Podcasts about Wickham

Aujourd'hui dans le podcast, on reçoit en entrevue Luce Daneau, mairesse de la municipalité de Wickham et ancienne collaboratrice du podcast, avec qui on discute de l'orientation gouvernementale poussée par le gouvernement du Québec vers les MRC, puis des MRC vers les municipalités, intitulée Accélérer la transition climatique locale. On demande entre autres aux municipalités de calculer les émissions de GES sur leur territoire dans l'objectif de les réduire selon le Plan Climat 2030 du gouvernement du Québec — et ce, sans ressources supplémentaires.DANS LA PARTIE PATREON, on commence en commentant un exemple parfait de biais médiatique de la part du Journal de Québec à propos d'une étude sur la mobilité routière et celle du transport en commun dans la grande région de Québec. Suivant ce sujet, Frank explique, cartes à l'appui, pourquoi Québec a besoin d'un troisième lien, en prenant exemple sur Montréal. Ensuite, on revient rapidement sur le conflit en Iran, où le président américain Donald Trump semble se préparer pour une attaque du pays, mais hésite. Joey termine le show en présentant sur le vif une vidéo du jeu vidéo Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare et en poursuivant l'écoute de son montage des interventions de Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon aux podcasts de Pantelis et de Stéphane Bureau.0:00 Intro0:46 Accélérer la transition climatique6:39 L'impact financier de cette politique13:22 Le concret de cette orientation18:54 Calculer les GES des municipalités22:33 0,17% des GES mondiaux27:35 L'UMQ et la FMQ32:20 Mot de la fin

