Podcasts about thorns

Have you ever wished you had thorns? Have you ever felt like you needed to protect your heart, your space, your peace of mind, or your time from a world that asks too much of you – or takes without asking? You're not alone. This is what thorn medicine can bring you.Thorns aren't weapons, they're defenses. They don't seek an animal or human out with the intent to cause harm, they hold space and define boundaries. Touch me here, says the rose, but not there. Admire my flowers, says the motherwort, but don't you dare clutch my seeds. We can learn from this.We can take the medicine of thorns into ourselves. We can do this literally, not only (oh, “only”!) metaphorically or symbolically. Most all thorny herbs, and particularly the thorns themselves, carry a key herbal action: astringency. This is an action which literally pulls things together, and holds things together.Each plant's thorn is different, serving its own purpose. Hawthorn's long, widely spaced thorns evolved to counter the hungers of the giant sloth, and they retain that shape long after the lumbering herbivore went extinct: they are the living memory of a predator past. Ocotillo's inexhaustible rows of spines render it no more easy a prey than the cactus who share its landscape. Thistle spikes out from every possible surface, asserting itself in all directions as its firework flowers reach for the sky. Which thorns are yours?Pull yourself together. Hold your boundaries. Make a safe space.Then, within that thorn-walled refuge, your flowers will unfold.Thorn medicine is only one form of support herbs can offer our emotions. Our Neurological & Emotional Health course is a user's guide to your nerves, your emotions, and the herbs who can lift you, hold you, brace you, and sustain you. We teach holistic herbal strategies for addressing both neurological & psychological health issues. It includes a lengthy discussion of herbal pain management strategies, too!Like all our offerings, this is a self-paced online video course, which comes with free access to twice-weekly live Q&A sessions, lifetime access to current & future course material, twice-weekly live Q&A sessions with us, open discussion threads integrated in each lesson, an active student community, study guides, quizzes & capstone assignments, and more!If you have a moment, it would help us a lot if you could subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen. This helps others find us more easily. Thank you!!Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but that doesn't mean that your love has to leave with it ^_^In today's episode, we will talk about how to avoid a few of the pitfalls that often kill the love many of us are so desperate to protect!*Transcripts Available: englishandcoffee.org*Contact: englishandcoffeepodcast@gmail.com

"Be glad of your human heart....Pity those who don't feel anything at all.” What if the meteoric rise of the romantasy genre isn't about fae courts and dragon riders—but about our deepest and most human longings? Romantasy has taken the publishing world by storm. While some dismiss these stories as escapist fantasy, we believe their deeper power lies in how they illuminate the human heart. In this series on the alchemy of romantasy, we explore the mythic and psychological currents running through books like A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fourth Wing. Through the lenses of Jung and the Hero's (and Heroine's) Journey, we examine the desire to individuate, to be truly seen, to claim inner sovereignty, to find belonging, security, and freedom—and to join with a soulmate who honors the self we are becoming. Join us as we ask why these stories resonate so profoundly right now, and what they reveal about who we are. References: Books & Series A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah J. Maas Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros Psychology & Myth Enneagram 4 type Jung & the collective unconscious The Hero's Journey – Joseph Campbell Pop Culture Moana Frozen Monica Lewinsky's podcast  Related Gathering Gold Episodes Escape Hatch Fantasies What Could Have Been You Do Not Have to Be Good Bonus: Books that Changed Us Join us on Patreon for bonus content and virtual gatherings: patreon.com/gatheringgold Some of our recent bonus episodes include: What Sheryl Forgot and Victoria's Experiment | The Slipstream of Time | Give and Receiving - Shudder - Feedback | The Problem with Pedestals | Are Intrusive Thoughts like Stray Cats?

Last time on the Bestow Curse podcast, our heroes continued their fight against the Mother of Thorns but she escaped when the tables began to turn. The party proceeded deeper into the cellblock and found Devargo, but some mysterious effect kept him from being lucid enough for a conversation. With grey maidens and a familiar foe to Sylvie on the other side of the next door, will our heroes be able to survive this literal dungeon's next encounter? The cursed campaign continues now!       Website: hideouslaughterpodcast.com Patreon: patreon.com/hideouslaughter Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HideousLaughterPod Discord: https://discord.gg/ruG6hxB Email: bestowcursepodcast@gmail.com Facebook/Instagram: @hideouslaughterpod Reddit: reddit.com/r/HideousLaughter Die Hard Dice Discount Code: Hideous Ambience by Michael Ghelfi https://michaelghelfi.bandcamp.com/  Theme Song: Firemane by Adrian Von Zeigler

Cousins Síle and Teamhair are so close to finished with Part I of Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas. This is book 8 of the Throne of Glass (TOG) series - and is it ever epic. How bleak is the situation in Terrasen . . . can you stand it? Did you love the special effects courtesy of Dorian's invisible hands? How delicious are the introductions and reunions? We've got: Aelin and Hasar; Aelin and Chaol; Aelin and Yrene; Aelin and Falkan! Safe if you've read this far in the series and no cross Sarah J. Maas universe spoilers. Send voice memos and emails to sandtfaemail@gmail.com!   Season 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series Season 2: Throne of Glass (TOG) series

Tom and Eric are back from the Dice Tower Cruise, trying not to make Julie jealous, but failing miserably. We talk about games played, ports visited, and flights cancelled. Plus, we dive into the listener mailbag, and gather a new round of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:54 - Dice Tower West and The Library 02:33 - Merchant of Venus in The Library 04:26 - Dice Tower Cruise - Pre-Cruise 10:50 - Cruise: Most Checked-Out Games 21:57 - Cruise: St. Thomas Game Day 25:02 - Eric's Travel Woes 27:26 - Jibber Jabble 29:44 - Julie's Cruise Contribution 30:47 - Question: Too Social? 38:33 - JiSoGi: Anime Studio Tycoon 46:07 - Eternal Decks 49:44 - Ham Helsing 55:11 - Cosy Stickerville 59:03 - Fest Season Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"!Welcome to Chapter 80 - Romance Round Table 3.0!We've got a fantastic lineup for this year's romance round table - authors Hayley Elliott and MJ Hughes and owner of Love Stories OKC, Courtney Hedrick. In our conversation, we get to hear about the work of our panelists and then talk about tropes, the growing male audience for romance fiction, writing spice, and I attempt to get to the bottom of the hockey romance trend. It's a great time with equally great folks.Support the show: Buy Me A CoffeeSubscribe to Read LOKal - our monthly newsletter of Oklahoma new releases. Connect with Hayley: website | TT | IG | FBConnect with MJ: Linktree | TT | IG | FBConnect with Courtney: website | TT | IG | FBMentioned on the Show:All the Missing Pieces - Cathrine CowlesYours Truly - Abby JimenezHat Trick - Chelsea CurtoThe 12 Week Year - Brian P. MoranCarlie WalkerAlly CarterIf He Had Been With Me - Laura NowlinFalling Into Place - Allison AshleyElle KennedyDating in Decay - Lindsey MontgomeryCatherine CowlesLaurel K. HamiltonDC Stars Series - Chelsea CurtoOff Campus Series - Elle KennedyPlaying for Keeps Series - Becka MackAbby JimenezAllison AshleyAnnabel MonaghanKatherine CenterAshley PostonSophie CousinsCarly FortuneA Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. MaasAnne of Green Gables - L.M. MontgomerySherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan DoyleConnect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookShop the Bookcast on Bookshop.orgMusic by JuliusH

After yeeeeears of people telling Maya to read this one, she is finally breaking down the first book in the ACOTAR series!Sierra Madre Golf https://sierramadregolf.com/?ref=mayag or use Code MAYAGSubscribe to the My Take newsletter that comes out every other friday: https://mytake.aweb.page/p/5c793f97-1177-42ff-a0a9-5c9f3b7313b1 My Take also has a Patreon, where every month there will be fun bonus content, including a book club, so it would mean the world if you could support us there! Connect with Maya:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mytake/?hl=enPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mytakepodWebsite: https://mytakepodcast.weebly.com/ 

