Podcast appearances and mentions of Scarlett Thomas

On this episode, Christopher Hermelin, host of the podcast So Many Damn Books and I discuss his life that revolves around books, our shared love for stories on the continuum of weird, and we both go on a bit of a tear about over-comped books. You can also hear me get totally sucked in by something Christopher recommends.    So Many Damn Books The Roving Typist    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  Are You Happy? By Lori Ostlund   Books Highlighted by Christopher: Skippy Dies by Paul Murray  Earthlings by Sayaka Murata  Bear by Marian Engle 2 A.M. at the Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino  Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli  Heart of Junk by Luke Geddes The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters 17776 What Football will Look Like in the Future by Jon Bois Bluets by Maggie Nelson   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio  On the Calculation of Volume Book 1 by Solvej Balle, trans. Barbara J. Haveland  Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal  Nutshell by Ian McEwan  Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume Redwall by Brian Jacques  The Twits by Roald Dahl  The Girl in the Flammable Skirt by Aimee Bender  Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender  Bunny by Mona Awad  We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad  The Magicians by Lev Grossman  The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman  Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link  Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, trans. Anton Hur  Mumbai New York Scranton by Tamara Shopsin  Arbitrary Stupid Goal by Tamara Shopsin  LaserWriter II by Tamara Shopsin  Parakeet by Marie-Helene Bertino  Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino  Exit Zero by Marie-Helene Bertino  You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman  Good Girl by Aria Aber  Something New Under the Sun by Alexandra Kleeman  Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang  The Bee Sting by Paul Murray  The Mark and the Void by Paul Murray  Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata  Bear by Julia Phillips Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli  Maniac McGee by Jerry Spinelli  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn  The Secret History by Donna Tartt  If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio  The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin  The Martian by Andy Weir  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern  The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas 

A cursed wedding, a honeymoon meltdown, a gaslighting hotelier, and some pretty dodgy goings on: Scarlett Thomas's latest novel, The Sleepwalkers, is a gripping tale of catastrophe from the contents page on.  Scarlett chats to Mick about finding inspiration on a holiday from hell, the chain of blame in Big Patriarchy, trusting women, judging women, a love of wrong things, and big lash action. The Sleepwalkers is published by Simon & Schuster, out now, and a brilliant, very dark, very funny read. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summary: We left money by the phone for pizza, listeners! The parents are out to dinner tonight while Holly and Devin discuss books featuring babysitting. Whether you made pocket money as a teenager or lived your best life as an Au Pair in Europe, most of us have experience babysitting and certainly being babysat. Books that explore the power, social, and logistical dynamics of babysitters with their employers and children usually go one of two ways, and Holly and Devin are the resident experts for both. Grab a slice of greasy cheese and get excited to hear them break it down.  Topics Discussed: The Dagger (4:29): Holly discussed Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, a supernatural thriller that inspires nightmares. Mallory Quinn is fighting for a new beginning after leaving rehab and lands a full time nanny position watching five year-old Teddy for the Maxwell family. Finding the stability she's always craved and bonding with Teddy, Mallory thinks she's found the solution to her future until Teddy's adorable drawings take a sinister turn; Mallory must decipher the images and save Teddy before it's too late. Holly's key takeaways were: A major theme of this thriller is second chances when all seems hopeless. Mallory's struggle with addiction not only underlines the triumph of her new beginning but throws her into self-doubt; can she trust her recollections and experiences as Teddy's drawings reveal what should be unbelievable?  The pictures add a unique and engaging twist to this story; Rekulak builds tension well by including the actual images of Teddy's drawings in the book. The reader will be turning pages seeing normal stick figures of a kid, a bunny, the sun—and then unveil something super creepy.  Mallory's relationship with the Maxwell family underlines the class and power dynamics often at play for babysitters; she moves into a well-to-do suburban setting, in drastic contrast to Mallory's upbringing and her life recently as an addict on the Philly streets.  The Heart (23:06): Devin discussed Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez, a romance following Vanessa Price (YouTube sensation and world traveler) and her next door neighbor Adrian Copeland (a workaholic criminal defense attorney) as they are thrown together in order to care for Grace, Vanessa's half-sister's baby after the child is left on Vanessa's doorstep with no warning. As friendship blossoms into something more, both Vanessa and Adrian must acknowledge that the last thing either could just be the thing they need most. Devin's key takeaways were:  Adrian and Vanessa are on the opposite ends of the risk tolerance spectrum but for similar reasons. Trauma and fear drive them both to do what they do; for Adrian it's to do nothing at all and work nonstop. For Vanessa it's to experience as much as she can all the time, with no consistency or roots. Thrown together, the sparks fly as these polar opposites clash and connect. Vanessa already lost her mother and sister to ALS, and she has a 50% chance of getting it herself. She lives with the assumption that she won't make it past 30 years old. What do we do when we think right now is all we have? Does it make us love harder or avoid it? Jimenez interrogates this with her polar opposite protagonists. In the physical form of baby Grace, both Vanessa and Adrian must confront their relationships with responsibility. Vanessa has spent her life avoiding real responsibility, obligations and deep connections because she doesn't want to leave anyone heartbroken after her expected, untimely death. The reader examines with our protagonists the point at which love and responsibility meet.   Hot On the Shelf (40:13): Holly: The Sleepwalkers by Scarlett Thomas Devin: Outlive by Peter Attia, MD What's Making Our Hearts Race (44:06): Holly: A Gentleman in Moscow Limited Series Show Devin: Just For Us Standup Comedy Special by Alex Edelman   Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