Karen Dukess's first book, The Last Book Party, was wildly successful by any measure—sold at auction, Indie Next pick, Discover New Writers pick… you probably read it. The second…Didn't sell. Not as in, not very many people bought it but as in, no publisher published it. She spent the requisite couple years or so, her agent signed on but… no takers. She felt like she was the only person in the whole entire world that that happened to… until she started asking around. Turns out, you know how people say writing books is hard? And publishing is tough? They're right!Never fear, Karen lived to tell the tail. Her next novel (do we call it second or third?), Welcome to Murder Week, is wonderful and available in a bookstore near you (and as you'll hear, I loved it and it's the perfect page-turner but not-anxiety-producing read for a swimming pool, beach, airplane ride or couch). But the real joy is that Karen is willing to dish. You'll hear:What happens when you want to be a bullet journal sticker getting writer with your butt in the chair but you're just … not.How to have fun writing a book that maybe no one will want (and why you'd better).How Karen found the right mindset to keep going.Karen's one rule as a beginning writer who couldn't quite get the hang of 1000 words a day. Links from the Pod:LauraPaloozaKaren Dukess, The Last Book PartyZibby EventsThe Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray#AmReadingKaren: The Original, Nell Stevens KJ: Welcome to Murder WeekKaren's Substack Keep Calm and Carry On, a Substack from Karen Dukess or find her on Instagram @karendukess, or her website www.karendukess.comDid you know Sarina's latest thriller is out NOW? Rowan Gallagher is a devoted single mother and a talented architect with a high-profile commission restoring an historic mansion for the most powerful family in Maine. But inside, she's a mess. She knows that stalking her ex's avatar all over Portland on her phone isn't the healthiest way to heal from their breakup. But she's out of ice cream and she's sick of romcoms. Watching his every move is both fascinating and infuriating. He's dining out while she's wallowing on the couch. The last straw comes when he parks in their favorite spot on the waterfront. In a weak moment, she leashes the dog and sets off to see who else is in his car. Instead of catching her ex in a kiss, Rowan becomes the first witness to his murder—and the primary suspect.Digital books at: Amazon | Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Audible Physical books at: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | More paperback links here!New! Transcript below!EPISODE 452 - TRANSCRIPTJess LaheyHey, it's Jess here. A few years ago, I got to go to Laura Palooza. Laura Palooza is the conference that is run by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association. I was invited because I wrote about Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House on the Prairie books, and at the very beginning of The Gift of Failure, there's a mention in the opening chapter. And I was invited to go, and it was fantastic. And I got to meet Dean Butler, who had played Almanzo, which was quite a moment for me, because I had been quite in love. Anyway, this year's Laura Palooza 2025 is going to be taking place July 8 through 11th, 2025. Laura Palooza 2025's theme is prairies, pioneers and pages. If you want more information on attending Laura Palooza 2025, you can go to L-I-W-L-R-A — L-I-W-L-R-A dot org slash laurapalooza. I will be putting it in the show notes for whatever episode this ends up on, and it's going to be really, really great. I'm jealous that I can't go again because it's not going to be near me. It's going to be in De Smet South, I hope that's how you pronounce it, South Dakota. But they're going to even have, like, a feature on the fashion at the time. They're going to have a section on planes, claims and all those land deals, a beginner's guide to mapping homestead claims. It's going to be cool, challenging gender norms. Laura Ingalls in fiction, and Rose Wilder Lane in reality. Folklore, fiction or forecasts, separating and linking science, storytelling and mythology in weather, lore, that's going to be by Dr. Barb Boustead, who has been on this very podcast. She's fantastic. Laura Palooza 2025... July, you should go, you should sign up. It's really fun. They're going to be doing a field trip also to the Ingalls Homestead, I believe. Check it out. It's pretty cool.Multiple Speakers:Is it recording? Now it's recording, yay. Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. I don't remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay, now one, two, three.KJ Dell'AntoniaHey, I'm KJ Dell'Antonia, and this is Hashtag AmWriting, the weekly podcast about writing all the things, short things, long things, pitches, proposals, fiction, nonfiction, in short or really actually, usually long. We are the podcast about sitting down and getting your work done. And I am KJ Dell'Antonia. I am the author of a bunch of novels, the most popular of which is The Chicken Sisters, and the most recent is Playing the Witch Card, and you should read them all. And I have with me today a guest that I'm really excited about for a topic that you all are going to love. So, with me today, I have Karen Dukess, and she is the author of The Last Book Party, which you might have read in 2019 because it was unmissable. It was everywhere. It was an Indie Next. It was a Discover New Writers pick, it was...it was all over the place. And that is partly what we're here to talk about today. And we're also here to talk about her new novel, Welcome to Murder Week, which I have just read and enjoyed, but mostly we're here to talk about the six years in between. So, welcome. I am so glad to have you here. So, Karen and I have met in person. We met at a Zibby book event and at an event for the amazing Annabel Monaghan, who also has a book out this summer. The lovely thing about the universe is that nobody reads just one book.Karen DukessThat is true. Thank you.KJ Dell'AntoniaSo, you can be like, yes, read Annabel's book, read my book. Read. I mean, anybody who reads? I mean, yeah, there are people who read just one book, it's probably not going to be ours. Oh, well, people seem to like the Bible. I don't know that's a popular one. See that? A lot around a lot of Crawdads, also see that. Okay, so anyway, tell us what the story of the long six-year journey between your very, very successful debut novel, and what is about to be your very different sophomore novel.Karen DukessSo, I feel like I have an upside-down writing career in that most people write a lot of novels that don't get published before they write a novel that gets published, and mine went backwards. So, The Last Book Party was my first novel, and I wrote it...Didn't... I wrote it, finished it when I was in my early 50's, around 54 -55, spent about four years writing it, and I had done a lot of writing before, then stopping and starting and thinking that. I must not have what it takes, because this is too hard. I didn't realize that novel writing just is hard, and that is the way it is for all but a few unicorn people. So that novel, I was so happy when I finally finished it. I was so satisfied to just finally have written a novel, and I was truly thrilled, and I I felt like, if it doesn't get published, I'll publish it myself. I'm just so happy to have achieved this goal. And then it sold incredibly quickly. It was unbelievable. I mean, it was like beyond my wildest dreams. It went to auction. It sold very quickly for a good advance, and the publishing experience was great, including the fact that they were originally going to publish it in 2020, but they decided to bump it up to 2019 I don't know why. But I was like, sure, I've waited to my 50's to get this book out, like the sooner the better. And then I dodged the bullet of waiting all these years to publish a novel and have it come out during the pandemic. So, the paperback came out in the pandemic, which wasn't great, but I still felt so grateful that I had gotten this book out before then. So, then I started working on my second novel, which later someone had given me some someone, a friend...it might have even been Annabel. Someone gave her the advice that your second novel, don't make it very, very personal. And I kind of wish I had gotten that advice, even though I'm not sure I would have listened to it. But the thing about a second novel, and I don't know if you experienced this, KJ, but if you have success with your first novel, the second novel is scary because you're like, was I a one hit wonder? You know, was it a fluke? Can I do this again? And people would say, well, you know how to write novels now. And I'd be like, no, I know how to write THAT novel. I have no idea how to write another novel. And the novel I wanted to write at that time was drawing on the many years I spent studying and living in Russia and working as a journalist in Russia. I was in Russia in the 90's, and I wrote a novel that was about an American woman's journey in Russia and some American journalists in Russia. But it was set in Russia in 2017 and with flashbacks to the 90's, and it was hard to write. It was not fun. I think I had, like, sitting on my shoulder this sort of like, oh, can she do it again? You know that kind of thing. And I knew that the luck I had the first one, like, you know, I knew it was unlike, unluck, unlikely to be like that again. Plus, I had this sense of like, this is my Russia novel. And even though it wasn't a novel like, directly about Russia, it still was my chance to sort of give my take on things there. So, I think I also had sitting on my shoulder, like all the journalists I know knew in Russia, and people that studied Russia and the real Russia experts, and what were they going to think of my take?KJ Dell'AntoniaOh, yeah.Karen DukessSo it was, it was not writing, sort of like joyfully, it was a tough novel to write. And then it was also, it was fiction, but it was sort of personal, midlife kind of novel. So, there was just a lot of baggage with that novel. And the writing of it was tough, you know, it was just, it took longer than I thought it it just, I just remember a lot of sort of hair pulling, kind of, you know, those writing days. I had a lot of them. I finished it. My agent said he loved it. I don't think he loved it as much as the other two novels I've written, but, you know, he was ready to send it out on submission. But as I was finishing it, I was getting more and more concerned, because I finished it right around when Russia invaded Ukraine. And my novel, which was set in 2017 Russia, now things were so different, and they had been increasingly becoming different. Suddenly it felt very anachronistic, because I wasn't writing with these big current events in mind. Plus, there was this whole kind of like, oh, Russia, yuck, nobody, you know. And I felt that too. So, I was nervous about it, and my agent was like, just finish it. You've spent this much time on it. Let's finish it and see what happens. And so, we sent it out, and the response I got was kind of... Uh not great, you know, it went to my publisher first. They'd write a first refusal, and we're like, this novel. It about American woman in Russia right now, it's just not the right time. And, you know, there may have been other things about the novel as well, but it was kind of a, like, not a good sell. So, we sent it out to maybe five or six more editors, you know, I got lovely rejection letters, you know. Well, I really enjoyed it. This part was so interesting. But, yeah, I don't know, I don't know how to market this novel right now. And it was, you know, it was crushing, of course, but it also kind of echoed my feelings about the novel. The whole thing gave me a knot in my stomach, yeah, so my agent said, well, we haven't really exhausted the possibilities yet. We can send it out another round, or you can revise it, or you can set it aside. And I felt really sure at that point that I just wanted to, I didn't want to keep submitting it. I just felt like not the right time. And it was disappointing, but it was also kind of a relief, because if someone had decided to publish that novel, I think I would have been really nervous for the whole time before it came out.KJ Dell'AntoniaI think the only thing worse than having your second novel not published is having it published to like, you know, universal hatred.Karen DukessYeah exactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaOr just, or just to your own disappointment, you know?Karen DukessYeah. And then there's a long lead time between the time and novel gets accepted and the time it gets published. And to just feel like, nervous that whole time, I just...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessSo, I was relieved and disappointed. And I remember very well thinking like, oh, well, this is what people talk about. When they talk about, you have to be able to deal with rejection as a writer, because I hadn't dealt with it yet. I had been so lucky, and I really had this sense of like, all right, well, now I get to find out if I'm really a writer, like, can I deal with this and or can I not? And so, I was like, I'm going to write something else. But I was determined to write something very, very different. Like, I needed the whole experience to be different, yeah, and it ended up being kind of liberating, because I went on a trip with my sister to England. We went to the Peak District in England for a week. We rented a little cottage, and this was right before the novel went on submission, I think, or maybe right after, maybe it was on submission, I don't know. So, it was around the time when I wasn't feeling good about the novel, but I wasn't sure it was like a dead deal yet. And we had this absolutely fantastic week in the Peak District, where I was my first time traveling in the English countryside. I'd been to London, but I'd never been in the English countryside, and I felt like I was just stepping into the pages of all my favorite English novels, like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. And also, like I was stepping into scenes of every BritBox masterpiece, mystery thing, I had written, you know, think, oh my god, there's a vicar. And just really, I was in a... my sister, we have similar reading tastes, and we were just both in this mood, like everything was just kind of entertaining us, and we were laughing at ourselves for seeing England through all these fictional characters. So, when I came back, I think I came back, and that's when I kind of realized this Russian novel was dead or shortly thereafter. And I thought, okay, I'm going to, I'm going to write something about Americans going to England. I want to continue that mood. And I really felt like, if I'm going to do now that I knew you could spend years writing a novel and have it not get published, which I knew intellectually before, but I didn't, hadn't experienced it. I I just felt like, if I'm going to spend another couple years writing a novel like fun has to be the number one thing. It just has to be fun. I'm like, not going to be miserable again. I can't do something like the Russian novel again. I have to just entertain myself and make myself happy, and hopefully it will entertain other people and make them happy too. And that's how I landed on the idea of sending these writing about Americans that go to England to solve a fake murder mystery, which is what Welcome to Murder Week is about. And I just had such a good time writing it. And I wrote it quicker than I've ever written. I wrote it in a little over a year, and it was honestly delightful. Like, I couldn't believe it. Like, writing could actually be really fun.KJ Dell'AntoniaWho knew? The result is also delightful. It just, it's, it's kind of like every warm and lovely book setting on to you you've ever read. It is it Is that I really enjoyed it, So...Karen DukessI'm so glad.KJ Dell'AntoniaI don't know what the Russian novel was like. That doesn't sound fun.Karen DukessI mean it wasn't really heavy, because I'm not like a heavy writer... like it still had...KJ Dell'AntoniaRight.Karen DukessIn it, and it had emotion, etc., but I'm not sad that it's not out.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessLet's put it that way, yeah. So, yeah, this one was just fun. And I, you know, my initial idea was to send a group of Americans to England. Initially it was going to be a writing group. I like the idea of putting characters together who would not ordinarily know each other, but to have them together in a space and then a friend of mine said, Okay, so that's an idea. You're going to send some writers on a writing retreat to England, and what are they going to do there? Like, write? Like, that's not very interesting. And that's how I, kind of, you know, ended up moving to this thing where I could have them participate in this weeklong, solve a fake English village murder mystery. And I could have, you know, the villagers, some of them participating in this, and some eagerly participating, some cynical and send a bunch of Americans, you know, Britbox crazed Americans, to compete in this thing. And, yeah, that's, that's how it ended up. And it was fun.KJ Dell'AntoniaI, yeah. I mean, it reads like you had fun. I, as someone who has... so Playing the Witch Card has like a big game sort of Halloween event at the center of it. That would be really hard to do in reality. This is kind of like that.Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaLike, this is like the dream murder week, both from some of the point of view of someone who might want to put one on and from someone the point of view of someone who might want to go and do one. It's not, it's um, you know, it's not. Sometimes you read these and they're like, they're like, silly and hokey. It's like, very sincere, super fun murder week that anyone would wish that they could do that likes that kind of thing. Anyway, I yeah, I totally enjoyed it. All the characters were really fun. I could see that you must have had fun writing it.Karen DukessI did. And I also, you know, people often say, like, write the novel you want to read. And I really did that with this because I wanted it to have so it has a fake mystery, but then it has a real mystery as well.