February 10, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9Daily Lectionary: Job 6:14-30; John 3:22-4:6“He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What an excellent reminder of what we discussed on Monday, how our Lord plants the seeds of faith everywhere, even in places that seem unlikely. We all know Paul's past, soiled with persecution of Christians, dragging men, women, and children bound in chains to Jerusalem to be put to death for following “the Way” Acts 9:2. And yet, the seed which was planted in his heart bore fruit that day on the road to Damascus.  You would think that going from persecutor to champion of the faith would be a great lifestyle change—from turmoil to tranquil, almost. However, Paul's life, post-conversion, post-planting of the faith (though his heart was indeed a pleasant planting), was anything but a peaceful valley of blooming flowers.  The words that we read today, especially from 2 Corinthians 12, are very familiar to us. “Thorns in the flesh.” “Messengers of Satan.” He never says exactly what this struggle that plagues him is, and for good reason. The truth is, these messengers and thorns show up in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Satan surrounds us day and night to harass us and steal our focus from where it should be.  Dark secrets, addictions, hatred, jealousy, whatever it is, they all seek to distract us from the truth, turn our eyes away from God, and in turn destroy our faith. As we daily struggle with these thorns, Paul's prayer, while not specifically written down, becomes our prayer. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)God's grace is sufficient. God's grace strengthens and sustains you. In His Grace, He sent His only begotten Son to be born of the Virgin Mary. So that He would, by what is seen as weakness by worldly standards (being betrayed, beaten, and crucified, and in a humiliating way), He would reveal His power and glory. And, what is more, by the death of the only begotten Son, He would destroy the messengers and thorns of Satan!  It is by our Baptism into the death and resurrection of His Son that the victory has been passed on to us. He has cast out the messengers of Satan that harass us. They have been rendered powerless against us by the work of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for such sufficient grace!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.By Grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice; For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's voice. My heart is glad, all grief has flown Since I am saved by grace alone. (LSB 566:6)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

Is it your responsibility to make your morals known? Yes. Is it your responsibility to have an opinion on ethical issues? Also, yes. Pussy Sparkle Ribbon Inquiries can be made through the website! I'm super excited for you guys to get your very own. And if you're in the San Diego area, my DMs are OPEN. Support the showLove, Lies, and Ley Lines Among the Thorns line edits are D-O-N-E DONE! Preorder here In case you missed it, Strange Familiar Audio Book is now available on Youtube ~ Listen for free here You can find the Owl Crate signed edition of Never the Roses here A very beautiful hardcover edition can be found here The audio book can be listened to here And Kindle Unlimited has Never the Roses digital version! Your friendly neighborhood author is doing author-ly things this upcoming month! Hummingbird House is officially OPEN FOR BOOKING Book your next writer retreat at Hummingbird House in Santa Fe here Upcoming Events ~ LoveLitCon is a weekend of romantasy and bookish fun and I will be attending! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF! https://lovel...

Greg Egan’s work exemplifies a certain kind of “hard” science fiction: not that it’s obsessed with big manly space battles, but rather that it’s using science to really dig into some complicated subjects. Eden Kupermintz, of Death // Sentence and many other cool projects, joins to discuss the scope and the scale, philosophy and physics in Diaspora.   Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books.   Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Eden Kupermintz Title: Diaspora by Greg Egan Host: Jake Casella Brookins Music by Giselle Gabrielle Garcia Additional music: "Equatorial Complex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License "Fluidscape" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Artwork by Rob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough References: The Translated Hugo Initiative Brian Catling's Earwig Jeffrey Ford's The Physiognomy Jeff VanderMeer's The Strange Bird Jeremy P. Bushnell's Relentless Melt Severian (from Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun) Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves "Every text is ergodic if you want it to be." Pink Floyd's Stairway to Heaven Heavy Blog is Heavy Centroeuropa by Vicente Luis Mora, translated by Rahul Bery Dengue Boy by Michel Nieve, translated by Rahul Bery You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer Enrigue in discussion with Maia Gil’Adí (friend of the pod) on Novel Dialogue Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation & Authority (and the Meal of Thorns episode) Dan Simmons’ Hyperion Ursula Le Guin's Ekumen (in the Hainish books) Ben Berman Ghan’s The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits & Eden's review Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men and Starmaker Greg Egan's Scale Backlisted episode on Last and First Men David Hume leptons & femtoseconds Gilles Deleuze & Jacques Derrida Immanuel Kant & correlationism Egan's Perihelion Summer Socrates & Plato & the polis solipsism Edwin A. Abbot's Flatland Zelazny, Le Guin, Dick, Asimov Peter Watts' Blindsight Becky Chambers' To Be Taught If Fortunate Egan's Morphotropic Larry Niven (e.g., Ringworld) "I know kung fu" scene in The Matrix Pragmatism, coherence, William James The Best of Greg Egan Permutation City Greg Daniel’s Upload series The Orthogonal Rocket trilogy Zendegi Karen Burnham's Modern Masters of SF book on Egan MMSF on Ballard, Bester Frederick Pohl's Gateway Poul Anderson’s Tau Zero Wells, Camille Flammarion, Flash Gordon, Star Trek & Star Wars M. John Harrison’s The Centauri Device Gareth Watkin's essay on AI & fascism John M. Ford's Web of Angels on Death // Sentence GregEgan.net

Welcome to the literary eras tour. This week, Magda and Lindsay are joined by Brittany and Dani of “The Breadcrumb Effect” podcast to discuss the literary breadcrumbs that led them from one moment in their lives to the next.  Listen in to learn the books that formed the readers they've become, and all the lessons they learned along the way.  You an follow The Breadcrumb Effect here!   Email us!  Literally Books Website Literally Books Instagram Magda's Instagram Lindsay's Instagram Literally Books YouTube   Books mentioned in the episode:  “Half His Age“ by Jeanette McCurdy  “I'm Glad My Mom Died“ by Jeanette McCurdy  “In Your Dreams“ by Sarah Adams “The God of the Woods“ by Liz Moore “Long Bright River“ by Liz Moore “Villain Origin Story“ by Ruby Dixon “Bull Moon Rising“ by Ruby Dixon “Matilda“ by Roald Dahl “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom“ by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone“ by J.K. Rowling “Throne of Glass“ by Sarah J. Maas “The Babysitter's Club“ by Ann M. Martin “Nancy Drew“ by Carolyn Keene “Frankenstein“ by Mary Shelley “Thirst“ by Scott Harrison “Animal Vegetable Miracle“ by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, and Steven L. Hopp “The Omnivore's Dilemma“ by Michael Pollan “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking“ by Malcolm Gladwell “Freakanomics“ by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt “Green“ by Ted Dekker “Red“ by Ted Dekker “Wnite“ by Ted Dekker “Untamed“ by Glennon Doyle “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay“ by Michael Chabon “Percy Jackson and the Olympians“ by Rick Riordan “Twlight“ by Stephenie Meyer “A Court of Thorns and Roses“ by Sarah J. Maas “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue“ by V.E. Schwab “The Games Gods Play“ by Abigail Owens “Vesselless“ by Cortney L. Winn  “Save the Cat“ by Blake Snyder “The Nightingale“ by Kristin Hannah "All the Light We Cannot See“ by Anthony Doerr “Atmosphere“ by Taylor Jenkins Reid “Daisy Jones and the Six“ by Taylor Jenkins Reid “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo“ by Taylor Jenkins Reid   Intro & Outro Song: "Would it Kill You," courtesy of The Solder Thread

(00:00)Intro (11:28)Boy's #6 Teams in the State (21:49)Girl's #6 Teams in the State (31:56)Girls' Games of the Past (42:15)Boys' Games of the Past (47:20)Games of the Future (53:10)Roses & Thorns (1:08:15)USA National Development League

Cousins Síle (Sheila) and Teamhair (Tara) wade through chapters 25 - 43, in Part I of Kingdom of Ash, the final book in Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass (TOG) series. Did Dorian really love Sorsha that much or does he just have a guilty, traumatized mind? Can we say this out loud . . . is anyone else confused if we like Fenrys for Aelin? When Fae mates claim each other, do they swallow the blood? Safe if you've read this far in the series and no cross Sarah J. Maas universe spoilers. Send voice memos and emails to sandtfaemail@gmail.com!   Season 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series Season 2: Throne of Glass (TOG) series

