Podcasts about USA Today

Last Friday, Centers for Disease Control vaccine advisers changed the recommendation of a routine hepatitis B shot for all newborns, a change widely viewed as a victory for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Now, health experts warn the change could undo decades of public health improvements, and parents are left with unclear guidance. USA TODAY Consumer Health Reporter Ken Alltucker joins USA TODAY's The Excerpt to look at how this decision will affect children and families across the country.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For this episode of The Exclusive, Sharon is joined by Taran Armstrong — well-known Big Brother live feed analyst, RHAP podcaster, and author of the new USA Today bestselling book Behind the Mirror. We dive deep into the evolution of Big Brother, from the early social-experiment roots to the modern gameplay showcased in Big Brother 27, and how the show's edited version compares to the reality fans see on the live feeds. Taran breaks down his writing process, what surprised him most while researching the global origins of Big Brother, and why the show has had such a profound impact on his life and career.

The much-anticipated draw for the 2026 World Cup took place at the Kennedy Center in DC on Friday. Did Team USA end up with a favorable grouping? A total of 48 teams, drawn into 12 groups of four nations each, will compete in Canada, the US and Mexico for the World Cup soccer title next year, representing a significant expansion from 2022 which had only 32 teams. What role will the groupings play in positioning the various teams in the tournament? Managing Editor for USA TODAY's Pro Soccer Wire Seth Vertelney joins The Excerpt to discuss all things World Cup. Plus, USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers walks us through the latest from the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup and the political backdrop to the games. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If the holidays leave you feeling more stressed than joyful, you're not alone. In this episode, Sarah talks with Kati Morton, licensed therapist and author of Why Do I Keep Doing This? about the real reasons holiday anxiety shows up—and what you can do about it. From family dynamics to people-pleasing to the pressure of packed schedules, Kati shares practical tools to help you feel calmer and more in control this season.Kati Morton is a licensed therapist (LMFT), bestselling author, and longtime mental health educator who has spent more than a decade helping people make sense of their emotions. Her third book, Why Do I Keep Doing This? (December 9, 2025, Hachette), explores the emotional loops we know aren't helping us and what it actually takes to change them.Since launching her YouTube channel in 2011, Kati has built a global community of over 1.5 million subscribers and 156 million views. What began as a quiet effort to explain therapy online has become a trusted resource for people navigating trauma, anxiety, self-harm, and emotional overwhelm. Her calm, clear approach has made her a consistent voice in a space that changes constantly.Kati's work often reaches far beyond digital platforms. In the past year, she's been at the center of two viral cultural moments: her TODAY Show segment on “eldest daughter syndrome,” which went viral and was later covered by Vogue, and her appearance on Pod Meets World, where she guided the cast of Boy Meets World through a raw conversation about trauma on set. Kati has been featured on top-rated shows such as TODAY Show, CNN, E! News, CBS The Doctors, Dr. Phil, and The Dr. Drew Show, she has also appeared in numerous prestigious digital outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter, Glamour UK, Bustle, INSIDER, HUFFPOST, and many more.Kati also hosts the long-running podcast Ask Kati Anything, featuring guests like Khalyla Kuhn, Shane Dawson, and Rosanna Pansino, and speaks regularly for companies like Google, YouTube, and Unilever on emotional resilience and trauma literacy.At her core, Kati makes big emotions feel understandable and reminds people they're not broken for feeling what they feel.For more information, go to www.KatiMorton.comFollow Kati Morton on Yo

On the Winter Meetings Day One Morning Edition of A's Cast Live, our weekly all baseball talk show Monday through Friday, Chris Townsend was joined by: 14:50 Brett Phillips - 7-year MLB Veteran 28:05 Bob Nightengale - National Baseball Columnist for USA Today 51:40 Martin Gallegos - Covers the A's for MLB.com 1:26:00 Lou Merloni - 9-Year MLB veteran & Broadcaster for the Boston Red Sox 1:57:40 Chip Caray - Voice of the St. Louis Cardinals 2:01:30 Harold Reynolds - 3x Rawlings Gold Glove Winner, 2x All-Star & MLB Network Analyst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Visibility on Purpose, founded by Lydia Bagarozza and Bridget Sicsko, is redefining how founders and small business owners approach PR. In this episode, they break down how their PR strategy studio helps brands get seen, featured, and remembered—without relying on expensive agencies or guesswork.Lydia has led campaigns for top consumer brands sold at Ulta, Target, Amazon, and Whole Foods, while Bridget brings the storytelling expertise of a former book publisher and speaker, helping founders craft narratives that consistently land in USA Today, Time Magazine, Yahoo, Fortune, mindbodygreen, and leading podcasts.We dive into:• The gap between DIY PR and traditional agencies• What founders truly need to secure meaningful media• How to build story angles that attract journalists• What Visibility on Purpose teaches that most PR pros don't• Real examples of brand features and how they happenedThe PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.

Trae Bodge is one of the country's leading smart-shopping and personal-savings experts. You've probably seen her on CNBC and Good Morning America, or in publications like The New York Times, USA Today, and MarketWatch. She joins us on the show for a holiday-season intervention on spending, shopping, and gift-giving. Trae also shares news about her, mom-inspired Threadneedle Alley Foundation, a nonprofit that provides grants and guidance to midlife entrepreneurs facing financial challenges. Through Dec. 31, 2025, entrepreneurs ages 40 and up can apply for a $5,000 grant and ongoing mentorship .     

Feeling stuck on the career merry-go-round—same routines, same results, going in circles? Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, USA Today bestselling author of Now, Near, Next, shares her powerful framework to help high-achieving women stop waiting to be "ready" and start intentionally designing what's next. Learn how to identify when your career no longer fits, remove guilt from ambition, and get off autopilot to build the bigger playground you deserve.

Oregon Ducks Legend Jonathan Stewart and USA TODAY's Zachary Neel react to the Ducks' first round matchup against James Madison, and dive into their ideas to fix the College Football Playoff seeding debacle. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

USA TODAY's Zachary Neel breaks down the latest with Oregon's hiring of Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton at the coordinator positions, as well as the Ducks' No. 2-ranked signing class, the best in program history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Donna VanLiere’s 18 books include The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Blessing, which were adapted into movies starring Rob Lowe and Neil Patrick Harris. Donna has won a Retailer's Choice Award for Fiction, a Dove Award, a Silver Angel Award, two Audie Awards (seven nominations) for best inspirational fiction, and a Gold Medallion Book of the Year nomination, and she is an inductee in the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence. She has spoken at the prestigious Patricia Adams Lecture Series at Heidelberg University, Among Friends conferences, Women of Faith events, and Extraordinary Women conferences. Donna’s newest book, Looking for Christmas, is available now for pre-order, and she is currently finishing Looking for God, which will release in the spring of 2026. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Lownie argues that Prince Andrew's connection to Epstein was far deeper and longer-lasting than the prince has publicly admitted. According to Lownie, Andrew and his ex-wife met Epstein well before the date Andrew has claimed — their acquaintance likely began “almost a decade earlier” than his official story. Lownie claims Epstein exploited Andrew's youth and status: describing Andrew as “easy prey,” he says Epstein used the prince for legitimacy, access, and business opportunities, while allegedly leveraging damaging material to exert influence — potentially even passing sensitive information to foreign intelligence agencies.Beyond personal betrayal and manipulation, Lownie frames the Epstein-Andrew relationship as emblematic of systemic failure and hypocrisy at the heart of the royal establishment. He calls Andrew “self-entitled” and argues the prince has long acted with impunity, placing himself above normal rules. Lownie says the revelations — including alleged financial dealings, ongoing contact despite public denials, and deeply troubling allegations of sexual exploitation — demand a “full investigation” and a broader reckoning about institutional accountability and privilege.to  contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Andrew, the former prince, not out of legal trouble yetBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Presidential, CongressionalOllie is the first blind person and individual with a visible disability ever to be elected to the City Council since West Covina's founding in February 1923.Ollie Cantos is Chair Emeritus of Disability Belongs's Board of Directors. Cantos has been active in the civil rights arena since 1990.  OHe is Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, Attorney Mentor for the American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights, and Member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.Past positions include Staff Attorney and Director of Outreach and Education at the Disability Rights Legal Center, General Counsel and Director of Programs at the American Association of People with Disabilities, Special Assistant and later Special Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, and Associate Director for Domestic Policy at the White House under President George W. Bush. Prior leadership posts include Vice Chair of the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Vice President of the Virginia Organization of Parents of Blind Children, Legal Officer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Vice President of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, But Ollie is most grateful for his adoption of three blind triplet boys – Leo, Nick, and Steven.  Their compelling story has been told by National Public Radio, PEOPLE Magazine, The Washingtonian Magazine, USA Today, and videos that went viral on NowThis.com, HeartThreads.com, and others. In addition to local media coverage, they were featured as Persons of the Week on ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir In December 2017 for attaining the coveted rank of Eagle Scout as part of Boy Scouts of America. Their story has now reached a grand total of more than 53 million views.

