Podcasts about Truth Be Told

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Georgia's election controversies continue to fuel public distrust as questions over signatures, tabulator tapes, chain of custody, residency, and election records remain unresolved. Voters demand transparency, accountability, and evidence that election procedures are followed consistently, warning that unanswered concerns further weaken confidence in government institutions...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – America faces growing threats from foreign adversaries, cyberattacks, political weakness, cultural division, and government incompetence. The nation must demand accountability, secure its borders, protect critical infrastructure, confront hostile powers, defend shared values and sovereignty, and restore honest leadership before continued drift weakens the republic further...

Momo: The Forgotten Bigfoot That Terrorized MissouriIn the summer of 1972, three children in the quiet river town of Louisiana, Missouri, reported seeing a massive, dark-haired creature near their home. Standing approximately seven feet tall, with a pumpkin-shaped head and glowing orange eyes, the mysterious figure appeared to be carrying the body of a dead dog beneath its arm.Their terrifying encounter was followed by reports of unexplained screams, strange footprints, frightened animals and a powerful odor of decay. As fear spread throughout the community, armed residents entered the woods and a 20-person search party was organized to hunt what soon became known as Momo—the Missouri Monster.Was Momo simply a black bear mistaken for something monstrous? Was the town caught up in mass hysteria? Or did an unknown Bigfoot-like creature briefly emerge from the forests along the Mississippi River?Join Tony Sweet for this chilling solo episode of Truth Be Told as he investigates one of the most overlooked Bigfoot encounters in American history.Subscribe to Truth Be Told and follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at @TheClubParanormal.#TruthBeTold #TonySweet #Momo #MissouriMonster #Bigfoot #Sasquatch #Cryptid #Cryptozoology #BigfootEncounter #BigfootSightings #Unexplained #ParanormalPodcast #MissouriMystery #MonsterStories #UrbanLegends #AmericanFolklore #ClubParanormalBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

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Beyond the Veil: Inside the Mysterious World of Physical MediumshipWhat happens when the veil between our world and the spirit world begins to open?Tony Sweet and Truth Be Told Transformation cohost Bonnie Burkert welcome physical medium and author Julie Adreani for a fascinating exploration of near-death experiences, red-light séances, transfiguration and materialization phenomena.Julie shares how her abilities intensified after a near-death experience, what reportedly happens inside a physical mediumship circle and why red light is used during séances. She also discusses seeing angels near her father's death, communicating with unborn souls and witnessing mysterious faces and figures appear during her spiritual work.Drawing from her book, Messages From the Beyond: One Woman's Journey into Physical Mediumship, Julie offers a powerful message about the afterlife, forgiveness, kindness, spiritual protection and the enduring energy of love.Learn more about Julie at JulieAdreaniSpiritMedium.com.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – America enters another election season facing voter apathy, political infighting, and complacency that threaten Republican gains. Strong turnout, border security, government spending battles, and frustration over Washington's pace shape the stakes as voters are urged to stay engaged, show up, and protect hard-won momentum nationwide...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Artificial intelligence already shapes daily life, influencing what Americans see, choose, and trust. As AI advances toward artificial general intelligence, questions of power, accountability, personhood, human rights, energy, and national security demand immediate attention, clear laws, and strong constitutional protections before technology outruns responsible oversight...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – America faces a defining moment as economic strain, global threats, border security, trade disputes, and political division test the nation. The message urges citizens to reject apathy, demand stronger leadership, protect national interests, and stay engaged in elections that shape the country's future for generations...

