invaluable contribution to 20th century history.”—Publishers Weekly on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II) (starred review)“A definitive account of a watershed moment in history.”—Kirkus on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II)“M.G. Sheftall's Hiroshima presents as a master class in eyewitness storytelling. As poignant as it is powerful, this gripping narrative chronicles one of history's darkest nightmare moments—the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945—and the memories of its surviving eyewitnesses. As the events fade from living memory, Hiroshima is at once a brilliant tribute and a cautionary tale.”—Annie Jacobsen, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario“An important, deep-dive book into most every detail about the atomic bomb's making and use, in anger. A strong argument for why it must never be allowed to be used for any reason whatsoever. This book adds significantly to the argument that we need to back up fast and return to nuclear arms reduction.”—Charles Pellegrino, author of To Hell and Back: The Last Train from Hiroshima“M.G. Sheftall takes us on a deep dive into one of the most significant and horrific events in world history. Hiroshima is a gripping, moving story of fear and shame, courage and grace, and a powerful argument that we should never, ever use these weapons again.”—Evan Thomas, author of Road to Surrender: Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II“A compelling analysis of the suffering endured by the citizens of Hiroshima in the aftermath of the dropping of the nuclear bomb on 6 August 1945. Written by a scholar who lives and works in Japan, and who has interviewed many of the last survivors, this is a book that offers valuable insights into Japanese thinking during the war and the subsequent struggle to rebuild the country.”—Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz and The Holocaust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

In this engaging conversation, bestselling author Kristan Higgins shares her journey from aspiring writer to a successful novelist with over 25 published books. She discusses the challenges of writing, the emotional depth of her stories, and the evolution of the publishing industry. Kristan emphasizes the importance of trusting oneself as a writer and offers valuable advice for aspiring authors, highlighting the need to focus on the craft rather than external pressures. Chapters 00:00 The Journey of a Bestselling Author 09:04 Writing Process and Challenges 17:09 Navigating Grief and Emotional Writing 21:28 Embracing the Writer's Journey 24:34 Trusting Your Creative Process 26:50 Navigating the Publishing Landscape 29:51 The Balancing Act of Writing and Marketing 35:13 Advice for Aspiring Authors Author Website: www.kristanhiggins.com Social Media Links: Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristan.higgins www.facebook.com/KristanHigginsBooks www.Facebook.com/kristanhigginssuperreaders Author Bio: Kristan Higgins is the author of more than twenty novels, all of which were New York Times and/or USA TODAY bestsellers, much to her surprise and delight. Her books have been translated into two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. They have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Entertainment Weekly, People, The New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist. The mother of two delightful adult children and a smitten grandmother, Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and being overly helpful to strangers. She divides lives in Connecticut but is often on Cape Cod with her heroic firefighter husband, a rambunctious dog and their indifferent cat. Love this episode? Rate it ⭐️ Thumbs Up

Nagasaki: The Last Witnesses (Penguin Random House, 2025) is the second volume in a prize-worthy two-book series based on years of irreplicable personal interviews with survivors about each of the atomic bomb drops, first in Hiroshima and then Nagasaki, that hastened the end of the Pacific War. On August 6, 1945, the United States unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen. Then, just three days later, when Japan showed no sign of surrender, the United States took aim at Nagasaki.Rendered in harrowing detail, this historical narrative is the second and final volume in M. G. Sheftall's series Embers. Sheftall has spent years personally interviewing hibakusha—the Japanese word for atomic bomb survivors. These last living witnesses are a vanishing memory resource, the only people who can still provide us with reliable and detailed testimony about life in their cities before the use of nuclear weaponry.The result is an intimate, firsthand account of life in Nagasaki, and the story of incomprehensible devastation and resilience in the aftermath of the second atomic bomb drop. This blow-by-blow account takes us from the city streets, as word of the attack on Hiroshima reaches civilians, to the cockpit of Bockscar, when Charles Sweeney dropped “Fat Man,” to the interminable six days while the world waited to see if Japan would surrender to the Allies–or if more bombs would fall. Related Genres: Asian World History, 1950 – Present Military History, World War II Military History Praise for M.G. Sheftall's Embers Series: “Sheftall's meticulous, novelistic recreations are deeply immersive. It's an invaluable contribution to 20th century history.”—Publishers Weekly on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II) (starred review)“A definitive account of a watershed moment in history.”—Kirkus on Nagasaki (Embers: Volume II)“M.G. Sheftall's Hiroshima presents as a master class in eyewitness storytelling. As poignant as it is powerful, this gripping narrative chronicles one of history's darkest nightmare moments—the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945—and the memories of its surviving eyewitnesses. As the events fade from living memory, Hiroshima is at once a brilliant tribute and a cautionary tale.”—Annie Jacobsen, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario“An important, deep-dive book into most every detail about the atomic bomb's making and use, in anger. A strong argument for why it must never be allowed to be used for any reason whatsoever. This book adds significantly to the argument that we need to back up fast and return to nuclear arms reduction.”—Charles Pellegrino, author of To Hell and Back: The Last Train from Hiroshima“M.G. Sheftall takes us on a deep dive into one of the most significant and horrific events in world history. Hiroshima is a gripping, moving story of fear and shame, courage and grace, and a powerful argument that we should never, ever use these weapons again.”—Evan Thomas, author of Road to Surrender: Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II“A compelling analysis of the suffering endured by the citizens of Hiroshima in the aftermath of the dropping of the nuclear bomb on 6 August 1945. Written by a scholar who lives and works in Japan, and who has interviewed many of the last survivors, this is a book that offers valuable insights into Japanese thinking during the war and the subsequent struggle to rebuild the country.”—Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz and The Holocaust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/japanese-studies

In this engaging conversation, bestselling author Kristan Higgins shares her journey from aspiring writer to a successful novelist with over 25 published books. She discusses the challenges of writing, the emotional depth of her stories, and the evolution of the publishing industry. Kristan emphasizes the importance of trusting oneself as a writer and offers valuable advice for aspiring authors, highlighting the need to focus on the craft rather than external pressures. Chapters 00:00 The Journey of a Bestselling Author 09:04 Writing Process and Challenges 17:09 Navigating Grief and Emotional Writing 21:28 Embracing the Writer's Journey 24:34 Trusting Your Creative Process 26:50 Navigating the Publishing Landscape 29:51 The Balancing Act of Writing and Marketing 35:13 Advice for Aspiring Authors Author Website: www.kristanhiggins.com Social Media Links: Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristan.higgins www.facebook.com/KristanHigginsBooks www.Facebook.com/kristanhigginssuperreaders Author Bio: Kristan Higgins is the author of more than twenty novels, all of which were New York Times and/or USA TODAY bestsellers, much to her surprise and delight. Her books have been translated into two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. They have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Entertainment Weekly, People, The New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist. The mother of two delightful adult children and a smitten grandmother, Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and being overly helpful to strangers. She divides lives in Connecticut but is often on Cape Cod with her heroic firefighter husband, a rambunctious dog and their indifferent cat. Love this episode? Rate it ⭐️ Thumbs Up

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Joe Hart has a knack for telling propulsive stories centering on highly relatable characters whose vulnerabilities often become a source of strength. His critically acclaimed work includes the 2023 Edgar Award Winner for Best Paperback Original Or Else, as well as The River Is Dark and Obscura, which Publishers Weekly called “outstanding,” and the Los Angeles Times praised as “excellent from beginning to end.” Joe Hart is the Edgar Award–winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of twenty novels, including Now We Run, Or Else, The River Is Dark, Obscura, and The Last Girl, as well as many novellas and short stories. His work has been translated into eight languages and has been optioned for film. #joehart

EPISODE 597 - Kate Woodworth - Little Great Island, A Story of a Commuity of fishing families to the lobsters and the butterflies impacted by Climate ChangeKate Woodworth is the award-winning author of the novel Racing into the Dark, which Publishers Weekly said, “hits the mark repeatedly with emotional truths and fluid prose” and which Kirkus Reviews called, “vivid and honest, dramatic and without pat resolutions: an impressive debut”.A passionate lover of the natural world, Kate is the author of essays on the impact of climate change on fishing and farming that have been published by the Climate Fiction Writers League and on her Substack, “Food in the Time of Climate Change.” Her novel about love, community, and climate change, Little Great Island, has been called “an extraordinary achievement and a pure pleasure to read” by National Book Award and PEN/Faulkner Award winner Ha Jin. Kate is the founder and creative force behind “Be the Butterfly”, a grassroots climate action initiative that invites everyone to do one small thing to help mitigate climate change. Kate received her MFA from Boston University.Little Great IslandOn Little Great Island, climate change is disrupting both life and love.After offending the powerful pastor of the cult where she's lived for a decade, Mari McGavin must flee with her six-year-old son. With no money and no place else to go, she returns to the tiny Maine island where she grew up—a place she swore she'd never see again. There Mari runs into her lifelong friend Harry Richardson, one of the island's summer residents, now back himself to sell his family's summer home. Mari and Harry's lives intertwine once again, setting off a chain of events as unexpected and life altering as the shifts in climate affecting the whole ecosystem of the island…from generations of fishing families to the lobsters and the butterflies.Little Great Island  illustrates in microcosm the greatest changes of our time and the unyielding power of love.“An uplifting and grown-up novel in which two lost souls find love and purpose”—Kirkus Reviews“…utterly grounded and achingly empathetic, developed with gorgeous, flowing prose and a steady, sometimes heart-wrenching plot.”—Booklisthttps://katewoodworth.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Drawing on her own immigrant experience, Fazzi takes readers on an action-packed ride full of wit and grit in her thrilling two-book release, SUNDAY OR THE HIGHWAY and DANGER NO PROBLEM (Thomas & Mercer, ISBN-13: ‎9781662528552 / 9781662528538). Whether it's traffickers, fugitives, or murderers, main character Domingo loves nothing more than putting the bad guys away. But this brash, immigrant-turned-bounty hunter also has a paradoxical side hustle: writing a book of advice for people immigrating to the US. In Danger No Problem: Domingo's latest job is to track down Monica Reed. Again. In all his years as a bounty hunter, Monica is the only target who's ever given him the slip—and the only one he's ever let go. As Domingo works to flush out Monica for the third time, he uncovers more layers to her story. Dark secrets, hidden sacrifices, and shocking discoveries point to a dangerous truth she'll risk her life to expose. Now Domingo must decide which side he's actually on. Previously published as Multo, this edition of Danger No Problem includes editorial revision. In Sunday or the Highway, the exciting second installment - Domingo finds that playing matchmaker for an heiress proves a lot more deadly than Cupid's arrow. A seemingly easy case involving a lovestruck young heiress turns out to be anything but. Tessa Woodridge, the CEO of a fast-food chain, hires Domingo to locate the undocumented parents of Julian Alondra, the love of her life. When Tessa was eight, fourteen-year-old Julian saved her life. She always believed they were destined to be together. Compared to Domingo's other cases, this should be a cakewalk. But he soon discovers it's not all heart eyes and sweet nothings between these two. In his line of work, you learn to prepare for everything you never saw coming—and Domingo can see it from a mile away. About the author: CINDY FAZZI is a Filipino American writer and former Associated Press reporter. DANGER NO PROBLEM (Book 1), previously titled MULTO, was a finalist in the Best Literary category of the 2024 Silver Falchion Award. Her historical novel, MY MACARTHUR, was published by Sand Hill Review Press in 2018. She has worked as a journalist in the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States. Her articles have appeared in the Daily Beast, Publishers Weekly, Electric Literature, and Writer's Digest.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Send us a textIn today's episode, I'm chatting with Kate Angelo, an autodidactic polymath with a remarkable story. As a child, Kate was a bookworm, dog groomer, exotic pet wrangler, horse trainer, and even a teenage pool shark. At one point, her family even owned a lion, though they quickly learned that lions don't make great house pets! After aging out of foster care, Kate broke into tech during the height of the dot-com boom before stepping into her next chapter as a Publishers Weekly bestselling author. Alongside her husband, she champions stronger marriages through their nonprofit, Marriage Minute, and her romantic suspense novels reflect her belief that hope and healing can be found even in life's fiercest trials. We are here today to discuss her latest novel, Girl Lost. In our conversation, Kate and I talk about the importance of learning how to have real, face-to-face conversations—especially in close relationships. We also explore:Episode Highlights:Writing romantic suspense with emotionally rich, flawed characters.Mentorship for young people navigating tough beginnings.Why hard conversations are key to building healthy relationships.Tips for approaching those conversations with empathy and clarity.Why she loves the freedom of reading on her Kindle.Kate's perspective is full of wisdom, honesty, and encouragement. As she reminds us: “You are not broken beyond repair. A hard start doesn't mean you can't have a healthy future—it just takes intentional work.”Connect with Kate:InstagramFacebookWebsiteBooks and authors mentioned in the episode:Misery by Stephen KingThe Other Sister by Jessica R. PatchBook FlightThe Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienThe Brands of Justice series by Lisa PhillipsThe Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel

Award-winning author, Carmen Amato, discusses her incredible latest release, BARRACUDA BAY. When the Mayor of Acapulco's sister is found murdered, Detective Emilia Cruz is plunged into a high stakes investigation with deadly consequences. As the mayoral election looms, Emilia will go farther than she ever has before to bring the killer to justice. “A thrilling series.”–National Public Radio Listen in as we chat about how important loyalty was when Carmen worked in the CIA, a very special embroidery project, and why it feels like she sent me on a mini vacation! https://www.mariesutro.com/twisted-passages-podcast https://carmenamato.net ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carmen Amato is the author of the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series and the Galliano Club historical fiction thrillers. Her standalone thrillers include The Hidden Light of Mexico City, which was longlisted for the 2020 Millennium Book Award. A 30-year veteran of the CIA, Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal. A judge for the BookLife Prize and Killer Nashville's Claymore Award, her essays have appeared in Criminal Element, Publishers Weekly, and other national publications. She writes the popular Mystery Ahead newsletter on Substack. Originally from upstate New York, Carmen's experiences in Mexico and Central America ignited her writing career. After years of globetrotting, she currently resides in Tennessee with a German Shepherd named Bear and her husband, who is also a retired intelligence officer. They have two grown children.