You tell yourself “It's OK, it's OK … ” but it's really not! Scarlett Thomas is a tricky novelist to categorise. She has a playful, restless, sleeves-rolled-up approach to writing, in which she seldom ducks the dark turn and the big idea. And you can't doubt her commitment. She once earned an MSc in Ethnobotany by way of research for a book. Tim has been a fan since the intriguing and dazzling The End Of Mr Y. BooksPodcast caught up with her at her publishers in London and sat down to discuss her new book, The Sleepwalkers. Islands, secrets, betrayals, sinister goings-on, ambiguities, night-time chases, a disastrous wedding and a … Continue reading →

Finding a way to print books while sacrificing fewer trees; questioning if there aren't just too many books being published these days? We chat with the talented and engaging Scarlett Thomas about her thrilling new novel, The Sleepwalkers.  Thank you for listening! If you like what you hear, give us a follow at: X: Across the Pond, Galley Beggar Press, Interabang Books, Lori Feathers, Sam JordisonInstagram: Across the Pond, Galley Beggar Press, Interabang Books, Lori Feathers, Sam JordisonFacebook: Across the Pond, Galley Beggar Press, Interabang BooksTheme music by Carlos Guajardo-Molina

I'm in literary hero territory again … at least this time it's sunny! My guest is Scarlett Thomas, the groundbreaking writer of PopCo, Oligarchy, The Seed Collectors and the (post)modern speculative classic, The End of Mr Y. She's one of my favourite writers, who has never seen five or six separate genres she can't mash together. This time around we are talking “Hot Gothic” in The Sleepwalkers, a darkly playful tale of a vacation–and a marriage–gone horribly wrong.  We cover accidentally arriving at a structure, the many ways to build characters from scratch, the dark consequences of sex and desire taken too far – and we agree on how hotels are just inherently creepy. Great book. Great guest.  Enjoy! The Sleepwalkers was published on April 9th by Simon and Schuster Other books mentioned: The End of Mr Y (2006), by Scarlett ThomasThe Seed Collectors (2015), by Scarlett ThomasOligarchy (2019), by Scarlett ThomasOpen: An Autobiography (2009), by Andre AgassiThe Woman in White (1860), by Wilkie CollinsThe Moonstone (1868), by Wilkie CollinsGone Girl (2012), by Gillian FlynnThe Talented Mr Ripley (1955), by Patricia HighsmithHangsaman (1951), by Shirley Jackson Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the show

OLIGARCHY by Scarlett Thomas / BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter  On this episode, Andrew examines OLIGARCHY by Scarlett Thomas, a story of wealth, privilege, and fierce ponies, while Bailey tangles with book-club favorite BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter to see if she can fall in love at first sight with it. Join the hosts as they ring in the new year with a hefty stack of Christmas Shame (from some people, at least), hear about Andrew's possibly controversial list-amending, and get an INFINITE JEST update from the least lucky member of the pod!