What happens when fear becomes policy—and the people labeled “the worst of the worst” are no longer treated as people? In this episode of the Truth Be Told Podcast, host Dave Thompson, CFI explores the powerful story behind the documentary Leaving Hotel California and the complicated legacy of Guantanamo Bay, post-9/11 interrogations, enhanced interrogation techniques, torture, and the human consequences of abandoning evidence-based investigative practices. Dave is joined by filmmakers Chimène de Jonge and Aybüke Demirel, former NCIS Special Agent Mark Fallon, and former Guantanamo detainee and Guantánamo Diary author Mohamedou Ould Slahi for a conversation about investigative interviewing, coercion, false information, cognitive bias, morality, forgiveness, and what happens when fear begins influencing the investigative process. Inside Leaving Hotel California Support the Documentary Here. The documentary Leaving Hotel California examines Guantanamo Bay through the experiences of the people who lived this history from dramatically different perspectives. Chimène and Aybüke explain how a journalism project driven by their interest in human rights evolved into a documentary focused not simply on what happened at Guantanamo, but on the people behind the history. Their reporting led them to former government officials, investigators, intelligence professionals, attorneys, and detainees as they attempted to understand what actually happened—and why. Mark Fallon: Fighting Torture From Inside the System Mark Fallon offers a rare perspective from inside the U.S. government's response to September 11. As a senior NCIS investigator involved in terrorism investigations after 9/11, Fallon describes watching interrogation practices evolve from legitimate investigative efforts toward coercive techniques and prisoner abuse. He discusses his attempts to challenge those practices, document what was happening, and warn government leadership about how history would ultimately judge the decisions being made. The conversation also examines SERE — Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape — training and the controversial decision to adapt techniques designed to help U.S. personnel resist abusive treatment for use in interrogations. Fallon explains the fundamental contradiction: techniques associated with increasing resistance and producing unreliable or false information were being adapted as methods for obtaining intelligence. For investigators, law enforcement professionals, HR investigators, intelligence professionals, and anyone interested in science-based investigative interviewing, the lesson extends well beyond Guantanamo: Pressure can produce compliance. That doesn't mean it produces reliable information. Mohamedou Ould Slahi: The Human Being Behind the Label Mohamedou brings the conversation from interrogation theory to lived experience. He describes his detention, interrogation, sleep deprivation, abuse, and the psychological impact of being treated not as an individual, but as part of a category of people presumed to be dangerous. But Mohamedou also challenges one of the most common debates surrounding enhanced interrogation: Why is the question whether torture works? What if the more important question is whether torture is morally acceptable in the first place? That distinction creates one of the most powerful moments of the episode and forces a broader conversation about ethics, investigative integrity, human rights, and what limits should exist even when investigators believe the stakes could not be higher. Investigative Bias, False Information & the Danger of Certainty The episode also explores how the fear and uncertainty following September 11 created conditions where confirmation bias, categorization, assumptions, and investigative tunnel vision could influence decision-making. Fallon describes investigators being tasked not only with identifying people responsible for terrorism, but also with investigating evidence that could exonerate detainees who should not have been at Guantanamo in the first place. It's a lesson that remains relevant to investigators today. When investigators become committed to a conclusion before fully developing the information, the interview can shift from an effort to discover what happened into an effort to confirm what we already believe happened. An Unexpected Friendship Perhaps the most powerful part of Leaving Hotel California isn't about interrogation at all. It's about the friendship that developed between Mark Fallon and Mohamedou Ould Slahi. Their relationship began through books, virtual conversations, and shared discussions about Guantanamo before the filmmakers ultimately captured their first meeting in person. Fallon describes what drew him to Mohamedou simply: his humanity. At the airport, Mohamedou greeted Mark with a sign inspired by the phrase displayed at Guantanamo, “Honor Bound to Defend Freedom.” Mohamedou's version carried a different message: “Bound to remain human.” That idea becomes the thread running through the entire conversation. Behind every investigation, accusation, intelligence report, interrogation, and headline is a human being. And regardless of what someone is suspected of doing, investigators still have an obligation to remain objective, ethical, curious—and human. In This Episode Dave, Mark, Mohamedou, Chimène, and Aybüke discuss: The story behind the documentary Leaving Hotel California Guantanamo Bay and the U.S. response following September 11 Mark Fallon's role investigating terrorism after 9/11 Mohamedou Ould Slahi's experience at Guantanamo Bay Enhanced interrogation techniques and torture SERE training and its adaptation for interrogation Coercion, compliance, and false or unreliable information False confessions and the psychology of interrogation Confirmation bias and investigative tunnel vision Science-based and evidence-based investigative interviewing Ethics and morality in interrogation Human rights and the rule of law The importance of documenting and challenging investigative decisions Journalism and documentary filmmaking as forms of investigation Forgiveness, empathy, moral courage and humanity The friendship between Mark Fallon and Mohamedou Ould Slahi     Ultimately, this episode asks a question that extends far beyond Guantanamo Bay: When the pressure is highest and we're most certain we're right, can we still remain curious enough to challenge our assumptions—and principled enough to remain human? About Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates The Truth Be Told Podcast is hosted by Dave Thompson, CFI, CEO of Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ). For more than four decades, Wicklander-Zulawski has trained investigators around the world in investigative interviewing, workplace investigations, criminal investigative interviewing, rapport development, cognitive interviewing, interview strategy, and evidence-based approaches to obtaining reliable information. WZ advocates for ethical, non-confrontational and science-informed interviewing practices designed to help investigators move beyond simply seeking admissions or confessions and instead focus on the real objective of an investigation: developing accurate and reliable information. Through instructor-led programs and the Human Risk Academy powered by WZ, Wicklander-Zulawski provides training and professional development for law enforcement, corporate investigations, loss prevention and asset protection, human resources and employee relations professionals, and other investigators responsible for navigating high-risk human interactions. Truth Be Told continues that mission through conversations with researchers, practitioners, investigators, leaders, journalists, advocates, and people whose experiences challenge us to think differently about how we investigate, how we communicate, and how we understand one another.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Artificial intelligence, surveillance cameras, data centers, and social media are reshaping American life. As technology expands, citizens face growing questions about privacy, accountability, public safety, jobs, and children's well-being. Innovation can serve society, but only when transparency, responsibility, and freedom remain central for everyone involved...