Award-winning author, Carmen Amato, discusses her incredible latest release, BARRACUDA BAY. When the Mayor of Acapulco's sister is found murdered, Detective Emilia Cruz is plunged into a high stakes investigation with deadly consequences. As the mayoral election looms, Emilia will go farther than she ever has before to bring the killer to justice. “A thrilling series.”–National Public Radio Listen in as we chat about how important loyalty was when Carmen worked in the CIA, a very special embroidery project, and why it feels like she sent me on a mini vacation! https://www.mariesutro.com/twisted-passages-podcast https://carmenamato.net ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carmen Amato is the author of the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series and the Galliano Club historical fiction thrillers. Her standalone thrillers include The Hidden Light of Mexico City, which was longlisted for the 2020 Millennium Book Award. A 30-year veteran of the CIA, Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal. A judge for the BookLife Prize and Killer Nashville's Claymore Award, her essays have appeared in Criminal Element, Publishers Weekly, and other national publications. She writes the popular Mystery Ahead newsletter on Substack. Originally from upstate New York, Carmen's experiences in Mexico and Central America ignited her writing career. After years of globetrotting, she currently resides in Tennessee with a German Shepherd named Bear and her husband, who is also a retired intelligence officer. They have two grown children.

With his highly anticipated debut graphic novel "More Weight: A Salem Story" releasing, Massachusetts-born author Ben Wickey joins us for an exclusive pre-launch interview about this Alan Moore-praised "appalling masterpiece." The Edward Gorey Award-winning artist's first solo work tells the harrowing tale of Giles Corey, the only person pressed to death under stones during the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Trials.What makes this upcoming graphic novel release extraordinary? Beyond Wickey's stunning and unmatched visual storytelling that brings historical horror to visceral life, he is a descendant of Salem Witch Trial victim Mary Easty, bringing deeply personal perspective to this decade-long project that Publishers Weekly compared to "From Hell." We explore the pre-release excitement, Wickey's meticulous research using historical documents, and his innovative dual-timeline narrative featuring Nathaniel Hawthorne interludes. Using the graphic novel format, Wickey cuts through pop culture mythology to restore the genuine horror and humanity of Salem's history.Discover how Corey transformed from testifying against his wife Martha to defiantly uttering his final words "more weight," and why this Salem witch hunt story will captivate readers everywhere.#SalemWitchTrials #BenWickey #MoreWeight #GraphicNovel #HistoricalHorrorBuy the Graphic Novel "More Weight" Read the Alan Moore World Blog: Ben Wickey An Extraordinary Enchanter More Weight Preview Page on TopShelfComix.com Sign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Projectwww.massachusettswitchtrials.orgThe Thing About Salem YouTube⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts

Pamela Morsi's books were different than the typical historical romance of the time. Writing stories set in rural America, with poor or working class characters, Morsi was hailed as the “the Garrison Keillor of romance fiction,” by Publishers Weekly. When demand for the Americana subgenre waned after 2000, Morsi switched over to contemporary romance and women's fiction with 2002's Doing Good. She continued to write through 2014, publishing 29 books in her long career. She died this past December. Garters, published in 1993, is one of Morsi's most beloved books. Following Esme Crab, a poor hill girl who wants to marry up, and Cleavis Rhy, a storeowner with aspirations of being a gentleman, Garters is an unusual tale about class, love, and ambition that is goofy, tender, and at times heartbreaking.Support us on our Patreon!Visit our website for transcripts and show notes: reformedrakes.comFollow us on social media:Twitter: @reformedrakesInstagram: @reformedrakesBluesky: @reformedrakesBeth's SubstackChels' SubstackEmma's SubstackThank you for listening!

In this *spoiler free* conversation, host Jason Blitman talks to author Alejandro Varela, about his book MIDDLE SPOON, the October Gays Reading Book Club pick with Allstora.MIDDLE SPOON unpacks what happens when you've got the husband, the kids, the bougie life… AND you're going through a breakup with your boyfriend. Provocative, witty, and deeply human—this one's not afraid to challenge the so-called “rules” of love.Alejandro Varela's debut novel, The Town of Babylon, was a finalist for the National Book Award. His short story collection, The People Who Report More Stress, was one of Publishers Weekly's best works of fiction in 2023, a finalist for the International Latino Book Awards, and longlisted for the Aspen Literary Prize, the Story Prize, and the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award. Varela is an editor-at-large of Apogee Journal, holds a master's degree in public health, and is based in New York.What do you get when you join the Gays Reading Book Club?Curated book delivered monthly to your door (at a discount!) – the books we'd call “accessibly literary”30% Off Allstora's websiteAccess to the book club “Kiki” to talk about the booksExclusive author Q&AsAllstora donates a children's book to an LGBTQIA+ youthThis club exclusively supports LGBTQIA+ authorsAnd more!Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE October Book: Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.com

Tom Epperson (tomepperson.com), award-winning novelist and screenwriter of the cult classic film, One False Move (with Billy Bob Thornton, his childhood friend), knows how to enrapture readers. His books, from Edgar-nominated The Kind One, deemed “an impressive debut” (Publishers Weekly), to his “exquisitely written, expertly plotted” (Booklist) novel Sailor, are literary, fast-paced, metaphorical, and fresh. Epperson's latest offering, perhaps his most engaging and provocative yet, is BABY HAWK is an alluring work that's surprising not only to his readers but to himself as well. A novel in verse, BABY HAWK is a mesmerizing fable, a gorgeous adventure, a coming-of-age story, an outright shocker that runs in high gear from its hard-hitting first stanza to its remarkable conclusion. Masterfully written, this unique achievement will wow readers with explicit imagery and superb suspense. And it's so much fun to read that the deep messages it carries about feminism and ecological devastation soar above the book's heart-throbbing narrative and only fully settle into your bones when the story has ended. Tom Epperson, a native of Arkansas, headed west to Los Angeles with his boyhood friend Billy Bob Thornton to pursue a career in show business. Epperson's co-written the scripts for One False Move, A Family Thing, The Gift, A Gun, a Car, a Blonde, and Jayne Mansfield's Car. His L.A. noir The Kind One was nominated for both the Edgar Award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel. Three more books followed, Sailor, Roberto to the Dark Tower Came, and Make Believe. His most recent book is Baby Hawk, a novel in verse. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife Stefani, two pampered cats, and two frisky dogs.

This MBM conversation with Zara Chowdhary, author of the memoir The Lucky Ones - a survivor's account of the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom. The book is a deeply personal story of Zara and her family whose roots and history are entwined within the soil and soul of the Indian subcontinent, but also the trauma that speaks through the family, especially the women across generations.Zara's writing is intimate, visceral and soul-stirring, with each page offering truth and dignity to every relationship she writes about, evoking a deep sense of humanity that we most often refuse to acknowledge even within ourselves. We talk about that and many other things including the ways faith informs her interactions with the people and communities she chooses to be part of.About Zara ChowdharyZara Chowdhary is a writer and educator in the US. She has an MA in writing for performance from the University of Leeds, and an MFA in creative writing and Environment from Iowa State University. She has previously worked behind the camera for studios like Red Chillies Entertainment, Vinod Chopra Films, Eros Entertainment and others. Her debut, The Lucky Ones, a first by any survivor of the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom, released in the US last year to critical acclaim.It was a PEN America finalist, and a Time Magazine Top Ten Best Nonfiction Books of the Year, as well as a Best Book by NPR, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, People Magazine, Esquire, Electric Literature and others. In India, The Lucky Ones released in September 2024, and has become a nonfiction bestseller, winning the prestigious Shakti Bhatt Prize 2024, and currently long-listed for the Ramnath Goenka Sahitya Samman. Zara teaches creative writing and South Asian studies at the University of Iowa.MBM visual identity design by Shazia Salam || Music by Jupneet Singh This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mainbhimuslim.com

Drawing on her own immigrant experience, Fazzi takes readers on an action-packed ride full of wit and grit in her thrilling two-book release, SUNDAY OR THE HIGHWAY and DANGER NO PROBLEM (Thomas & Mercer, ISBN-13: ‎9781662528552 / 9781662528538). Whether it's traffickers, fugitives, or murderers, main character Domingo loves nothing more than putting the bad guys away. But this brash, immigrant-turned-bounty hunter also has a paradoxical side hustle: writing a book of advice for people immigrating to the US. In Danger No Problem: Domingo's latest job is to track down Monica Reed. Again. In all his years as a bounty hunter, Monica is the only target who's ever given him the slip—and the only one he's ever let go. As Domingo works to flush out Monica for the third time, he uncovers more layers to her story. Dark secrets, hidden sacrifices, and shocking discoveries point to a dangerous truth she'll risk her life to expose. Now Domingo must decide which side he's actually on. Previously published as Multo, this edition of Danger No Problem includes editorial revision. In Sunday or the Highway, the exciting second installment - Domingo finds that playing matchmaker for an heiress proves a lot more deadly than Cupid's arrow. A seemingly easy case involving a lovestruck young heiress turns out to be anything but. Tessa Woodridge, the CEO of a fast-food chain, hires Domingo to locate the undocumented parents of Julian Alondra, the love of her life. When Tessa was eight, fourteen-year-old Julian saved her life. She always believed they were destined to be together. Compared to Domingo's other cases, this should be a cakewalk. But he soon discovers it's not all heart eyes and sweet nothings between these two. In his line of work, you learn to prepare for everything you never saw coming—and Domingo can see it from a mile away. About the author: CINDY FAZZI is a Filipino American writer and former Associated Press reporter. DANGER NO PROBLEM (Book 1), previously titled MULTO, was a finalist in the Best Literary category of the 2024 Silver Falchion Award. Her historical novel, MY MACARTHUR, was published by Sand Hill Review Press in 2018. She has worked as a journalist in the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States. Her articles have appeared in the Daily Beast, Publishers Weekly, Electric Literature, and Writer's Digest.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