In Episode 126, audiobook producer Karen Dziekonski from Penguin Random House Audio joins me for today's deep-dive discussion. Karen takes us behind the scenes from the growth of audiobooks in the industry to the ins and outs of how audiobooks are produced. Plus, Karen shares her audiobook recommendations! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights What it means to be an audiobook producer and Karen's career progression. How the landscape has changed for audiobooks over the past 20 years. The days of abridged audiobooks and the process of editing down a print book. The types of books today that make it to the audiobook format. The process of auditioning an audiobook narrator, including deciding on celebrities or full-cast recordings. How much the author's relationship has grown to incorporate production input — especially for books in translation or featuring foreign language text. The decisions behind when the author narrates their own audiobook — fiction vs nonfiction. How producers court celebrities to narrate audiobooks. A bit about post-production editing of audiobook performances and checking for errors. How much the audiobook segment has grown over the past decade and the anticipated continued trajectory. Karen's Audiobook Recommendations [38:12] Two OLD Audiobooks She Loves Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [38:31] The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, narrated by Jayne Entwistle | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [40:25] Two NEW Audiobooks She Loves Bittersweet by Susan Cain, narrated by the author | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [42:42] Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown, narrated by the author | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [44:57] How She Feels About Talking About Books She DOESN'T Love [48:40] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor (January 3, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [50:25] Last 5-Star Book Karen Read The Maid by Nita Prose | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [52:57] Other Books Mentioned Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng, narrated by Lucy Liu [1:37] 41-Love: A Memoir by Scarlett Thomas [8:57] Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, narrated by Megan McDowell [17:18] The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, narrated by Julia Roberts [28:52] Sparring Partners: Novellas by John Grisham, narrated by Ethan Hawke, Jeff Daniels, and others [32:58] Angels in America by Tony Kushner, narrated by Nathan Lane (and the full Broadway cast) [34:22] What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, M.D. Ph.D. [36:33] The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley [41:59] Quiet by Susan Cain [43:31] The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece: A Novel by Tom Hanks (May 9, 2023) [48:55] She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey [49:55] Other Links Ep. 81: Behind the Scenes of Narrating Audiobooks with Julia Whelan About Karen Dziekonski Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Karen Dziekonski, VP, Audio Production for the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, has been an influential member of the audiobook industry for over twenty years. Starting at Random House in 2000, Karen has produced thousands of audiobooks and forged strong collaborations with bestselling and debut authors, celebrities, and professional narrators. An excellent problem-solver and active collaborator, Karen leads a team of elite, award-winning producers in the day-to-day operation of one of the most successful audio publishers in the United States. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her chef husband and two daughters.

Listen in as Scarlett Thomas Wolfe, brand new author, spills the tea about her steamy book and sexy characters Nadine and Tyler! My company, Mahogany's Placed LLC published The Bewitching Bookstore. The Bewitching Bookstore Twenty-five years is a long time for a rumor to fester and grow. She can't control the rumor, but given half a chance, she will control you.Nadine is the owner of a successful bookstore in a college town. "It's complicated" is the best way to describe Nadine and the rumors about her being a witch. Every year, she seems to take a new young lover from the local university. But this year, her past has come back to haunt her as ex-lovers suddenly reappear.Tyler is a university senior who let his curiosity get the better of him. Determined to find out if Nadine is truly a witch, he applies for a job at the bookstore across town. However, Nadine stirs something in him. She opens up his world while controlling her past. With her guidance, he is experiencing things that he never knew he was curious about.   Scarlett Thomas Wolfe may be a newcomer to writing, but not to the world of kink. She was an active Dominatrix before there was internet. Brash, brazen, and, most of all, blunt. She turned to writing to express herself. She started writing stories by request for her submissive clients. When they clamored for more, she starting writing full stories. Originally from a town southwest of Pittsburgh, she writes in her head all the time and occasionally the stories find their way to the page. She is an old soul with a young spirit and a zest for life. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mahogany-says/support

Novelist Scarlett Thomas joins Zibby to discuss her debut memoir, 41-Love, about how she tried to play tennis competitively to put off her need to grow up. The two talk about their shared love for the game, how Scarlett wove a number of other sports stories into her own, and what happened in her life after quitting tennis that shaped the trajectory of the book. Scarlett also shares her fears about releasing such a deeply personal story into the world and whether or not she'd go through this experience again.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3o2cycvBookshop: https://bit.ly/3xzukH4Subscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hannah and Michael shelter in place! We have a dramatic reading from friend of the pod Danielle Steel, a brief stop at W.H Auden’s messy apartment and finally lots & lots of book talk--what (and how!) we’re reading in these troubled times. ICONIC Danielle Steel interview in the NY Post. Auden was a slob. Smitten Kitchen will save us all. Thrift Books. Sponsor us! Books mentioned: Alison Roman, Nothing Fancy; Najmieh Batmanglij, New Food of Life; Ken Forkish, Flour Water Salt Yeast; Liu Cixin, The Three Body Problem; Kevin Wilson, Nothing to See Here; E.M. Forster, Howard’s End; Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White; Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient; Joe Hill, N0s4a2; Paul Tremblay, A Head Full of Ghosts; Henry James, Washington Square; Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way; Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre; Hilary Mantel, The Mirror and the Light; Scarlett Thomas, Oligarchy & The Seed Collectors.

Author Scarlett Thomas joins Robin and a returning Josie this week to chat about her new book Oligarchy. They look at the inspiration provided by boarding schools, the work of Elizabeth Taylor (not that one), Muriel Spark and Angela Carter. Also Robin and Josie both have a bit of a cold. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode.