If you enjoyed this week's message and would like to learn more about who we are, please visit our website. Also, if you feel led to give in order to help improve what we do here at Valley, you can click here.

If you enjoyed this week's message and would like to learn more about who we are, please visit our website. Also, if you feel led to give in order to help improve what we do here at Valley, you can click here.

Discussing how Creative Placemaking can support Personal Rewilding.    Learn more about Personal Rewilding online at www.rhnaturereconnect.com Join the Personal Rewilding with Robert Hensley community on Patreon at www.patreon.com/cw/roberthensleynaturereconnectWelcome to Truth Be Told ABOUT GOING WILD. I'm your host, Robert Hensley, and this is the podcast inspired by the principles of Personal Rewilding. I recently had an opportunity to participate in a group art project curated by the National Road Heritage Corridor here in Pennsylvania. The focus of which was Creative Placemaking. It wasn't something I thought about before, but since it's been a regular passenger on my train of thought. How could Creative Placemaking be used to support the practice of Personal Rewilding? Now, Personal Rewilding is often described as a return to Nature, but it can also mean rediscovering our own capacity for curiosity, connection play, and belonging.Creative Placemaking offers a powerful way to support that process by transforming ordinary spaces into places that invite people to slow down, notice, participate, and reconnect. Creative Placemaking brings art, storytelling, design, performance, and community activity into shared environments. A neglected lot might become a community garden. Aforgotten pathway becomes an outdoor gallery. A neighborhood gathering place might host music, ecological workshops, or storytelling. These interventions do more than beautify a location. They change how people experience and relate to that place. For personal rewilding, this shift in perception is important. When we participate creatively in a landscape, we become more attentive to its rhythms, histories, plants, animals, and the people who live there.Making art from natural materials, mapping a neighborhood through memories, planting native species, or simply Gathering Outdoors can restore a sense of agency and wonder. Nature becomes less of a distant destination and more of a living relationship. Creative Placemaking can therefore help bridge the psychological divide between people and the more than human world.It encourages us to see, excuse me. It encourages us to see ourselves, not as visitors to Nature, but as participants within a living system. In this sense, personal worlding is not about escaping the built environment. It's about reimagining our place within it. Ultimately Creative Placemaking, makes rewilding social as well as personal.By creating places where people can encounter nature, culture, and one another, it helps cultivate curiosity, care, and belonging needed to be more reciprocal. With the world around us. I'd like to thank you for listening today. Remember, there are two opportunities each week for new content from the Truth Be Told family of podcasts on the Club Paranormal Channel on YouTube. That is Tony Sweet on Friday with the original Truth Be Told. And of course Truth Be Told About Going Wild every Monday and both of those shows go live at 3 P.M. Pacific/6 Eastern on their respective days.If you'd like to know more about what I'm working on with personal rewilding, please feel free to visit my website at www.rhnaturereconnect.com.Again, that's rhnaturereconnect - all together - .com. And you can also visit my patreon community. Personal Rewilding with Robert Hensley, and you can sign up for a free membership, a subscription. Or you can pay for a monthly subscription, and that comes with a lot of extra content each month.So if you have any questions, concerns, or would like more information, please feel free to reach out...and until next time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes daily life, Americans face urgent questions about liberty, human dignity, privacy, and constitutional protections. The push for a 28th Amendment argues that clear safeguards are needed to preserve human rights and ensure machines never outrank people under the law itself...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Concerns over mRNA technology in agriculture raise questions about food safety, labeling, transparency, and consumer choice. As livestock research expands, families, ranchers, and lawmakers push for clearer disclosure, stronger oversight, and local action to protect the food supply and preserve public trust and informed consent...