Worries, wealth, and the Word. In the field - I'm talking about a farmer's field - the crops are competing with other things for the resources of the soil. Thorns, Jesus called them. When the soil is the human heart, the good seed of God's Word is contending with just about everything else that will cross your mind today. As we've studied Jesus' Parable of the Sower in Mark chapter 4, we've talked about the hard ground and the rocky ground. Today Jim will help us think about the thorny ground. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS02032026_1.mp3Scripture References: Mark 3-5

Welcoming February with a moral quarry; to BookCon or to not? Obviously, the answer is to not, but the bigger concept is that can you always choose to not when it comes to the big corporations. Ask me a question! The Morning Refill is your place to send me your thoughts. I've gotten requests recently for Pussy Sparkle ribbons, so I will definitely let you know of those details once they're ready. Support the showLove, Lies, and Ley Lines Among the Thorns line edits are D-O-N-E DONE! Preorder here In case you missed it, Strange Familiar Audio Book is now available on Youtube ~ Listen for free here You can find the Owl Crate signed edition of Never the Roses here A very beautiful hardcover edition can be found here The audio book can be listened to here And Kindle Unlimited has Never the Roses digital version! Your friendly neighborhood author is doing author-ly things this upcoming month! Hummingbird House is officially OPEN FOR BOOKING Book your next writer retreat at Hummingbird House in Santa Fe here Upcoming Events ~ LoveLitCon is a weekend of romantasy and bookish fun and I will be attending! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF! https://lovel...

Last time on the bestow Curse podcast, our heroes began a fight against the Mother of Thorns in the execution chamber of the dungeon. Her charms and poisons turned party members against each other and now they must fight their foes - and each other - to survive! Will the Mother raise her body count? The cursed campaign continues now!       Website: hideouslaughterpodcast.com Patreon: patreon.com/hideouslaughter Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HideousLaughterPod Discord: https://discord.gg/ruG6hxB Email: bestowcursepodcast@gmail.com Facebook/Instagram: @hideouslaughterpod Reddit: reddit.com/r/HideousLaughter Die Hard Dice Discount Code: Hideous Ambience by Michael Ghelfi https://michaelghelfi.bandcamp.com/  Theme Song: Firemane by Adrian Von Zeigler    

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:00 GMT http://relay.fm/paperplaces/22 http://relay.fm/paperplaces/22 Kerry Provenzano Kerry's friend and colleague, Chloé Finn, joins her to chat about what they read in 2025 and what they're planning to read in 2026. Chloé discusses authors who create rich interior worlds and Kerry bench presses a gigantic Collins Dictionary. Kerry's friend and colleague, Chloé Finn, joins her to chat about what they read in 2025 and what they're planning to read in 2026. Chloé discusses authors who create rich interior worlds and Kerry bench presses a gigantic Collins Dictionary. clean 3136 Kerry's friend and colleague, Chloé Finn, joins her to chat about what they read in 2025 and what they're planning to read in 2026. Chloé discusses authors who create rich interior worlds and Kerry bench presses a gigantic Collins Dictionary. Guest Starring: Chloé Finn Links and Show Notes: Support Paper Places with a Relay Membership Submit Feedback Follow Chloé on Instagram A Secret History by Donna Tart A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas Fahrenheit 182 by Mark Hoppus This Much is True by Miriam Margolyes In Praise of Walking by Shane O'Mara Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Heartburn by Nora Ephron Intermezzo by Sally Rooney Tart by Slutty Cheff English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged | Collins Dictionaries Normal People by Sally Rooney East of Eden by John Steinbeck The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy A Real Piece of Work by Freya Bromley Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë The Rest is Entertainment Podcast | Goalhanger "Wuthering Heights" Trailer (2026) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell A Long Game by Elizabeth McCracken Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams You Don't Need a Smartphone by August Lamm HMD Barbie™ Phone There's Someone in Reception: Adventures in Local Journalism How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend: A Neuroscientist's Guide to a Healthier, Happier Life by Dr. Rachel Barr Mind Games by Annie Vernon

(00:00)Intro (13:10) #5s in the State (22:04)Girls' Youth Champs (23:02)Squirtacular (43:22)This Weekend's Tourneys (51:17)Roses & Thorns

With the holiday season slowing things down, this episode turns into a relaxed check-in on what we've been reading lately—for fun, for comfort, and for curiosity.I talk about revisiting Bird by Bird and why it remains one of the most honest books about the writing life, alongside reflections on translated fiction like The Taiga Syndrome, cozy seasonal mysteries such as Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year, and rediscovering the magic of Stranger Things through its Season One novelization.We also get into fantasy and romance reads, including Sorcery of Thorns, and why revisiting beloved stories through audiobooks—like Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and His Dark Materials—can be a meaningful way to experience familiar worlds in a new medium.Along the way, we talk about:-Reading vs. audiobooks (and why speed-listening and summaries aren't the same as reading)-Fan-recommended books we hope to get to in the future-Stories from other cultures that expand perspective-Why slowing down with books still matters in a hyper-optimized worldIf you love reading, book clubs, or just hearing how stories land with thoughtful readers, this episode is for you.

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:00 GMT http://relay.fm/paperplaces/22 http://relay.fm/paperplaces/22 Reading Roundup 25/26 with Chloé Finn 22 Kerry Provenzano Kerry's friend and colleague, Chloé Finn, joins her to chat about what they read in 2025 and what they're planning to read in 2026. Chloé discusses authors who create rich interior worlds and Kerry bench presses a gigantic Collins Dictionary. Kerry's friend and colleague, Chloé Finn, joins her to chat about what they read in 2025 and what they're planning to read in 2026. Chloé discusses authors who create rich interior worlds and Kerry bench presses a gigantic Collins Dictionary. clean 3136 Kerry's friend and colleague, Chloé Finn, joins her to chat about what they read in 2025 and what they're planning to read in 2026. Chloé discusses authors who create rich interior worlds and Kerry bench presses a gigantic Collins Dictionary. Guest Starring: Chloé Finn Links and Show Notes: Support Paper Places with a Relay Membership Submit Feedback Follow Chloé on Instagram A Secret History by Donna Tart A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas Fahrenheit 182 by Mark Hoppus This Much is True by Miriam Margolyes In Praise of Walking by Shane O'Mara Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Heartburn by Nora Ephron Intermezzo by Sally Rooney Tart by Slutty Cheff English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged | Collins Dictionaries Normal People by Sally Rooney East of Eden by John Steinbeck The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy A Real Piece of Work by Freya Bromley Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë The Rest is Entertainment Podcast | Goalhanger "Wuthering Heights" Trailer (2026) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell A Long Game by Elizabeth McCracken Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams You Don't Need a Smartphone by August Lamm HMD Barbie™ Phone There's Someone in Reception: Adventures in Local Journalism How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend: A Neuroscientist's Guide to a Healthier, Happier Life by Dr. Rachel Barr Mind Games by Annie Vernon

This time, we look at what happens when a production error is found in a game after it has reached the wild. What should producers do to make it right, and can they do anything at all? Also, a new dramatic Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and a new collection of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:50 - Storytime from Tom: Loading the Cruise Library 04:16 - Announcements: Gamefound (supportdicetower.com), Dice Tower West, East, and Vacation 06:33 - Dealing with Production Errors 39:14 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 47:55 - Wingspan: Americas 50:19 - Sanibel 52:44 - Harmonies 55:27 - Nocturnis 57:43 - Lairs 1:00:45 - Cookie Run Braverse TCG Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

Abby joins Moira Donegan and Adrian Daub on one of our favorite podcasts, In Bed With the Right! The topic is romantasy - as a genre of fiction, as a publishing phenomenon, and, above all, as a cultural symptom. What do readers - and women specifically - find in romantasy narratives? How does reading relate to play, and fantasy to trauma and healing? The three explore all these questions and more!Texts include:Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses seriesRebecca Yarros, Empyrean seriesJudith Herman, Trauma and Recovery Andrea Dworkin, Women HatingSigmund Freud, "Creative Writers and Daydreaming" (1907)Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you've traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847  A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Follow us on social media:  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/OrdinaryUnhappiness Twitter: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