Hey, Mama, in today's episode, we are chatting with author Sandra Byrd! We are discussing the pressure on mamas in society and Christian circles to be perfect to be accepted. But the truth is we will never be perfect in this life—and we don't have to be. Join Sandra Byrd and Natalie as they discuss what's behind Sandra's newest devotional, More Than Enough: 90 Devotions for Loving Yourself as God Loves You. Sandra's new book explores the importance of loving yourself the way God does, while dismantling toxic perfectionism through heartfelt stories and Scripture that teach you that you don't have to keep striving. Listen along as you discover the importance of loving yourself the way God does, freeing yourself from unrealistic standards, unhealthy self-talk, and unattainable perfectionism. God's grace and unconditional love already call you more than enough. Sandra, author of over fifty books, has earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, multiple Library Journal starred reviews and Best Book selections, the Historical Novel Society's Editor's Choice award, two Christy Award nominations, a BookPage Top Pick for Romance, and a spot on Booklist's Top Ten Inspirational Books of the Year. Her devotionals, including The One Year Home and Garden Devotions, The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional, and the bestselling tween devotional One Year Between You and God, are highly acclaimed, with the latter two named must-reads by Called Magazine. As an editor and writing coach, Sandra mentors writers at all stages via sandrabyrdbookcoach.com. A foodie, Sandra cooks inspired by her books' themes, collects vintage glass and serve ware, and enjoys walks with her husband and Sunday Suppers with her family.Please like, subscribe, rate, review, and share so we can help other mamas who are feeling stuck in their anger and burnout find joy in their motherhood journey!Sandra's Links:Website: sandrabyrd.comSandra's Devotional: More Than EnoughFacebook: @AuthorSandraByrdSponsor:Make Wellness - Biactive Precision Peptides Questions, thoughts, feedback? Send me a text!Questions, thoughts, feedback? Send me a text!Connect with Natalie: Natalie's Website: nataliehixson.comInstagram: instagram.com/angrymamacoachPinterest: pinterest.com/nataliehixsonYouTube: @angrymamacoachAcknowledgements: Producer and editor: Skye Hixson Music: Simon Reid www.simonreidmusic.com

Chiara Barzini"L'ultima acqua"Il sogno perduto di Los AngelesEinaudi Editorewww.einaudi.itFestival del Pensare Contemporaneo, PiacenzaSabato 13 settembre 2025, ore 12:00"La fine dell'abbondanza"La contesa sull'acqua e la democrazia assetataDialogo tra Chiara Barzini, Massimo Gargano e Marcello Pera.www.pensarecontemporaneo.itDurante il tour di presentazione per il suo primo romanzo, Chiara Barzini riceve da un amico un pacco misterioso. Tornata a casa, scopre che si tratta di un libro raro: il manuale originale usato per la costruzione dell'acquedotto di Los Angeles del 1913, autografato dall'ingegnere William Mulholland. Quando un famoso regista di Hollywood si dichiara interessato a trarre un film dal suo romanzo, il manuale diventa per lei un talismano, un oracolo sulle sorti creative sue e di un luogo amato. Del resto, attraverso quel capolavoro di ingegneria, William Mulholland ha reso possibile l'impossibile, facendo sgorgare l'acqua nel deserto, inventando per un secolo l'immagine di Los Angeles. Di fronte al rischio che il film non si faccia per problemi di produzione, Chiara Barzini decide di volare negli Stati Uniti per parlare di persona con il Regista. Prima di andare all'appuntamento, però, intraprende un viaggio propiziatorio al Salton Sea, il piú grande lago californiano diventato un emblema del disastro ecologico, e poi lungo il monumentale acquedotto di Los Angeles. Non è un'impresa solitaria. Fin dall'inizio la sostengono i consigli di scrittori audaci come Gay Talese e Mike Davis, e da un certo punto in poi la raggiungono due amiche di vecchia data, Kate e Ruby. Ripercorrere il cammino dell'acqua, ormai ridotta a un filo, è un modo per cercare di comprendere la parte piú sfuggente e misteriosa della città, ma anche di se stessa, e affrontare il lutto per la fine di un'epoca che non credevamo sarebbe mai arrivata. Un po' alla volta questo viaggio on the road ai confini dell'Impero americano diventa l'occasione per far decantare i propri sogni, liberandoli dalle illusioni ma non dalla loro forza propulsiva. E allo stesso tempo per guardare con occhio lucido ma ancora in parte incantato una terra piena di fascino e di contraddizioni, una terra ora minacciata dalle fiamme.Chiara Barzini è scrittrice e sceneggiatrice. Ha vissuto e studiato negli Stati Uniti dove ha collaborato regolarmente con varie testate come «Rolling Stone», «Interview Magazine», «Vogue», «Harper's», «Vice» e «T Magazine». È autrice della raccolta di racconti Sister Stop Breathing (Calamari Press 2012) e del romanzo Terremoto (Mondadori 2017), nominato tra i migliori libri dell'anno da «The New York Times», «The Guardian», «Vogue», «Esquire», «O, the Oprah Magazine», «Publishers Weekly» ed «Elle». Cura la rubrica «Zona di Sconforto » per «d di Repubblica». Ha tradotto in inglese le poesie tratte da Ancestrale di Goliarda Sapienza e in italiano l'ultima raccolta di Diane Williams, Insomma siete ricchi (Edizioni Black Coffee 2024). Le sue sceneggiature sono state candidate ai Nastri d'Argento e ai Globi d'Oro.IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarewww.ilpostodelleparole.itDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/il-posto-delle-parole--1487855/support.

Harry Bosch je nielenže dávno na dôchodku, navyše ho čoraz väčšmi trápi zdravie. Jeho dcéra Maddie však usilovne pokračuje v otcových šľapajach a snaží sa vypracovať na detektívku LAPD. Začne pracovať na dvoch prípadoch s Renée Ballardovou. Získajú horúcu stopu DNA spojenia medzi nedávno zatknutým mužom a sériovým násilníkom a vrahom, ktorý sa odmlčal pred dvadsiatimi rokmi. Zatknutý muž má len dvadsaťštyri rokov, takže genetická súvislosť musí byť rodinná. Keď sa však Ballardová a jej tím presunú za podozrivým, narazia na mätúcu sieť tajomstiev a právnych prekážok. Stopy vedú do nebezpečne vysokých kruhov, a tak im Harryho skúsenosti a odvaha celkom isto ešte prídu vhod. „Nedá sa odložiť... prináša napätie takmer na prasknutie, zaručene poteší jeho fanúšikov. Patrí medzi Connellyho najlepšie knihy.“ — Publishers Weekly „...Čakanie je Michael Connelly vo svojej najlepšej forme, opäť potvrdzuje, prečo je nepopierateľným majstrom moderného kriminálneho románu.“ — The Real Book Spy „Verdikt: Meno Connelly na obálke je zárukou skvelého čítania; a ani táto novinka nie je výnimkou. Príbeh sleduje prípady metodicky a realisticky, postavy sa ďalej vyvíjajú.“ — Library Journal Audiokniha: Čakanie Autor: Michael Connelly Interpret: Zuzana Kyzeková Dĺžka: 12:40 h Vydavateľstvo: Publixing a Slovart Audiokniha Čakanie na webe Publixing (MP3 na stiahnutie) Audiokniha Čakanie na webe Audiolibrix (MP3 na stiahnutie)

Dr. Laura welcomes Dr. Esther Sternberg, M.D., a Professor, Research Director, Speaker, and Author of the books Well at Work, Healing Spaces, and The Balance Within, to the podcast to talk about wellness at work and how workplace environments impact employees. Dr. Sternberg shares her career journey from her start in medical family practice through to becoming the Research Director at the Andrew Weil Center of Integrative Medicine. She and Dr. Laura talk about what factors impact health and overall wellness at work and how these can be improved.Dr. Sternberg delves into the insights in her book Well at Work and explains the seven domains of integrative health as defined by the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Sleep, resilience, environment, movement, relationships, spirituality, and nutrition are the seven domains, and they include things like how quickly we bounce back from stress, how clean our air is, and access to nature. Dr. Laura and Dr. Sternberg examine how office design, environmental location, common spaces that encourage relationships, and even temperature all play a key role in our workplace health. The conversation sheds light on how work isn't simply a place to invest time into productivity, but can positively or negatively impact our overall lives, and how redefining workplaces is a vital part of future discussions. “... if you're feeling too stressed or too activated, you want to do something that will tone down that stress response so you can perform at peak... If you're too stressed, you freeze, you're unable to focus. You're unable to do the job, the task at hand. So what helps you to move that stress response from the extreme danger zone back to performing at peak is places where you can go offline a little bit, where you can effectively meditate even though you're not sitting there with crossed legs in a lotus position in a yoga studio, although having spaces where some people can do that is is also beneficial. But a space, for example, [like] the gardens. To just walk in the gardens, to just take your brain off the computer for a while and focus on the green, on the plants.” - Dr. Esther SternbergAbout Dr. Esther Sternberg, M.D.:Dr. Esther Sternberg is internationally recognized for her discoveries in the science of the mind-body interaction in illness and healing, and the role of place in wellbeing. She is a pioneer and major force in collaborative initiatives on mind-body-stress-wellness and environment interrelationships. A dynamic speaker, she engages her audience with passion for her subject and compassion as a physician. Through stories, she provides listeners with many take-home tips to help them cope with stress and thrive, and to create wellbeing spaces wherever they work or live. Dr. Sternberg's three popular, highly readable, informative, and scientifically based books are inspirations for lay persons and professionals alike, seeking answers to the complexities and 21st-century frontiers of stress, place, healing, and wellness. Her award-winning book, WELL at WORK: Creating Wellbeing in Any Workspace (Little, Brown Spark, 2023) was named a Top Ten Lifestyle Book for Fall 2023 by Publishers Weekly and received the OWL (Outstanding Works of Literature) Longlist Award. Her two previous science-for-the-lay public books, Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-Being and The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions, are landmark in its field. Healing Spaces was recognized by the President of the American Institute of Architects as an inspiration for launching the AIA's Design and Health Initiative and has inspired the implementation of healing spaces in hospitals across the country and around the world. Currently, Research Director, Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine and Founding Director of the University of Arizona Institute on Place, Wellbeing & Performance, she holds the Inaugural Andrew Weil Chair for Research in Integrative Medicine and is a Research Professor of Medicine with joint appointments as Professor in Psychology, Architecture, and Planning & Landscape Architecture, and in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness. As Senior Scientist and Section Chief, National Institutes of Health (1986-2012), she directed the NIH Integrative Neural Immune Program, Co-Chaired the NIH Intramural Program on Research on Women's Health, and chaired a subcommittee of the NIH Central Tenure Committee. Dr. Sternberg has advised the World Health Organization; the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine; the International WELL Building Institute; the Royal Society, London; the Vatican, where she was presented to Pope Benedict XVI; and has briefed high-level U.S. Federal Government officials, including the Surgeon General, National Institutes of Health leadership, and the Department of Defence. Her two decades-long research with the U.S. General Services Administration, using wearable devices to track health and wellbeing in the built office environment, is informing healthy design standards and COVID re-entry across the federal government and the private sector.Among other honors, she moderated a panel with the Dalai Lama, was recognized by the National Library of Medicine as one of the women who “Changed the Face of Medicine,” served as a member and Chair of NLM's Board of Regents, and received an Honorary Doctorate in Medicine from Trinity College, Dublin, on its 300th Anniversary. She has authored over 240 scholarly articles, edited 10 technical books on the topic of brain-immune connections and design and health, and writes a monthly blog for Psychology Today, it has garnered tens of thousands of readers on subjects including stress and illness, gratitude and wellness, and place and wellbeing. She co-created and hosted the PBS Television Special, The Science of Healing with Dr. Esther Sternberg, and is frequently interviewed in the lay press and media, including NPR, BBC, CBC radio; PBS, ABC, CBS 60 Minutes, Overtime television, the Washington Post, LA Times, U.S. News and World Report, Reader's Digest, Prevention Magazine, The Oprah Magazine, and numerous podcasts, among others. She received her M.D. from McGill University, and trained in rheumatology at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Canada.Resources:Website: EstherSternberg.comBook: “Well at Work: Creating Wellbeing in any Workspace” by Esther M. Sternberg, MDInstagram: @dresternbergLinkedInLearn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.liveFor more resources, look into Dr. Laura's organizations: Canada Career CounsellingSynthesis Psychology

BIO Sheena Yap Chan is a Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist, and award-winning podcaster recognized for her work in elevating women's leadership and self-confidence through the power of media and visibility. She is the founder of the Confidence Through Visibility movement and host of , ranked in the top 0.5% globally with over 1.3 million downloads and 800+ interviews featuring celebrities, CEOs, and cultural icons. Her debut book, , was named one of the top 20 best self-confidence books of all time by Book Authority, while her latest release, , is a bold call to reimagine leadership by making visibility and self-trust core competencies. Through her signature VISIBLE Framework, Sheena delivers transformational keynotes and corporate programs that help organizations bridge the confidence gap, retain diverse talent, and build cultures where women are seen, heard, and respected. Her work has been featured on NBC News, FOX, MindValley, and The Manila Times, and she has spoken for global brands including NASA, Live Nation, and UKG. Sheena believes that confidence is something we can build—and that visibility creates the impact we wish to see in the world.   https://www.sheenayapchan.com/home