In June 1959, Anglican missionary Father William Booth Gill and dozens of witnesses reported seeing something extraordinary above the remote coastal village of Boianai, Papua New Guinea.Over two consecutive nights, a brilliant disc-shaped object allegedly hovered over the sea as several humanlike figures moved across its upper deck. When Gill and the witnesses raised their arms and waved, the mysterious figures appeared to wave back.In this episode of Truth Be Told with Tony Sweet, we investigate one of UFO history's most compelling—and often overlooked—mass-witness encounters. We examine Gill's original observations, the reported attempt at communication, the Royal Australian Air Force investigation, and the possible explanations offered by skeptics.Did the witnesses encounter an intelligently controlled craft? Could planets, clouds and human perception explain what they saw? Or did something truly unknown visit the coast of Papua New Guinea?Join Tony Sweet as we revisit the remarkable case remembered by one unforgettable phrase: They waved back.Subscribe to Truth Be Told and follow us as we continue questioning everything and exploring UFOs, ancient mysteries, spirituality and the unexplained.#TruthBeTold #TonySweet #FatherGill #BoianaiUFO #UFOEncounter #UFOHistory #UFOs #UAP #UAPDisclosure #AlienEncounter #Extraterrestrial #FlyingSaucer #CloseEncounter #PapuaNewGuinea #UnexplainedMysteries #ParanormalPodcast #Paranormal #AncientMysteries #MysteryPodcast #AlienContactBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Independent-minded reformers challenge America's two-party system by focusing on local government, accountability, corruption, and practical issues affecting everyday life. We the People encourages citizens to organize, participate, and reclaim public institutions through transparency, common sense, and a renewed commitment to responsive government at every level...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Nigeria's Christians face deadly attacks, displacement, kidnappings, and persecution as government officials and media reports obscure the scale and motives behind the violence. Islamist militants and Fulani militias target communities while critics urge stronger American action, accountability, and defense of religious freedom in Nigeria today...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith criticizes Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White, defends his role in sports commentary, and challenges Republican lawmakers over redistricting. He argues that stronger leadership, loyalty, and political resolve are needed as Indiana's sports and political battles increasingly collide across the state...

In the course of learning about the past, honoring our Wild Ancestors, audio media has taken a place at the forefront of studying history. Oral histories and podcasts have given history a human voice and perspective, allowing for an emotional connection.   Learn more about Personal Rewilding online at www.rhnaturereconnect.com Join the Personal Rewilding with Robert Hensley community on Patreon at www.patreon.com/cw/roberthensleynaturereconnectBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Americans unite across conservative, libertarian, and constitutionalist lines to demand accountability, medical freedom, election integrity, secure borders, parental rights, and government transparency. As trust in institutions erodes, citizens push for truth, justice, and leaders willing to place individual liberty above entrenched power and institutional protection...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – A man living after 30 years as a woman shares a journey of repentance, faith, and reconciliation, raising urgent questions about gender identity, children, parental rights, and cultural truth while arguing that compassion and honesty must stand together in a deeply divided American society today...