We all have that platonic friend who is incredibly hot, that we spend a decade going on vacations with and definitely never have romantic feelings for, and does not create tension in our relationships, right?  Okay, so maybe not. But WHO CARES? We need a little unrealistic love in our lives. This week, Magda and Lindsay talk all about the swoon-y, sweet, romantic “People We Meet on Vacation,” both the book by Emily Henry and the new Netflix adaptation.  This week is all about Literally Books' deep love and rom-coms, and where this story gets it right…and maybe sometimes a little wrong.     Books mentioned in the episode: “Dungeon Crawler Carl“ by Matt Dinniman “Carl's Doomsday Scenario“ by Matt Dinniman “The Correspondent“ by Virginia Evans “People We Meet on Vacation“ by Emily Henry “Funny Story“ by Emily Henry “Beach Read“ by Emily Henry “Great Big Beautiful Life“ by Emily Henry “Soul Searching“ by Lyla Sage “Free Falling“ by Lyla Sage “A Court of Thorns and Roses“ by Sarah J. Maas “Fourth Wing“ by Rebecca Yarros “Wheel of Time“ by Robert Jordan “Heated Rivalry“ by Rachel Reid “The Long Game“ by Rachel Reid “Unrivaled“ by Rachel Reid   Email us!  Literally Books Website Literally Books Instagram Magda's Instagram Lindsay's Instagram Literally Books YouTube Literally Books TikTok   Intro & Outro Song: "Would it Kill You," courtesy of The Solder Thread

Aelin is still with Maeve and the cousins are still in Part 1 of Kingdom of Ash, chapters 13 - 24, by Sarah J. Maas, the FINAL book in the Throne of Glass (TOG) series. Did you forget Chaol and Yrene were there? Did Tristan and Isolde's 2006 kiss inspire Manon's heritage? Could you ignore a severed head if one rolled on your toe? Safe if you've read this far in the series, and no cross Sarah J. Maas universe spoilers. Send emails and voice memos to sandtfaemail@gmail.com!   Season 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series Seasons 2: Throne of Glass (TOG) series

Presented by Julie Busteed Do you realize God created and modeled work for you and me? I looked at one word used for work, which focused on the aspect of creativity. Let's look at another Hebrew word used for work—avodah. And it carries the idea of purpose. It is also translated as service, worship, and even slavery. The common thread, it describes work done by one person for the benefit of another. In Genesis 2, this word appears twice. In verse 5, we read there was no one to work the ground. Then in verse 15, God places the man in the garden to work it and take care of it. From the beginning, work is clearly presented as a gift given to humanity by God, part of his good creation plan. Then in Genesis 3, after the fall, work itself is not introduced as a curse, but it is affected by the curse. The ground is cursed because of sin, and work becomes difficult and toilsome. Thorns and thistles now grow in the garden, and provision comes through pain and sweat. Work is not the punishment for sin; rather, sin distorts work, just as it distorts every part of creation. As a result, work now includes struggle, frustration, and hardship. There are thorns and thistles, and at times it will be demanding and exhausting. Considering this, how do you and I show up to work each day in a way that honors and reflects God? I find thinking of work as a gift from God—something he created me to do—helps maintain perspective. The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:17 to do everything with all our hearts, as working for the Lord and not for human masters. That truth reframes even the menial, boring, or difficult tasks every job includes. Those tasks matter, and you and I are called to do them with excellence—for his glory. Work is also necessary. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life… to work with your hands…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12). The Thessalonians had fallen into idleness, relying on others for support. Paul encourages them to work—not only to provide for themselves—but as a way of living out their faith. Your work matters not only to pay the bills and sustain a living for you and your family, but as a witness to others. Let's go to work and remember who we really work for.[1] — [1] Some content used with permission by Tim Vickers and IFES Graduate Impact.

For this episode, Moira and Adrian are joined by Abby Kluchin from the Ordinary Unhappiness podcast to discuss a recent publishing phenomenon and its implications for gender politics: romantasy, a genre that's been emerging over the last 10 years with renewed force. Series like Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses and the Empyrian-novels by Rebecca Yarros mix fantasy tropes with costume drama and pretty explicit sex scenes -- and they rely on a very particular kind of trauma heroine, and what seems to be a very particular understanding of gendered trauma.

Send us a textDo you love Audiobooks? Well, hold onto your buttz! Today we have a very special completely spoiler free interview episode for you. We're bringing you something (someone?) new and exciting to go along with our deep dive series for the Plated Prisoner books by Raven Kenneny, going on now! We're chatting with none other than the man behind our favorite voices…including THE Slade Ravinger… Anthony Palmini! Yes, you heard that right: he's the voice of some of our most treasured MMC's like Kingfisher from the Fae and Alchemy series by Callie Hart and Rhysand in the dramatized adaptation of A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J Maas… and we want to know… how did he get here? He has a corner on the Romantasy shadow daddy market, and we need to know what that's like? No pressure at all! And maybe if we're extra lucky he might just show off his talents a little and answer some listener submitted questions! Anthony has over 10 years in the professional voice acting field, doing everything from voice overs for commercials, to audiobooks, to composing music for independent films. He does video editing and directing, writing for online production companies, video editing for brand names and television studios, and has even been part of a comedy troupe. We think it's safe to say that he knows his stuff, and that's the reason why he has become such a vital and beloved member of the book community. 

In this episode, Jimmy introduces the "Rose and Thorn" reflection practice, highlighting how focusing on the positive experiences can help navigate challenges. He shares transformative stories of students who overcame adversity, reinforcing the message of hope and resilience in education.     

Don't resist Pussy Sparkle because it's happening, and so is the Magic Reborn audio book. My take on the Taylor Swift leaked text messages and also female friendships in general. And my response to being ghosted. Join me for your First Cup of Coffee every Monday at 9:30AM and suggest a topic or ask a question here at The Morning Refill. Love, Lies, and Ley Lines is OUT NOW Support the showAmong the Thorns line edits are D-O-N-E DONE! Preorder here In case you missed it, Strange Familiar Audio Book is now available on Youtube ~ Listen for free here You can find the Owl Crate signed edition of Never the Roses here A very beautiful hardcover edition can be found here The audio book can be listened to here And Kindle Unlimited has Never the Roses digital version! Your friendly neighborhood author is doing author-ly things this upcoming month! Hummingbird House is officially OPEN FOR BOOKING Book your next writer retreat at Hummingbird House in Santa Fe here Upcoming Events ~ LoveLitCon is a weekend of romantasy and bookish fun and I will be attending! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF! https://lovelit.com/ Tuscon Festival of Books is March 14th-15th this year! See you there *Wink* ...

Charles Saunders’ sword and soul narratives, pulp-fantasy-inspired tales of Black and African heroes, helped blaze a trail for the genre—but, like Saunders himself, they have a complicated and still-developing story. Jon Tattrie, author of the newly-released Saunders biography, To Leave A Warrior Behind, joins us to talk about the foundational novel Imaro: its themes, its history, and its legacy. Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books. Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Jon Tattrie Title: Imaro by Charles R. Saunders Host:Jake Casella Brookins Music byGiselle Gabrielle Garcia Artwork byRob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough References: To Leave A Warrior Behind Tricon Halifax Charles R. Saunders Prize Trident Bookstore Amal El-Mohtar Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Jude Mire’s Patchworld Nova Hal-Con Shag Harbour UFO Sword & Soul Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan Robert E. Howard's Conan Dark Fantasy magazine Gene Day Boris Vallejo & Franz Frazetta Neuland Inline font Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park The Halifax Daily News Africville Saunder's Sweat and Soul: The Saga of Black Boxers from the Halifax Forum to Ceasar's Palace The Quest for Cush Dossuye Turkana wrist knives “thews” Octavia Butler, Samuel Delany N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season & our episode on it "The City of Madness" Octavia Butler, Toni Adeyemi Dossoye Novels Dhambala Abangonee Charles de Lint Amazons (1986) & Stormquest (1987), both directed by Alejandro Sessa Mathieu Da Costa Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia The Spirit of Africville Audiobook of To Leave A Warrior Behind

In this message, Pastor Caleb discusses the thorn in the flesh that the Apostle Paul describes in 2 Corinthians.  Thorns are meant to hinder those who serve God and not allow the focus to remain on Jesus.  Looking at Joshua, the plan to remove those who influence disobedience to God is vital, or those same people will become thorns in the side and briers in the eyes.  God has called His people to overcome and be victorious.  Send us a textSupport the showFor more information for our church visit AGCSparta.org.