Platiqué con Mauricio Mosqueda diseñador y dueño de Mosma Moda, te comparto mi opinión sobre la serie GLOW de NETFLIX. Sony Pictures me invitó a la función de prensa de BUSCANDO y te comparto mi opinión. Fui a al evento de la exhibición de novedades de Disney y te cuento todo lo que nos presentaron. Warner Bros Pictures me invitó a la función de prensa de LA MONJA y te digo qué me pareció. Pronto tendremos en Guadalajara dos obras de teatro musical: BULE BULE, EL SHOW GUADALAJARA de Coché Celis y Fer Medina con PlayHouse Entertainment y PAPARAZZI EL MUSICAL en el teatro Vivian Blumenthal, hoy te lo cuento TODO. Hay dos eventos interesantes en El Conjunto de Artes Escénicas: El Lago de los Cisnes con El Ballet de Montecarlo y el concierto de GUSTAVO SANTAOLALLA. Lizeth Arámbula también conocida como Lizeis impartirá un Taller de Fanzine. En mi paseo por las librerías encontré: A SOLAS de Udalia Candelas de Editorial Planeta MÁS ALLÁ DE LAS CIUDADES de Alejandra Gámez & Axur Eneas de Editorial Oceano. EL VALLE DEL DRAGÓN de Scarlett Thomas de Editorial Oceano. REVISTA Algarabía 1918 – 2018, 100 años.

Today I give a positive review about the Book Dragons Green.Written by Scarlett Thomas published by A&U Canongate in 2017

Picks from across the week on In Tune, featuring Danielle de Niese, Sir James Galway, Menahem Pressler, Nevarro Quartet, Scarlett Thomas and Madrigal - Marin Constantin.

Transitions with Elizabeth Duvivier. In this week's edition of Tranquility du Jour, Elizabeth and I discuss her handing over the reigns of Squam after 10 years, the challenges of letting go, and the importance of knowing when it's time to move on. Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #413: Transitions with Elizabeth Duvivier Upcoming Events Yoga, Mindfulness + Creativity in Costa Rica: February 17-24, 2018 {2 spots left} Pigs & Pugs Project Film Screening of The Last Pig: March 1 Yoga + Art in West Virginia: June 1-3, 2018 Penning in Paris: July 23-27, 2018 {3 spots left} Featured Guest: Elizabeth Duvivier  ELIZABETH DUVIVIER began teaching at the Lycee Lavoisier in Paris when she was 19. That was also the year she learned that she loved endives with beets, was allergic to ouzo and how to scale the wall of her apartment building in high heels. Over the years, she has taught French to high schoolers, Creative Writing to college students and how to live a mythic life to people from around the world. Admittedly, the strongest call in her life has been to help others reconnect with their creativity but after building and running Squam Art Workshops for ten years, she is now keen to spend sacred time writing and messing about with mixed-media. Her stated intention is to achieve this with a complete absence of an agenda, itinerary, playbook, libretto or anything that might resemble a plan. She finds nothing incongruous about her love for the writing of Mary Oliver and Tom Robbins; Eknath Easwaren and Asterix comics; Edith Wharton and Scarlett Thomas; John O’Donohue and anyone who can make her laugh. And, she is confident that it is only a matter of time before Durga returns to set the world to right. Savvy Sources Find Elizabeth Website Instagram Mentioned in the Podcast First interview of Elizabeth on Tranquility du Jour #215 My interview on Elizabeth's Morning on the Dock podcast Squam website Elizabeth's posts about the transition: 1)  water + imagination = poetry magic light and 2) a most wonderful time of the year My post about last year's big transition Vaclav Havel quote we discussed: Doesn’t the fact that one has managed to create something— though it may seem to have had no other impact—mean something in itself? Does not that alone say something and promise something? Does it not thus expand the range of what can be done, and of how far one may go? Every work of the spirit is a small reenactment of the miracle of Being, a small recreation of the world—and is not this essential and unique transcendence of its material existence enough to guarantee it a lasting place in the history of spirit and lasting participation in the “spirit” of the order of the spirit— that special attempt on the part of Being at its own great re-creation? To sum up: I’m convinced that each spiritual act is an integral part of the order of the spirit, that the order of the spirit is present in each act just as the entire river is present in an eddy, and that every such act irrevocably alters the order of the spirit, just as every eddy, though it may last no more than a minute, has irrevocably changed the river.  Social Media Eye candy on Instagram Pin along with me on Pinterest Let’s connect on Facebook Follow moi on Twitter Watch via YouTube Tranquility Tips + Tools Shop slow locally-made, eco-friendly fashion: TranquiliT Browse my 5 Books New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse the FAQs Tranquility-filled E-courses Download the Tranquility du Jour Podcast App: iPhone and Android Sign up for Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures Read about my passion for animals Request Pen a review on iTunes and/or share this podcast via social media, s‘il vous plaît. Pen a review of my books on Amazon or Goodreads. Techy To listen, click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes. New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast 411. Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast to get the latest episode as released. Get the Tranquility du Jour apps to download the podcast "automagically" on iOS or Android.