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessLike the main character, thirty-four-year-old Cath, little do you know, she goes on this trip because her estranged mother, before she died, booked them on it, and she's sort of reluctant to go, but can't get a refund. And then I sort of developed this whole story about she teams up with her house, shares a cottage with people to solve the fake mystery, but that she also solves the real mystery of why her mother wanted her to go, her late mother, and that was sort of like the writing the story you want to read. Because I like light and funny, but I also like something that has, like, some emotional heart to it, like I wanted to try to story that was fun, but that has something going on. And the more I wrote, the more Cath's serious story became part of the story, I think, in the first deeply satisfying, yeah, and the first version, the first draft that my agent read, and I had never shared a draft before with him, and, you know, I think I was just hoping he would be like, it's almost perfect. And he was like, well, I think Cath is the hardest story. I think you need to develop that more. And then I went back and did and sort of... blended the two. So, the whole experience was just, yeah, of course. Now I'm like, can I have fun again?KJ Dell'AntoniaYes, yes, you can. Nobody ever tells me my first draft is perfect, and I really hate that.Karen DukessYeah, I know. I think it's, I don't even know if I should have shared it with him, like, I just wanted him to say, like, it's amazing. And he was like, yeah, it could be really good.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, but you just want them to know that you're doing, yeah, I'm a I'm going to share the first draft of the thing I'm doing with my agent, and it might be a terrible idea, but I'm going to do it anyway, because I want her to know I'm doing a thing. And yeah, I'm excited. And yeah um...Karen Dukess I also think that, like, you know, when I said that, it was liberating, in a way, to sort of have the experience that I had with the Russian novel. I think it was also maybe by the time, you know, getting to the third novel, or maybe it's getting to my age. I felt sort of like, I think I gave my permission, myself, permission to write a novel that, yeah, it has a serious story at the heart of it, but it's not like a deeply serious book, you know? And I think there's a tendency to think like, you know, I would look at the world around me sometimes, when I was drafting it, and feel like there's so many serious things to write about, and I'm writing this funny story, like, is that super fluffy? And, you know, it was like, this is what I wanted to write? That's okay, you know? I don't have to prove anything. Like, here is my serious tome. You know, I really just wanted to give people like, an emotional, amusing, heartwarming experience. And that is okay.KJ Dell'AntoniaIt is funny how locked we get into that, both as writers and as readers, this idea that if it's not serious or experimental or deep or dark, it's, I don't know, somehow not worthy. There was somebody was reading somebody's Substack the other day, and they were sort of deeply apologizing for the book they had recommended, which sounded really amazing. And I was like, why you, you know, you clearly enjoyed this, and it sounded great. And I don't. I mean, as a reader, I don't want to read things that are dark and deep and serious A. all the time...Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd B. sometimes not at all.Karen DukessYeah, I do like to read dark and serious, but I've learned that I don't like to write that like writing a novel is, it's always so much more time than you think. I mean, even this one was quicker than usual. It's a lot of time, like you're living it. And I was just like, I can't live in a dark place, like I can read a dark book in a couple days, you know? And...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessWipe my eyes and move on. But...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessYou know...KJ Dell'AntoniaA light one.Karen DukessYou could assume... but you know. When I'm writing a novel, I'm going to bed thinking about their the characters, and I'm thinking about it when I'm exercising, and it's just like churning in there, and I just don't want to be in a dark place for two years.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, and most of the time people, I mean, I guess it just depends on, on who you are. But a heart, it's hardly ever dark all the time. I mean, even people that I have known that we're going through some really horrible things have found, you know, levity and joy and pleasure in in some parts of it. And I think we all hesitate to say, well, that's everyone. Or you got to, you know, we don't want to impose that on every, on anyone, because that's kind of also where we are is, is this delicate dance of not wanting to expect anybody else to be the way you think they're going to be. But I it just seems like people find levity, even in even the worst, even in the worst moments. And people want, um, solace, you know?Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'Antonia Something... something pleasant... something.Karen DukessYeah, I work with an editor, kind of a more like a writing coach, like she doesn't actually edit, but she sort of helps me figure out the story and stuff. And there was one point when she was reading a draft, and there's a scene in the book. I don't know if it's a minor thing, but when my main character Cath, who there's a little romance in it. And when she's first together with this guy, and they're sort of rolling around in bed, the first draft that, the first version of it, she accidentally hit her head on the headboard, and then she's like, “Oh my god, are you okay?” And she was like, “no”. My coach was like, no, no. I don't want to be anxious that maybe this guy is a little violent. Like, no, no, you've got to take that out. I don't want to be anxious in the reading of this book. And it was such a minor thing that I think she was like...KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd you had him hit his head instead, right? Yeah.Karen DukessBecause I don't think anyone was going to worry that she's violent. But it was funny. It was like, she was very much like this book is, there are books where you want the reader to feel anxious, but she's like, this book is not that I don't want anxiety in this book you know?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, yeah.Karen DukessLike she's still concerned about Cath and her story. You can feel sad about what she learns, but not anxiety.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou know I think you've really put your finger on something, because that is exactly right. This book is a page turner, like you want to find out what happens. You want to be with the characters you want to it's a hang and it's like, like, I read something recently where, um, in the middle, you, I found myself sort of, I was still reading it because it was a good hang, but in the middle I was just kind of, like, I forget why we're here. I forget what I'm wondering. You're not really wondering anything, but I like it, so I'll keep this. Your book was not like that at all. This is a fantastic hang but you're right. It never, it's not... that's exactly right. It's not, it's not anxiety producing. And I think that's its own vibe. Like you can have romances that are fun and they're good, but they actually, you do have anxiety around, you know, like, how the characters are going to pull themselves out of this, or how they're going to feel or, yeah, and you can have them or you don't. I like that as, like, a sort of a line in the sand.Karen DukessYeah, yeah. And then I kind of thought about it as I continued, like, yeah, okay, that's right. We're not going to go to like, the really unsettling places.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah. I mean, even if you really want to know what would what will happen, and you really want, like, the things that happen to turn out in satisfying ways, but it doesn't feel like, if they turn out in some like, there were a variety of available options, none of which felt horrible.Karen DukessYeah, exactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaThank you for that. Thank you for a lovely reading experience. So, what else did you take away? Like, what else did you change between the drafting of the book that does not end up being published, which you know, for all we know, is actually great, but the timing was really bad. What should you change?Karen DukessWhat changed for me... in writing?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, what are you changing? Did you change anything in your process?Karen DukessUm, I think I, I don't know if it was completely because of the experience with this book, but definitely it fed into it. Um, I worked with the same writing coach on the Russia book, and she keeps saying that book will be published someday. I'm like, yeah, maybe, maybe not. I don't really care, honestly at this point, but one thing that she really pushed on me, which I discovered in the writing of murder week, was really true, is that to be open and playful and just really to be creative, I needed that. I needed to be in the right mindset, like, I know your thing is always butt in chair, butt in chair. And it is true, you have to, you know, you have to push yourself to finish a novel. It's not easy. And there are times when you just have to push forward. But for me, in the drafting of it, like the butt in chair thing, for me, is more important in the revising and the final draft, when it's like, you've got to get through it, and you've just got to keep sitting there and doing it. But when I'm in this sort of creating stage, when I'm not sure what the story is, when I'm in those moods where I'm just like, sit down and work at this like, I don't write good stuff. I just don't. And she would sometimes say to me, like, if I would talk to her, and I was really angsty and I was really self-critical, or I don't like what I've written, or I don't know where I'm going with this, or whatever , she was really she would very much say, like, when you're in that kind of mood, just walk away. Don't sit at your computer. Like, that is not the time for butt in chair. That is the time for just go do something else and like, lighten up on yourself. And that was really true for this. And I'm trying to remind myself that as I work on the next novel that you know for me, being kind to myself and feeling playful and open is when I'm going to write the best stuff and surprise myself. And that applies whether I'm writing like a serious scene or a funny scene. And the tricky thing about it is, you know, it's always a little scary to write, so it's like, Am I walking away because I need to lighten up my mind, or am I just plain procrastinating?KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, or am I walking away because I just don't know how to...Karen DukessSo, I think that is something though, that I do feel like I write better from a free place than from a sort of, like, grim, determined place.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, that makes sense.Karen DukessI think I was learning that and trying to learn that when I was writing the Russia novel, but it really came true with this one, which is why I think I was able to write it quicker, because it's actually, you know, the weaving together of the fake murder mystery and the real mystery and the arcs of all the different characters. Like, it wasn't simple putting all together, but yet it was simpler for me to write, because I was just looser about it.KJ Dell'AntoniaRight. I think you learned to trust that you would finish this, even if you didn't finish it today.Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaDoes that make sense?Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaI, yeah.Karen DukessAnd I just think, like, trusting the process is so important, you know. And I talk about this with friends in my writing group, you know, sometimes when you're like, working so hard to figure it out, because it feels good to figure the novel out before you write it, because then you don't have the anxiety of, what if I don't figure it out? But it doesn't always work best that way. I don't think, like, I think there are times for that, and there are times to just, like, just keep going and like, let it go a little and let some interesting things happen, and then you'll figure out how to put it all together for me anyway. But obviously I'm not a plotter kind of person, so...KJ Dell'AntoniaI think, yeah, I think that varies. But what's what I'm really hearing here is that, like, even you knew, okay, if I don't, maybe I don't sit down today. That doesn't mean I'm never sitting again, down again. And I think that is, that's part of what I struggle with in my like 1000 words a day. Just, just keep doing it time. And I, and I think I, too, have come around to the idea that I'm going to finish it like...Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaI'm not. I'm not suddenly, you know, just because I only got to 700 words today, that doesn't mean tomorrow I'm going to be like, yeah, I'm not a writer anymore. Oops!Karen Dukess Yeah, exactly. Well, I think, and I think I've learned that, like, I can't tell you how many times, I mean, I've listened to your podcast forever, and, like, years ago, I would listen to it, and I would be like, Yes, I'm going to do the stickers, or, Yes, I'm going to do 500 words a day, or, Yes, I'm going to text a friend or you know, none of that stuff. I could never sustain it.KJ Dell'AntoniaIt doesn't work for you.Karen DukessI have no routine; I have no methods. But what I've learned now is like, but I get books done, so it's okay, like, yeah, I will sometimes go a couple days where I don't write, or I will, you know, think I'm on a routine of 500 or 1000 words a day for a while, and then I'm not, and that's okay, because it's just like, I know that I can still get them done in my crazy way.KJ Dell'AntoniaThat is what we have tried to start saying more often, is, listen, this doesn't work for everybody. If you're doing something different and you're getting the work done, then you're great, yeah, if you're doing something different and you're not finishing things, then maybe try this.Karen DukessYeah, well I remember, like, when I was working on The Last Book Party, right before I got kind of serious on it, I was in a writing group, and I was starting, then I was like, I was learning in the writing group through, finally being in a community with other writers. So, like everybody struggles. Published writers struggle. Really great writers struggle like and that, and I loved reading interviews with writers like I couldn't get enough of interviews and essays about writer's struggles, because I had to, like, keep convincing myself that like, my struggles didn't mean I wasn't a writer. But then there was one point where I remember making a rule for myself. And I was like; I am not allowed to read about writing if I haven't written that day. You know, spend a lot of time...KJ Dell'AntoniaYes.Karen DukessWorking on your novel, but what you're actually doing is like, reading about writing and reading interviews and listening to podcasts. So, it's like, I cannot listen to KJ's podcast until I've done some writing. So, I've had to, I have had to make some rules.KJ Dell'Antonia Yeah, well, that's, I mean, that's how you turned yourself into somebody who gets the work done, and now into somebody who has her own like now you have a way people ask you, so what's your process? How did you get this done?Karen DukessI don't think anyone has tried my process, but yeah. And it can be different for every book, I guess, you know?KJ Dell'AntoniaHorrifyingly, I think that it can when you see pointed out, yeah, you that you knew how to write that book, that is so true, and that has been a huge thing for me, is to realize that even after writing a bunch of books, people still struggle, it's still hard, every book is hard. Every book has, I mean, we have a joke among the podcasts, you know, because you get to a point where you're like, okay, I hate this now, and we'll all be right, right-on target,Karen DukessExactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaBaby's developing nicely. Here's our 18-month checklist. Aww and you're crawling, and you hate your book. Yay!Karen DukessYeah, yeah. I don't think the process gets easier, but I think knowing that you can get through it makes it a little easier. Maybe it diminishes the panic a little bit like, you know, you'll figure it out. You'll figure it out.