This Sunday, December 7, at Highmark Stadium in chilly Orchard Park, NY, the Buffalo Bills (8-4) host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) in a Week 14 NFL showdown with massive playoff stakes. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, flexed from a later slot amid Cincinnati's sudden spark. The Bills, clinging to AFC East control amid a wild-card scrum, must win to stay ahead of surging rivals like the Jets and Dolphins. For the Bengals, buried in the AFC North but two games back of Baltimore, this is elimination Sunday—Joe Burrow's return has ignited faint hopes of a late miracle run. Buffalo enters as a 6-point favorite (moneyline -275; over/under 52.5), per BetMGM, with a 70% win probability from models like Dimers. Their offense hums, led by MVP frontrunner Josh Allen (30 total TDs, second in NFL). Allen's dual-threat prowess—19 passing, 11 rushing scores—pairs with the league's top ground game (155.7 yards/game). James Cook, fresh off back-to-back 100-yard outbursts, feasts against Cincy's porous run D (153.3 yards allowed, second-worst). Buffalo's defense, No. 1 in pass yards conceded (163.2/game), has rebounded lately, forcing turnovers and stifling Pittsburgh 26-7 last week. Linebacker Shaq Thompson anchors the front seven, eyeing Bengals RB Chase Brown and TEs (65 catches, 527 yards, 6 TDs). Cincinnati counters with Burrow's precision (261 yards, 2 TDs in his Week 13 return from a foot injury) and Ja'Marr Chase's wizardry (chasing 1,000 yards for a fifth straight season). Chase torched Baltimore for 110 yards, but Buffalo's secondary—featuring Rasul Douglas—ranks eighth in yards per attempt allowed (6.5). The Bengals' D, 32nd in points (31.2/game) and total yards (410/game), leans on DE Joseph Ossai (5 sacks) amid Trey Hendrickson's absence. Tee Higgins remains in concussion protocol, thinning the arsenal. Experts lean Bills in a shootout: USA TODAY predicts 28-24 Buffalo, NBC sees a 27-23 squeaker. Yet Burrow's perfect December road record (5-0) tempts upset whispers. Expect Allen to exploit gaps early, Cook to grind clock, and Burrow to rally late—but home-field and Buffalo's December dominance (23-4 since 2020) tilt the scales. Fireworks await in this AFC thriller. Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Holy (Trap). Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Exercise (Rock). #Bengals #NFL #TheStoneShieldsShow

Hour 1---JW & Company with Damichael Cole in-studio with "What we'll be talking about Monday" & USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer on the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff

Monday - Friday Noon - 2pm

Are you ready to take control of both your financial future and your physical well-being? In this interview, Andrea Donsky speaks with Nancy Griffin, the President and Founder of Women Worth and Wellness. Nancy is committed to helping women elevate their health and financial independence because she believes that health and wealth go "hand in hand". Nancy's work is driven by a focus on helping women balance their health and wealth, enhance both their net worth and self-worth, and establish their philanthropic legacy.TopicsWhy women are often discouraged from taking control of their investment portfolios, and how to stop "allowing it to happen".The surprising way menopause symptoms can affect your financial life, including your career trajectory, or potentially cause you to be "rated" (charged a higher premium) for life insurance.The crucial advice Nancy, a former wealth advisor, gives for finding a trustworthy financial advisor who cares about your best interests.Why legacy planning and philanthropy are essential for end-of-life planning.How to speak to family members about your wishes and plans.Learn more: https://womenworthwellness.com/Send us a text As seen in USA Today: https://bit.ly/43nrMwO ✅ Fill out our surveys: https://bit.ly/4jcVuLh

The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold is out today! Amazon.com or where books are sold! James chats with the author! Cate Holahan is the USA Today bestselling author of seven standalone novels and is the coauthor of the #1 Audible bestselling title Young Rich Widows and its sequel, Desperate Deadly Widows. Her novels have been translated into multiple languages and optioned for television. She has also written two original movies for MarVista Entertainment: Deadly Estate and Midnight Hustle. In a former life, she was a journalist and TV producer. She has written for Bloomberg Businessweek magazine, New Jersey's The Record newspaper, The Boston Globe, MSN Money, and CNBC. A biracial Jamaican and Irish American writer, Cate is a member of Crime Writers of Color, Sisters in Crime, and the Authors Guild. She has an MFA in dramatic writing from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and a BA from Princeton University. She lives in Tenafly, New Jersey, with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs, and spends time in Jamaica, where she's also a citizen. For more information, visit www.cateholahan.com

A Pentagon inspector general reportedly concluded that Secretary Pete Hegseth violated regulations when he shared sensitive information over Signal. The Wall Street Journal’s Michael Gordon explains why the White House has so far stuck by Hegseth. Texas’s “bathroom bill” goes into effect today. Texas Tribune reporter Ayden Runnels joins to discuss why enforcement might prove tricky. Trump pardoned sitting Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar, who was facing bribery charges. USA Today reports on how Cuellar intends to remain with his party and run for reelection. Plus, why Trump is rolling back vehicle fuel-efficiency standards, a doctor who supplied ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry with ketamine was sentenced to prison, and why AI chatbots find it so hard to tell time. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

It's the Leatt LVK: More Than Moto show where Start Your Systems' Kellen Brauer and Vital MX's Lewis Phillips debate current SX/MX/MXGP topics as well as general life itself. In Episode 84, we break down Jeffrey Herlings' KTM legacy, go over a controversial article in USA Today, talk some WSX and answer a bunch of fan questions. It's all brought to you by Leatt, Namura, Race Tech, and Partzilla.

Brad Sweet is the co-founder and CEO of Same Same But Different Music Festival and Same Same Presents. With a background as a musician and producer, Brad's understanding of the industry has fueled the growth of Same Same But Different from a 400-person gathering to 7,500 daily campers in under five years. This achievement was recognized with a nomination for Best Emerging Festival by X-Live and winning Best New Festival by USA Today. Brad's approach to festival organization is rooted in empowering passionate, creative individuals with the tools to build and create with as little restrictions as possible. This has grown and fostered a passionate team around the festival and has led to incredibly rich and meaningful experiences for attendees. The team sets the tone and ethos for any festival and a team built directly from the community means that the attendees and the team become a unified force working together to the benefit of the festival. His personal commitment to create a welcoming, inclusive environment are hallmarks of his leadership style. At the heart of Brad's work is a commitment to building a community that extends beyond the festival grounds, fostering lasting connections and memorable experiences for each attendee. Brad Sweet Links   Mr. Bill's Links 

Amberly Lago, a leading expert in resilience and transformation, a TEDx and internationally renowned motivational speaker, USA Today bestselling author, coach, and host of the globally top-ranked podcast, The Amberly Lago Show, joins me on this episode. Amberly has been featured in popular media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, The Doctors, The Today Show, People, and many others.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance PhD and one of the most respected voices in Black economics. He has been featured in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, BET, CNN, and The Breakfast Club, helping millions learn the keys to wealth, investing, and Black economic empowerment. As the founder of The Black Business School, he has taught over 10 million students worldwide through his books, courses, and daily broadcasts. His podcast and social commentary reach a global audience seeking financial clarity and cultural truth.To learn more or join one of his wealth-building programs, visit DrBoyceWatkins.com.And to receive a free list of his favorite AI stocks, just text the word Stock to 87948.