Was the Fall of Adam and Eve a "plan B" or the "plan all along"? Most of the world views the events in Eden as a catastrophe, but the Pearl of Great Price reveals it was the beginning of our redemption. Summary: In this episode, we dive into Genesis 3–4 and Moses 4–5 to understand the "Fortunate Fall" and the true nature of opposition. We explore how the choice made in Eden opened the door to mortality, family, and joy—on the condition of our redemption through Jesus Christ. Tactics of the Adversary: We analyze the four specific ways Satan tried to deceive Eve—distorting God's word, appealing to the flesh, lying about consequences, and mixing truth with error. The Transgression vs. Sin: We discuss why the Fall was a necessary transgression of a lower law to keep a higher one: the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. Coats of Skins: We look at the profound symbolism of God clothing Adam and Eve, representing the Atonement of Jesus Christ covering our nakedness and vulnerability. The Contrast of Cain: We study the tragedy of Cain, who "loved Satan more than God" and introduced the first "secret combination" into human history. Finding Joy in Mortality: Adam and Eve teach us that even in a world of thorns and thistles, we can be "glad" because of the redemption of our transgression. Call-to-Action: Do you see the "thorns and thistles" in your life as a curse or as a schoolmaster? How has the Atonement "clothed" you in your difficult moments? Share your insights in the comments below! If this lesson helped you see the Fall in a new light, please like, subscribe, and share this video to help others stay "Unshaken." Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:07 Introducing the Fall 4:09 Stages of Faith 15:48 Proving Contraries 19:34 The Fall of Lucifer 38:00 Tempting Eve 43:38 Preserving Agency & Accountability 51:04 The Evolution of Sin 57:20 Adam's Choice & Eve's Proposal 1:04:13 The Fortunate Fall 1:13:00 Beguiled? Deciding Alone 1:18:50 Willing to Risk It 1:26:17 Hiding their Nakedness 1:37:14 Curses as Blessings in Disguise 1:42:44 And He Shall Rule Over Thee 1:51:15 Thorns & Thistles, Sweat & Bread 1:56:09 Eve as Mother 1:59:31 Coats of Skins 2:01:38 Cherubim: Time to Prepare 2:11:16 Learning the Law of Sacrifice 2:25:13 The Real Fall 2:28:49 Faith to Have a Family 2:35:03 Cain & Satan 2:43:07 Cain & Abel 2:49:52 Cain's Posterity 2:55:22 Redemption from the Fall 2:57:56 Artwork from Eden

1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold. 2 The rich and the poor have this in common: Yahweh is the maker of them all. 3 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it. 4 The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh is wealth, honor, and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. 7 The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender. 8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. 9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. 10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop. 11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend. 12 Yahweh's eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful. 13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!" 14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under Yahweh's wrath will fall into it. 15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him. 16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty. 17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. 19 I teach you today, even you, so that your trust may be in Yahweh. 20 Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge, 21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you? 22 Don't exploit the poor because he is poor; and don't crush the needy in court; 23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them. 24 Don't befriend a hot-tempered man. Don't associate with one who harbors anger, 25 lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul. 26 Don't you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts. 27 If you don't have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you? 28 Don't move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up. 29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Here we go. Kingdom of Ash. Book 8. The final book in Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass (TOG) series. The cousins are back with the main crew! We've got Aelin, Rowan, Aedion, Lysandra, Dorian and Manon! Aelin isn't just having a nap now is she, Sheila? Does this book make you want to map out and understand military strategy? Would it be less gross for Aedion if Lysandra wasn't pretending to be his cousin? How many generations back do your ancestors love you? Safe if you've read this far in the series and no cross Sarah J. Maas universe spoilers. Send voice memos and emails to sandtfaemail@gmail.com!   Season 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series Season 2: Throne of Glass (TOG) series

We return to Australia after many a year as Darvily joins me for this episode! I had stumbled across her on Threads and loved the fandoms she was into, and we get to jump into a few of them for this episode. Darvily and I kick things off with talking about the broad topic of video games. We talk about the first games that she experienced, starting with Spyro. We focus on a few games that Darvily specifically was into over the years, including Animal Crossing, Pokemon, and Skyrim. Darvily also talks about some of her favorite indie games that she likes and recommends. Want the recommendations? Listen! From video games, we make our way into the realm of Fantasy Fandom. We talk about Darvily's love of How To Train Your Dragon, books like Lord of the Rings, Fourth Wing, and A Court of Thorns and Roses, to name a few. We also bundle in talk about Renfaires in Australia, as well as Darvily's experience with Dungeons and Dragons. We then wrap up with a conversation about Cosplay. Darvily talks about getting into Cosplay, along with some of the character she does. From Spider suits to Renfaire looks, Sailor Umbreon, and more. We talk about how she decides and chooses her looks and what she's working on for this year. You can find Darvily at: https://www.instagram.com/darvilyyy/ https://linktr.ee/darvily https://www.tiktok.com/@darvilyy https://www.twitch.tv/darvily https://www.youtube.com/@darvilyy

Episode 203 - This conversation delves into the 4th sorrowful mystery, the crowning with thorns, exploring the profound suffering of Christ and its implications for moral courage and love of enemies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding Christ's silent suffering, the context of his passion, and the call to embrace our own struggles with compassion and courage.Hosts: Father Sean Danda and Nathanael Rea

Unfortunately, it is a devastating realization that we rarely know when we are doing something for the very last time.First Cup of Coffee will be up every Monday at 9:30AM. If you have a question or topic you'd love to hear on the show, you can do that here ~ Submit a Topic! Support the showAmong the Thorns line edits are D-O-N-E DONE! Preorder here In case you missed it, Strange Familiar Audio Book is now available on Youtube ~ Listen for free here You can find the Owl Crate signed edition of Never the Roses here A very beautiful hardcover edition can be found here The audio book can be listened to here And Kindle Unlimited has Never the Roses digital version! Your friendly neighborhood author is doing author-ly things this upcoming month! Hummingbird House is officially OPEN FOR BOOKING Book your next writer retreat at Hummingbird House in Santa Fe here Upcoming Events ~ LoveLitCon is a weekend of romantasy and bookish fun and I will be attending! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF! https://lovelit.com/ Tuscon Festival of Books is March 14th-15th this year! See you there *Wink* ...