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, this, I mean, this has been great. I'm sure it's going to be inspirational for everyone. It is inspirational for me, because I also... so I have a book that I worked on for the last year and a half, and I, we didn't, we didn't try to sell it because, because it's not very good.Karen DukessAre you still working on it? Or...KJ Dell'AntoniaIt's leaving, it's living. I make these gestures as though, like, there's like, a blobby object over here that is my, but is my finished, but also not revised and not good uh...Karen DukessI had this theory about books, like, it's the same theory I had with au pairs.KJ Dell'AntoniaOkay.Karen DukessWe had a lot of au pairs when my kids were growing up and I was working out of the home, you know, not writing. And I felt like every time I selected, you know, they would come for a year. One or two of them stayed for two years. But every time I selected a new au pair, it was in reaction to the problems of the other... the previous au pair. So, like, when I had an au pair that was like a horrible driver, so much so that we had to, like, get rid of her. Then I was like, okay, where is it hardest to get a driver's license? Germany. Okay, I'm having a German au pair, you know. Then I had, like, a German au pair who was great, but it was like, she was too, I don't know, whatever if I had an au pair, that was like, two lax, then the next one was like, oh, this person has, like, you know, worked in a boys school. I want that.KJ Dell'AntoniaRight? yeah.Karen DukessAnd I feel like, you know, I wrote Welcome to Murder Week because I had had this tough experience with this Russia novel. Then it was like, I'm going to do something really fun. So, and I don't know that I would have written that if I hadn't needed so badly to have fun. I don't know that I would have said, no, yeah, forget doing something, you know, serious or with some geopolitical things in it. I'm going to write a, you know, a murder week story. I don't know that I would have written it if I could have gone on that vacation and just had a great time and come back and not felt the need.KJ Dell'AntoniaWritten something else.Karen DukessSo, you know, maybe the one that's not working is going to lead you to write the next fabulous thing.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, I hope I'm already well into... I'm well into something else, but, yeah, it's, you know, you spend a lot of time on something, not everything works. It's one of the reasons this is a terrible job, and you absolutely shouldn't do it unless you know, you can't do anything else,Karen DukessExactly.KJ Dell'AntoniaOr unless you really want to.Karen DukessYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaThere. That's that. That's really good advice. That's going to make a great bumper sticker. All right. So have you read anything good lately besides Welcome to Murder Week, which, in fact, is what I will be raving about in just a second.Karen DukessUm, yes, I read a book called The Original by Nell Stevens. It out in June. She's a British writer, and it's really good. It's sort of an also kind of genre, blending the way my book is, but it's very different. It's like a gothic novel. It's set in an old house in England in the 1800's and it involves an orphan who's being raised by relatives, and she has an incredible talent for painting forgeries, and she sort of has this secret business in selling forgeries, but it also involves an imposter who returns from abroad in the family, and there's a queer romance in it, and it's totally unlike anything I've read, and very compelling.KJ Dell'AntoniaOof, I love that.Karen DukessIn a really compelling way.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd by the time people hear that, that this, this will either be out, or like, buy your next week self a present. That sounds great.Karen DukessYeah, it was very... it's very good. It's kind of like a rainy day book. You know?KJ Dell'AntoniaI love that. Well, I already raved about Welcome to Murder Week, but I'm telling you all, it's a real it's a real joy. I want to compare it to things. But there's almost like it's, I'll think of things that I that I want to...Karen DukessIt's hard to compare because it's not a traditional mystery,KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, no, um, I feel like Clare Pooley's books are, and I can't even think of the titles of them, but that, yeah, that is kind of ringing the right bell for me. I don't know who else a little bit of the like the murder, like, if you really thought The Murder of Mr. Wickham was super fun, which I absolutely adored, that is completely different, and yet also it's the same, like, it's the same... I think the vibe we're looking for here is page turner, no anxiety. And I love that. I love that for all of us...in England.Karen Dukess Yes, yeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaSo go grab this one. You're going to enjoy it, all right. Well, thanks so much. This was really fun. Thank you for being so open, and not just, you know, wandering around saying, well, I just it took me six years to write this because it's very good.Karen DukessYeah, I have to say, you know, I think that writers should talk more often about their failures. And by that...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah.Karen DukessI mean, like novels that they wrote and abandoned, or novels that they wrote and tried to get published and couldn't, because it was only until I wrote this Russian novel and didn't sell it, and I would mention it to people. Then all these writers I knew, and people I knew, you know, would suddenly tell me about their own published novels. And I was like, why did I know about this beforehand? There's no shame in it... you know? It's a tough business. It's a tough business. The writing is tough; the publishing is tough. And now I'm like, oh my god, like so many writers I know have novels that did not get published, and for whatever reason. And I'm sure many of those novels are great novels, and but knowing that you know the journey of being a writer, just like I don't know a single author who hasn't like lost their editor at some point, you know, their editor leaves. Then they find a new, you know, be assigned to a new editor. That happens everybody, and I realize how many people have novels that did not see the light of day, and it was comforting to know it. So, I think people should be more open about it.KJ Dell'AntoniaI think we just are afraid that, you know, a reader will hear, well, I don't know if she's capable of writing something... that doesn't work, maybe it's not very good, which readers aren't listening to anything. They can barely remember our names. They just know if the book sounded good and someone pressed it into their hands.Karen DukessYeah, had a great cover.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, had a great cover. Yeah, all, all of the things, and it's just, it's, it's just a little scary to admit, because I guess one of the scary things about it, of course, admitting that that has happened means it could happen again. And hey It could! Oh well.Karen DukessYeah, but I've survived it. So...KJ Dell'AntoniaYou've survived it, you would survive it again. And also, it didn't happen this time. Welcome to Murder Week is great, and everyone is going to be sitting with it by the pool looking very happy. This is my wish for you. All right?Karen DukessThank you. Thanks so much KJ.KJ Dell'AntoniaOh, thank you. Hey, anywhere people should follow you? Oh, you have a Substack. What is it? I love it!Karen DukessI have a Substack. I mean, I think on Substack you can find it by my name Karen Dukess, it's, I don't know... it's called, “Keep Calm and Carry On”, but I think you can just look me up by name on Substack, and I am on Instagram more often at Karen Dukess, as I post about books that I'm reading all the time. Obviously, there'll be a lot of quarter week stuff, but I try to, you know, I'm reading eclectically and all the time. So, I'm always posting about books. Those are probably the best places to find me. And I have my website with all my events on it.KJ Dell'AntoniaIt'll be linked. It'll be linked.Karen DukessGreat.KJ Dell'AntoniaHopefully I can get to something... all right. Well, thank you so much. And all you listeners out there, I mean, you know you do you, but in some way, keep your butt in the chair, hey and or your head in the game.Jess LaheyThe Hashtag AmWriting podcast is produced by Andrew perilla. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Hello friends, and a huge thankyou for joining us for an unprecedented two-episodes-in-a-week of the Radio Reversal Podcast. In this first episode, we're amplifying a couple of important expressions of autonomous political resistance and solidarity that we've seen here in Magan-djin this week. In particular, we're looking at how diverse communities are working to challenge the forces that work to normalise colonial and racial violence in all its forms - from here in so-called australia, to Gaza, and beyond.As evidence of the ongoing genocide in Gaza continues to mount, communities around the world are gathering together, refusing to stay silent, and refusing to allow this violence to be normalised or legitimised by the state. People are finding ways to escalate their organising; to disrupt and cause a ruckus; to get in the way of the gears of the colonial capitalist state. All of this work is experimental. It's an ongoing project that relies on us sustaining each other to keep trying out different tactics, to keep learning from our experiences, and to keep working to embody our commitments to justice and liberation in all of the work we do. And like all political work that aims to interrupt entrenched regimes of violence, these experiments are often messy and challenging. We face up against the limits of our power; we find the points at which we are compromised and limited by our own investment in existing systems. We experience points of friction and fear; we face criticism and contempt. It is humbling - and powerful - to be part of communities that strive on regardless.So this week, I wanted to share some conversations about some ongoing and important struggles against intersecting sites of colonial and racial violence, and the work that people are doing to challenge the normalisation of this violence in the here and now. I kick off this episode by reflecting on a really interesting autonomous action organised over the weekend by workers, patrons and performers at the Wickham Hotel. In case you missed it, over the weekend, a loose collective of performers, workers and patrons of the Wickham Hotel downed tools and refused to take shifts or perform their sets to protest a decision by Aus Venue Co, the parent company who owns the Wickham Hotel, to book an event hosted by the State Zionist Council of Queensland. 'For some context: the State Zionist Council of Queensland is a political lobby group set up as an umbrella organisation for other Zionist groups in Queensland with the express purpose “to promote and communicate Israel's interests within the broader Queensland community and to promote Queensland's relationship with Israel” as well as “to create an atmosphere within the community that values Zionist thought and expression…and pride in Israel and her achievements.”Now, there's been a lot of pretty ridiculous and hateful media coverage of these protest actions by the mainstream media and conservative politicians, who have worked hard to position this as a hateful or anti-semitic protest rather than a principled refusal to support an event hosted by a Zionist political lobby group. Much has been made of the fact that the social event coincided with the Jewish celebration of the Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Ten Commandments to Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Despite not being there in person, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner felt confident to circulate a front page story from The Courier Mail article with the headline “Backed by Green Hate,” a story which focused a truly unhinged amount of attention on the fact that Jonathan Sriranganathan had attended and supported the protest. Indeed, much of the mainstream media coverage completely fails to mention that this action was organised by workers, performers and patrons of the Wickham Hotel, and that they had tried a number of other measures to ask their parent company, Aus Venue Co, to cancel the booking. It also conveniently erases the context of this protest being organised and formulated by queer and trans members of the Wickham community who were deeply uncomfortable about the venue being used by a political lobby group that actively supports Israel's occupation of Palestinian land, and at least tacitly supports the current atrocities in Gaza. Certainly, the State Zionist Council of Queensland has done nothing over the past 608 days to raise concerns about Israel's current actions in Gaza, or made any attempt to censure the Israeli government or the Israeli Occupation Forces. Considering that their stated goal is to foster “pride in Israel and her achievements,” and to encourage closer connections between Jewish Zionists in Queensland and the state of Israel, I don't think it's a stretch to say that this suggests that the organisation actively supports the ongoing Israeli invasion of Gaza, and the now well-established war crimes being conducted. In this context, it is not hard to see how disingenuous the arguments being made across conservative media and by politicians (including both the Lord Mayor of Brisbane and the state Premier) really are. To claim that these actions were “spreading hate” by making Jewish people feel unsafe at a religious event is to wildly misconstrue both the nature of the protest and the political function of the State Zionist Council of Queensland. Organisers involved in this action were predominantly targeting the decision of Aus Venue Co to host an event by a political lobby group who are supportive of the actions of the Israeli government. The fact that the event in question is a social event is irrelevant. To accept the idea that protesting an event like this is inherently anti-semitic would be, as Jonathan Sriranganathan put it - like suggesting that it constitutes religious discrimination if protesters interrupt a Christmas party hosted by Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (or indeed, by Labor MP Jim Chalmers, which Justice for Palestine Magan-djin planned to do in 2023). And yet, these are the lines that the mainstream media has consistently been running, along with attempting to use the presence of people like Jonathan Sriranganathan and Remah Naji as evidence that this autonomous action was a Greens event. Leaving aside how frustrating and disrespectful this is to all of the people who were actually involved in organising the action, it's also emblematic of the continuing pressure to censure higher-profile figures including people like Jonno and Remah, as well as academics like Mununjahli and South Sea Islander Professor Chelsea Watego, writer Ren Wyld, and academic Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah. So we figured that it was worth spending some time this week getting to the bottom of what this action was really about, and how it came about. I start this episode with a chat to drag performer and artist Lulu LeMan, who stopped her performance on Friday evening at the Wickham in order to join talks with workers and management about the planned picket for Saturday night. I then share a live radio interview with two of the organisers who helped workers hold a picket on Saturday evening: Oriela, who is a non-binary Lebanese person and a proud disabled dyke, an advocate, and a long-time patron of the Wickham; and Bizzi, who is a Wakka Wakka and Arrendte Burlesque performer and writer with deep ties to the Wickham performance community. We talk about the work that went on behind the scenes to build some momentum for a protest against this booking, and in opposition to this exploitative use of a beloved queer venue to pinkwash an event hosted by a Zionist political lobby group. If you're not familiar with the term, Dean Spade explains that pinkwashing is: “a term activists have coined for when countries engaged in terrible human rights violations promote themselves as “gay friendly” to divert attention from terrible human rights violations, in this case diverting attention from the brutal colonization of Palestine. Israel is the country most famous for pinkwashing, engaging it as a strategy in their rebranding campaign for the last decade.”This particular angle has been largely erased in media commentary about the picket, which, as Oriela and Bizzy explain, was largely focused on challenging the use of an iconic queer venue for this particular State Zionist Council of Queensland event. Another key thread that has been largely ignored by mainstream commentary is the fact that this picket was organised by a collective of workers, patrons and performers and included the incredible decision of workers from the Wickham Hotel deciding to refuse to work if the booking went ahead. To talk about the importance of this action, I catch up with dear friend of Radio Reversal, Ari Russell from Unionists for Palestine, to put this action in the broader context of workers organising against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. We talk about how hard it has been for many of us to find ways to leverage our power as workers; and the ongoing struggle to build a sense of collective power in a time of record-low union membership and ineffective trade union bureaucracies. In this context, it is especially important to highlight the significance of autonomous worker-led action like this event. It might not be perfect, but it's worth emphasising how powerful it can be for workers, performers and broader community to flex their muscles together in ways like this; standing, as Lulu LeMan put it, against pinkwashing, against the exploitation of workers, and in solidarity with queer Palestinians. We wrap up by talking a bit about an ongoing crowdfunding campaign to support workers and performers who lost wages as a result of refusing to work during this event, which you can find and support here. Another jam-packed episode full of revolutionary potential and tantalising threads. As usual - we'd love to hear your thoughts, concerns and questions. Get in touch with us here or via social media to let us know what you think!Yours in solidarity,Anna (for the Radio Reversal Collective) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit radioreversal.substack.com