Grief and gratitude can coexist, providing a powerfulfoundation for personal transformation and healing. By embracing gratitudeduring your grief journey, you can cultivate resilience, discover meaning andpurpose in your experiences, and ultimately achieve greater peace, acceptance,and growth. Over half of Americans will experience a major loss within threeyears, with grief affecting a vast number of people annually due to the highincidence of deaths and other losses. For instance, in a single year, 2.5million Americans die, leaving behind at least 12.5 million grieving lovedones. Additionally, a study indicated that about one in three Americansexperienced a serious illness, the death of a loved one, or the death of a petin the year before the survey, as reported by USATODAY. Amanda Landes is a licensed psychologist with experience inboth private practice and forensic settings.“I believe I offer a unique perspective based on my personaland professional experiences. I am dedicated to understanding human behaviorthrough hard work and empathy, viewing both aspects as essential to helpothers. I am humble, quirky, and don't take myself too seriously, which manyfind makes me approachable and easy to converse with. I enjoy discussing humanbehavior in a lighthearted and relatable way, often using metaphors or TV showreferences to illustrate my points. Recently, I published my first book, I'm Almost Okay. Thebook chronicles my experiences managing my father's cancer diagnosis andultimate death, as well as the other difficult co-occurring events in my lifeat that time. I combine personal and professional insights to offer guidance toreaders about coping with grief, gratitude, and interpersonal connection.” Follow me on Instagram: @amandaelandes  Get my book: [I'm Almost Okay: NavigatingMiscarriage](https://www.amazon.ca/Im-Almost-Okay-Navigating-Miscarriage/dp/B0FXDFTSWB)  Email: Amanda@imalmostok.com

This week's episode of the En Factor is a special one that was recorded live at the Global Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Conference in Tampa, Florida with one of the most successful pitchmen that there is. Today's guest is Bob Circosta, who is well known for being the original Home Shopping Network host and playing a huge role in the foundation and rise of the multi-billion dollar home shopping industry. Bob's illustrious career includes over 25,000 hours selling on live television presenting over 75,000 products leading to selling over $6 billion worth of product and merchandise. He also has spent much of his time mentoring entrepreneurs and businesses to optimize their pitch to best communicate their ideas and business to their audiences and ultimately increase their sales. Adding to his impact in the entrepreneurial community, Bob has authored a book, “Life's A Pitch”, while also speaking and being featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal for the work he has accomplished. Joining host Dr. Rebecca White along with a live audience of students, educators, and entrepreneurs, Bob provides impactful and game-changing advice throughout this episode. You won't want to miss a second of this inspiring conversation with topics including how to build and present your pitch, lessons on building confidence with your communication, Tom's firsthand experience of the evolution of home shopping, and a live Q&A session at the end with questions coming from the audience!   Check out Bob's book, “Life's A Pitch”, and more from his website, here: https://www.bobcircosta.com/ Connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/circostabob/   Join En Factor Plus, the #1 Source of Entrepreneurial Intelligence, here: https://drrebeccawhite.com/our-community/ Check out Dr. White's book, “See, Do, Repeat”, and more from her website, here: https://drrebeccawhite.com/see-do-repeat/   Key Words - Sales, Entrepreneurial Mindset

Monday - Friday Noon - 2pm

It's Wednesday, December 3rd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Thailand orders Christian back to Vietnam to likely torture Last Wednesday, a court in Thailand ordered that a Christian activist and asylum seeker must be sent back to Vietnam. Y Quynh Bdap, the co-founder of Montagnards Stand for Justice, faces a 10-year sentence in Vietnam for alleged anti-Communist activities.   International Christian Concern noted, “If extradited to Vietnam, he will likely face torture, violence, and imprisonment. … This will set a dangerous precedent for the thousands of other Christian refugees in Thailand who could also be extradited to their home country, where they fled persecution.” According to Open Doors, Vietnam is the 47th most dangerous country worldwide for Christians. Flooding and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Monsoon rains brought catastrophic flooding and landslides to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand last week. The death toll has surpassed 1,300, and nearly a thousand people are missing. The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka is distributing emergency aid to pastors and Christian workers in the country. The group said the flooding has been “displacing families and severely impacting pastors, Christian workers, and churches.” Trump pauses immigration from Third World countries In the United States, President Donald Trump announced last Thursday his administration will “permanently pause” migration from Third World countries.  This came a day after an Afghan national shot two National Guard members with a  357 revolver in Washington, D.C. near the White House. U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, died the next day. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolf remains in serious condition. However, doctors report that he was able to give a thumbs-up sign when prompted and he wiggled his toes on command as well. Brigadier General Leland Blanchard spoke at a press conference. BLANCHARD: “Their families' lives are all changed forever because one person decided to do this horrific and evil thing.” Officials charged the 29-year-old Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, with first-degree murder yesterday. The Afghan man drove cross country, from his home in Washington State, to carry out the targeted attack. He had immigrated to the United States in 2021 under a Biden era program evacuating Afghan refugees during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces. Listen to comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.  LEAVITT: “Sarah and Andrew represent the very best of America, two young patriots who were willing to put on the uniform and risk their lives in defense of their fellow Americans. Both of them truly embody the profound words spoken by Jesus Christ in the Gospel. Greater love has no one than this to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (John 15:13) Mass killings are down this year Mass killings in the U.S. are down according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today. There have been 17 shooters who killed four or more people in a 24-hour period not including themselves. That's the lowest on record since 2006. Mass killings mostly occur at people's homes and often involve family members.  California officials dropped $70,000 in COVID fines against church Officials in California recently dropped nearly $70,000 in fines against a church and Christian school. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health targeted Calvary Chapel San Jose and its affiliated Calvary Christian Academy during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Joel Oster with Advocates for Faith & Freedom said, “This is a complete victory, not only for Calvary Christian Academy, but for every church and Christian school in California. The State tried to use [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] as a weapon to intimidate a religious institution. They failed. And they were forced to walk away from their own claims.” Should pro-life ministry be compelled to reveal names of donors? The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case yesterday involving a pro-life ministry in New Jersey. The case began in 2023 when the state targeted First Choice Women's Resource Centers with a subpoena, demanding the names of its donors.  Reuters reports that the justices appeared favorable to the pro-life ministry. William Haun with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty said, “The Court should make clear that state bureaucrats cannot exploit their power to intimidate ministries or chill the faith commitments that guide their work.” Isaiah 10:1-2 says, “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless.” The “Naughty and Nice List” of U.S. retailers And finally, AUDIO: “He's making a list and checking it twice. He's going to find out who's naughty or nice.” Liberty Counsel released its latest “Naughty and Nice List” last month. The list catalogs retailers that are censoring Christmas and ones that are publicly celebrating it. Companies that celebrate Christmas include Costco, Lowe's, and Walmart. Companies that silence and censor Christmas include TJ Maxx, Barnes & Noble, and CVS Pharmacy.   Mat Staver with Liberty Counsel said, “Christianity remains the largest faith tradition in the United States and is associated with worship, family traditions, nostalgia, and seasonal joy. … We are happy to report that some retailers still recognize that the Christmas season is about the birth of Jesus and is not just a winter holiday.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, December 3rd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this honest and engaging conversation, USA Today bestselling author Liz Talley shares her journey through the publishing world, discussing the challenges of transitioning to a new genre, the impact of AI on writing, and the differences between indie and traditional publishing. She emphasizes the importance of trusting one's own voice and vision as a writer while navigating the complexities of the industry. Liz also offers valuable advice for new authors, encouraging them to embrace their unique storytelling style and take risks in their writing careers. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Liz Talley 02:47 Navigating the Writing Journey 06:02 Transitioning to a New Genre 09:03 The Challenges of Starting Over 11:54 The Role of AI in Writing 14:47 The Indie vs. Traditional Publishing Debate 18:12 Taking Risks in Writing 20:53 Advice for New Authors Author's Website: www.liztalleybooks.com Social Media Links: http://www.facebook.com/liztalleybooks Author Bio: Liz Talley is the USA Today best-selling author of over thirty heartwarming stories. A finalist in both Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart and Rita Awards, Liz has published with Harlequin, Hallmark, and Montlake where she reached number one in kindle romance and was named to Publisher's Weekly mass market bestseller list. Her stories are set in the South where the tea is sweet, the summers are hot, and the porches are wide. In 2023, she also added screenwriter to her accomplishments, co-writing an adaptation of her novel The Wedding War, which landed in the Top 20 of Louisiana Film Prize. Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VJ6XH7Y Love this episode? Rate it ⭐️ Thumbs Up

A dash of mystery, a sparkle of magic, and all things cozy! Elle interviews fellow cozy authors in this bookish podcast from Authors on the Air. Today on the podcast, meet Meg Donohue, author of The Memory Gardener! Elle and Meg talk about the power of scents and grounded magic, whimsy, portuguese water dogs, and more. Enjoy! Meg's Bio: Meg Donohue is the USA Today bestselling author of The Memory Gardener (coming 11/25/25 from Gallery Books / Simon & Schuster), You, Me, and the Sea, Every Wild Heart, Dog Crazy, All the Summer Girls, and How to Eat a Cupcake. Her novels have been translated into Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. Meg has an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now lives in San Francisco with her husband, three daughters, and dog. She is working on her next novel. Find Meg's Website and Books Here: https://www.megdonohue.com/ ~~~ Elle Hartford's Bio: Elle Hartford writes cozy mystery with a fairy tale twist. The award-winning first book in her Alchemical Tales series, Beauty and the Alchemist, finds amateur sleuth Red mixed up with murderous beasts and moody beauties, and a set of missing books besides! Elle has also written two spin-off series, the cozy fantasy-goes-to-the-beach Marine Magic series as well as Pomegranate Cafe Romance. For other writers and authors looking into “wide” indie publishing, Elle offers coaching as well as the Beyond Writing blog (ellehartford.substack.com) with how-tos and resources. Find Elle Online: https://ellehartford.com/