(00:00)Intro (13:20)Lumberjack Cup (18:19)Danglefest (26:16)Other Tourneys (43:00)#4 Teams (46:35)Squirtacular Notes (48:58)Skate for the Roses Preview (51:24)Roses & Thorns

We kick off 2026 by looking back 20 years to 2006. What were we up to, and what were we playing? Plus, a question from the mailbag, and a new collection of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:50 - Busy January - SupportDiceTower.com 03:07 - 2006 Memories 05:09 - Where Were We In 2006? 18:50 - The Games of 2006 27:44 - Which Games Are We Still Playing? 31:30 - Listener Question: Game Replacement 42:07 - Add to Playlist 47:06 - Galactic Cruise 48:06 - Zooloretto 50:47 - Merry Murdle 53:52 - Unmatched Adventures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 57:10 - Heroes of Timeline Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

I stumbled across Stacy on Threads back in early 2025 when she posted about who she was hoping the algorithim would bring to her account. I followed Stacy for awhile and then realized "I bet she has an Instagram page" and followed her work there too. One of my favorite things about Stacy is that she wants to build and engage with those who do follow her on her platforms. I love that, and it's one of the things I enjoyed as I got to know her. This episode is split in half! The first half we're talking about Fantasy and Romantasy books. Stacy talks about what she looks for in a book, and what she's drawn to in the Romantasy sphere. We cover a number of different books including Cruel Prince, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and more. Stacy's full list of recommended titles is at the bottom of the show notes including links to purchase! The second half of the episode features Stacy talking about what she creates! From her fantasy inspired costumes to the photography that goes along with it - including great behind the scenes stories on some of her iconic shots from her instagram. Stacy gives us the inside scoop and I am absolutely here for it. We also talk about renaissance faires and fantasy balls, including Stacy's upcoming appearance at FrostFire Ball by Storybook Soirees (link in the notes for ticket info!)  Books that Stacy recommended are: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black - https://amzn.to/3LkH4gd A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas - https://amzn.to/4qNzFoG Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - https://amzn.to/454cG0d The Assassin's Blade novella by Sarah J. Maas - https://amzn.to/3LumYQH The Rogue King by Abigail Owen - https://amzn.to/4svVQS5 Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - https://amzn.to/4sz7UC1 Quicksilver by Callie Hart - https://amzn.to/4jxcX1C You can find more info about FrostFire Ball at: https://www.storybooksoirees.com/frostfire-ball You can find Stacy at: https://www.instagram.com/stacylkellam/ https://www.threads.com/@stacylkellam https://www.tiktok.com/@stacylkellam https://linktr.ee/stacylkellam

Join us on the History of Jackson podcast as we delve into the fascinating life of Anne Boleyn with renowned historian Estelle Paranque. Discover the untold stories and unique perspectives on one of history's most intriguing figures.

There's a peculiar irony in how we navigate modern life. We walk through crowded airports, sit at dinner tables with loved ones, and even attend church services—all while being completely absent. Our bodies are present, but our minds are captured by the glowing rectangles in our pockets.__________Get more out of today's teaching by visiting our Church Online page for things like our community guide, a weekly devotional, and the teaching slides. EthosOH.com/churchonline

Send us a textIn this Quite Unscripted episode, we're breaking down our Roses and Thorns of 2025, the wins, the chaos, and the lessons we absolutely did not ask for. We're talking New Year's resolutions, what we're actually committing to, what we're already side-eyeing, and what we're leaving firmly in last year. Spirit Box PodcastDespite being placed on sabbatical for her supernatural research, Professor Toni...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showHit us up on social mediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuiteUnusualPod/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349829115227754Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quiteunusualpod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/quiteunusualpodSend us your Listener Lore!Send us an email: quiteunusualpod@gmail.com Wanna send us something spooky?P.O. Box 1212Des Plaines, IL, 60017