Bridging gaps. Lumps in throats. It's Volunteers Week in the UK. parkrun hits 11-million registrations. A new participant makes parkrun a 'habit'. Nicola overcame FOMO by going to Riverside parkrun in County Durham and then Newark parkrun. Plus a big Thing for Danny as he went to Stockholm, visiting Judarskogen parkrun and then his 500th different event at Haga parkrun. (And a nice mention for Meon Valley Trail parkrun, Wickham just before that).

Thinking of bringing your car back to Ireland when you move? There's quite a few things you need to know before you start planning!In this episode, I'm joined by someone who knows the process inside-out: my husband, Bryan Wickham. As well as being a chartered accountant, Bryan's a long-time car enthusiast who's imported vehicles from overseas and handled all the twists and turns of VRT, customs, and navigating Revenue.We talk through the key tax and practical considerations for expats moving cars into Ireland. When exemptions apply, what paperwork is needed, the potential issues to watch out for, and the hidden costs people often miss. Planning to move a car from across the world can be a guessing game: securing insurance before registration, understanding CO2 bands for motor tax, the 12-month rule that could trigger a clawback… Bryan shares his experiences so you can better prepare to bring your car to Ireland.You should note that this isn't a service we offer at Expat Taxes, but it's a topic that comes up all the time with clients so we wanted to share what we've learned from making the move ourselves!Main Topics discussed in this Episode:Transfer of Residency Relief for Vehicles: Expats returning to Ireland may be eligible to import their personal vehicle tax-free under the Transfer of Residency relief.The VRT, VAT & Customs Cost Trap: Without relief, importing a car can trigger a hefty tax bill with customs duties, VAT, and Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).Documentation, Agents & Practical Logistics: Using a customs agent can significantly ease the paperwork burden.Road Tax, Insurance & NCT Challenges: Finding the right insurer willing to cover an unregistered or left-hand drive car, ensuring NCT compliance & Ireland's CO2 Road Tax bands.Risks, Grey Areas & When Things Go Wrong: If you fall short of the qualifying criteria or Revenue disagrees with your valuation, you could face costly appeals or clawbacks.*****If you loved this episode or have a similar story, we'd love to hear from you! You can get in touch with us directly at info@expattaxes.ie or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Taxbytes for Expats is brought to you by ExpatTaxes.ie. If you're considering moving to or from Ireland and would like support with your taxes, book a consultation today: https://expattaxes.ie/services-and-pricing/.Mentioned in this episode:Special Offer from our Trusted Partner, Currencies DirectThis episode is brought to you by Currencies Direct, our trusted currency exchange partner when transferring currency to or from Ireland. Use the link below and quote "Expat Taxes" when registering with Currencies Direct to receive a €50 One4All or Amazon voucher when you transfer €5000 or more in your first six months with Currencies Direct. Click here for Currencies Direct Special OfferCheck out ExpatTaxes.ie to get your Tax sorted!