Bethany Corbin, a nationally recognized healthcare innovation attorney and femtech entrepreneur, shares her inspiring journey into the medtech industry, driven by personal experiences and a passion for women's health. As the founder of Women's Health Innovation Consulting, Bethany discusses her new book, "The Femtech Revolution," which aims to educate and empower women in navigating the women's healthcare space. She offers practical advice for self-advocacy in healthcare settings, emphasizes the importance of privacy and equity in digital health tools, and highlights her role in shaping the future of femtech through leadership, mentorship, and legal guidance for startups.   Guest links: http://linkedin.com/in/bethanycorbin/ | https://femtechlawyer.com | https://www.amazon.com/Femtech-Revolution-Harnessing-Technology-Supercharge/dp/139433091X Charity supported: ASPCA Interested in being a guest on the show or have feedback to share? Email us at theleadingdifference@velentium.com.  PRODUCTION CREDITS Host & Editing: Lindsey Dinneen Producer: Velentium Medical   EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Episode 062 - Bethany Corbin [00:00:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Hi, I'm Lindsey and I'm talking with MedTech industry leaders on how they change lives for a better world. [00:00:09] Diane Bouis: The inventions and technologies are fascinating and so are the people who work with them. [00:00:15] Frank Jaskulke: There was a period of time where I realized, fundamentally, my job was to go hang out with really smart people that are saving lives and then do work that would help them save more lives. [00:00:28] Diane Bouis: I got into the business to save lives and it is incredibly motivating to work with people who are in that same business, saving or improving lives. [00:00:38] Duane Mancini: What better industry than where I get to wake up every day and just save people's lives. [00:00:42] Lindsey Dinneen: These are extraordinary people doing extraordinary work, and this is The Leading Difference.  Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Leading Difference podcast. I'm your host, Lindsey, and today I am so excited to introduce you to my guest, Bethany Corbin. Bethany Corbin, JD is a nationally recognized healthcare innovation attorney, femtech entrepreneur, and influential thought leader at the intersection of women's health and law. She's the founder of Women's Health Innovation Consulting and Fem Innovation Organizations Design, organizations dedicated to advancing equitable cutting edge solutions in women's health. Her book, "The Femtech Revolution," empowers every woman to confidently navigate the femtech space, equipping them with essential tools to protect themselves and advocate for their health needs. All right. Well, welcome to the show, Bethany. I'm so excited to be speaking with you today. [00:01:35] Bethany Corbin: Thank you so much for having me, Lindsey. I'm honored to be here. [00:01:39] Lindsey Dinneen: Awesome. Well, let me just start by asking you if you don't mind, to share a little bit about yourself, your background and what led you to MedTech. [00:01:48] Bethany Corbin: Absolutely. So I'm an attorney by background, which is not the traditional path that one would think of when we think of medtech. I actually, when I went to college, I wanted to be a doctor and get kind of into the biology and the sciences, and I realized I was actually really terrible at them. It was not where my skillset aligned at all and I had to do a bit of recalibrating ,realized that I loved kind of research, writing, learning about new things, and ended up going into law from there. When I first went into law, though, I was actually in financial services and litigation, so it was like the farthest thing ever from healthcare and medtech, and it was horrible. I actually hated it. And, from there, I ended up getting a clerkship in DC and that gave me time to really consider what I wanted to do after that clerkship ended, and really where I wanted to focus my practice. I have been involved in healthcare since I was eight years old. My mom actually had an illness where doctors continually dismissed her. And so it took us seven to eight years to get a diagnosis. So, I had a lot of background with healthcare, then had a lot of background in healthcare with my grandparents getting sick. And so for me, healthcare was always something I was really interested in. I started to look into health law. I actually, at the time that I was doing my clerkship and going into my next job was doing a healthcare LLM-- so essentially a master's degree for lawyers in healthcare law, and I ended up transitioning into healthcare law from there. I was doing big law in Washington, DC at the time, doing your traditional healthcare things right? Like your managed care pharmacy, benefit management all of those kind of things--some healthcare privacy. And, it was great. I actually got the opportunity to teach law at my alma mater, and it was while I was there, it was in 2018 that I actually came across the term femtech for the first time, and I had never heard this term. I got really interested in it, really excited about it, and I started focusing my research portfolio and scholarship on femtech. So I went and did my first conference on femtech, wrote my first paper on femtech in that time, and really started to see the impact that this could have on women's healthcare going forward. So I actually left teaching went back into big law in order to focus on femtech and while I was there I realized that a lot of the companies that were creating these products were startups. And of course, big in big law, you're not really working with startups, you're working with those larger corporate institutions. So I actually left big law, went to a smaller firm where I could start and focus on a femtech practice and work solely in digital healthcare. And I absolutely loved it. I got a lot of expertise and knowledge, and then from there branched out into having my own firm focused on femtech and working with early stage founders to help them bring their products to life, to revolutionize women's healthcare. So I know that's a long roundabout way of getting there. I'm now running my own firm, and I have a book on femtech that's coming out this fall. [00:04:41] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh my goodness. First of all, I love hearing the background and the winding path that led you to this incredible calling, and I would love, okay, so many things stand out, but let's start with your book. Can you share about that? Because I am personally very excited about this, and I would love to hear about your journey and writing it, and then what's it about and how can we even get a copy. [00:05:02] Bethany Corbin: Yes, absolutely. It's so funny, right? 'because if you had talked to me three years ago and told me I would write a book, I would've said that you were crazy. And it's interesting. My book is called the Femtech Revolution, and it's really about harnessing digital health tools to improve and help to transform and revolutionize women's healthcare because for so long, women have been left out of the conversation about healthcare. Our bodies haven't been studied. There's a lot of disparities that we have and a gender data gap that we have when it comes to women's healthcare. And this has continued today. When my mom, you know, when I was eight years old, she was continually dismissed by doctors and told it was in her head. Coming full circle, I had my own women's health issue very unexpectedly in 2021, and my pain was actually dismissed and mismanaged with my surgical team. And so seeing that occur in today's environment and how little we've grown in women's healthcare and innovation over that time period was something that, for me, was really a driving factor, not only in my transition to femtech, but also in writing this book. Because there's been studies that have shown that about 89% of women have actually never heard the term femtech, and yet it's this entire multi-billion dollar industry that's being created for us, but we don't know about it, and we can't get access to it because of all of the censorship and stuff that happens online. So we don't even know this exists. These tools are being built, and then we're not seeing a lot of investment or adoption into the tools because we don't even know they exist. So then, the companies can't get the consumers that they need. And of course we're also living in a time in which we're in this post Roe v. Wade environment where, I'm sure as people remember, there were a lot of calls to delete your period tracking app, and things like that when the Dobbs decision came out. And so when I've been working with startups, I always do it from a very consumer-centric perspective, which is we want to maximize privacy for consumers, we want to give them accurate tools and devices that they can use. And we want to be promoting health equity so that these tools can be available for women regardless of their income and their status and their circumstances. And as I was working with startups, it dawned on me that there's actually nothing out there for consumers and patients telling them, "Hey, this industry exists," but B: how do you navigate this industry with all of those considerations in mind, and avoid these products that are probably just going to be fake products, right? ...or inaccurate products, and they're actually going to do more harm than good. There's nothing that tells consumers how to navigate that space. And so I thought, "I'm going to write the guide for how consumers can vet these products in under 15 minutes, and how they can navigate and understand this space. So that's where The Femtech Revolution came from. It is a playbook for women to not only understand the background of women's health, how we got here, why we're being neglected, but also to then say, "I want to use these digital tools. Here's how they can help me in my health journey. But here's how I vet them." I created a four step framework for vetting products. It's called My Safe Method. So it, that's based on security, accuracy, foundation and equity. And it's really focused on making sure that you as a person and a consumer are choosing products that align with your privacy goals and your security goals. So your health data's not at risk, and you're choosing products that are accurate and how you actually tell that versus products that claim they're accurate but actually have no scientific backing. It focuses on foundation too, so looking at who is comprising the company, right? What are their values, their goals, so that you can make sure you're supporting companies that are in women's health for the long term instead of just to profit off of us. And then of course, equity, right? Making sure that we're. Choosing and selecting solutions that are going to be usable by the majority of women regardless of racial, ethnic status, income status--any of that. We want to make sure that we are developing products that have the core of women's health in mind. So that's really what the femtech revolution is about, and it's just about empowering women and showing them how to navigate the space in a way that's never been done before. [00:08:54] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow. Well, I am so excited for this book. I cannot wait to get my own copy. Are you doing pre-sells right now or how is this working? [00:09:03] Bethany Corbin: Yes, the book is available at all major booksellers right now-- Amazon has it, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million. And then for companies or individuals who want to purchase bulk copies, there's actually a way to do that through Porchlight that gives you a discount. It comes out September 23rd. But if you pre-order, you'll get a signed book plate and you'll get all of these other resources that I'm creating kind of behind the scenes to actually compliment the book. You'll get all of those in digital form free because of the pre-order. There's a link on my website. Site. If you go to femtech lawyer.com, there's a book section and there's a form there that you can complete after you'd make your pre-order and you'll be signed up to get all of those great things. [00:09:42] Lindsey Dinneen: Excellent. Ooh, this is so exciting. Okay, awesome. [00:09:44] Bethany Corbin: It is, you know, and I will say it was so far been a number one new release on Amazon for health law. And it was also listed in Publishers Weekly in its preview for fall books alongside books like Dr. Sanjay Gupta that's coming out. So, it is, it is getting some attention, which I'm very thankful for because we really need to drive awareness to this space. [00:10:03] Lindsey Dinneen: That is amazing. Congratulations. I'm sure this is just the beginning of its success and I cannot wait to see, where it goes and how it changes lives and, improves so many women's experience with healthcare. So thank you for writing it and congratulations on its success already and just, it's just the beginning. [00:10:20] Bethany Corbin: Thank you. I'm, I'm so hopeful. You know, the goal is really to get this in the hands of as many people as possible, just so that we as a collective group, have the power to change women's healthcare if we act together. And so this book is really kind of that rallying cry for saying, if we're not going to do it now, are we ever going to do it because we've, we have the resources, we have the momentum for women's health right now, but we have to band together to show our interest in this industry. [00:10:44] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, absolutely. So on a very practical side, what are maybe just a few key things that women can do to advocate for themselves in a situation where they are being dismissed, their symptoms are being dismissed, people aren't taking them seriously, or they're like , " you don't know what you're talking about," kind of thing. So what are some of the just very practical things that women can do in order to advocate for themselves? [00:11:09] Bethany Corbin: Oh, absolutely. You know, and we also have a chapter in the book that focuses on EmTech, specifically, how you can actually take your data and use it to advocate at the doctor's office. So I'll, I'll go into some of those tips as well. But, you know, kind of from a, from a high level perspective, the first thing that I always recommend is. If you think that you're going to be dismissed at all, take a friend, a family member, or call the clinic and see if they have a patient advocate's counsel and take a patient advocate with you because you're much less likely to be dismissed if you have somebody there with you at the appointment whose job it is to advocate for your needs. And I found, too, that women are a lot less likely to be timid and kind of shy and sit back in those scenarios when you have another person because you know, if you don't speak up, they're going to, and that adds, you know, just a little bit of empowerment to that office visit or the doctor's visit. So that's kind of the first thing. If you ever feel like you're going to be in that situation, potentially, bring someone with you. It's another set of ears as well. If you are dismissed, you've got somebody there who's able to back you up and support you if you know you needed to make a claim out of it. So that's kind of the first thing. The second thing I always say, too, is make sure that you're taking your own notes, whether it's at the visit or right after the visit. Be careful about using apps like notes or things like that from a privacy perspective, right? You want to have. Either an app write or a piece of paper that is going to be protective of your privacy and not upload all of your health data into some cloud system without encryption. So just keep that in mind. But make a note if you felt like you were dismissed in the doctor's office about everything that happened, your concerns, how they were addressed, and make sure that you keep that paper or that application or note somewhere where you can access it if you need to, if you know you end up having an adverse health event down the line. The next thing that I always say, too, is if you are dismissed in the doctor's office, don't just accept it. Ask why they're not proceeding with additional testing. And if you think that there's a particular test that you would like to have and your doctor continues to say no, or they can continue to refuse to do any type of follow-up, ask if they'll refer you to a specialist. You can say something that's very simple like, " I understand that you're not willing to look into my condition any further, but I feel that further investigation is warranted. Can you please refer me to a specialist who may have more expertise in this area. If they're unwilling to do that, the other thing that I also always say is make sure that they put a note about the dismissal in your medical record. And a lot of doctors are going to be very unwilling to do this, and it can cause them to reconsider. So I always tell patients, say, "Can you please note in my medical record that my concerns, desire for additional testing were declined by you." And, oftentimes that will be enough for doctors to take a step back and say, "Do I really want that to be in writing in a patient's medical record from a liability perspective?" And, it can cause them to give you that extra testing because they don't want that dismissal noted in the record. If they don't, then you've got that dismissal noted in the record, which can be very helpful for you going forward if you ever needed to pursue a claim. And then the last thing I will say is, as women, a lot of times we are very, you know, we want to be seen as getting along, right? We want to be friendly, right? We want to believe that our doctors have more knowledge about healthcare and medicine than we do. But, only we know our bodies. Only we know how we are feeling. And so, if you're continually being dismissed and something in your body's telling you that, that's wrong, listen to it. Push back and get a second opinion, go to another doctor. Don't be afraid of being seen as confrontational, or difficult, or things like that because in the end, it's your body, it's your health. And, if you have something that's seriously wrong and it's not caught, you're, unfortunately, the one who's going to pay the price. So just remember that it's not about being difficult or confrontational, it's about saving your life. [00:14:55] Lindsey Dinneen: Oof. That is powerful, and that is great advice. Thank you so much. Even just listening to just that snippet, I feel personally more empowered to have those kinds of conversations with my healthcare providers if and whenever needed, because I feel like I have better tools and even phrasing. So thank you for sharing that. I think that's really helpful. Yeah. [00:15:16] Bethany Corbin: 'Course. [00:15:18] Lindsey Dinneen: So to your legal side of things, can you share what do you do right now? How are you helping in the femtech space --these different companies that are really in need of support from a legal perspective. What is your role in that, and how do you support those folks? [00:15:34] Bethany Corbin: Yeah, so it's interesting because, whenever I worked at large and smaller law firms before I branched out onto my own, one of the things I continued to see was early-stage companies really kind of... They had their idea, right? They're somewhere between ideation and their Series A fundraising round, and they would come to us for legal advice, but they wouldn't have a ton of money, and we would have to turn them away--we would say, "We get it. You're not ready for us yet. Come back when you have X amount of money and we'll help you." And, when they would inevitably come back at that higher price point, we would say, Great, here's 10 things you've done wrong in the interim and now it's going to cost you double the amount of money to fix that." And that, to me, was heartbreaking. You know, because so many of those things could have been fixed early on and, nobody was really providing that support. So, I found a gap really, for these early stage companies who needed legal support, but really didn't have a lot of places to turn. So, whenever I branched out with my own law firm, what I did was I actually specifically chose to focus on those companies somewhere between ideation and Series A fundraising round, where I could guide them through those startup phases in a way that was not going to be cost prohibitive to them, and would allow them to get that early foundation set so that they could grow scale, build, get excess capital get investors, all of that type of thing. So my role, it's interesting because it straddles two lines, right? It's of course legal advisor, but also there's a bit of, you know, kind of business planner in there as well with them and helping them conceive their ideas, right? Helping them kind of think about which features work or don't work from, not only practical perspectives, legal perspectives, but consumer perspectives as well. And so I get to wear a lot of those different hats. So, on a typical day I might do anything from advising clients on corporate structures, you know, how they want to set up their business. Is it a corporation? Is it an LLC? Working through those equity issues--how you think about equity for co-founders, or for investors, or for your employees. I do a lot of that. I do a lot of setting up very specific corporate structure models. There's actually a lot of corporate practice of medicine laws out there that prohibit individuals who aren't doctors or medical professionals from owning companies that provide medical services. And, it's very interesting because oftentimes the people who want to build these companies and make money are not the doctors who would be providing the services. Investors, for instance are not doctors. So there's a very interesting corporate structure that you can create that gets around that in most states. I do a lot of that to help my company stay in compliance with the laws. I also do a lot of privacy work. So I have several privacy certifications, and privacy is one of the key areas that I'm very passionate about. But, I help companies with everything from their privacy policies, to disclaimers, to thinking through how their different features in the app could compromise privacy, and kind of everything in between there--security, cybersecurity, and really working with them to think about it from a consumer perspective. I actually am selective about the clients that I do take on because there are so many companies out there that want to prioritize money over the patient experience. And so I'm very cautious to work with clients that want to make sure that they're doing things right and really wanting to make sure that they protect patient privacy. I do a lot on the patient privacy front. I do a little bit on the fundraising side with my clients, as well. And then of course, everything from contract drafting and negotiations. I do a lot of that as well. And I've actually co-written a book on contract drafting before. [00:19:02] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh my goodness. So, okay, first of all, that's awesome. I love all of this. And you know, I was thinking as you were talking, I was like, "Oh my goodness." I love how you're helping your clients and I love your your passion for especially helping clients succeed who they are about more than the money. Everyone has to make a living, so that's important too. But, I love the fact that your heart is for those people who are so invested in actually changing lives, and that's their primary driver and motivation. I think that's really powerful. And then, listening to you talk about this, I'm like, "Okay, so you've got this amazing, probably more than full-time opportunity, you've written a book and then, you're also CEO of Fem Innovation and a mentor with Femtech Lab. [00:19:48] Bethany Corbin: Yeah, I did a lot of mentorship through Femtech Lab. They were kind of an accelerator program for femtech companies, and I've worked with other accelerators over that time, as well. So it's the pro bono advice that you're able to give to some of the early stage startups across the world throughout their early stage journey through those programs, which has been really great and fascinating to work with. And then through Fem Innovation, our focus is a little bit different there because we're focusing on both startups and medical professionals. We actually have a course that we've created that teaches clinicians and healthcare professionals about femtech, how to get involved in femtech, and how they could be using those tools to actually support patient care and help empower their own patients because there's such a lack of knowledge even among clinicians today femtech exists, and how you incorporate it, especially if we're thinking that there's so many tools out there, and the risks associated with them--how do you know which ones are appropriate as a clinician, that type of thing. We've also seen a lot of clinicians wanting to get involved with femtech companies as advisors, or even as part of their boards or, coming on as medical professionals in those companies. And so some of the courses that we've done before have been focused on that as well, on helping them interact and get those roles with femtech companies. So we kind of see ourself at fem innovation as an ecosystem builder. We've obviously I have the legal side but now we're bringing in the clinicians, getting them integrated into this, getting them connected with the startups because it's their industry. This is what they're working on. But, there's oftentimes such a disconnect with the tech companies building the products and the healthcare professionals. And then we do offer some other additional non-legal resources to founders as well. [00:21:27] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow, that is incredible. I-- good gravy. I love your heart for all of this. And I also am like, I don't know how you-- I think you must have a superpower of like squeezing more time into your day-- somehow you just add hours miraculously. [00:21:42] Bethany Corbin: You know, it's so funny whenever I worked at, whenever I worked at a firm, a couple of my colleagues would come to me. They'd be like, "How do you get everything done? Like, there's gotta be 10 of you because how are you doing it?" And honestly, I honestly, it's just because at this point I don't have kids, and so I'm kind of able to really devote all of my time to working. But no, it's, but I get such fulfillment out of it too because I really feel like we're pushing an industry forward in a way that hasn't happened before. And, getting to see all the new companies come into the space, the new organizations that are supporting the companies, it's been really heartwarming to see all of that. And, you know, on the horizon, we're also hoping to loop in the consumer side a bit more as well. Obviously, you know, the book that I've written is very consumer focused. It can also be used, you know, by clinicians or by startups who want to make sure that they're doing the right things. But, to date, as well, there also really isn't a single location for consumers to go to, to find all these companies. And we have so much censorship that happens that unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you're probably not going to find the companies that are out there to serve you. And so we we have a partnership that's in the works right now to actually build a database of all those femtech companies and products and have them vetted to a certain extent, or information on there to a certain extent, about clinical accuracy, and privacy, and those things that I talk about in my book. So that's kind of the third component that we'll be weaving in later this fall. [00:22:58] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh my goodness. How exciting. Oh, I am, I'm so thrilled about all the work that you're doing to push this industry forward and to really make a difference in women's health and, you know, you're such a thought leader in this space-- what was it like stepping into more and more leadership roles to the point of leading your own firm. What was that journey like for you? [00:23:20] Bethany Corbin: Scary, I will say. You know, it's, interesting because I've always thought of myself, you know, kind of as somebody who could be the backbone of a firm, meaning that I do a lot of like the behind the scenes work, right? A lot of the legal research and writing, and that's kind of what I had made myself in at big law, and you know, also in the smaller firms that I worked with. Whenever I decided, I, was actually initially going to take a break before, you know, starting my firm, I was going to take two years off. I lasted five months. Oh no, I'm sorry--I lasted five weeks. Excuse me. And by that point in time, I had clients knocking down my door saying, "Where did you go? We need this kind of help. Nobody's out there providing it." And so that was kind of the impetus to say, "Okay, I'm going to start the firm earlier, you know, right now. And, I'm going to also look at kind of this ecosystem building, because of all the pain points that we were seeing." And, so I will say. I, went into it probably unprepared. I, never, if you had told me three years ago that I would have my own firm, I would've said you were absolutely crazy--more crazy than me writing a book. And I'm, very glad I did it because there's something to be said about kind of plotting and planning your own trajectory and, you know, being able to pivot with your clients instead of having layers of bureaucracy that you have to go through. So, I have loved it from that perspective. I'll also say it's definitely been the most challenging thing that I have done because as a leader, you're responsible for all the decisions. You're responsible for the trajectory, you're responsible if you're not making money. And you know, there's of course that fine line, right, between philanthropy and making money, and walking that whenever you are really, really wanting, you know, to help every single femtech company that's out there can be difficult. So I would say, that can be a little difficult sometimes, and making sure that you have the right support system to actually allow you you know, to bounce ideas off of them or, get feedback, and being able to pivot when those initial ideas don't work. That's been something that's been really critical for me is pivoting. This really isn't like the first time, you know, this isn't like the first idea I had, for fem innovation and things like that. So, so being a leader is definitely challenging, and making sure that you kind of develop your own leadership style and leadership, you know, capabilities as well while you're through this journey has been something that I've been working on, too. [00:25:27] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm. Yeah. Yeah, and, you know, it's a fun, thing because if you're, if you're passionate about helping people, which is clearly at the heart of who you are, and you desire to see improvement in the industry, but in individual people's lives, then as a leader, you're able to take that passion and allow it to help you in developing those leadership skills, and building onto them as time goes by, because you are already starting from a place of deep care and respect for others. And that's a great start. [00:26:01] Bethany Corbin: No, that's exactly right. And, you know, I love what kind of comes with it too, is a certain level of creativity that we often don't think about whenever we hear the term leadership. But, for me, it comes with that level of creativity where I'm actually able to build something, almost from the ground up, and that is really exciting. I can kind of plan it, take it in different directions, I can pivot with it. And, that to me is just--it's really exciting because as a leader, right, you often think, you've got management, right? You've got delegation, right? You have all of those things that sound bureaucratic and boring, but there's this underlying current of creativity that I think gets missed a lot. [00:26:37] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. I love that. I love that you highlighted creativity because I think that makes everyone's lives easier, right? If you have that flexibility to... this is such an overused word, but to pivot, I mean, it's, it's just, it's true. And so being willing to come at a problem or a situation with curiosity and go, "Hmm. I'm not sure that that's working the way I intended, or hoped it would. And then go, "Okay, what are some creative solutions to this?" And, maybe that means looking outside of your industry, too, for ideas. I think sometimes we can get kind of stuck like, "Oh, this is how the industry is, and that this is what they do," and then we forget that.... But that, you know, that's not necessarily bad or wrong, but we sometimes forget that we can learn from all sorts of different sources and, then bring it together, and creatively handle a situation that we might not have otherwise been capable of doing. [00:27:27] Bethany Corbin: Oh, exactly. And, the other thing too that it's really done as well is make me a bit of a better lawyer, right? Because as a lawyer, it's interesting, there's always this tendency when you know something is going to either violate a law, or not be the best in practice, to say "No" to your client. And, so for me, right, clients never want to hear the word "No." And, being a leader has, has allowed me to come up with some other creative solutions for my clients where I can say, "Okay, we can't do it the way you've proposed, but here's a different creative solution that I think could get around these key roadblocks. And, so for me, with my clients, it's about trying to say, "Not that way, but this way." Right? Kind of like a "Yes, but" rather than a "No." And I kind of take that same approach in leadership, too, because I want to make sure that, you know, with the people who are working for you and things like that, that you're making sure that you're meeting their needs, as well. And so it's really caused me to adapt to kind of a "Yes, but" framework rather than like a flat out, "No, we're done." [00:28:24] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. That's really cool. And, that's a great example of how you can approach, again, a problem with that mindset of, "Okay, hmm. That will not work the way that you hope it will work. However, I've got an idea." [00:28:40] Bethany Corbin: Exactly. It's so easy to say "no," but coming up with this creative solution--that's the fun part. That's really the rewarding part. [00:28:47] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Well, speaking of rewarding parts, I wonder if there are any moments that stand out to you along your journey so far of really affirming to you, "Wow, I am in the right industry at the right time, in the right role." [00:29:01] Bethany Corbin: Yeah. You know, it's, it's interesting. I think kind of the first instance of that, that I had-- so I had a very unexpected women's health issue. I ended up with fibroids that were so large, I was the equivalent of six months pregnant. And, they were crushing some of my internal organs. And I'm that person, right, who... I go to my doctor every year, right? I get my annual--I get all my checkups, and things like that. And somehow all of this was missed. And, so whenever I had to navigate that journey as a patient who-- and I have all of this, obviously, advocacy experience, right--legal experience. I'm navigating this at the height of COVID. I'm getting referrals and consultations with Mayo Clinic, right? I'm getting the best care that I can. And then seeing how even when you can do everything right, you can still be dismissed... For me, that was a moment in which I said, "I'm not in the right industry at the right time," because at that point in time, I was still in big law, and I wasn't doing anything really related to femtech. I had kind of resigned myself to not doing that--j ust given some of the internal politics of the firm where I was at at that time, and their desire to not expand into the health-tech industry. I had that experience, and all I could think of was, "This is not what I'm meant to be doing. I had this experience for a reason, and if I'm not going to make something out of that, what have I learned? Why did I go through this?" That, for me, was the turning point to say, "I'm leaving big law, and I'm going to a smaller firm, and I'm going to work on femtech. And, I'm going to see where this pans out." It was so scary, right? Because you're leaving that high six-figure job, and something you're good at, the work you know, the people you're comfortable with, and you're going into something where you're making half as much money, learning a new industry. And I would be lying if I said I didn't cry my first week on the job, because even as a healthcare lawyer, digital health law and health-tech, medtech--all of that is so different than traditional healthcare, and there's so much to learn. And honestly, I felt like I was back at school in a course that I didn't understand for a week. So, there's a lot of challenges with that. But, fast forward a few years, we had the, you know, unfortunately the Dobbs decision come out, and that for me was really an affirming moment where I said, "I'm definitely in the right industry, at the right time because I'm helping these companies build privacy practices and policies that are going to be protective of consumer data in this world. I'm helping to build an industry where women can get access to care in less traditional methods that won't compromise their privacy and their data." And one of the moments that stands out to me --one of the highlights--is I actually got to testify before one of the congressional committees on reproductive health data privacy. And, you know, it was funny, I was actually on vacation at the time. I was in Greece, and we were supposed to be on a ferry going from one island to another. And like the night before I get this request to come and testify on reproductive health data privacy. And I was like, "Yes, I'd love to." And, of course, the timing was exactly when we were going to be on the ferry with no internet. So, we actually had to charter a helicopter so that we could get over to the other island, get there, get me set up with the internet in order to testify. So that was kind of like my, my full circle moment where I really felt like I was having an impact, and being able to even influence some of the policies in the future of reproductive health privacy. And then every day since then, I have just loved getting to work with these companies. And, as we continue to see the trajectory of women's health in America, it's just really reaffirmed that we need people doing this type of work for me. [00:32:37] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow. Oh my goodness. Well, first of all. Wow, what powerful stories you were sharing. Oh my goodness, that is incredible. Thank you. Oh, I, wow. I just like, I was like so interesting how life works sometimes and the unexpected adventures that unfold, and I bet your, your creativity-oriented mindset helped you even in that circumstance, be like, "Okay, so we can't do the ferry. I have to do this. I know I need to do this. How do I make it happen? I don't know. Let's charter a helicopter." Cool. [00:33:12] Bethany Corbin: It was definitely a moment. I tell you, it's one that has just remained in my head since then. It was just very funny when it happened. [00:33:19] Lindsey Dinneen: That's amazing. "I'm going to do this." I love it. Oh my word. Okay. Awesome. Well, gosh, this conversation is so good. I know I could probably talk to you for hours and learn so much, but I do want to pivot the conversation a little bit just for fun. [00:33:36] Bethany Corbin: Absolutely. [00:33:36] Lindsey Dinneen: So, so, okay. If you were to be offered a million dollars to teach a masterclass on anything you want; it can be within your industry, but it doesn't have to be, what would you choose to teach? [00:33:49] Bethany Corbin: Ooh. I love that. I love that question. Ooh, a million dollars to teach any class that I wanted, you know, I would probably create a class that would be... I would say it would probably be at maybe like the high school level I'm thinking. You know, because whenever high school students go through those health classes, I would want to start early, there, for women to teach them all about the ways in which they can advocate for themselves and stand up for themselves at doctor's offices, right? Things, for instance, period pain that they're probably having there, and thinking that's normal, right? Telling them about, you know, how that's not normal, how that you don't have to normalize your symptoms and your pain. Here's how you can protect and advocate for yourself at a doctor's office. Here's how you can use the tech that's out there to protect yourself, because even though, you know, a lot of tech is for 18 up, we know a lot of teenagers are using, I mean, the period tracking apps are like the number or three most used app for adolescents, so pretending it doesn't exist is not helping anyone. But, we have to get to women sooner and empower them at an earlier age, so that those lessons and that knowledge carries with them as they navigate the healthcare system for the rest of their lives. So, for me, I think it would be a course that was really focused on the early high school student, teaching them all about how you navigate not only femtech, but health-tech in general, the healthcare system, how you advocate for yourself, how you have those conversations with your doctor without feeling embarrassed, and why that's so important. [00:35:22] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow. Yeah, that would be a really powerful class and so needed, and I love the idea of starting that way, that that would be a part of just education in general, so that, you know, everyone benefits from that, it's a win-win when we, when we advocate for women, help them understand how to advocate for themselves, and how to protect their longevity, their health. You know, that's really cool. I love that. [00:35:47] Bethany Corbin: I would love, I would love to do it. That would be a dream, really kind of creating a curriculum to incorporate into health classes for high school students. [00:35:54] Lindsey Dinneen: Ooh, maybe your next writing project. [00:35:56] Bethany Corbin: There we go. [00:35:57] Lindsey Dinneen: More to do... when you find yourself bored at some point. [00:36:01] Bethany Corbin: That's right. That's right. Next week. [00:36:03] Lindsey Dinneen: Right, right. Amazing. Amazing. Okay. And how do you wish to be remembered after you leave this world? [00:36:13] Bethany Corbin: Oh, interesting. You know, after I leave this world I would love to be remembered as somebody who participated in the women's health movement. We think back, you know, of course like to the suffragists, right? And you know, all of those amazing women who helped get us the right to vote... I want to be considered part of the women who helped get women's healthcare on the map with men's healthcare, right? That helped really spur this movement forward for women. So I don't even need to be remembered by name, right, but just as somebody who was involved in that movement, and was very active in promoting women's healthcare and getting us to the place where women aren't being dismissed and we're being taken seriously. [00:36:51] Lindsey Dinneen: I love it. Beautiful, beautiful legacy to aspire to. And you're already, you're already there. So that's, that's an encouraging thing. You're working on that right now. [00:37:00] Bethany Corbin: Oh, thank you. [00:37:01] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. And then, final question, what is one thing that makes you smile every time you see or think about it? [00:37:10] Bethany Corbin: Ooh, I love that. Ooh. Okay. So one thing that makes me smile, I have so many things. I'm usually not ever, like, not smiling. Okay. So I have, I have a couple obviously I'm a huge pet lover, so my dogs... we're getting to the point where they're a little old now. One of them's 15, one's 13. But, any kind of animal, pet --especially little puppies, I love... so that's, that's something that makes me smile all the time. I will say, I also have a slight obsession with books that have sprayed edges. Which, you know, is, is becoming a major thing now. So it's, it's really cool. But there's actually artists who will paint the edges of books, and I'm a huge book lover, so I actually have a library of sprayed-edge books that I just love looking at, and they make me smile all the time to see the different, you know, artists and artwork on the bookshelves. [00:37:58] Lindsey Dinneen: That's awesome. Oh my goodness. Yes. Well, I can relate to all of that and I. I, yeah. That's so fun. I love that too. Animals always make me smile. I mean, it's like a running joke around people that know me. It's like, okay, if you bring an animal around, I'm going to be like, "Can I hold it? Can I touch it?" Like, instantly. [00:38:16] Bethany Corbin: You know, I've, already warned my family. I'm like, "If anybody... if you guys die, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have 10 pets. Like, it's just going to happen. [00:38:22] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:38:22] Bethany Corbin: I'm not going to be able to control myself. [00:38:25] Lindsey Dinneen: Right. It just... Yeah, that's what happens. I get it. Oh my word. Well, this has been such an amazing conversation. I'm so thankful for you and for your time today, and gosh, just sharing so much practical advice, and insight, and your journey. So first of all, thank you so much for doing the work that you're doing, for being in this industry, for pushing it forward for being somebody who is a pioneer and your own version of suffragette. And, I really love what you're building, and I'm so thankful you're doing this work. So, gosh... I just wish you the most continued success as you continue to work to change lives for a better world. [00:39:00] Bethany Corbin: Oh, thank you so much, Lindsey. This has been so great talking with you, and sharing the knowledge, and I'm so hopeful that we can push this industry forward together because we do have the power to change it. We just have to act on it. So, thank you so much for helping to spread the word. [00:39:15] Lindsey Dinneen: Absolutely. Amen to that. And, thank you so much to our listeners for tuning in, and if you're feeling as inspired as I am right now, I would love it if you would share this episode with a colleague or two, and we'll catch you next time. [00:39:29] Dan Purvis: The Leading Difference is brought to you by Velentium Medical. Velentium Medical is a full service CDMO, serving medtech clients worldwide to securely design, manufacture, and test class two and class three medical devices. Velentium Medical's four units include research and development-- pairing electronic and mechanical design, embedded firmware, mobile app development, and cloud systems with the human factor studies and systems engineering necessary to streamline medical device regulatory approval; contract manufacturing-- building medical products at the prototype, clinical, and commercial levels in the US, as well as in low cost regions in 1345 certified and FDA registered Class VII clean rooms; cybersecurity-- generating the 12 cybersecurity design artifacts required for FDA submission; and automated test systems, assuring that every device produced is exactly the same as the device that was approved. Visit VelentiumMedical.com to explore how we can work together to change lives for a better world.