Scarlett Thomas, Il drago verde, Newton Compton

Not one, not two... but three incredible authors join us this episode! Comedian Harry Hill pops in to chat about his book Matt Millz, doodle expert Jon Burgerman talks to us about Rhyme Crime, and Scarlett Thomas tells us more about Dragon's Green! There's also an exclusive reading from Harry Hill and we round-up the 5 best books to around right now that you need to stick on your reading list! Find out more about everything featured on the Book Club podcast on the Fun Kids website at: http://www.funkidslive.com  

Dragons Green is Scarlett’s first children’s book and the first in the Worldquake sequence. Bex finds out about the new book, the exciting world they live in and where the name comes from!

Scarlett Thomas, Angela Saini, Alex Preston and Natasha Pulley join our host David Freeman for this episode of Ex Libris After Dark, recorded in front of a live audience in Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford on the 28th of June 2017 Scarlett Thomas not only teaches creative writing at the University of Kent, but is also the […]

Scarlett Thomas, Angela Saini, Alex Preston and Natasha Pulley join our host David Freeman for this episode of Ex Libris After Dark, recorded in front of a live audience in Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford on the 28th of June 2017 Scarlett Thomas not only teaches creative writing at the University of Kent, but is also the […] The post Ex Libris After Dark Episode 13.2 first appeared on Oxford Games.

Scarlett Thomas, Angela Saini, Alex Preston and Natasha Pulley join our host David Freeman for this episode of Ex Libris Live, recorded in front of a live audience in Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford on the 28th of June 2017 Scarlett Thomas not only teaches creative writing at the University of Kent, but is also the multi-award […] The post Ex Libris Live Episode 13 first appeared on Oxford Games.

Scarlett Thomas, Angela Saini, Alex Preston and Natasha Pulley join our host David Freeman for this episode of Ex Libris Live, recorded in front of a live audience in Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford on the 28th of June 2017 Scarlett Thomas not only teaches creative writing at the University of Kent, but is also the multi-award […]

Virginia Gaskell, an underappreciated 66-year-old cult writer forced into a rest home, contends with mysterious voices summoned from her typewriter and an obscure literary interviewer named Ed Champion. (9 minutes) Written and directed by Edward Champion CAST: Virginia Gaskell: Chris Smith Ed Champion: Edward Champion Orderly: Zachary Michael Demon #1: Greta Christie Demon #2: Pete Lutz Edited by Edward Champion Foley Sources: Edward Champion, Superex1110 (CC license, slight changes), and nothayama (CC license, slight changes). Special thanks to Jonathan Ames, Sacha Arnold, Austin Beach, Erin Bennett, Matthew Boudreau, Jason Boog, Christopher Byrd, Emily Carding, Robert Cudmore, Devony DiMattia, Chris Fletcher, Claudia Berenice Garza, Sarah Golding, Daniel Handler, Jen Halbert, Gabriella Jiminez, Fred Kiesche, Matthew MacLean, John Osborne, Rina Patel, Michael Saldate, Paul Sating, Gary Shteyngart, Darin Strauss, Marc Stein, Scarlett Thomas, Georgette Thompson, Tim Torre, and many others I may have inadvertently forgotten for their invaluable help, feedback, kindness, inspiration, and support during the production of this episode.

From Greeks Islands to the Emerald Isles; Our Family Sabbatical in Greece and Ireland Tina Lavelle had traveled Europe when she was younger, and the urge to return had never left. Her husband Ralph had grown up in Ireland and both felt a desire to leave their suburban Australia lifestyle for some freedom abroad. In 2015 they packed up their two children, rented out their home and firstly headed to the Greek island of Zakynthos where they enjoyed 4 sun filled months before heading for Dublin where they are now settled in. We joined Tina to discuss the process of schooling her children locally in both countries, how accommodation sharing sites like Couchsurfing and Helpx have provided them with much more than saving money and how you can self publish a book of your adventures while away. You can check out their blog at http://kouklahouse.com where you’ll find their book “ On a Greek Island; A Season in Zakynthos” What I learned from talking with Tina: Kids are so adaptable when it comes to schooling. Tina’s children have spent time both in Greek school and now in Irish ones during their journey. Like the Wagoners , Scarlett Thomas and Danna Bowman they found their children can adapt quickly to a new environment in local schools If you’re looking to earn a little money from your adventure then why not write a book and self-publish? Tina’s husband has written a story of their life on the Greek island of Zakynthos and published via Amazon. Although not likely to fund your entire journey it can provide a small top up in income. Check out our interview with Virginie Carmichael who has also self-published several books Couchsurfing has been a great way to get around and get to know cultures. Even as a family of four they have been able to enjoy the benefits of local hospitality. They have also used Helpx – another unique accommodation sharing site where people can trade accommodation for work. This allows them to stay longer than couchsurfing.    