Only Way Out: A Novel by Author Tod Goldberg Is out now! amazon.com or bookstores near you! James Lott Jr gets to chat to the "other" best Selling Author in the family! Tod Goldberg is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books of fiction, including The Low Desert: Gangster Stories, Gangsterland, a finalist for the Hammett Prize, Gangster Nation, The House of Secrets, which he co-authored with Brad Meltzer, and Living Dead Girl, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His essays, nonfiction, and criticism appear widely, including in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal, as well as Best American Essays, and have earned five Nevada Press Association Awards. He is also the cohost, along with Rider Strong and Julia Pistell, of the popular podcast Literary Disco. Goldberg is a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside, where founded and directs the Low Residency MFA program in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @todgoldberg and on Facebook at facebook.com/todgoldberg or visit todgoldberg.com

Blake Toppmeyer from USA Today joins the show to share his experience reporting on the wild Lane Kiffin situation.. Plus we take your phone calls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode of You Are What You Read is all about Rock & Roll. Today, we are joined by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo with their adorable new children's picture book.. My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!  You know Pat and Neil's hits, “We Belong,” “Invincible,” “Love Is A Battlefield,” “Promises In The Dark,” “We Live For Love,” “Heartbreaker” and “Hell Is For Children.” Together, Pat and Neil have created two multi-platinum, five platinum, and three gold albums, along with 19 Top 40 hits. They've sold more than 36 million records worldwide and earned four consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. Their honors also include three American Music Awards, a People's Choice Award, induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2008), and most recently, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Their latest project, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling children's book, continues their creative legacy in a whole new way. My Grandma & Grandpa Rock! is a labor of love for grandparents and grandchildren everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Dr. Mark Thornton to the show. Dr. Mark Thornton is Economist and Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute. The discussion centers on the current state of precious metals, monetary policy, and economic systems, with a particular focus on gold and silver’s role in the global financial landscape. Thornton argues that gold is fundamentally money, and governments have only recently forced their way into replacing commodity money with fiat currency. He suggests that the current precious metals market is still in its early stages, with central bank buying and distrust in the US dollar driving significant interest. The gold and silver markets are experiencing growing pains, with increasing investor attention and potential for further price appreciation. The conversation delves into the fundamental differences between Austrian and Keynesian economics. Thornton criticizes Keynesian economics as a state-controlled ideology that promotes government spending and manipulates interest rates, whereas Austrian economics advocates for market-driven monetary systems and private property rights. He highlights how central bank policies create economic bubbles and exacerbate wealth inequality by favoring asset-rich individuals. Thornton sees potential for a significant monetary transformation, potentially triggered by the current precious metals bull market. He believes the collision between Western and Eastern financial markets, coupled with the rise of cryptocurrencies, could lead to a fundamental restructuring of monetary systems. The possibility of a return to a gold standard or a gold-backed settlement currency is discussed as a potential future scenario. The economist also warns about potential economic bubbles in artificial intelligence and private equity, arguing that the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have created unsustainable conditions across various sectors. He believes that while central banks have been able to temporarily extend economic cycles, their power is not infinite, and a significant market correction is inevitable. Thornton concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding Austrian economic principles and encourages listeners to explore the works of economists like Friedrich Hayek to gain deeper insights into monetary systems and economic dynamics. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:19 – Gold as Money 00:04:21 – Central Bank Distrust 00:05:52 – Bull Run Early Stages 00:09:35 – Historical Parallels 1980s 00:14:15 – Return to Gold Standard 00:18:16 – Bond Markets Unraveling 00:24:07 – Austrian vs Keynesian Economics 00:31:19 – Flexible Inflation Targeting 00:33:53 – Silver Monetary Role 00:45:46 – AI Private Equity Bubbles 00:51:11 – Future Recession Outlook 00:55:41 – Concluding Thoughts Guest Links: Website: https://mises.org X: https://x.com/DrMarkThornton E-Mail: mailto:mthornton@mises.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mark+thornton+minor+issues Book-Hayek: https://mises.org/library/book/hayek-21st-century-essays-political-economy Dr. Mark Thornton is a Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute and formerly held the Peterson-Luddy Chair in Austrian Economics. He hosts the podcasts Minor Issues and Unanimity and is Book Review Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. His books include The Economics of Prohibition, Tariffs, Blockades, and Inflation, The Bastiat Collection, and The Skyscraper Curse. He has served on multiple editorial boards, taught economics at several universities, and worked as Assistant Superintendent of Banking and adviser to Alabama Governor Fob James. He holds degrees from St. Bonaventure University and Auburn University and has debated the “War on Drugs” at the Oxford Union. Dr. Thornton has been featured in major outlets such as The Economist, Forbes, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today, along with numerous international and regional newspapers. His commentary appears regularly on the Mises Institute's platforms and on programs such as Boom-Bust, the Tom Woods Show, and the Scott Horton Show.

Please enjoy this special preview of our upcoming conversation with Mark Shaw, investigative journalist, former criminal defense attorney, onetime legal analyst for CNN, ESPN, and USA Today, and the author of more than thirty books, including The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen. Mark's latest book, Abuse of Power, not only links the death of Dorothy Kilgallen in November 1965 to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, but includes new information about the mysterious nature of Kilgallen's demise. Our complete conversation with Mark Shaw airs the weekend of Dec. 5-8.

Want to be a guest or know someone would be a great fit? I am looking for military vets, active duty, military brats, veteran service orgs or anyone in the fitness industryBad news can shove you into what Cara Lockwood calls the white room—a stunned, silent place where words blur and fear takes over. When a routine mammogram uncovered HER2-positive breast cancer, the USA Today bestselling author had to navigate the shock, decode jargon, and make life-shaping choices while her mind sprinted to worst-case scenarios. We walk through that moment and the very human steps that turned panic into agency.Cara explains HER2-positive breast cancer in plain English, then shows how she built a trusted medical team, asked for explanations like a five-year-old, and found clarity using a simple filter: a hard yes or a hard no. From choosing a double mastectomy to weighing chemotherapy framed as an “insurance policy,” she reveals how real decisions blend data with gut, risk with peace of mind. We also get honest about partners and kids—how spouses want to fix what can't be fixed, and how teens carry quiet worry that surfaces long after the hospital bracelets come off.Mindset is the heartbeat of this story. Cara rejects toxic positivity and embraces strong and salty—fight songs, dark humor, and the truth that bravery is just doing it scared. She talks body image after reconstruction, the shock of numbness and scars, and the surprising confidence that comes from surviving what once felt impossible. Humor becomes more than relief; it's power reclaimed, proof that if you can laugh at it, it can't own you.We close with Cara's new book, There's No Good Book for This, an irreverent, compassionate guide that pairs real talk with end-of-chapter pep talks, and donates half its proceeds to breast cancer research. If you've ever felt trapped in the white room, this conversation offers language, tools, and hope you can use today. Listen, share with someone who needs it, and if this helped you, follow the show, leave a review, and tell us your fight song.Support the show

Oregon Ducks legend Jonathan Stewart and USA TODAY's Zachary Neel talk about the potential of both Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi taking off for head coaching jobs before diving into Oregon's win over Washington, and the Ducks' ideal path in the College Football Playoff. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined by USA Today best-selling author Talia Hibbert, who has written over 15 romance novels, many of which have been opted for film and television. Talia joined us on this episode to discuss her Kobo Originals novel, a holiday romance between featuring two childhood best friends and lots of holiday mishaps. Best-selling and award-winning author Talia Hibbert joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career, her writing process, and her newest Kobo Original, Wrapped Up in You. Talia writes sexy, diverse romance and she talks about how indie publishing is more accessible for diverse authors. We also discuss how she works from initial story idea to the finished novel and where she thinks indie publishing is going next.  Learn more on Talia's website and be sure to check out Talia's books on Kobo.

Monday - Friday Noon - 2pm

Journalists from around the state discuss the news of the week with host Bill Bryant, including several proposals for legislation to be considered during the 2026 General Assembly. Guests: Phillip Bailey from USA Today; Jess Clark from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting; and Isaiah Kim-Martinez from WHAS11 Louisville.