A private Jewish event in Fortitude Valley was 'gatecrashed' over the weekend. Members of the Jewish community attended a private function at The Wickham to celebrate the Jewish holiday Shavuot while protestors chanted outside. Former Greens Councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, "I think it is perfectly legitimate and acceptable for people to peacefully protest on a street outside a venue that is holding a Zionist event."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The night that all of Hertfordshire has been waiting for is finally here: Mr. Bingley's ball at Netherfield. Elizabeth, looking lovelier than usual, is disappointed to find that Mr. Wickham isn't there, and even more disappointed at her choice of dance partners. After dancing the first two with Mr. Collins, she finds herself dancing with Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth's not one for negativity, so she tries to make the best of the night, but it seems like each member of her family is determined to make the evening as difficult, and humiliating, as possible. In this week's Friday Favorites, return to one of Austen's most beloved ball scenes, and let the evening at Netherfield be your companion into your own evening of soft and restorative sleep.-----Welcome to the Jane Austen Bedtime Stories podcast! Each episode is a section of a classic Jane Austen novel, read in soothing tones and set to calming music to help you fall asleep.With everything that is going on in the world, we find comfort in the familiar. For so many of us, Jane Austen's works are like a warm hug. So snuggle up under the covers and let the comforting words of Jane Austen lull you into sleep.-----Show your appreciation for the pod! Support the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bedtimestoriespodcast.net/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -----Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/janeaustenbedtimepod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-----Music ["Reverie"] by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. – www.scottbuckley.com.au