Agatha award nominee Jessica Estevao loves fountain pens, red convertibles and throwing parties. She lives in northern New England with her dark and mysterious husband, exuberant children and a precocious poodle named Sam. When away from her desk, she obsessively knits wool socks and enthusiastically speaks Portuguese with a shocking disregard for the rules of grammar. As Jessica Ellicott she indulges her passion for historical fiction and all things British by writing the Beryl and Edwina Mysteries and the WPC Billie Harkness Mysteries. Jessica's books have twice received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly as well as one from Library Journal. Her first novel won the Daphne du Maurier award for mystery. As Jessica Estevao she wrote the Change of Fortune Mysteries. When inspiration strikes she writes contemporary mysteries as Jessie Crockett. Her first stand-alone novel, written as Jessica Everett, Last Summer at Maine Chance will release in May 2026.Website: www.jessicaellicott.comFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jessicaellicottInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaellicottauthor/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-crockett-31554218/*****************About SinCSisters in Crime (SinC) was founded in 1986 to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers. Through advocacy, programming and leadership, SinC empowers and supports all crime writers regardless of genre or place on their career trajectory.www.SistersinCrime.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincnational/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sincnational.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@sincnationalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersincrimeTikTok:: https://www.tiktok.com/@sincnationalThe SinC Writers' Podcast is produced by Julian Crocamo https://www.juliancrocamo.com/