Happy New Year 2026! I love January and the opportunity to start afresh. I know it's arbitrary in some ways, but I measure my life by what I create, and I also measure it in years. At the beginning of each year, I publish an article (and podcast episode) here, which helps keep me accountable. If you'd like to share your goals, please add them in the comments below. 2026 is a transitional year as I will finish my Masters degree and continue the slow pivot that I started in December 2023 after 15 years as an author entrepreneur. Just to recap that, it was: From digitally-focused to creating beautiful physical books; From high-volume, low cost to premium products with higher Average Order Value; From retailer-centric to direct first; and From distance to presence, and From creating alone to the AI-Assisted Artisan Author. I've definitely stepped partially into all of those, and 2026 will continue in that same direction, but I also have an additional angle for Joanna Penn and The Creative Penn that I am excited about. If you'd like to join my community and support the show every month, you'll get access to my growing list of Patron videos and audio on all aspects of the author business — for the price of a black coffee (or two) a month. Join us at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Leaning into the Transformation Economy The Creative Penn Podcast and my Patreon Community Webinars and live events Finish my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture Bones of the Deep — J.F. Penn Add merch to CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com How to Write, Publish, and Market Short Stories and Short Story Collections — Joanna Penn Other possible books Experiment more with AI translation Ideally outsource more marketing to AI, but do more marketing anyway Double down on being human, health and travel You can find all my books as J.F. Penn and Joanna Penn on your favourite online store in all the usual formats, or order from your local library or bookstore. You can also buy direct from me at CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com. I'm not really active on social media, but you can always see my photos at Instagram @jfpennauthor. Leaning into the Transformation Economy I've struggled with my identity as Joanna Penn and my Creative Penn brand for a few years now. When I started TheCreativePenn.com in 2008, the term ‘indie author' was new and self-publishing was considered ‘vanity press' and a sure way to damage your author career, rather than a conscious creative and business choice. It was the early days of the Kindle and iPhone (both launched in 2007), and podcasting and social media were also relatively new. While US authors could publish on KDP, the only option for international authors was Smashwords and the market for ebooks was tiny. Print-on-demand and digital audio were also just emerging as viable options. While it was the early era of blogging, there were very few blogs and barely any podcasts talking about self-publishing, so when I started TheCreativePenn.com in late 2008 and the podcast in March 2009, it was a new area. For several years, it was like howling into the wind. Barely any audience. Barely any traffic, and certainly very little income.  But I loved the freedom and the speed at which I could learn things and put them into practice. Consume and produce. That has always been my focus. I met people on Twitter and interviewed them for my show, and over those early years I met many of the people I consider dear friends even now. Since self-publishing was a relatively unexplored niche in those early years, I slowly found an audience and built up a reputation. I also started to make more money both as an author, and as a creative entrepreneur. Over the years since, pretty much everything has changed for indie authors and we have had more and more opportunity every year. I've shared everything I've learned along the way, and it's been a wonderful time.  But as self-publishing became more popular and more authors saw more success (which is FANTASTIC!), other voices joined the chorus and now, there are many thousands of authors of all different levels with all kinds of different experiences sharing their tips through articles, books, podcasting, and social media. I started to wonder whether my perspective was useful anymore. On top of the human competition, in November 2022, ChatGPT launched, and it became clear that prescriptive non-fiction and ‘how to' information could very easily be delivered by the AI tools, with the added benefit of personalisation. You can ask Chat or Claude or Gemini how you can self-publish your particular book and they will help you step by step through the process of any site. You can share your screen or upload screenshots and it can help with what fields to fill in (very useful with translations!), as well as writing sales descriptions, researching keywords, and offering marketing help targeted to your book and your niche, and tailored to your voice. Once again, I questioned what value I could offer the indie author community, and I've pulled back over the last few years as I've been noodling around this. But over the last few weeks, a penny has dropped. Here's my thinking in case it also helps you. Firstly, I want to be useful to people. I want to help. In my early days of speaking professionally, from 2005-ish, I wanted to be the British (introvert) Tony Robbins, someone who inspired people to change, to achieve things they didn't think they could. Writing a book is one of those things. Making a living from your writing is another. So I leaned into the self-help and how-to niche. But now that is now clearly commoditised. But recently, I realised that my message has always been one of transformation, and in the following four areas.  From someone who doesn't think they are creative but who desperately wants to write a book, to someone who holds their first book in their hand and proudly says, ‘I made this.' The New Author. From someone who has no confidence in their author voice, who wonders if they have anything to say, to someone who writes their story and transforms their own life, as well as other people's. The Confident Author. From an author with one or a handful of books who doesn't know much about business, to a successful author with a growing business heading towards their first six figure year. The Author-Entrepreneur. And finally, from a tech-phobic, fearful author who worries that AI makes it pointless to create anything and will steal all the jobs, to a confident AI-assisted creative who uses AI tools to enhance and amplify their message and their income. The AI-Assisted Artisan Author. These are four transformations I have been through myself, and with my work as Joanna Penn/The Creative Penn, I want to help you through them as well. So in 2026, I am repositioning myself as part of The Transformation Economy. What does this mean? There is a book out in February, The Transformation Economy by B. Joseph Pine II, who is also the author of The Experience Economy, which drove a lot of the last decade's shift in business models. I have the book on pre-order, but in the meantime, I am doing the following. I will revamp TheCreativePenn.com with ‘transformation' as the key frame and add pathways through my extensive material, rather than just categories of how to do things. I've already added navigation pages for The New Author, The Confident Author, The Author-Entrepreneur, and The AI-Assisted Artisan Author, and I will be adding to those over time. My content is basically the same, as I have always covered these topics, but the framing is now different. The intent is different. The Creative Penn Podcast will lean more heavily into transformation, rather than just information — And will focus on the first three of the categories above, the more creative, mindset and business things.  My Patreon will continue to cover all those things, and that's also where I post most of my AI-specific content, so if you're interested in The AI-Assisted Artisan Author transformation path, come on over to patreon.com/thecreativepenn I have more non-fiction books for authors coming, and lots more ideas now I am leaning into this angle. I'll also continue to do webinars on specific topics in 2026, and also add speaking back in 2027. It's harder to think about transformation when it comes to fiction, but it's also really important since fiction books in particular are highly commodified, and will become even more so with the high production speeds. Yes, all readers have a few favourite authors but most will also read a ton of other books without knowing or caring who the author is. Fiction can be transformational. Reader's aren't buying a ‘book.' They're buying a way to escape, to feel deeply, to experience things they never could in real life. A book can transform a day from ‘meh' into ‘fantastic!' My J.F. Penn fiction is mostly inspired by places, so my stories transport you into an adventure somewhere wonderful, and they all offer a deeper side of transformative contemplation of ‘memento mori' if you choose to read them in that way.  They also have elements of gothic and death culture that I am going to lean into with some merch in 2026, so more of an identity thing than just book sales. I'm not quite sure what this means yet, but no doubt it will emerge. I'll also shape my JFPennBooks.com site into more transformative paths, rather than just genre lists, as part of this shift. My memoir Pilgrimage always reflected a transformation, both reflecting my own midlife shift but I've also heard from many who it has inspired to walk alone, or to travel on pilgrimage themselves. Of course, transformation is not just for our readers or the people we serve as part of our businesses. It's also for us. One of the reasons why we are writers is because this is how we think. This is how we figure out our lives. This is how we get the stories and ideas out of our heads and into the world. Writing and creating are transformative for us, too. That is part of the point, and a great element of why we do this, and why we love this. Which is why I don't really understand the attraction of purely AI-generated books. There's no fun in that for me, and there's no transformation, either. Of course, I LOVE using Chat and Claude and Gemini Thinking models as my brainstorming partners, my research buddies, my marketing assistants, and as daily tools to keep me sparkly. I smiled as I wrote that (and yes, I human-wrote this!) because sparkly is how I feel when I work with these tools. Programmers use the term ‘vibe coding' which is going back and forth and collaborating together, sparking off each other. Perhaps that I am doing is ‘vibe creation.' I feel it as almost an effervescence, a fun experience that has me laughing out loud sometimes. I am more creative, I am more in flow. I am more ‘me' now I can create and think at a speed way faster than ever before. My mind has always worked at speed and my fingers are fast on the keys but working in this way makes me feel like I create in the high performance zone far more often. I intend to lean more into that in 2026 as part of my own transformation (and of course, I share my experiences mainly in the Community at patreon.com/thecreativepenn ). [Note, I pay for access to all models, and currently use ChatGPT 5.2 Thinking, Claude Opus 4.5, and Gemini 3 Pro). So that's the big shift this year, and the idea of the Transformation Economy will underpin everything else in terms of my content. The Creative Penn Podcast and my Patreon Community The Creative Penn Podcast continues in 2026, although I am intending to reduce my interviews to once every two weeks, with my intro and other content in between. We'll see how that goes as I am already finding some fascinating people to talk to!  Thank you for your comments, your pictures, and also for sharing the episodes that resonate with you with the wider community. Your reviews are also super useful wherever you are listening to this, so please leave a review wherever you're listening this as it helps with discovery.  Thanks also to everyone in my Patreon Community, which I really enjoy, especially as we have doubled down on being human through more live office hours. I will do more of those in 2026 and the first one of the year will blearily UK time so Aussies and Kiwis can come. I also share new content almost every week, either an article, a video or an audio episode around writing craft, author business, and lots on different use cases for AI tools.  