After less than a year, the Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, is done. The controversial cost-cutting initiative was initially led by the equally controversial tech billionaire Elon Musk. Did DOGE succeed in what it set out to do? While much has been made of the steep cuts in the number of federal employees, there was also what Musk called a mandate from President Donald Trump to “delete the mountain” of government regulations and remake the government with AI. USA TODAY Politics Reporter Kathryn Palmer joins USA TODAY's The Excerpt to dive into all things DOGE.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why do some romance authors build decades-long careers while others vanish after one breakout book? What really separates a throwaway pen name and rapid release strategy from a legacy brand and a body of work you're proud of? How can you diversify with trad, indie, non-fiction, and Kickstarter without burning out—or selling out your creative freedom? With Jennifer Probst. In the intro, digital ebook signing [BookFunnel]; how to check terms and conditions; Business for Authors 2026 webinars; Music industry and AI music [BBC; The New Publishing Standard]; The Golden Age of Weird. This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Jennifer Probst is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 60 books across different kinds of romance as well as non-fiction for writers. Her latest book is Write Free. 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. Show Notes How Jennifer started writing at age 12, fell in love with romance, and persisted through decades of rejection A breakout success — and what happened when it moved to a traditional publisher Traditional vs indie publishing, diversification, and building a long-term, legacy-focused writing career Rapid-release pen names vs slow-burn author brands, and why Jennifer chooses quality and longevity Inspirational non-fiction for writers (Write Naked, Write True, Write Free) Using Kickstarter for special editions, re-releases, courses, and what she's learned from both successes and mistakes – plus what “writing free” really means in practice How can you ‘write free'? You can find Jennifer at JenniferProbst.com. Transcript of interview with Jennifer Probst Jo: Jennifer Probst is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 60 books across different kinds of romance as well as non-fiction for writers. Her latest book is Write Free. So welcome, Jennifer. Jennifer: Thanks so much, Joanna. I am kind of fangirling. I'm really excited to be on The Creative Penn podcast. It's kind of a bucket list. Jo: Aw, that's exciting. I reached out to you after your recent Kickstarter, and we are going to come back to that in a minute. First up, take us back in time. Tell us a bit more about how you got into writing and publishing. Jennifer: This one is easy for me. I am one of those rarities. I think that I knew when I was seven that I was going to write. I just didn't know what I was going to write. At 12 years old, and now this will kind of date me in dinosaur era here, there was no internet, no information on how to be a writer, no connections out there. The only game in town was Writer's Digest. I would go to my library and pore over Writer's Digest to learn how to be a writer. At 12 years old, all I knew was, “Oh, if I want to be a famous writer, I have to write a book.” So I literally sat down at 12 and wrote my first young adult romance. Of course, I was the star, as we all are when we're young, and I have not stopped since. I always knew, since my dad came home from a library with a box of romance novels and got in trouble with my mum and said, basically, “She's reading everything anyway, just let her read these,” I was gone. From that moment on, I knew that my entire life was going to be about that. So for me, it wasn't the writing. I have written non-stop since I was 12 years old. For me, it was more about making this a career where I can make money, because I think there was a good 30 years where I wrote without a penny to my name. So it was more of a different journey for me. It was more about trying to find my way in the writing world, where everybody said it should be just a hobby, and I believed that it should be something more. Jo: I was literally just going back in my head there to the library I used to go to on my way home from school. Similar, probably early teens, maybe age 14. Going to that section and… I think it was Shirley Conran. Was that Lace? Yes, Lace books. That's literally how we all learned about sex back in the day. Jennifer: All from books. You didn't need parents, you didn't need friends. Amazing. Jo: Oh, those were the days. That must have been the eighties, right? Jennifer: It was the eighties. Yes. Seventies, eighties, but mostly right around in the eighties. Oh, it was so… Jo: I got lost about then because I was reminiscing. I was also the same one in the library, and people didn't really see what you were reading in the corner of the library. So I think that's quite funny. Tell us how you got into being an indie. Jennifer: What had happened is I had this manuscript and it had been shopped around New York for agents and for a bunch of publishers. I kept getting the same exact thing: “I love your voice.” I mean, Joanna, when you talk about papering your wall with rejections, I lived that. The only thing I can say is that when I got my first rejection, I looked at it as a rite of passage that created me as a writer, rather than taking the perspective that it meant I failed. To me, perspective is a really big thing in this career, how you look at things. So that really helped me. But after you get like 75 of them, you're like, “I don't know how much longer I can take of this.” What happened is, it was an interesting story, because I had gone to an RWA conference and I had shopped this everywhere, this book that I just kept coming back to. I kept saying, “I feel like this book could be big.” There was an indie publisher there. They had just started out, it was an indie publisher called Entangled. A lot of my friends were like, “What about Entangled? Why don't you try more digital things or more indie publishers coming up rather than the big traditional ones?” Lo and behold, I sent it out. They loved the book. They decided, in February of 2012, to launch it. It was their big debut. They were kind of competing with Harlequin, but it was going to be a new digital line. It was this new cutting-edge thing. The book went crazy. It went viral. The book was called The Marriage Bargain, and it put me on the map. All of a sudden I was inundated with agents, and the traditional publishers came knocking and they wanted to buy the series. It was everywhere. Then it hit USA Today, and then it spent 26 weeks on The New York Times. Everybody was like, “Wow, you're this overnight sensation.” And I'm like, “Not really!” That was kind of my leeway into everything. We ended up selling that series to Simon & Schuster because that was the smart move for then, because it kind of blew up and an indie publisher at that time knew it was a lot to take on. From then on, my goal was always to do both: to have a traditional contract, to work with indie publishers, and to do my own self-pub. I felt, even back then, the more diversified I am, the more control I have. If one bucket goes bad, I have two other buckets. Jo: Yes, I mean, I always say multiple streams of income. It's so surprising to me that people think that whatever it is that hits big is going to continue. So you obviously experienced there a massive high point, but it doesn't continue. You had all those weeks that were amazing, but then it drops off, right? Jennifer: Oh my goodness, yes. Great story about what happened. So 26 weeks on The New York Times, and it was selling like hotcakes. Then Simon & Schuster took it over and they bumped the price to their usual ebook price, which was, what, $12.99 or something? So it's going from $2.99. The day that they did it, I slid off all the bestseller lists. They were gone, and I lost a lot of control too. With indies, you have a little bit more control. But again, that kind of funnels me into a completely different kind of setup. Traditional is very different from indie. What you touched on, I think, is the biggest thing in the industry right now. When things are hot, it feels like forever. I learned a valuable lesson: it doesn't continue. It just doesn't. Maybe someone like Danielle Steel or some of the other big ones never had to pivot, but I feel like in romance it's very fluid. You have genres hitting big, you have niches hitting big, authors hitting big. Yes, I see some of them stay. I see Emily Henry still staying—maybe that will never pause—but I think for the majority, they find themselves saying, “Okay, that's done now. What's next?” It can either hit or not hit. Does that make sense to you? Do you feel the same? Jo: Yes, and I guess it's not just about the book. It's more about the tactic. You mentioned genres, and they do switch a lot in romance, a lot faster than other genres. In terms of how we do marketing… Now, as we record this, TikTok is still a thing, and we can see maybe generative AI search coming on the horizon and agentic buying. A decade ago it might have been different, more Facebook ads or whatever. Then before that it might have been something else. So there's always things changing along the way. Jennifer: Yes, there definitely is. It is a very oversaturated market. They talk about, I don't know, 2010 to 2016 maybe, as the gold rush, because that was where you could make a lot of money as an indie. Then we saw the total fallout of so many different things. I feel like I've gone through so many ups and downs in the industry. I do love it because the longer you're around, the more you learn how to pivot. If you want this career, you learn how to write differently or do whatever you need to do to keep going, in different aspects, with the changes. To me, that makes the industry exciting. Again, perspective is a big thing. But I have had to take a year to kind of rebuild when I was out of contract with a lot of things. I've had to say, “Okay, what do you see on the horizon now? Where is the new foundation? Where do you wanna restart?” Sometimes it takes a year or two of, “Maybe I won't be making big income and I cut back,” but then you're back in it, because it takes a while to write a few new books, or write under a pen name, or however you want to pivot your way back into the industry. Or, like you were saying, diversifying. I did a lot of non-fiction stuff because that's a big calling for me, so I put that into the primary for a while. I think it's important for authors to maybe not just have one thing. When that one thing goes away, you're scrambling. It's good to have a couple of different things like, “Well, okay, this genre is dead or this thing is dead or this isn't making money. Let me go to this for a little while until I see new things on the horizon.” Jo: Yes. There's a couple of things I want to come back to. You mentioned a pen name there, and one of the things I'm seeing a lot right now—I mean, it's always gone on, but it seems to be on overdrive—is people doing rapid-release, throwaway pen names. So there's a new sub-genre, they write the books really fast, they put them up under whatever pen name, and then when that goes away, they ditch that pen name altogether. Versus growing a name brand more slowly, like I think you and I have done. Under my J.F. Penn fiction brand, I put lots of different sub-genres. What are your thoughts on this throwaway pen name versus growing a name brand more slowly? Jennifer: Well, okay, the first thing I'm goign to say is: if that lights people up, if you love the idea of rapid release and just kind of shedding your skin and going on to the next one, I say go for it. As long as you're not pumping it out with AI so it's a complete AI book, but that's a different topic. I'm not saying using AI tools; I mean a completely AI-written book. That's the difference. If we're talking about an author going in and, every four weeks, writing a book and stuff like that, I do eventually think that anything in life that disturbs you, you're going to burn out eventually. That is a limited-time kind of thing, I believe. I don't know how long you can keep doing that and create decent enough books or make a living on it. But again, I really try not to judge, because I am very open to: if that gives you joy and that's working and it brings your family money, go for it. I have always wanted to be a writer for the long term. I want my work to be my legacy. I don't just pump out books. Every single book is my history. It's a marking of what I thought, what I put out in the world, what my beliefs are, what my story is. It marks different things, and I'm very proud of that. So I want a legacy of quality. As I got older, in my twenties and thirties, I was able to write books a lot faster. Then I had a family with two kids and I had to slow down a little bit. I also think life sometimes drives your career, and that's okay. If you're taking care of a sick parent or there's illness or whatever, maybe you need to slow down. I like the idea of a long-term backlist supporting me when I need to take a back seat and not do frontlist things. So that's how I feel. I will always say: choose a long, organic-growth type of career that will be there for you, where your backlist can support you. I also don't want to trash people who do it differently. If that is how you can do it, if you can write a book in a month and keep doing it and keep it quality, go for it. Jo: I do have the word “legacy” on my board next to me, but I also have “create a body of work I'm proud of.” I have that next to me, and I have “Have you made art today?” So I think about these things too. As you say, people feel differently about work, and I will do other work to make faster cash rather than do that with books. But as we said, that's all good. Interestingly, you mentioned non-fiction there. Write Free is your latest one, but you've got some other writing books. So maybe— Talk about the difference between non-fiction book income and marketing compared to fiction, and why you added that in. Jennifer: Yes, it's completely different. I mean, it's two new dinosaurs. I came to writing non-fiction in a very strange way. Literally, I woke up on New Year's Day and I was on a romance book deadline. I could not do it. I'll tell you, my brain was filled with passages of teaching writing, of things I wanted to share in my writing career. Because again, I've been writing since I was 12, I've been a non-stop writer for over 30 years. I got to my computer and I wrote like three chapters of Write Naked (which was the first book). It was just pouring out of me. So I contacted my agent and I said, “Look, I don't know, this is what I want to do. I want to write this non-fiction book.” She's like, “What are you talking about? You're a romance author. You're on a romance deadline. What do you want me to do with this?” She was so confused. I said, “Yes, how do you write a non-fiction book proposal?” And she was just like, “This is not good, Jen. What are you doing?” Anyway, the funny story was, she said, “Just send me chapters.” I mean, God bless her, she's this wonderful agent, but I know she didn't get it. So I sent her like four chapters of what I was writing and she called me. I'll never forget it. She called me on the phone and she goes, “This is some of the best stuff I have ever read in my life. It's raw and it's truthful, and we've got to find a publisher for this.” And I was like, “Yay.” What happened was, I believe this was one of the most beautiful full circles in my life: Writer's Digest actually made me an offer. It was not about the money. I found that non-fiction for me had a much lower advance and a different type of sales. For me, when I was a kid, that is exactly what I was reading in the library, Writer's Digest. I would save my allowance to get the magazine. I would say to myself, “One day, maybe I will have a book with Writer's Digest.” So for me, it was one of the biggest full-circle moments. I will never forget it. Being published by them was amazing. Then I thought I was one-and-done, but the book just completely touched so many writers. I have never gotten so many emails: “Thank you for saying the truth,” or “Thank you for being vulnerable.” Right before it published, I had a panic attack. I told my husband, “Now everybody's going to know that I am a mess and I'm not fabulous and the world is going to know my craziness.” By being vulnerable about the career, and also that it was specifically for romance authors, it caused a bond. I think it caused some trust. I had been writing about writing for years. After that, I thought it was one-and-done. Then two or three years later I was like, “No, I have more to say.” So I leaned into my non-fiction. It also gives my fiction brain a rest, because when you're doing non-fiction, you're using a different part of your brain. It's a way for me to cleanse my palate. I gather more experiences about what I want to share, and then that goes into the next book. Jo: Yes, I also use the phrase “palate cleanser” for non-fiction versus fiction. I feel like you write one and then you feel like, “Oh, I really need to write the other now.” Jennifer: Yes! Isn't it wonderful? I love that. I love having the two brains and just giving one a break and totally leaning into it. Again, it's another way of income. It's another way. I also believe that this industry has given me so much that it is automatic that I want to give back. I just want to give as much as possible back because I'm so passionate about writing and the industry field. Jo: Well, interestingly though, Writer's Digest—the publisher who published that magazine and other things—went bankrupt in 2019. You've been in publishing a long time. It is not uncommon for publishers to go out of business or to get bought. Things happen with publishers, right? Jennifer: Yes. Jo: So what then happened? Jennifer: So Penguin Random House bought it. All the