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our “Ask the Expert” week with special guests, Dr. Drew Dickens and Kathi Lipp. Kathi Lipp joined us to share some advice and answer questions on decluttering. Listeners called in with questions ranging from decluttering childhood memories to paperwork. Kathi is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host. She also hosts a podcast called Clutter Free Academy, the Podcast, and maintains a Facebook group with the same name. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several books, including “Clutter Free.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, spoke to me about how to write seven novels in 18 months, the psychology of fiction and fandom, and her latest YA mystery, THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games trilogy, Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series. Her latest is The Brothers Hawthorne, described as “Knives Out-esque” by Publishers Weekly, it is a story of [two brothers] “Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, [who] —with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather's fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.” Jen is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science including a Ph.D. from Yale University, and “...is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination.” [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 Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I discussed:  Her study of autism and why neurodivergents rely so heavily on story How her bestselling trilogy went viral on TikTok Why she writes for reluctant readers How to write mysteries with intricate puzzles, twists, turns, and reveals Her theories on why readers love fiction And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠Jenniferlynnbarnes.com⁠ ⁠The psychology of fiction with Jennifer Lynn Barnes | Re:Thinking with Adam Grant⁠ - TED Audio Collective ⁠The Brothers Hawthorne⁠ By Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Amazon) ⁠Jennifer Lynn Barnes Amazon Author Page⁠ ⁠Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Twitter⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Karen Cox drops in to talk about the Trump Administration's plans to reinstall two former Confederate monuments, along with the Lost Cause mythology, and how we think about the Civil War.About our guest:Karen L. Cox is an award-winning historian and a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians.  She is the author of four books, the editor or co-editor of two volumes on southern history and has written numerous essays and articles, including an essay for the New York Times best seller Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past. Her books include Dixie's Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture, Dreaming of Dixie: How the South Was Created in American Popular Culture, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, and most recently, No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice, which was published in April 2021 and won the Michael V.R. Thomason book prize from the Gulf South Historical Association.A successful public intellectual, Dr. Cox has written op-eds for the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, TIME magazine, Publishers Weekly, Smithsonian Magazine, and the Huffington Post. She has given dozens of media interviews in the U.S. and around the globe, especially on the topic of Confederate monuments. She appeared in Henry Louis Gates's PBS documentary Reconstruction: America after the Civil War, Lucy Worsley's American History's Biggest Fibs for the BBC, and the Emmy-nominated documentary The Neutral Ground, which examines the underlying history of Confederate monuments.Cox is a professor emerita of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she taught from 2002-2024. She is currently writing a book that explores themes of the Great Migration, the Black press, and early Chicago jazz through the forgotten tragedy of the Rhythm Club fire, which took the lives of more than 200 African Americans in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1940.You can follow her on Bluesky @DrKarenLCox.bsky.social