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

What if humanity's story reaches far beyond Earth?In this fascinating episode of Truth Be Told, Tony Sweet welcomes ET contactee, ascension coach, and galactic historian Debbie Solaris—along with surprise guest co-host Bonnie Burkert, host of Truth Be Told Transformation.Debbie recounts the extraordinary experience that changed her life: awakening aboard what she describes as an Arcturian starship and communicating telepathically with extraterrestrial beings. She also explores starseeds, humanity's forgotten cosmic origins, ancient civilizations, past lives, sacred locations, and the possibility that some of history's “gods” were actually advanced visitors from beyond Earth.Could our ancestors have been more connected to extraterrestrial civilizations than we are today? Why did that connection seemingly disappear—and could humanity now be preparing to reconnect with the greater cosmic community?Join us for a mind-expanding conversation that may change how you view our history, reality, and place among the stars.Learn more about Debbie Solaris, her courses, and upcoming experiences at DebbieSolaris.com.#TruthBeTold #TonySweet #DebbieSolaris #BonnieBurkert #ETContact #Extraterrestrials #Starseeds #Arcturians #AncientAliens #AncientCivilizations #GalacticHistory #HumanOrigins #SpiritualAwakening #Ascension #UFO #UAP #AlienContact #CosmicConsciousness #ParanormalPodcast #ClubParanormalBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Cancer care sparks growing questions about nutrition, metabolic health, natural remedies, and treatment choice as families seek greater transparency. Advocates call for open research into overlooked approaches while emphasizing common sense, honest evidence, and a willingness to examine every option that may improve patient outcomes...

Tami Roman first rose to fame in MTV's groundbreaking series The Real World in 1993. Since then, she's starred in BET's The Family Business; Reese Witherspoon's Truth Be Told opposite Octavia Spencer and Lee Daniels' The Ms. Pat Show for BET+. Tami is also the host of MTV's hit reality series Caught in the Act: Unfaithful, now entering its fourth season. In each episode, Tami (and her team of investigators) set out on a mission to help suspicious lovers catch their cheating partners in the act. Tami can discuss some of the most outrageous instances she's experienced on the show and what's in store for the new season.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Tami Roman first rose to fame in MTV's groundbreaking series The Real World in 1993. Since then, she's starred in BET's The Family Business; Reese Witherspoon's Truth Be Told opposite Octavia Spencer and Lee Daniels' The Ms. Pat Show for BET+. Tami is also the host of MTV's hit reality series Caught in the Act: Unfaithful, now entering its fourth season. In each episode, Tami (and her team of investigators) set out on a mission to help suspicious lovers catch their cheating partners in the act. Tami can discuss some of the most outrageous instances she's experienced on the show and what's in store for the new season.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Vaccine-injured patients deserve serious medical investigation, compassionate care, and evidence-based treatment. Physicians and researchers are building decentralized clinical trials to study adverse events, develop treatment protocols, and restore trust by acknowledging that vaccines, like every medical intervention, can cause harm and require greater medical accountability...

Most communication problems aren't really about what happened. They're about what happens next. In this episode of Truth Be Told, Dave Thompson sits down with communication expert Alex Perry to explore why even well-intentioned people misunderstand each other — and what we can do differently. From difficult conversations and feedback to active listening, empathy, body language and leadership presence, Alex challenges some of the assumptions we've been taught about what “good communication” actually looks like. They explore why curiosity may be more valuable than certainty, why listening doesn't always mean fixing, how leaders can show empathy without lowering expectations, and why our desire to quickly reach an answer can prevent us from actually understanding the person in front of us. The conversation also tackles communication myths — including the often-cited 93/7 rule — and examines how the same principles apply across leadership, relationships, sales and investigative interviews. Because sometimes the most important question isn't, “What should I say next?” It's: “What am I missing?” Want to improve how you handle difficult conversations, workplace conflict, and high-stakes communication? Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ) provides evidence-based training for leaders, HR professionals, investigators, and organizations looking to strengthen communication, active listening, rapport, and decision-making. Explore WZ's training and resources to build practical skills for navigating the conversations that matter most.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Washington faces mounting pressure as the Senate leaves key election integrity legislation unfinished, a continuing resolution looms, and concerns grow over government accountability. Meanwhile, Christian persecution in Nigeria and deepening political division raise urgent questions about faith, freedom, leadership, and America's future at home today...