Writer's Digest authors did not know what they were going to do. Then Penguin Random House bought it and kept Writer's Digest completely separate, as an imprint under the umbrella. So Writer's Digest really hasn't changed. They still have the magazine, they still have books. So it ended up being okay. But what I did do is—because I sold Write Naked and I have no regrets about that, it was the best thing for me to do, to go that route—the second and the third books were self-published. I decided I'm going to self-publish. That way I have the rights for audio, I have the rights for myself, I can do a whole bunch of different things. So Write True, the second one, was self-published. Writers Inspiring Writers I paired up with somebody, so we self-published that. And Write Free, my newest one, is self-published. So I've decided to go that route now with my non-fiction. Jo: Well, as I said, I noticed your Kickstarter. I don't write romance, so I'm not really in that community. I had kind of heard your name before, but then I bought the book and joined the Kickstarter. Then I discovered that you've been doing so much and I was like, “Oh, how, why haven't we connected before?” It's very cool. So tell us about the Kickstarters you've done and what you know, because you've done, I think, a fiction one as well. What are your thoughts and tips around Kickstarter? Jennifer: Yes. When I was taking that year, I found myself kind of… let's just say fired from a lot of different publishers at the time. That was okay because I had contracts that ran out, and when I looked to see, “Okay, do we want to go back?” it just wasn't looking good. I was like, “Well, I don't want to spend a year if I'm not gonna be making the money anyway.” So I looked at the landscape and I said, “It's time to really pull in and do a lot more things on my own, but I've got to build foundations.” Kickstarter was one of them. I took a course with Russell Nohelty and Monica Leonelle. They did a big course for Kickstarter, and they were really the ones going around to all the conferences and basically saying, “Hey guys, you're missing out on a lot of publishing opportunities here,” because Kickstarter publishing was getting good. I took the course because I like to dive into things, but I also want to know the foundation of it. I want to know what I'm doing. I'm not one to just wing it when it comes to tech. So what happened is, the first one, I had rights coming back from a book. After 10 years, my rights came back. It was an older book and I said, “You know what? I am going to dip my foot in and see what kind of base I can grow there. What can I do?” I was going to get a new cover, add new scenes, re-release it anyway, right? So I said, “Let's do a Kickstarter for it, because then I can get paid for all of that work.” It worked out so fantastically. It made just enough for my goal. I knew I didn't want to make a killing; I knew I wanted to make a fund. I made my $5,000, which I thought was wonderful, and I was able to re-release it with a new cover, a large print hardback, and I added some scenes. I did a 10-year anniversary re-release for my fans. So I made it very fan-friendly, grew my audience, and I was like, “This was great.” The next year, I did something completely different. I was doing Kindle Vella back in the day. That was where you dropped a chapter at a time. I said, “I want to do this completely different kind of thing.” It was very not my brand at all. It was very reality TV-ish: young college students living in the city, very sexy, very angsty, love triangles, messy—everything I was not known for. Again, I was like, “I'm not doing a pen name because this is just me,” and I funnelled my audience. I said, “What I'm going to do is I'm going to start doing a chapter a week through Kindle Vella and make money there. Then when it's done, I'm going to bundle it all up and make a book out of it.” So I did a year of Kindle Vella. It was the best decision I made because I just did two chapters a week, which I was able to do. By one year I had like 180,000 words. I had two to three books in there. I did it as a hardback deluxe—the only place you could get it in print. Then Vella closed, or at least it went way down. So I was like, “Great, I'm going to do this Kickstarter for this entire new thing.” I partnered with a company that helps with special editions, because that was a whole other… oh Joanna, that was a whole other thing you have to go into. Getting the books, getting the art, getting the swag. I felt like I needed some help for that. Again, I went in, I funded. I did not make a killing on that, but that was okay. I learned some things that I would have changed with my Kickstarter and I also built a new audience for that. I had a lot of extra books that I then sold in my store, and it was another place to make money. The third Kickstarter I used specifically because I had always wanted to do a writing course. I go all over the world, I do keynotes, I do workshops, I've done books, and I wanted to reach new writers, but I don't travel a lot anymore. So I came up with the concept that I was going to do my very first course, and it was going to be very personal, kind of like me talking to them almost like in a keynote, like you're in a room with me. I gathered a whole bunch of stuff and I used Kickstarter to help me A) fund it and B) make myself do it, because it was two years in the making and I always had, “Oh, I've got this other thing to do,” you know how we do that, right? We have big projects. So I used Kickstarter as a deadline and I decided to launch it in the summer. In addition to that, I took years of my posts from all over. I copied and pasted, did new posts, and I created Write Free, which was a very personal, essay-driven book. I took it all together. I took a couple of months to do this, filmed the course, and the Kickstarter did better than I had ever imagined. I got quadruple what I wanted, and it literally financed all the video editing, the books, everything that I needed, plus extra. I feel like I'm growing in Kickstarter. I hope I'm not ranting. I'm trying to go over things that can help people. Jo: Oh no, that is super useful. Jennifer: So you don't have to go all in and say, “If it doesn't fund it's over,” or “I need to make $20,000.” There are people making so much money, and there are people that will do a project a year or two projects a year and just get enough to fund a new thing that they want to do. So that's how I've done it. Jo: I've done quite a few now, and my non-fiction ones have been a lot bigger—I have a big audience there—and my fiction have been all over the place. What I like about Kickstarter is that you can do these different things. We can do these special editions. I've just done a sprayed-edge short story collection. Short story collections are not the biggest genre. Jennifer: Yes. I love short stories too. I've always wanted to do an anthology of all my short stories. Jo: There you go. Jennifer: Yes, I love that for your Kickstarter. Love it. Jo: When I turned 50 earlier this year, I realised the thing that isn't in print is my short stories. They are out there digitally, and that's why I wanted to do it. I feel like Kickstarter is a really good way to do these creative projects. As you say, you don't have to make a ton of money, but at the end of the day, the definition of success for us, I think for both of us, is just being able to continue doing this, right? Jennifer: Absolutely. This is funding a creative full-time career, and every single thing that you do with your content is like a funnel. The more funnels that you have, the bigger your base. Especially if you love it. It would be different if I was struggling and thinking, “Do I get an editor job?” I would hate being an editor. But if you look at something else like, “Oh yes, I could do this and that would light me up, like doing a course—wow, that sounds amazing,” then that's different. It's kind of finding your alternates that also light you up. Jo: Hmm. So were there any mistakes in your Kickstarters that you think are worth sharing? In case people are thinking about it. Jennifer: Oh my God, yes. So many. One big thing was that I felt like I was a failure if I didn't make a certain amount of money because my name is pretty well known. It's not like I'm brand new and looking. One of the big things was that I could not understand and I felt like I was banging my head against the wall about why my newsletter subscribers wouldn't support the Kickstarter. I'm like, “Why aren't you doing this? I'm supposed to have thousands of people that just back.” Your expectations can really mess with you. Then I started to learn, “Oh my God, my newsletter audience wants nothing to do with my Kickstarter.” Maybe I had a handful. So then I learned that I needed longer tails, like putting it up for pre-order way ahead of time, and also that you can't just announce it in your newsletter and feel like everybody's going to go there. You need to find your streams, your Kickstarter audience, which includes ads. I had never done ads either and I didn't know how to do that, so I did that all wrong. I joined the Facebook group for Kickstarter authors. I didn't do that for the first one and then I learned about it. You share backer updates, so every time you go into your audience with a backer update, there's this whole community where you can share with like-minded people with their projects, and you post it under your updates. It does cross-networking and sharing with a lot of authors in their newsletters. For the Write Free one, I leaned into my networking a lot, using my connections. I used other authors' newsletters and people in the industry to share my Kickstarter. That was better for me than just relying on my own fanbase. So definitely more networking, more sharing, getting it out on different platforms rather than just doing your own narrow channel. Because a lot of the time, you think your audience will follow you into certain things and they don't, and that needs to be okay. The other thing was the time and the backend. I think a lot of authors can get super excited about swag. I love that, but I learned that I could have pulled back a little bit and been smarter with my financials. I did things I was passionate about, but I probably spent much more money on swag than I needed to. So looking at different aspects to make it more efficient. I think each time you do one, you learn what works best. As usual, I try to be patient with myself. I don't get mad at myself for trying things and failing. I think failing is spectacular because I learn something. I know: do I want to do this again? Do I want to do it differently? If we weren't so afraid of failingqu “in public”, I think we would do more things. I'm not saying I never think, “Oh my God, that was so embarrassing, I barely funded and this person is getting a hundred thousand.” We're human. We compare. I have my own reset that I do, but I really try to say, “But no, for me, maybe I'll do this, and if it doesn't work, that's okay.” Jo: I really like that you shared about the email list there because I feel like too many people have spent years driving people to Kindle or KU, and they have built an email list of readers who like a particular format at a particular price. Then we are saying, “Oh, now come over here and buy a beautiful hardback that's like ten times the price.” And we're surprised when nobody does it. Is that what happened? Jennifer: Exactly. Also, that list was for a non-fiction project. So I had to funnel where my writers were in my newsletter, and I have mostly readers. So I was like, “Okay…” But I think you're exactly right. First of all, it's the platform. When you ask anybody to go off a platform, whether it's buy direct at your Shopify store or go to Kickstarter, you are going to lose the majority right there. People are like, “No, I want to click a button from your newsletter and go to a site that I know.” So you've got that, and you've got to train them. That can take some time. Then you've got this project where people are like, “I don't understand.” Even my mum was like, “I would love to support you, honey, but what the heck is this? Where's the buy button and where's my book?” My women's fiction books tend to have some older readers who are like, “Hell no, I don't know what this is.” So you have to know your audience. If it's not translating, train them. I did a couple of videos where I said, “Look, I want to show you how easy this is,” and I showed them directly how to go in and how to back. I did that with Kindle Vella too. I did a video from my newsletter and on social: “Hey, do you not know how to read this chapter? Here's how.” Sometimes there's a barrier. Like you said, Joanna, if I have a majority that just want sexy contemporary, and I'm dropping angsty, cheating, forbidden love, they're like, “Oh no, that's not for me.” So you have to know whether there's a crossover. I go into my business with that already baked into my expectations. I don't go in thinking I'm going to make a killing. Then I'm more surprised when it does well, and then I can build it. Jo: Yes, exactly. Also if you are, like both of us, writing across genres, then you are always going to split your audience. People do not necessarily buy everything because they have their preferences. So I think that's great. Now we are almost out of time, but this latest book is Write Free. I wondered if you would maybe say— What does Write Free mean to you, and what might it help the listeners with? Jennifer: Write Free is an extremely personal book for me, and the title was really important because it goes with Write Naked, Write True, and Write Free. These are the ways that I believe a writer should always show up to the page. Freedom is being able to write your truth in whatever day that is. You're going to be a different writer when you're young and maybe hormonal and passionate and having love affairs. You're going to write differently when you're a mum with kids in nappies. You're going to write differently when you are maybe in your forties and you're killing your career. Your perspective changes, your life changes. Write Free is literally a collection of essays all through my 30 years of life. It's very personal. There are essays like, “I'm writing my 53rd book right now,” and essays like, “My kids are in front of SpongeBob and I'm trying to write right now,” and “I got another rejection letter and I don't know how to survive.” It is literally an imprint of essays that you can dip in and dip out of. It's easy, short, inspirational, and it's just me showing up for my writing life. That's what I wish for everybody: that they can show up for their writing life in the best way that they can at the time, because that changes all the time. Jo: We can say “write free” because we've got a lot of experience at writing. I feel like when I started writing—I was an IT consultant—I literally couldn't write anything creative. I didn't believe I could. There'll be people listening who are just like, “Well, Jennifer, I can't write free. I'm not free. My mind is shackled by all these expectations and everything.” How can they release that and aim for more freedom? Jennifer: I love that question so much. The thing is, I've spent so many years working on that part. That doesn't come overnight. I think sometimes when you have more clarification of, “Okay, this is really limiting me,” then when you can see where something is limiting you, at least you can look for answers. My answers came in the form of meditation. Meditation is a very big thing in my life. Changing my perspective. Learning life mottos to help me deal with those kinds of limitations. Learning that when I write a sex scene, I can't care about my elderly aunt who tells my mother, “Dear God, she ruined the family name.” It is your responsibility to figure out where these limitations are, and then slowly see how you can remove them. I've been in therapy. I have read hundreds of self-help books. I take meditation courses. I take workshop courses. I've done CliftonStrengths with Becca Syme. I don't even know if that's therapy, but it feels like therapy to me as a writer. Knowing my personality traits. I've done Enneagram work with Claire Taylor, which has been huge. The more you know yourself and how your brain is showing up for yourself, the more you can grab tools to use. I wish I could say, “Yes, if everybody meditates 30 minutes a day, you're going to have all blocks removed,” but it's so personal that it's a trick question. If everybody started today and said, “Where is my biggest limitation?” and be real with yourself, there are answers out there. You just have to go slowly and find them, and then the writing more free will come. I hope that wasn't one of those woo-woo answers, but I really do believe it. Jo: I agree. It just takes time. Like our writing career, it just takes time. Keep working on it, keep writing. Jennifer: Yes. And bravery, right? A lot of bravery. Just show up for yourself however you can. If “write free” feels too big, journal for yourself and put it in a locked drawer. Any kind of writing, I think, is therapeutic too. Jo: Brilliant. So where can people find you and your books and everything you do online? Jennifer: The best place to go is my website. I treat it like my home. It's www.JenniferProbst.com. There is so much on it. Not just books, not just free content and free stories. There's an entire section just for writers. There are videos on there. There are a lot of resources. I keep it up to date and it is the place where you can find me. Of course I'm everywhere on social media as Author Jennifer Probst. You can find me anywhere. I always tell everybody: I answer my messages, I answer my emails. That is really important to me. So if you heard this podcast and you want to reach out on anything, please do. I will answer. Jo: Fantastic. Well, thanks so much for your time, Jennifer. That was great. Jennifer: Thanks for having me, Joanna.The post Writing Free: Romance Author Jennifer Probst On A Long-Term Author Career first appeared on The Creative Penn.