If you join the Patreon, start on the Collections tab where you will find all the backlist content to explore. It's less than the price of a coffee a month so if you get value from the show, and you want more, come on over and join us at patreon.com/thecreativepenn My Books and Travel Podcast is on hiatus for interviews, since the Masters is taking up the time I would have had for that. However I plan to post some solo episodes in 2026, and I also post travel articles there, like my visits to Gothic cathedrals and city breaks and things like that. Check it out at https://www.booksandtravel.page/blog/  Webinars and live events Along with my Patreon office hours, I'm enjoying the immediacy and energy of live webinars and they work with my focus on transformation, as well as on ‘doubling down on being human' in an age of AI, so I will be doing more this year. The first is on Business for Authors, coming on 10 and 24 January, which is aimed at helping you transform your author business in 2026, or if you're just getting started, then transform into someone who has even a small clue about business in general!Details at TheCreativePenn.com/live and Patrons get 25% off. In terms of live in-person events, it looks like I will be speaking at the Alliance of Independent Authors event at the London Book Fair in March, and I'll attend the Self-Publishing Show Live in June, although I won't be speaking. There might be other things that emerge, but in general, I'm not doing much speaking in 2026 because I need to … Finish my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture This represents a lot of work as I am doing the course full-time. I should be finished in September, and much of the middle of the year will be focused on a dissertation. I'm planning on doing something around AI and death, so that will no doubt lead into some fiction at a later stage! Talking of fiction … Bones of the Deep — J.F. Penn The Masters is pretty serious, as is academic research and writing in general, and I found myself desperate to write a rollicking fun story over the holiday break between terms. I've talked about this ‘tall-ship' story for a while and now I'm committing to it. Back in 1999, I sailed on the tall-ship Soren Larsen from Fiji to Vanuatu, one of the three trips that shaped my life. It was the first time I'd been to the South Pacific, the first time I sailed blue water (with no land in sight), and I kept a journal and drew maps of the trip. It also helped me a make a decision to leave the UK and I headed for Australia nine months later in early 2000, and ended up being away 11 years in Australia and New Zealand. I came home to visit of course, but only moved back to the UK in 2011, so that trip was memorable and pivotal in many ways and has stuck in my mind. The story is based on that crossing, but of course, as J.F. Penn my imagination turns it into essentially a ‘locked room,' there is no escape out there, especially if the danger comes from the sea. Another strand of the story comes from a recent academic essay for my Masters, when I wrote about the changes in museum ethics around human remains and medical specimens i.e. body parts in jars, and how some remains have been repatriated to the indigenous peoples they were stolen from. I've also talked before about how I love ‘merfolk' horror like Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter, and Merfolk by Jeremy Bates. These are no smiling fantasy mermaids and mermen. They are predators. What might happen if the remains of a mer-saint were stolen from the deep, and what might happen to the ship that the remains are being transported in, and the people on board?  I'm about a third in, and I am having great fun! It will actually be a thriller, with a supernatural edge, rather than horror, and it is called Bones of the Deep, and it will be out on Kickstarter in April, and everywhere by the summer.  You can check out the Kickstarter pre-launch page with photos from my 1999 trip, the cover for the book, and the sales description at JFPenn.com/bones Add merch to CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com I've dipped my toe into merch a number of times and then removed the products, but now I'm clear on my message of transformation, I want to revisit this. My books remain core for both sites, but for CreativePennBooks, I also want to add other products with what are essentially affirmations — ‘Creative,' ‘I am creative, I am an author,' and variants of the poster I have had on my wall for years, ‘Measure your life by what you create.' This is the affirmation I had in my wallet for years! For JFPennBooks, the items will be gothic/memento mori/skull-related. Everything will be print-on-demand. I will not be shipping anything myself, so I'm working with my designer Jane on this and then need to order test samples, and then get them added to the store. Likely mid-year at this rate! How to Write, Publish, and Market Short Stories and Short Story Collections — Joanna Penn I have a draft of this already which I expanded from the transcript of a webinar I did on this topic as part of The Buried and the Drowned campaign. It turns out I've learned a lot about this over the years, and also on how to make a collection, so I will get that out at some point this year. I won't do a Kickstarter for it, but I will do direct sales for at least a month and include a special edition, workbook, and bundles on my store first before putting it wide. I will also human-narrate that audiobook. Other possible books I'm an intuitive creative and discovery writer, so I don't plan out what I will write in a year. The books tend to emerge and then I pick the next one that feels the most important. After the ones above, there are a few candidates. Crown of Thorns, ARKANE thriller #14. Regular readers and listeners will know how much I love religious relics, and it's about time for a big one! I have a trip to Paris planned in the spring, as the Crown of Thorns is at Notre Dame, and I have some other locations to visit. My ARKANE thrillers always emerge from in-person travels, so I am looking forward to that. Maybe late 2026, maybe 2027. AI + religion technothriller/short stories. I already have some ideas sketched out for this and my Masters thesis will be something around AI, religion, and death, so I expect something will emerge from all that study and academic writing. Not sure what, but it will be interesting! The Gothic Cathedral Book. I have tens of thousands of words written, and lots of research and photos and thoughts. But it is still in the creative chaos phase (which I love!) and as yet has not emerged into anything coherent. Perhaps it will in 2026, and the plan is to re-focus on it after my Masters dissertation.  I feel like the Masters study and the academic research process will make this an even better book, But I am holding my plans for this lightly, as it feels like another ‘big' book for me, like my ‘shadow book' (which became Writing the Shadow) and took more than a decade to write! How to be Creative. I have also written bits and bobs on this over many years, but it feels like it is re-emerging as part of my focus on transformation. Probably unlikely for 2026 but now back on the list … Experiment more with AI translation AI-assisted translation has been around for years now in various forms, and I have experimented with some of the services, as well as working with human narrators and editors in different languages, as well as licensing books in translation. But when Amazon launched Kindle Translate in November 2025, it made me think that AI-assisted translation will become a lot more popular in 2026. AI audiobook narration became good enough for many audiobooks in 2025, and it seems like AI-translation will be the same in 2026. Yes, of course, human translation is still the gold standard, as is human narration, and that would be the primary choice for all of us — if it was affordable. But frankly, it's not affordable for most indie authors, and indeed many small publishers. Many books don't get an audiobook edition and most books don't get translated into every language. It costs thousands per book for a human translator, and so it is a premium option. I have only ever made a small profit on the books that I paid for with human translators and it took years, and while I have a few nice translation deals on some books, I'm planning to experiment more with AI translation in 2026. More languages, more markets, more opportunities to reach readers. More on this in the next episode when I'll cover trends for 2026. Ideally outsource more marketing to AI, but do more marketing anyway You have to reach readers somehow, and you have to pay for book marketing with your time and/or your money. Those authors killing it on TikTok pay with their time, and those leaning heavily on ads are paying with money. Most of us do a bit of both. There is no passive income from books, and even a backlist has to be marketed if you want to see any return. But I, like most authors, am not excited about book marketing. I'd rather be working on new books, or thinking about the ramifications of the changes ahead and writing or talking about that in my Patreon Community or here on the podcast. However, my book sales income remains about the same even as I (slowly) produce more books, so I need to do more book marketing in 2026. I said that last year of course, and didn't do much more than I did in 2024, so here I am again promising to do a better job! Every year, I hope to have my “AI book marketing assistant” up and running, and maybe this will be the year it happens. My measure is to be able to upload a book and specify a budget and say, ‘Go market this,' and then the AI will action the marketing, without me having to cobble together workflows between systems. Of course, it will present plans for me to approve but it will do the work itself on the various platforms and monitor and optimize things for me. We have something like that already with Amazon auto-ads, but that is specific to Amazon Advertising and only works with certain books in certain genres. I have auto-ads running for a couple of non-fiction books, but not for any fiction. I'd also ideally like more sales on my direct stores, JFPennBooks.com and CreativePennBooks.com which means a different kind of marketing. Perhaps this will happen through ChatGPT shopping or other AI-assisted e-commerce, which should be increasing in 2026. More on that in trends for the year to come in the next show. Double down on being human, health and travel I have a lot of plans for travel both for book research and also holidays with Jonathan but he has to finish his MBA and then we have some family things that take priority, so I am not sure where or when yet, but it will happen! Paris will definitely happen as part of the research for Crown of Thorns, hopefully in the spring. I've been to Paris many times as it's just across the Channel and we can go by train but it's always wonderful to visit again. Health-wise, I'll continue with powerlifting and weight training twice a week as well as walking every day. It's my happy place! What about you? If you'd like to share your goals for 2026, please add them in the comments below — and remember, I'm a full-time author entrepreneur so my goals are substantial. Don't worry if yours are as simple as ‘Finish the first draft of my book,' as that still takes a lot of work and commitment! All the best for 2026 — let's get into it! The post My 2026 Creative And Business Goals With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are taking a look back at their favorite reads of 2021. This was one of the best reading years. This was also the year we added the superlatives which everybody loved! Most of these books should be available for you to grab if any interest you after hearing us rave about them! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  2:38 - Our Top 10 Reads of 2021 12:35 - Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (Kaytee #10) 12:39 - Season 3: episode 40 14:09 - Currently Reading Patreon 16:39 - Fablehaven by Brandon Mull  16:52 - A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (Meredith #10) 18:50 - The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (Kaytee #9) 21:25 - Furyborn by Claire Legrand 21:36 - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo  21:56 - A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (Meredith #9) 22:21 - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas 23:01 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 23:46 - The Day The World Came to Town by Jim DeFede (Kaytee #8) 23:50 - Season 4: Episode 14 25:32 - Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (Meredith #8) 25:41 - Season 3: Episode 41 29:03 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Kaytee #7) 29:25 - Season 3: Episode 42 31:41 - State of Terror by Hilary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny (Meredith #7) 34:22 - Intermission: Lowest Rated Books 34:58 - Roar by Cecilia Ahern (Kaytee) 35:41 - Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard (Kaytee) 36:48 - Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay (Meredith) 37:30 - Survive the Night by Riley Sager (Meredith) 38:25 - Meredith and Kaytee's Top 10 Books of the Year cont'd 38:36 - Love Lives Here by Rowan Jette Knox (Kaytee #6) K NOTE: while I do think it's clear that I love my sister dearly here, I want to be extra super clear that when I say "love covers all manner of sins" I am referring to the ways we as her family fail at times to do the best we can. I am not in any way referring to her gender identity as a sin. My sister knows this, but I want to be sure that anyone else who hears me, hears me correctly as well. 40:25 - Pony by R.J. Palacio (Meredith #6) 40:50 - Page & Palette Bookshop 42:05 - Wonder by R.J. Palacio 43:01 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley (Kaytee #5) 43:04 - Season 3: Episode 45 44:29 - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (Meredith #5) 47:46 - Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston (Kaytee #4) 47:51 - Season 3: Episode 35 47:56 - Bookshelf Thomasville 48:47 - Blackwell's 49:05 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 49:06 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 49:28 - 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard  49:37 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard (Meredith #4) 53:14 - Intermission: The Books that Surprised Us Most in 2021 53:44 - Season 3: Episode 34 53:50 - The Black Count by Tom Reiss (Kaytee) 55:38 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (Meredith) 59:25 - Meredith and Kaytee's Top 10 Books of the Year cont'd 59:50 - How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith (Kaytee #3) 59:56 - Season 4: Episode 19 1:01:37 - Fabled Bookshop 1:01:39 - We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (Meredith #3) 1:04:52 - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby (Kaytee #2) 1:04:56 - Season 4: Episode 2 1:07:18 - Matrix by Lauren Groff (Meredith #2) 1:07:59 - Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff 1:11:14 - All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle (Kaytee #1) 1:11:22 - Season 4: Episode 12 1:11:38 - Minisode w/Mike Gayle 1:14:09 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Meredith #1) 1:15:42 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 1:22:48 - Reflections from the 2021 Reading Year 1:24:25 - Pony by R.J. Palacio 1:24:45 - Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston   Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. December's IPL is a recap of the year with Kaytee and Meredith. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!