Traditional storytelling and oral histories operate as collective memory and lessons, teaching the next generation while giving them humane context, making ecological knowledge emotionally relevant and useful in establishing a sense of responsibility.   Learn more about Personal Rewilding online at www.rhnaturereconnect.com Join the Personal Rewilding with Robert Hensley community on Patreon at www.patreon.com/cw/roberthensleynaturereconnectBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

If you enjoyed this week's message and would like to learn more about who we are, please visit our website. Also, if you feel led to give in order to help improve what we do here at Valley, you can click here.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Florida congressional candidate Michael Carbonaro argues that America needs outsider leadership rooted in business experience, family values, public safety, free speech, and government accountability. He calls for stronger communities, economic opportunity, secure borders, responsible technology, and a renewed commitment to freedom and the American dream...

What if everything we thought we knew about the ancient world was incomplete?In 1947, Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl set out to answer a question that challenged the foundations of archaeology. Sailing more than 4,300 miles across the Pacific Ocean on a simple balsa wood raft called Kon-Tiki, he attempted to prove that ancient civilizations may have been capable of extraordinary transoceanic voyages long before modern navigation—or even Christopher Columbus.But did his daring expedition actually rewrite history... or simply prove that the impossible was possible?In this captivating episode of Truth Be Told, host Tony Sweet takes you on a journey across one of the greatest mysteries of the ancient world. We'll uncover the fascinating story behind the Kon-Tiki expedition, explore the legends of Viracocha, examine the mystery of the sweet potato that somehow crossed the Pacific centuries before European exploration, and dive into the latest archaeological and genetic discoveries that continue to fuel debate among historians.Together, we'll separate fact from speculation as we explore questions surrounding ancient navigation, lost civilizations, Polynesian explorers, Atlantis, Mu, and whether forgotten chapters of human history may still be waiting beneath the waves.Was Thor Heyerdahl chasing an impossible dream... or uncovering clues to one of humanity's greatest forgotten mysteries?Join us as we follow the evidence, challenge assumptions, and ask the questions that continue to captivate explorers, archaeologists, and mystery seekers around the world. Because sometimes... The greatest mysteries aren't found in the stars... they're hidden in our own past.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Michigan and Virginia offer an early look at November's midterm stakes as voters weigh government spending, Medicaid fraud, rising debt, health care costs, and political accountability. The outcome depends on informed citizens demanding honesty, stronger oversight, and greater turnout in crucial races nationwide this year...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – A widow's fight for answers exposes troubling questions about intubation consent, patient rights, missing records, and hospital accountability during COVID. Her search for justice highlights the need to respect medical wishes, protect families, and ensure liability laws never shield abuse, neglect, or misconduct from accountability...