This week we are joined by Laura Griffin. Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty books and novellas. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages. Laura is a two-time RITA® Award winner as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award. Laura got her start in journalism before venturing into the world of writing fiction. She lives in Austin, Texas, where she is working on her next novel.In this episode, Laura shares her journey from journalism to fiction writing, focusing on her latest book, "Innocence Road." She discusses the importance of visiting real locations for authenticity in her storytelling. Laura also explores themes of returning to one's roots and the evolving role of DNA in solving cold cases, which often inspire her writing. Recommendations From This Episode: Innocence RoadMare of EasttownKarin Slaughter - Pretty GirlsFollow Laura: @lauragriffinauthorLaura's Website: lauragriffin.comFollow Carly: @carlyjmontagFollow Emily: @thefunnywalshFollow the podcast: @aloneatlunchpod Please rate and review the podcast! Spread the word! Tell your friends! Email us: aloneatlunch@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a textWhat does your leadership voice communicate—before you even get to the content of your message? In this episode, Nathan, Brian, and Linda talk with Dr. Laura Sicola, cognitive linguist, executive communication coach, and author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice.Laura has spent over two decades helping leaders transform technical brilliance into real leadership impact. Together, we explore three big themes:Personal branding as a promise,Authenticity and the “prismatic voice,”How leaders can create engagement, clarity, and connection in virtual settings.This conversation is full of practical tips, mindset shifts, and language tools that help leaders show up with presence, confidence, and intentional influence.