Steve Wickham has certainly made his presence felt throughout Irish rock and roll history. The Dublin fiddle player was a long-time member of the Waterboys, as well as playing on recordings by great names such as Sinead O'Connor, Elvis Costello and World Party. Indeed, it's Steve's violin playing that you can hear on the U2 classic “Sunday Bloody Sunday”...is it any wonder that leader of The Waterboys, Mike Scott Steve Wickham "the world's greatest rock fiddle player", while the NME described him as a "fiddling legend."? Steve will be playing a benefit show in Clare for Medicins Sans Frontieres – Doctors Without Borders, who at present have over 1,000 staff in Gaza to provide vital medical assistance for all civilians caught up in the conflict. The show at the Westbridge in Miltown Malbay is the brainchild of music promoter, John Roberts, who joined Alan on the show. Photo(C): Clare FM

There's a handsome new soldier in Meryton, and he's caught the eye of everyone from the Bennets to Mr. Darcy. That's right, it's none other than Mr. Wickham, and after seeing Mr. Darcy's reaction to him in Meryton, Elizabeth's curiosity is insatiable. Luckily, Mr. Wickham is more than willing to share the story of his many misfortunes. Elizabeth knew Mr. Darcy was proud, but this is another level of cruelty she wasn't expecting. Yet, with all these facts and dates, Elizabeth is sure there's no way it could be false. In this week's Friday Favorites, revisit Mr. Wickham and his definitely-true account of his past, and let the comforting familiarity of his tale help you forget your day and drift into a night of gentle sleep. -----Welcome to the Jane Austen Bedtime Stories podcast! Each episode is a section of a classic Jane Austen novel, read in soothing tones and set to calming music to help you fall asleep.With everything that is going on in the world, we find comfort in the familiar. For so many of us, Jane Austen's works are like a warm hug. So snuggle up under the covers and let the comforting words of Jane Austen lull you into sleep.-----Show your appreciation for the pod! Support the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bedtimestoriespodcast.net/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -----Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/janeaustenbedtimepod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-----Music ["Reverie"] by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. – www.scottbuckley.com.au

What is fan fiction and what is literature? Where does one end and the other begin? Claudia Gray's The Murder of Mr. Wickham blends the line between the two types. Join us as we wander through the lives of Jane Austen's characters in a new way!Thanks for tuning in to League of Lit. Make sure you follow us @leagueoflitpodcast on instagram and @leagueoflitpod on tiktok. If you have any suggestions for an episode, feel free to leave a comment on leagueoflit.tumblr.com

This week's talk is an exhortation given on at the San Diego Ecclesia by Brother Max Wickham on the topic of Distractions. We hope this strengthens your Faith and brightens your day!Thank you for listening, God bless, and talk to you next week.Send talk suggestions or comments to: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GoodChristadelphianTalks@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠For Show Notes, visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GoodChristadelphianTalks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Social Media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram

On this week's episode we are joined by the brilliant Steve Wickham. Steve Wickham's career has been defined by his unique fusion of traditional Irish music with rock and folk. He first made his mark as a founding member of the band In Tua Nua, before joining The Waterboys in 1985. His iconic violin sound became a signature part of the band's style, featuring on landmark albums like This Is the Sea and Fisherman's Blues. Beyond The Waterboys, Steve's reputation has seen him collaborate and perform with legends like U2, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan and the late beautiful Sinéad O'Connor. He's also carved out a successful solo career with albums like Geronimo and Beekeeper, and continues to perform with the acclaimed world music group NoCrowsLet Christy Take It are proud to bring you Steve Wickham If you enjoy our show please like and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcastsThanks to our sponsor Irish Woodcraft, please check them out at https://irishwoodcraft.ie

The year 2024 has been full of remarkable films, and one stands out as a tense, atmospheric thriller that offers a rare glimpse into the secretive processes of the Vatican. "Conclave" (dir. Edward Berger) is full of good performances, drama, and doubt. In this week's episode, Wickham is joined by Taylan and Ada to talk about one of the best films of last year.

Es war die erste Volkserhebung auf deutschem Boden. Die Bauern zogen zu Tausenden gegen die Grundherren 1525 in die Schlacht. Sie protestierten gegen Leibeigenschaft und Frondienste, gegen hohe Abgaben und die Willkür ihrer Grundherren. Geschätzt 100.000 Bauern und die mit ihnen verbündeten Städter starben in den Schlachten. Bauernaufstände hatte es auch zuvor immer wieder gegeben. Doch aus lokalen Erhebungen im Südwesten Deutschlands wurde im Frühsommer 1525 eine Massenbewegung, die sich nahezu über die gesamten deutschsprachigen Gebiete ausbreitete. Ohne die Reformation und die Thesen Martin Luthers, die er 1517 veröffentlichte, hätte es den Bauernkrieg aber vermutlich nicht gegeben. Luther predigte von der Freiheit des Christenmenschen. Und genau das forderten die Bauern in einem ihrer 12 Artikel, die sie in Memmingen niederschrieben: Ein Manifest für Freiheit und Rechte, was es bis dahin so noch nicht gegeben hatte. Ein Podcast über die Bedeutung von Schnecken für den Aufstand, vernichtende Niederlagen und die Frage: Stimmt es wirklich, dass in der letzten Predigt des Reformators Thomas Müntzers ein Regenbogen am Himmel erschien? Gesprächspartner*innen: Thomas Kaufmann Sheilagh Ogilvie Robert Rebitsch Lyndal Roper Annemarie Paulsen Hier gehts zum Terra X-Dreiteiler "Was die Welt besser macht": https://www.zdf.de/dokumentation/terra-x/was-die-welt-besser-macht-gerechtigkeit-mit-mirko-drotschmann-doku-100.html Literatur Cato; Schöneberger, Otto (2011): Vom Landbau. Fragmente: Lateinisch-Deutsch. Kaufmann, Thomas (2024): Der Bauernkrieg. Ein Medienereignis. Kaufmann, Thomas (2022): Die Druckmacher. Wie die Generation Luther die erste Medienrevolution entfesselte. Kobelt-Groch, Marion (1993): Aufsässige Töchter Gottes. Frauen im Bauernkrieg und in den Täuferbewegungen. Paulsen, Annemarie (2024): Alles büddn wild. Eine echte Bäuerin über Landwirtschaft, Tradition und Tüddelband. Rebitsch, Robert (2024): Rebellion 1525: Michael Gaismair und der Aufstand der Tiroler Bauern. Roper, Lyndal (2024): Für die Freiheit. Der Bauernkrieg 1525. Schwerhoff, Gerd (2024): Der Bauernkrieg. Eine wilde Handlung. Oehme, Marlis: Untersuchungen zu den Agrarschriften Catos und Columellas und ihre Darstellung bei Niebuhr und Mommsen. Wickham, Chris (2007): Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean, 400-800. Internetquellen http://www.bauernkriege.de/predigt.html https://stadtarchiv.memmingen.de/quellen/vor-1552/zwoelf-artikel-und-bundesordnung-1525.html https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb00027045?page=,1 https://www.bauernkrieg2025.de/de/das-bauernkrieg-wiki/regenbogenfahne https://www.schule-bw.de/faecher-und-schularten/gesellschaftswissenschaftliche-und-philosophische-faecher/landeskunde-landesgeschichte/module/bp_2016/europa_im_mittelalter/grundherrschaft-dorf-bauern/die-12-artikel-der-bauernschaft/D6%20-%2012%20Artikel%20-%20leichte%20Sprache.pdf https://www.oeaw.ac.at/news/auf-den-spuren-der-sesshaftwerdung-des-menschen#:~:text=12.000%20Jahre%20vor%20unserer%20Zeit,Zum%20Weltfrauentag%20am%208. https://www.regionalgeschichte.net/bibliothek/glossar/begriffe/eintrag/zehnt.html https://www.mgh-bibliothek.de/dokumente/z/zsn2a040105.pdf https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110847246-002/html?lang=de&srsltid=AfmBOoqlj1tsNyBs8E7I2tI21UbDCE7-9ZYFS7BLjU-Ue2Aeuo-d99m1 https://www.zeit.de/2011/13/Michael-Gaismair/seite-2 https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Branchen-Unternehmen/Landwirtschaft-Forstwirtschaft-Fischerei/Flaechennutzung/siedlungs-verkehrsflaeche_aktuell.html#:~:text=Insgesamt%20umfasst%20die%20Gesamtfl%C3%A4che%20Deutschlands,10%2C7%20Millionen%20Hektar Mehr zum Thema in der ZDF-Mediathek https://www.zdf.de/dokumentation/terra-x/was-die-welt-besser-macht-gerechtigkeit-mit-mirko-drotschmann-doku-100.html https://www.zdf.de/video/dokus/collection-index-page-ard-collection-ard-dxjuomfyzdpzag93ojjhmgy4nzrkotq2nznhyti-204/page-video-ard-der-bauernkrieg--das-renaissance-experiment-100