Travel can be tough if you go against the norms of society. You left the career path you had lined up to do what? You’re travelling the world with two kids under 5…are you nuts?? You could listen to others…or you could do what you knew was right for you. For Billy and Scarlett Thomas the standard well-worn path of get career, have kids just didn’t feel right. There motto is “have kids, will travel” and indeed they do! Since leaving the United States 3 years ago their young family have journeyed through much of Europe, and Central and South America discovering what people and life has to offer along the way. Today we talk with the Thomas’s during a break catching up with family in Utah (they are about to head to Japan for six months). During our talk they discuss the expectations that society can put on you as a graduate and as parents, and how what they have done have helped both them and their children grow. They also discuss education options for children when travelling and how you can combine travel with running a bricks and mortar business back home. You can follow their travels on Scarlett’s blog http://dancingontheground.weebly.com and talk with Billy about running a bricks and mortar business remotely at www.highergroundlearning.com What I learned from speaking with Billy and Scarlett: Children are not a barrier to doing this. Their children have embraced international travel and the experience of learning in foreign schools. They are happier and healthier for the experience and have to learn to interact with others more freely than what they may have done in a conventional environment. You can’t (and shouldn’t) protect your children from the realities of life. Their kids have seen drunks in the street and know that the world is not always a perfect place. That’s life – protecting them from it may make you feel better but it doesn’t necessarily serve them in the long run You can run a bricks and mortar business from the other side of the world. The Thomas’s have not let their business hold them back and have discovered the advantages of earning $US while living in pesos elsewhere. If you’re willing to empower others then your business needn’t hold you back.

Don't stop, don't sleep, don't let your guard for one second: we've been watching It Follows and it is pretty bloody scary. Horror stories of another kind as Nath explores the raw brilliance and tabloid tragedy of Paul Gascoigne as revealed in a new documentary, which is strangely coy about the man's violence against his wife. And Sarah chats about her review of Scarlett Thomas's funny, ambitious and ecstatically rude new novel, The Seed Collectors. Plus! Our advice on mystery staircases, and the last word anyone will ever need on Byron (twat).

02:32 - Julian Cheal Introduction Twitter GitHub Blog 02:49 - Julian’s Background with Robots and Drones Arduino AR.Drone 03:32 - NodeCopter Events 04:31 - Traveling with Robots 05:35 - Julian’s Collection and Projects Julian Cheal: Dancing with Robots Raspberry Pi BeagleBone 07:46 - Giving Demos 09:12 - What Makes Robots? Sinon.JS MQTT Protocol 10:21 - Where is IoT (Internet of Things) Heading? Security 13:11 - Programming Languages NodeBots 14:15 - Tools and Protocols The MIDI Protocol Spark Core voodoospark 17:31 - Programming Challenges Around Hardware Hacking Artoo celluloid 18:49 - Barrier to Entry 20:41 - Getting Kids Started Kids Ruby Arduino Starter Kit 22:09 - Wearables EL Wire (Electroluminescent Wire) 23:18 - LEGO Robotics Mindstorms LabVIEW National Instruments 25:01 - Issues with Hardware Hacking 28:22 - Rubyists and Hardware Julian Cheal: Dancing with Robots JRuby Rubinius 29:45 - Interfacing with Humans iBeacon OpenCV 33:27 - [Kickstarter] CHIP - The World's First Nine Dollar Computer 34:01 - Connectivity  Sphero Carin Meier: The Joy of Flying Robots with Clojure @ OSCON 2013 36:55 - More Interesting Projects Aaron Patterson: Using chicken scheme to read sausagebox values Oscilloscope Picks Jacob Kaplan-Moss Keynote @ Pycon 2015 (Jessica) Kobo Aura H20 (Avdi) Liz Abinante: Unicorns Are People, Too (Re-Thinking Soft and Hard Skills) @ Madison+ Ruby 2014 (Coraline) littleBits (Julian) Jewelbots (Julian) Ruby Rogues Episode #156: Hardware Hacking with Julia Grace (Julian) The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas (Julian)        