Tod Goldberg is the author of the novel Only Way Out, available from Thomas & Mercer. Tod Goldberg is the New York Times bestselling author of sixteen novels, including the Gangsterland quartet: Gangsterland, a finalist for the Hammett Prize; Gangster Nation; The Low Desert, a Southwest Book of the Year; and Gangsters Don't Die, an Amazon Best Book of 2023 and a Southwest Book of the Year. Other works include The House of Secrets, coauthored with Brad Meltzer; Living Dead Girl, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and the Burn Notice series. His short fiction and essays have been anthologized in Best American Mystery and Suspense and Best American Essays and appear regularly in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Alta. Tod is a professor of creative writing at the University of California, Riverside, where he founded and directs the low-residency MFA program in creative writing and writing for the performing arts. For more information, visit www.todgoldberg.com. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. This week's episode is brought to you by Aura Frames. Visit ⁠AuraFrames.com⁠ and get $45 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames—named #1 by Wirecutter—by using promo code  OTHERPPL at checkout. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Write a Novel,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad's email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since its inception back in 2001, Wikipedia has become a trusted source for information. The online encyclopedia took hold despite initially being a punchline for late-night talk show hosts like Stephen Colbert. But nearly 25 years on, its founder has gotten the last laugh all while teaching the world about trust. The engine of the world's largest encyclopedia runs on the work of volunteers. And at its helm is Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia founder, who joins USA TODAY's The Excerpt to share insights from his new book, “The Seven Rules of Trust,” on bookshelves now. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lucinda Berry is a USA Today bestselling author, who has published 9 incredibly successful novels, which have been optioned for films, and translated into several languages. She worked as a psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma - much of that has inspired her thrillers.Readers are huge fans of 'The Perfect Child', also the heart-pounding 'The Best of Friends', and the unsettling truths in 'The Secrets of Us'. Her new release is an audio thriller. 'This is a Safe Space', tells the story of the therapist Jenna who, after discovering a strange text exchange on her husband's phone, comes to wonder if he might be connected to one of her clients... who has disappeared.We discuss the gestation of an audio-only idea, how the approach was different, and whether it changed the planning, plotting and style. You can hear how she deals with the trickier writing days, also her tight working schedule, the hefty word counts, and how she handled the switch to full time.Get a copy of her books at uk.bookshop.com/shop/writersroutineThis episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ulys.app/writeabook to download Ulysses, and use the code ROUTINE at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription.Support the show at -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1960, 26-year-old Jane Goodall arrived with her mother at Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in western Tanzania. What followed was truly a story for the ages. Her work transformed how humans interact with and understand the natural world. Dr. Jane Goodall passed away last month at the age of 91. Dr. Goodall will be remembered as an ethologist and conservationist whose life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. Author Douglas Abrams, who co-wrote “The Book of Hope” with Jane Goodall, joins USA TODAY's The Excerpt to discuss her legacy of hope.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we head into the new year, many of us feel like we're drowning in invisible complexity. So I wanted to hit pause and ask a simple question: What are 1-3 decisions that could dramatically simplify my life in 2026? To explore that, I invited three close friends and long-time listener favorites—Derek Sivers, Seth Godin, and Martha Beck.This episode is brought to you by: Incogni, which automatically removes your personal data from the web, helping shield you from fraud, scams, and identity theft: https://incogni.com/tim (use code TIM at checkout and get 60% off an annual plan)Eight Sleep Pod Cover 5 sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: EightSleep.com/Tim (use code TIM to get $700 off your very own Pod 5 Ultra.)More about today's guests:Derek Sivers is an author of philosophy and entrepreneurship, known for his surprising, quotable insights and pithy, succinct writing style. Derek's books (How to Live, Hell Yeah or No, Your Music and People, Anything You Want) and newest projects are at his website: sive.rs. His new book is Useful Not True.Seth Godin is the author of 21 internationally bestselling books, translated into more than 35 languages, including Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, and Purple Cow. His latest book, This Is Strategy, offers a fresh lens on how we can make bold decisions, embrace change, and navigate a complex, rapidly evolving world. Dr. Martha Beck has been called “the best-known life coach in America” by NPR and USA Today. She holds three Harvard degrees in social science and has published nine non-fiction books, one novel, and more than 200 magazine articles. The Guardian and other media have described her as “Oprah's life coach.” Her latest book is Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose. TIMESTAMPS[00:00:00] Start.[00:00:20] Advice I've used to simplify my own life.[00:04:02] Enter Derek Sivers.[00:04:17] Simple is the opposite of complex — not just a synonym for “easy.”[00:07:19] Simplification #1: No subscriptions, contracts, or people depending on him.[00:07:40] Simplification #2: Programming with no external libraries or dependencies.[00:08:30] Simplification #3: Building a house from scratch in New Zealand.[00:09:26] Complex is a long-term trap. Simple is long-term freedom..[00:10:32] Enter Seth Godin.[00:10:48] Simplifying is hard work — if it were easy, you'd have already done it.[00:11:17] Clarity on “who it's for”: Ignore everyone else, including one-star reviews.[00:12:46] Eliminate gray areas: Never miss a deadline, never go over budget. Stand by your commitments.[00:14:53] Reclaim time with personal boundaries: No meetings, no social media, no TV.[00:16:57] Simplifying one thing puts you on the hook to go deeper elsewhere.[00:22:23] Enter Martha Beck.[00:22:29] One decision that radically simplified her life.[00:22:44] At 29, chose to follow true joy — not dopamine hits, but deep peace.[00:24:15] The simple rule: Go toward joy, away from misery — no matter what.[00:28:20] How a near-death experience sparked this commitment.[00:30:02] Payoff: Autoimmune remission, purpose, wonderful relationships, home inside herself.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.