Main character Dr. Valentina Hargrove is on a mission to prove once and for all that hockey players are modern-day cavemen. Her research? A rigorous, scientific analysis of their behavior. Her problem? Brock “The Rock” Thomson, captain of the Alexandria Eagles, who's as infuriatingly charming as he is undeniably intelligent. Brock's used to breaking records, not be a research model, but Dr. Val's experiment has him intrigued. The more time they spend together, the more he's determined to show her that not all hockey players fit her outdated hypothesis. And when her professional curiosity turns personal, Val is forced to ask herself: is she studying a player… or falling for one? A delightful mix of sports romance and relatable themes that will keep readers engaged. It's perfect for fans of forced proximity and the coach's daughter tropes, offering a fun ride through attraction, discovery, and the choices we make. About the author: International Bestselling Author Ava Miles and her powerful fiction and non-fiction books about love, happiness, and transformation have received praise and accolades from USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and People Magazine in addition to being chosen as Best Books of the Year and Top Editor's picks and translated into multiple languages. After years of residing in the States, she decided to follow her dream of living in Europe. She recently finished a magical stint in Ireland where she was inspired to write her acclaimed Unexpected Prince Charming series. Now, she splits her time between Paris and Provence, learning to speak French, immersing herself in cooking à la provençal, and planning more page-turning novels for readers to binge. For more info: https://avamiles.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Episode 574 - Lawrence C. Connolly - Science fiction, fantasy, and horrorAbout the authorLawrence C. Connolly's books include the collections "This Way to Egress," whose titular tale of psychological horror was adapted for the Mick Garris film "Nightmare Cinema"; and the Bram-Stoker-nominated "Voices," which features Connolly's best stories from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Twilight Zone, Year's Best Horror, and other top magazines and anthologies of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. A third collection, "Visions," was praised by Publishers Weekly for featuring an eclectic mix of “entertaining and satisfying” SF.His novels include the eco-thrillers "Veins," "Vipers," and "Vortex." World Fantasy Award winner T. E. D. Klein called "Veins" "a crime thriller as intense and fast-moving as a Tarantino movie."This fall, Caezik Science Fiction will release his new novel "Minute-Men: Execute & Run," a globetrotting adventure that combines elements of military science fiction, gaming, and medical suspense in a thrilling reinvention of the superhero genre. He is collaborating with brother Christopher Connolly and Academy Award-winning producer Jonathan Sanger to develop a feature film based on "Execute & Run."https://lawrencecconnolly.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Send us a textIn a time when stories are under siege, especially those that center queer characters and themes, we're seeing a rise in book bans and legislative efforts aimed at erasing LGBTQ+ experiences from classrooms and libraries. Just last month, The U.S. Supreme Court handed a victory to Montgomery County parents who object, for religious reasons, to the school system's use of LGBTQ+ themed books in classrooms, saying parents should be allowed to opt their children out of such classes. Today In the Den, Sara is joined by Lee Wind, advocate, educator, and author whose work helps fill the shelves with stories LGBTQ+ youth so deeply need. Special Guest: Lee WindLee Wind's superpower is stories – true and fictional – that center marginalized kids and teens and celebrate their power to change the world. Closeted until his 20s, Lee writes the books that would have changed his life as a young gay kid. His Masters Degree from Harvard didn't include blueprints for a time machine to go back and tell these stories to himself, so Lee pays it forward with a popular blog with over 3 million page views (I'm Here. I'm Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?) and books for kids and teens.His latest book is Red and Green and Blue and White, a picture book illustrated by Caldecott-winning illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky (Levine Querido.) It has received five starred trade reviews and the New York Times called it “beautiful.” Lee's middle grade nonfiction No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves (Lerner Publishing Group/Zest Books), was honored as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and was selected for the Chicago Public Library's 2021 Best of the Best Books list. He is also the author of the crowd-funded YA novel Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill, featured as a Publishers Weekly Indie Success Story, and one of Publishers Weekly's Top Five Independently Published Middle Grade and Young Adult Books of 2018. With day jobs for the Independent Book Publishers Association (as their director of education and programs) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (as their official blogger), Lee's superhero job is storytelling to empower readers to shine with their own light. Links from the Show: Lee's website: https://www.leewind.org/ Lee's books: https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=lee+wind  Subscribe to Lee's newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/fc7b55fc0636/leewindsignup Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.orgSupport the showConnect with Mama Dragons:WebsiteInstagramFacebookDonate to this podcast

The Innermost House: A Memoir (Bright Leaf, 2024) is a stunning account of year-round life on the windswept shores of Cape Cod, threaded with meditations on memory, forgetting, and identity. About The Innermost House, Publishers Weekly writes, “Salt air and the limits of memory animate this heartrending debut. . . . Readers will be captivated.” Shelf Awareness calls the book “Enthralling” adding that “Blakeley is an evocative writer who captures the lush beauty of a ‘half feral' childhood spent immersed in the natural world while never losing sight of the precarity and violence that permeated it.” Foreword Reviews calls the book “a distinctive memoir with a keen sense of place and renewal.” Raised in a nineteenth-century saltbox house in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Cynthia Blakeley was both surrounded by generations of immediate and extended family and isolated by the mysteries locked inside her affectionate yet elusive mother and short-fused father. While she and her sisters and cousins roamed the Outer Cape—drinking in the dunes, swimming in kettle ponds, and dancing in Provincetown—Blakeley also turned to the inner world of her journals as she contended with her own secrets and memories. Over-identifying with her unconventional and artistic mother, Blakeley felt certain that the key to understanding her mother's drinking and distractions, her generosity and easy forgiveness, was the unexplained absence of two of Blakeley's half-siblings and their connection to her mother's unhappy first marriage. Blakeley kept her distance, however, from her disciplinarian father. Though he took his daughters sailing and clamming and beachcombing, he was the chill to their mother's warmth, the maker, not the breaker, of rules. Slipping through these dynamics in that small house and evocative landscape, Blakeley eventually crossed the bridge and left home, only to return later in search of the family stories that would help her decode her present. Blakeley's captivating memoir moves fluidly through time, grappling with the question of who owns a memory or secret and how our narrative choices not only describe but also shape and change us. In this insightful and poignant account of tenacious year-rounders on Cape Cod, Blakeley contends that making sense of ourselves is a collaborative affair, one that begins with understanding those we came from. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Episode 96 is mystery and thriller author Mia P. Manansala.Mia P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. Her debut, ARSENIC AND ADOBO, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Shelf Awareness, hit the ABA Indie Bestseller List, and has won multiple awards. A lover of all things geeky, Mia spends her days procrasti-baking, playing RPGs and otome games, reading cozy mysteries and diverse romance, and gazing lovingly at her dog Gumiho.In this episode we discussed Death in the Cards, her first young adult book and her move into writing for teens. With that, we talked about the difference in how she writes her teen versus her adult protagonist. We also touched on her use of tarot in the novel, and how one class and one teacher guided her to writing mystery.Links discussed:Their Just Desserts by Tracy Badua and Alechia DowDead & Breakfast  by Kat Hillis and Rosiee ThorPrincess and the PI by Nikki Payne***Upcoming: THE FOREVER WEDDING DATENote: some links are affiliate linksContact Tif at tif@tifmarcelo.comPlease check out her website for podcast submissions

What happens when your greatest loss leads to your greatest love?Anna Gomez's latest masterpiece, Somewhere Along the Way (Open Road Media Romance; May 6, 2025), follows Charlotte “Charlie” Hastings on a transformative journey to understand her estranged mother through a series of letters left behind by her late father.  Pair this with an 11 day cross-country carpool and a mysteriously handsome hitch-hiker, and you have a refreshingly unique story that explores the emotional complexities of love, healing, and the courage it takes to confront the past.Gomez's personal experiences with mental health challenges make her an authentic and compelling interview guest, especially if you are considering coverage for Mental Health Awareness Month. She can discuss:Her personal connection to mental health themesThe importance of vulnerability and resilience in healingHow storytelling can foster openness around mental healthAnna Gomez is an award-winning author (My Goodbye Girl, From Kona with Love), with work in development for film/TV and featured in People, Variety, and Publishers Weekly. She is Partner & Global CFO at Mischief at No Fixed Address and a 2024 Illinois CPA Society Women to Watch Award recipient. A champion of diversity, she serves on the Girl Scouts of Chicago board. She lives in Indiana with her husband and Sheepadoodle, Izzy. AnnaGomezBooks.com.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

What did you think of this episode?Book trailers can boost your author platform. In this encore episode, Shannon Redmon and Linda Goldfarb discuss how writers can create book trailers. Welcome to Your Best Writing Life, an extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. I'm your host, Linda Goldfarb. Each week, I bring tips and strategies from writing and publishing industry experts to help you excel in your craft. I'm so glad you're listening in. During this highly ranked encore episode, you'll learn five tips to thrive as a writer.Please welcome, Shannon Redmon. Shannon remembers the first grown-up book she checked out from the neighborhood bookmobile. A Victoria Holt novel with romance, intrigue, dashing gentlemen, and ballroom parties captivated her attention. For her mother, the silence must have been a pleasant break from non-stop teenage chatter, but for Shannon, those stories whipped up a desire and passion for writing.  She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author, and her greatest hope is for her stories to immerse readers into a world of suspense and escape while encouraging faith, hope, and love in Christ.   She has six books published by Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line—Cave of Secrets, Secrets Left Behind, Mistaken Mountain Abduction, Christmas Murder Cover-up, Unraveling Killer Secrets, and Mountain Murder Threat.​​Shannon is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. In this episode, you will learn the basics about Book Trailers Types of Software to Use for Videos What not to do Where to find audio clips and licensingWhere to find video clips and licensingTips for writing scriptsLINKSShannon RedmonSign up for The Jail Cell  Shannon's Giveaway - Book Trailers PDSF DownloadShannon Redmon on FacebookExamples of Book Trailers https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljAN23iRPFrZzAJxWcnD0FbWhZbQ3hLRShannon Redmon's BooksDaVinci Resolve 17Visit Your Best Writing Life website.Join our Facebook group, Your Best Writing LifeYour host - Linda Goldfarb#1 Podcast in the "Top 50+ Must-Have Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024". Awarded the Spark Media 2022 Most Binge-Worthy PodcastAwarded the Spark Media 2023 Fan Favorites Best Solo Podcast