02:32 - Julian Cheal Introduction Twitter GitHub Blog 02:49 - Julian’s Background with Robots and Drones Arduino AR.Drone 03:32 - NodeCopter Events 04:31 - Traveling with Robots 05:35 - Julian’s Collection and Projects Julian Cheal: Dancing with Robots Raspberry Pi BeagleBone 07:46 - Giving Demos 09:12 - What Makes Robots? Sinon.JS MQTT Protocol 10:21 - Where is IoT (Internet of Things) Heading? Security 13:11 - Programming Languages NodeBots 14:15 - Tools and Protocols The MIDI Protocol Spark Core voodoospark 17:31 - Programming Challenges Around Hardware Hacking Artoo celluloid 18:49 - Barrier to Entry 20:41 - Getting Kids Started Kids Ruby Arduino Starter Kit 22:09 - Wearables EL Wire (Electroluminescent Wire) 23:18 - LEGO Robotics Mindstorms LabVIEW National Instruments 25:01 - Issues with Hardware Hacking 28:22 - Rubyists and Hardware Julian Cheal: Dancing with Robots JRuby Rubinius 29:45 - Interfacing with Humans iBeacon OpenCV 33:27 - [Kickstarter] CHIP - The World's First Nine Dollar Computer 34:01 - Connectivity  Sphero Carin Meier: The Joy of Flying Robots with Clojure @ OSCON 2013 36:55 - More Interesting Projects Aaron Patterson: Using chicken scheme to read sausagebox values Oscilloscope Picks Jacob Kaplan-Moss Keynote @ Pycon 2015 (Jessica) Kobo Aura H20 (Avdi) Liz Abinante: Unicorns Are People, Too (Re-Thinking Soft and Hard Skills) @ Madison+ Ruby 2014 (Coraline) littleBits (Julian) Jewelbots (Julian) Ruby Rogues Episode #156: Hardware Hacking with Julia Grace (Julian) The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas (Julian)        

02:32 - Julian Cheal Introduction Twitter GitHub Blog 02:49 - Julian’s Background with Robots and Drones Arduino AR.Drone 03:32 - NodeCopter Events 04:31 - Traveling with Robots 05:35 - Julian’s Collection and Projects Julian Cheal: Dancing with Robots Raspberry Pi BeagleBone 07:46 - Giving Demos 09:12 - What Makes Robots? Sinon.JS MQTT Protocol 10:21 - Where is IoT (Internet of Things) Heading? Security 13:11 - Programming Languages NodeBots 14:15 - Tools and Protocols The MIDI Protocol Spark Core voodoospark 17:31 - Programming Challenges Around Hardware Hacking Artoo celluloid 18:49 - Barrier to Entry 20:41 - Getting Kids Started Kids Ruby Arduino Starter Kit 22:09 - Wearables EL Wire (Electroluminescent Wire) 23:18 - LEGO Robotics Mindstorms LabVIEW National Instruments 25:01 - Issues with Hardware Hacking 28:22 - Rubyists and Hardware Julian Cheal: Dancing with Robots JRuby Rubinius 29:45 - Interfacing with Humans iBeacon OpenCV 33:27 - [Kickstarter] CHIP - The World's First Nine Dollar Computer 34:01 - Connectivity  Sphero Carin Meier: The Joy of Flying Robots with Clojure @ OSCON 2013 36:55 - More Interesting Projects Aaron Patterson: Using chicken scheme to read sausagebox values Oscilloscope Picks Jacob Kaplan-Moss Keynote @ Pycon 2015 (Jessica) Kobo Aura H20 (Avdi) Liz Abinante: Unicorns Are People, Too (Re-Thinking Soft and Hard Skills) @ Madison+ Ruby 2014 (Coraline) littleBits (Julian) Jewelbots (Julian) Ruby Rogues Episode #156: Hardware Hacking with Julia Grace (Julian) The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas (Julian)        