Today's witnesses are from Matthew West's website, called popwe.org. If you don't know who Matthew West is, he is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. This website is for the non-profit that he has with his father, a pastor. Matthew and his father encourage people to share their stories. They have various categories of stories. Today, I chose testimonies from the Healing Category. Often, we can hear our own story in someone else's story. When we listen to others tell their story, it helps us see that we are not alone. When we hear how God worked in their situation, it gives us hope that He will work in ours, too! I pray that when you hear these testimonies, you get the faith and hope to believe that miracles can happen in your situation, too. I pray you know that God is there with you, and if you invite Him into your situation, He can help. I hope you enjoy these testimonies. Hi, I'm Janet, and I am a mom and teacher! I love my life and glorify God every day! Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with colon cancer! I had excellent specialists and doctors. But the scans definitely showed cancer growths! I was on many prayer lists and trusted God completely! But the family conversations were very tough and heartbreaking! Surgery day arrived.  In the operating room, I asked to pray aloud with the team of surgeons. Four hours later I woke up to two surgeons sitting next to me. They told me they could not find the growths at all. They were gone!  However, they had removed a section of my intestines just as a precautionary measure.  Oncology tested twice and found nothing! God healed me completely! After a long recovery, my life was restored, and I'm praising God every day for His mighty and loving hand over my life. I dedicate myself to complete surrender and complete obedience daily, so I belong to my Lord Jesus now and forever! Melissa: In February 2024, on my 36th birthday, I got super sick. I had Crohn's. I was in the hospital one month and in rehab for another month. I had to do home health care for two months once I returned home. While in rehab I had to learn how to walk, stand, and sit again. I also lost my voice for two months and had to learn to talk again. I also temporarily lost my hair while losing 90 lbs. I had to learn how to chew and eat again. God stayed with me! And after 6 months of the onset of my sickness, which was only two weeks after my home care ended, I was able to go back to work. All glory to God for getting me through. Laurie: I was diagnosed with ductal cell carcinoma in July following my yearly mammogram. After two biopsies, two tags, and a postponed and then canceled surgery due to my surgeon having a boating accident, frustration set in. I was downright mad at the world. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I reached out to God in my darkest hour and asked, “Why me, God?” I just wanted the cancer gone. I didn't know what to do. I wondered if I should wait for the surgeon to heal or see a new surgeon an hour from my home and move forward.  I decided to go with a new surgeon.  I'm happy to report that after a 4-hour surgery, my cancer surgeon and plastic surgeon were able to remove all the cancer and do reconstructive surgery on September 25th. I am healing well and will be starting radiation treatments soon. I am so grateful for all the prayers I received from my family and friends! I am following the plan God has for me; He's not done with me yet! Sean: On December 29th, 2023, during my first routine colonoscopy, I was told I had Colon Cancer. Something inside me said, “Ok, now what?” Not scared, I believed that knowing that with Jesus and my family fighting for me, I'd be “ok. “ I had my surgery to remove 10 inches of my colon on Jan 30th, and all went well. There were no signs of spreading.  I was back doing everything as normal, including playing softball again. Nothing short of a God-placed miracle. My next colonoscopy in January 2025 went well, and I was still all clear.  This news really made my faith journey grow. Two weeks later, I had a CT scan, and my world changed forever. Stage 4 metastatic colon cancer spread to my liver and lungs. I can't lie; my first reaction was to ask why He would allow this after healing me a year prior. I went home and started looking at survival rates of my situation. Everyone on the internet, including all the main cancer sites, said a 12% 5-year survival rate. I hear the words “they say….” so much it drives me nuts. Who are “they” and what makes them an expert on me? They say they know, but they don't know my King!! I started writing down how I was feeling.  During this whole process, I was hearing God speak through music from a few artists, namely Matthew West and Anne Wilson. I was listening to songs like “Truth Be Told” and “Strong.” I had 5 Chemo sessions to try to shrink the tumor in my liver to make it operable, and it worked.  I went in to have a lung tumor removed, and they prepped me for surgery and brought me into radiology to do a process where they use a biopsy-type needle to mark the tumor for the surgeon. After 20 minutes of a lot of commotion while I lay in the CT machine, they took me out and said they couldn't explain it, but the tumor was practically gone. A small speck showing that was too small to even mark, let alone try to cut out. Surgery was canceled! God is good!! On June 9, I went in for the open liver surgery.   Moving on to liver surgery. The surgeon opened me up and saw damage to my liver and stopped the surgery. He was afraid of the liver not growing after surgery, causing liver failure. Again, I asked why He saved my lung, but let this happen. I went back a couple of weeks later for a procedure where they put a clot in the vein going to the left side of my liver to make the right side think it was gone.  The goal was to see if it would grow again. Again, God showed up as always. God is Good! My liver was growing, given the “ok” to have the second surgery. I already had plans for the end of July, as my wife and I volunteer at Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake, NY each year. This year would be special for me with you and Anne both performing. During your concert, I wrote down a request for a prayer card for your prayer wall. Thank you for that!! As usual, God was saying, “Have faith!” My surgery had been scheduled for Aug 5th, which was one week after you performed. It went successfully. I can't thank you enough for your inspiration and prayers.  You have been a big part of my daily story through your music.  Keep spreading His light! Thank you all for sharing your stories with us! It is not always easy to be vulnerable and share your story, and yet when you do, it helps so many other people. May God bless you and keep you and your loved ones healthy.   www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – The same pattern shows up in the left's love affair with socialism. It sells comfort, promises free everything, and pretends somebody else will foot the bill. That fantasy collapses under the weight of arithmetic. Tax the rich, they say, and all will be well. It will not. The math never works. The cost lands on the middle class, the poor, and the next generation...