The View From Lake Como is everything an immersive summer read should be—fresh, funny and heart-wrenching, with perfectly imperfect characters that readers will feel deeply connected to. With its vivid depiction of the complexities of familial relationships, this contemporary novel is a love letter to big Italian American families, Old World roots, and daughters who learn to live life on their own terms. ABOUT ADRIANA TRIGIANI Adriana Trigiani is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books of fiction and nonfiction, including The Good Left Undone, The Shoemaker's Wife and Lucia, Lucia. Her work has been published in thirty eight languages around the world. An award winning playwright, TV writer/producer, and filmmaker, Trigiani wrote and directed the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, adapted her novel, Very Valentine, for television, and directed the award-winning documentary, Queens of the Big Time, among others. Adriana grew up in the mountains of southwest Virginia, where she co-founded The Origin Project, a year-round, in-school writing program that has served over 25,000 students since its inception in 2014. In 2023, Adriana Trigiani was named Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia by President Sergio Mattarella of Italy. In 2024, The Library of Virginia awarded her the Patron of Letters degree, their highest honor. A sought-after speaker, Trigiani is as engaging on the stage as she is on the page. She regularly speaks to book clubs, classrooms, libraries, literary festivals, and conducts writing workshops with women's groups across the country. She has made regular appearances on NBC's Today show and Good Day New York, and has been profiled by publications around the world, including The New York Times, Virginia Living, Publishers Weekly, and Writer's Digest. Trigiani is honored to serve on the New York State Council on the Arts. She lives in Greenwich Village with her family. Listen to Adriana and the luminaries of our times discuss the books that built their souls on her You Are What You Read podcast, available everywhere. #adrianatrigiani #lakecomo

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tim Weiner joins Matt to discuss The Mission, his new history of the CIA in the 21st century. They explore the agency's quiet successes and moral failings, from dismantling the AQ Khan network to abetting torture and losing its way in Iraq. Weiner recounts how the CIA reoriented after the 2016 Russian election interference, played a key role in supporting Ukraine, and tried to hold the line under Trump. Their conversation spans secret wars, agency leadership, and whether America's intelligence services can still defend democracy when democracy itself is under threat. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. More about The Mission: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-mission-tim-weiner Order The Mission from Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mission-the-cia-in-the-21st-century-tim-weiner/22062129 Follow Tim on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tim-weiner.bsky.social Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2fa57b YouTube: https://youtu.be/pFMaXhPcNO8 Reviews of The Mission "The Mission by Tim Weiner review – unmasking the CIA" by John Simpson | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/10/the-mission-by-tim-weiner-review-unmasking-the-cia "The Mission" by Publishers Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780063270183 "Mission Madness" by Loch K. Johnson | Spytalk: https://www.spytalk.co/p/mission-madness Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photos by Harper Collins, Jessica Doyle & CIA Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Anne Lamott, spoke with me about 40 years of teaching writing, how to write more bravely, on sh*tty first drafts, and sharing hacks she's learned over her career at the Writers Rising 2024 retreat. Anne Lamott is the author of 20 books, including New York Times bestsellers Help, Thanks, Wow; Dusk, Night, Dawn; Traveling Mercies; and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, as well as seven novels. Her latest book, Somehow: Thoughts on Love was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Publishers Weekly praised “…her ability to distill complex truths with a deceptive lightness” in their starred review. Anne is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, an inductee to the California Hall of Fame, and was recently a columnist for The Washington Post. She has taught at UC Davis, writing conferences across the country, and is currently an artist in residence at A Writing Room Collective. [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 Anne Lamott and I discussed:  The debt of honor that is the writing life Why you don't have to know everything to finish your book What it was like getting inducted into the California Hall of Fame next to Mark Zuckerberg and Serena Williams The importance of accountability for staying on track Why you need to stop not writing and get your butt in the chair And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠Writers Rising 2024⁠ ⁠awritingroom.com⁠ ⁠Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life⁠ by Anne Lamott (Amazon) ⁠Somehow: Thoughts on Love⁠ By Anne Lamott (Amazon) ⁠Anne Lamott Amazon Author Page⁠ ⁠Anne Lamott on Twitter⁠ ⁠Anne Lamott on Facebook⁠ ⁠Anne Lamott on Instagram⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Dave was at Alaska Comics Camp, he had the opportunity to talk with Ryan North Gillian Goerz!Ryan North is the creator and author of Dinosaur Comics, and has written for the comic series of Adventure Time and Marvel Comics' The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Fantastic Four. His works have won multiple Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards and made New York Times Bestseller lists.Gillian Goerz (pronounced like “Jillian Gertz”) works in illustration, graphic recording, cartooning, writing and brush lettering. Her middle grade graphic novel Shirley & Jamila Save Their Summer spent 7 weeks on the Canadian Best Seller list, received stars from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and was warmly reviewed by the New York Times Review of Books. Her follow-up book Shirley & Jamila's Big Fall (Dial, 2021) won the Doug Wright Award for excellence in children's comics. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Have a question? Click here. In this opening Moment of Grace, Kathi Lipp gently guides us through the ongoing challenge of meal planning and preparation, offering encouragement to care for our body, soul, and mind. Her book Sabbath Soup is a treasure trove of recipes—I've truly enjoyed every one I've tried. I'm especially looking forward to cooler days so I can make her chicken and black bean soup again. Here is Kathi's Moment of Grace.Listen to the original full length episode here: The Art of Gentle Meal Prep: Creating Space for Sabbath with Kathi LippSabbath SoupKathi Lipp is the Publishers Weekly best-selling author of over 20 books, including Sabbath Soup. She and her husband Roger ran away to the mountains of Northern California where they grow their own food and turn it into delicious meals for those they host at the Red House Writers retreats.Join The Stronger Collective Nourished Notes Bi-Weekly Newsletter 30+ Non-Gym Ways to Improve Your Health (free download)Connect with Amy: GracedHealth.com Instagram: @GracedHealthYouTube: @AmyConnell

Welcome to another episode of the podcast! Several times a year, outlets like Eater, Food Network, Epicurious, Publishers Weekly, and others publish their roundup features: What's hot in cookbooks this season? They're the pulse checks of the cookbook world and offer a lens into what's resonating now. Today on the show, we'll dive into trends in cookbooks published this spring, each tied to what cookbook buyers are craving and what publishers are publishing in Spring 2025. Things We Mention in This Episode: Join the waitlist for Cookbooks on KDP for September 2025

We have had several listeners ask us to revisit this story with Megan and Jason, so here we are giving you all what you asked for! When a group of experienced hikers set out to obtain their level 3 ski training certification by completing a 190 mile hike un the Ural Mountains they did not expect it to be their last hike. The conditions they were found in point to something other than a natural force as the authorities have ruled the nine deaths. Take a listen to hear all the strange details surrounding these 9 victims death.  Join Patreon here to binge bonus content! Crime Curious is creating a kick-ass exclusive listener experience | Patreon https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crimecurious Music By: Michael Drzewiecki Cover Art By: Charnell DNA examination: another person, URA.RU Dyatlov Pass incident - Wikipedia "Dyatlov Pass Incident, The". A Company Filmed Entertainment. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2013 "City of Exiles". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2013. "About Russia's Mystery Files Show – National Geographic Channel – UK". National Geographic Channel – Videos, TV Shows & Photos – UK. 18 October 2017. Archivedfrom the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2015. "Discovery's Mountain of Mystery Mongering: The Mass Murdering Yeti – CSI". www.csicop.org. September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018. "Kholat – an adventure-horror game inspired by true event known as Dyatlov Pass Incident". kholat.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 13 April2015. "Expedition Unknown", IMDB, retrieved 25 March 2021 "Dead Mountain – The Dyatlov Pass Incident". www.betafilm.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2020.  

Guest Bio: Lisa-Jo Baker is a bestselling author, lapsed lawyer, current acquisitions editor for HarperCollins, and the author of Never Unfriended, The Middle Matters, and Surprised by Motherhood. She is also the co-host of the Out of the Ordinary podcast. Her critically acclaimed memoir, It Wasn't Roaring, It Was Weeping, released in 2024, described by Publishers Weekly as "Poignant and searching, this leaves a mark." With a BA in English/prelaw from Gordon College and a JD from the University of Notre Dame Law School, Lisa-Jo has lived and worked on three continents in the human rights field and subsequently spent nearly a decade leading the online community of women called (in)courage as their editor in chief and community manager. Originally from South Africa, Lisa-Jo now lives just outside Washington, D.C., where she met and fell in love with her husband in the summer of '96. Their story together spans decades, languages, countries, books, three very opinionated children, and one dog.  Show Summary: What does your relationship with your earthly father look like? For some people, they have a very close relationship with their dad, which makes it easy to celebrate Father's Day. But others may have experienced deep pain or even abuse from their dads. This Father's Day, Lisa-Jo Baker speaks to the people who have experienced deep hurt in their relationship with their father. She shares with hosts Eryn Eddy Adkins and Vivian Mabuni how her recent healing was completely guided by the Lord and led to the restoration of her relationship with the angry father from her childhood. This God Hears Her conversation walks you through Lisa-Jo's powerful story of redemption.     Notes and Quotes:   “Our parents are neither all hero nor all villain. They are human people like us—they are a mix of things.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  "The patterns we pick up from our families of origin are like a language that you are learning subconsciously all the time. We can only change the patterns once we recognize them.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “If we have unhealthy patterns in our childhood, there's a sense of resistance: How do I make space, how do I breathe, how do I feel safe?” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “This is the thing about the Lord;, he will take you slowly step by step. He will do the work. He will initiate. He will invite. He will orchestrate. It will be in His timing.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “He is glacial in His timing, with such tenderness and such love. You don't have to be afraid. My hope is that by looking at my closet and seeing what happened when we started to unpack it, that the Holy Spirit would say to you, ‘okay, are you ready to look at your closet?' and you would trust Him with what comes next.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “The truth of who [God] is gets braided together with the truth of who your heavenly Father is, and the work of our adult lives is separating out what is real and what isn't.” —Lisa Jo Baker  “There are certain key milestones that happen in a life, and the Holy Spirit is quick to come in alongside those moments.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “He loves you so much that He had me write this story because He actually wants to meet you in your story.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “When you invite the Holy Spirit into [the memories] with you, He does begin a sacred process of bearing witness to what happened. It's like having someone in the room with you saying ‘that shouldn't have happened', ‘that was wrong,' ‘that was terrible'.” —Lisa-Jo Baker  “The power of believing in the kind of God we do—who is not constrained by time—is that God is in fact able to move in and out of your timeline.” —Lisa-Jo Baker      Related Episodes:  GHH Ep 93 – Supporting Fathers with Dr. Meg Meeker: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/supporting-fathers/  GHH Ep 129 – Feeling, Not Fixing with Ryan Clevenger: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/supporting-fathers/  GHH Ep 160 – Intentional Fatherhood with Matt Adkins: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/intentional-fatherhood/    Links:   Lisa-Jo's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Wasnt-Roaring-Was-Weeping-Interpreting/dp/0525652868  Lisa-Jo's Website: https://lisajobaker.com/  Lisa-Jo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisajobaker/  God Hears Her website: https://go.odb.org/ghh191   Watch the episode on the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM  Share Your Story: https://godhearsher.org/share-your-story/   God Hears Her email sign-up: https://go.odb.org/ghh-sign-upsfmc191   Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast  Shop God Hears Her books and resources: https://go.odb.org/ghh-shop191   Elisa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/  Eryn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/  Vivian's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivmabuni/  Our Daily Bread Ministries website: https://go.odb.org/odbm191