In GBA 164 we get better acquainted with Sonja. We talk about making and loving comics, being interested in novelty, veganism, thinking creatively and commercially, giving up work to go freelance and more. Also featured in this episode are two true stories Sonja told at Spark London events. Sonja Plugs: Plug: Her comics course: Prince's Drawing School: Drawing the Graphic Novel http://www.princesdrawingschool.org/programmes/public/shoreditcheve.asp Run by Emily Haworth-Booth http://emilyhaworthbooth.blogspot.co.uk/ Leaving a job How To Find Fulfilling Work by Roman Krznaric http://www.romankrznaric.com/how-to-find-fulfilling-work "Act Now, Reflect Later" Sonja's Spark Story: http://www.mixcloud.com/sparklondon/reaching-out-sonja-todd/ Twitter and instagram: https://twitter.com/sonjatodd http://instagram.com/sonjatodd Spark London plugs: http://www.sparklondon.com https://twitter.com/sparkLDN https://www.facebook.com/sparklondon Mon 9th June Father Figures open mic at the Hackney Attic with Letter Lounge: https://www.facebook.com/events/722460404485371/ Mon 16th June Reality Check open mic Upstairs at the Ritzy: https://www.facebook.com/events/625377634222503/ Fri 4th July Spark London teams up with Risk! at the Hackney Attic: http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Hackney_Picturehouse/film/Spark_Presents_Risk_Live_In_London_One_Night_Only/ Mon 7th July Best of Spark London at Canal Cafe Theatre: http://www.canalcafetheatre.com/Calendar.php I plug: Myself: http://www.davepickeringstoryteller.com Here are some extra plugs: The Stand Up Tragedy IndieGoGo Campaign: bit.ly/TragicFringe Greek Tragedy: Thursday 12th June at the Dogstar: www.facebook.com/events/625249897568126/ We mention: Labyrinth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinth_(film) Timmy's Pies: http://timmyspies.com/ Bloomsbury Festival: http://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/ Sonja's podcast: https://soundcloud.com/sound-like-you-mean-it Erwin Blumenfeld: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Blumenfeld Surrealism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism Dada: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dada Pixar: http://www.pixar.com/ Tatty Divine: http://www.tattydevine.com/ Creating A Life Worth Living: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creating-Life-Worth-Living-Filmmakers/dp/0060952431 The Artists Way: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Artists-Way-Discovering-Recovering/dp/0330343580 Scott McCloud: http://scottmccloud.com/ Understanding Comics: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Comics-The-Invisible-Art/dp/006097625X Reinventing Comics: http://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Comics-Imagination-Technology-Revolutionizing/dp/0060953500 Making Comics: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Comics-Storytelling-Secrets-Graphic/dp/0060780940 Look In: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look-in The Beano: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beano The Dandy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dandy Eddie Campbell: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Campbell Graffiti Kitchen: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Graffiti-Kitchen-Eddie-Campbell/dp/1568620217 From Hell: http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Hell-Alan-Moore/dp/0861661419 Eddie Campbell on Too Much Information: http://canadapodcasts.ca/podcasts/TooMuchInformation/2375011 Watchmen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen Alan Moore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Moore Neil Gaiman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman Blankets - Craig Thompson: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blankets-Hardcover-Edition-Craig-Thompson/dp/1603090967 Gail Simone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Simone Maus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus Ladies Do Comics: http://www.laydeezdocomics.com/ Ariel Schrag: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Schrag Potential: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Potential-School-Comic-Chronicles-Schrag/dp/1416552359 Ghostworld: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_World American Splendor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Splendor The Amazing Adventures Kavalier Clay by Michael Chabon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Amazing-Adventures-Kavalier-Clay/dp/1841154938 Sandman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandman_(Vertigo) Y: The Last Man: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y:_The_Last_Man Lost: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_(TV_series) Mad Men: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Men Joss Whedon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_Whedon Buffy Comics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer_comics X Men Run: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astonishing_X-Men#Joss_Whedon_run The L Word: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_L_Word The Nerdist Writers Panel - comics episodes: http://www.nerdist.com/podcast_channel/nerdist-comics-panel-channel/ Len Wein: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Wein Name and shame vegan site: http://jezebel.com/im-vegan-and-this-vegan-sellout-site-is-fucking-embarr-655161955 Popco by Scarlett Thomas: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PopCo-Scarlett-Thomas/dp/184767335X The End of Mr Y: http://www.amazon.co.uk/End-Mr-Y-Scarlett-Thomas/dp/1847670709 Isa Chandra Moskowitz: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_Chandra_Moskowitz Veganomicon: http://www.theppk.com/books/veganomicon-the-ultimate-vegan-cookbook/ Vegan Cupcakes Take over the world: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Cupcakes-Take-Over-World/dp/1569242739 Vegan Yum Yum: http://veganyumyum.com/ The Mighty Fork: http://themightyfork.co.uk/ Radio 4 Vegan programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b037524t Engevita: http://www.bio-lallemand.com/products/engevita/ White Pudding: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_pudding Madonna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_(entertainer) Whitney Houston: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Houston Janet Jackson: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Jackson Paula Abdul/ Opposites attract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xweiQukBM_k&feature=kp The Man Whose Mind Exploded: http://www.themanwhosemindexploded.com/ You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!