The continued study of the human-nature connection and the role of Nature in our mental, physical, and even spiritual health could prove the need for conservation, expansion, and creation of more public green spaces - from National Parks to tree-lined urban streets Read more: "Why Is Nature Good for Us?" by Katarina Zimmer https://share.google/5piu6Xg8pBfQfbSgo Learn more about Personal Rewilding online at www.rhnaturereconnect.com Join the Personal Rewilding with Robert Hensley community on Patreon at www.patreon.com/cw/roberthensleynaturereconnectBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Independent voters in Wisconsin and across key battleground states face consequential choices as turnout, constitutional principles, political extremism, inflation, energy costs, and foreign conflict shape the national direction. Voters must reject apathy, weigh candidates carefully, and defend self-government through active participation at every level today...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Senate testimony intensifies demands for transparency as Anthony Fauci repeatedly invokes the Fifth Amendment. Americans seek answers about pandemic policies, gain-of-function research, suppressed treatments, mandates, and unequal accountability, arguing that public trust cannot recover without honest testimony, consequences, and justice for those harmed during COVID...

What if the dreams, signs, and animal encounters in your life are messages from your ancestors?On this episode of Truth Be Told with Tony Sweet, Tony welcomes Asha Frost—an Ojibwe medicine woman, spiritual teacher, seer, and bestselling author of You Are the Medicine.Asha shares how vivid dreams, ancestral visitations, and encounters with animal spirits helped her reclaim the wisdom and traditions disrupted by generations of colonialism and residential-school trauma. She explains how inherited wounds can affect us today, why animals may appear as spiritual messengers, and how we can begin connecting with the wisdom carried within our own ancestry.Tony and Asha also explore the difference between respectfully appreciating Indigenous traditions and culturally appropriating sacred teachings. Their conversation offers an important reminder that healing begins with listening, remembering, and honoring our relationship with one another and Mother Earth.Discover the medicine within you—and consider the impact your choices may have on the seven generations yet to come.Learn more about Asha Frost and her books at ashafrost.com. Follow her on Instagram at @asha.frost and Facebook at facebook.com/MedicineWomanAshaFrost. Her books, including You Are the Medicine and The Inner Winter, are available through her website and Amazon.Please like, subscribe, and share Truth Be Told with your friends and loved ones.#TruthBeTold #TonySweet #AshaFrost #YouAreTheMedicine #TheInnerWinter #AncestralHealing #AncestralWisdom #AnimalSpirits #SpiritMessages #IndigenousWisdom #Ojibwe #SpiritualHealing #GenerationalTrauma #DreamMessages #MotherEarth #SevenGenerations #CulturalHealing #PodcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-with-tony-sweet-paranormal-ufos-unexplained-mysteries--3589860/support.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Dexter Taylor's appeal challenges New York's prosecution of a home firearm builder, raising urgent questions about the Second Amendment, due process, and government power. His case tests whether constitutional rights remain protections for ordinary citizens or become privileges controlled by state approval and political interpretation...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Thousands of vaccine-injured Americans seek recognition, compassionate care, and effective treatment as independent doctors gather evidence, develop protocols, and pursue clinical trials. The growing effort challenges medical denial, demands accountability, and insists that informed consent and honest investigation remain essential to patient-centered medicine and healing...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Republicans face a critical election season where strong results mean little without clear, persuasive messaging. Voters need reminders about border security, tax relief, election integrity, and decisive leadership. Success depends on bold communication, practical solutions, and motivating Americans to participate before apathy determines the outcome...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – America faces a modern arms race driven by semiconductors, data, finance, artificial intelligence, and foreign influence. Growing dependence on hostile networks threatens national security, election systems, military technology, and personal privacy, demanding stronger manufacturing, transparent oversight, protected infrastructure, and renewed control over critical systems nationwide...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Republicans enter the midterm campaign without a clear message as Democrats promote socialist-leaning promises that appeal to frustrated voters. Trump's economic record, tax relief, border enforcement, and cultural policy shifts offer strong material, but looming shutdown battles and weak communication threaten the GOP's congressional majorities and electoral momentum in November...

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Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – New York families face rising energy bills, housing costs, and government spending that pushes opportunity out of reach. James Corell argues for reliable nuclear power, practical homeownership incentives, fiscal discipline, and leadership that protects taxpayers while restoring affordability, stability, and hope for young residents across the state and future generations...

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Election integrity demands transparency, preserved records, secure machines, clean voter rolls, and accountability when failures occur. Renewed scrutiny in Georgia highlights concerns over ballot images, chain of custody, and verification. Public trust depends on examining evidence honestly, correcting weaknesses quickly, and rejecting both blind faith and baseless dismissal by officials...