Women of Eureka - Dr Dorothy Wickham discusses how these women are important because there is the emergence of a strand of feminist conciousness at this point in Australia long before elsewhere.

Gotham villains seem to spend so much time fighting each other, it's a wonder they have any time to fight Batman. Friend of the show and Patreon backer John Wickham returns for three instances of villain on villain violence, with Blackgate Vs. Arkham during the Forever Evil crossover, Hush Vs. Talia in the run up to Infinite Crisis and The War of Jokes and Riddles, the Tom King story with the breakout star of Kite-Man. Arkham War (Batman V.2 # 23.4, Forever Evil: Arkham War # 1-6, Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman Vs. Bane) Job Termination (Batman: Gotham Knights # 66) The War of Jokes and Riddles/ The Ballad of Kite-Man (Batman V.3 # 25-32) Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/ Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo Follow the show on Twitter @BatChatComics and support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.insurgentspod.comA few weeks ago it was easy to dismiss Trump's talk of Canada being “The 51st State” as bluster or jokes, but three months into this thing, as the trade war between the two countries has started to really heat up, it's become abundantly clear that he was not kidding. Meanwhile, Canada has a new incoming Prime Minister and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a bu…

Quién Decís Que Soy Yo | Andy Wickham by ICONO

If you've ever been curious about how agritourism and you-pick farms operate, including how to keep customers happy, stats to keep tabs on, or systems involved, this episode is for you. In this episode, host Jenny Marks interviews Dale Wickham of Wickham farms as they dive into creating customer experience, systems, and mindset in order to grow a profitable and successful agritourism operation. Check out Wickham Farms: https://wickhamfarms.com Did you enjoy this podcast? Please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify! Follow Jenny on instagram: @trademarkfarmer Find free flower business resources: www.trademarkfarmer.com

Susanna Wickham, CEO of PAWS Chicago, joins Lisa Dent to discuss a pet microchip company that went out of business. Wickham describes the procedure to check which company their pet’s chip belongs to and the chipping service offered by PAWS Chicago if owners need to re-chip their pets.

Paul Rezuke of Wickham Hardwood Flooring joins the conversation to discuss automation technology, his insights on the current state of the hardwood flooring industry, and key sales and market trends shaping the future. He also shares how Wickham Hardwood Flooring is participating in the NWFA Engineered Refinishable Program and what that means for the industry. 

The Aardman's duo is back! It's refreshing, delightful, lighthearted, and full of nostalgia. In this week's episode, Wickham and Colleen are joined by Alev Flannagan, and Ada Özduran to discuss "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" (2024, dir. Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham).

Shiann Wickam currently serves patients as an RN in Oklahoma. Her very first assignment out of nursing school, to her surprise, was at a Covid-19 hospital. Though her experience eventually led to travel nursing, this initial assignment allowed her to see God placed her there to care and pray for these patients who were very sick and extremely isolated. Today, we're talking about: The necessity of hope, how spiritual health is connected to our physical health Disciplines to implement for spiritual growth Discussing Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer C A N D A C E  C O F E R author + speaker ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠facebook⁠

Patrice the movie w/ director Ted Passon and producer Kyla HarrisToday we have Ted Passion and Kyla Harris. , the director and producer, respectively of Patrice the movie. Patrice the movie is about a woman named Patrice, hence the name and her partner. Gary. Wickham who both have disabilities. And they want to get married, but they cannot because of the way the social security/ Medicaid benefits are set up. And it's about their fight in what they call the social security marriage penalty and to be able to get married and keep their social security and Medicaid because security and Medicaid go by the same limits ,in most cases. I am personally effected by this topic. Connect with Ted:https://www.tedpasson.com/https://www.instagram.com/tedpasson/?hl=enConnect with Kyla:https://linktr.ee/kylaharrishttps://www.instagram.com/bedroom_activist/https://www.kylaharris.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYsh6pgTO7sH-4R63k6g9rK61aTGBCd1gqeTJZgxVKYuq74kiImVtFmRT8_aem_o9Z-_aj7SfVtawrNdb88owConnect with Devon/ the show:https://linktr.ee/wheelwithitpodTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview00:21 Meet the Guests: Ted Passion and Kyla Harris00:53 The Social Security Marriage Penalty03:13 Legislation and Advocacy04:38 Interview with Ted and Kyla10:47 Making of Patrice the Movie19:01 Impact and Reception25:42 Call to Action and Conclusion

Happiest of New Years Friends! A tad later than usual but it is still January! Once again I am sharing my top five books of the year just passed and this is quite a mixed list, as my reading was a bit niche this year. Thank you so much for sticking with me for the last year, hopefully this next year will be ever so slightly more consistent on my part, but your support means the world. Embark on a literary voyage with the Books to Last Podcast, inspired by the BBC's beloved Desert Island Discs. Join us as we invite passionate book enthusiasts to reveal their top five must-have books for a mysterious remote adventure. Explore captivating tangents and heartwarming anecdotes along the way. Tune in for book recommendations and inspiring tales from avid readers!Podcast:W: https://anchor.fm/bookstolastpodTwitter: @BooksToLastPodInstagram: @BooksToLastPodMusic by DAYLILY@daylilyuk on Instagramhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/31logKBelcPBZMNhUmU3Q6Spoiler WarningBooks Discussed: The Murder of Mr Wickham by Claudia Gray Slow Productivity by Cal Newport Bride by Ali Hazelwood Something Fresh by P. G. Wodehouse 1066 and All That by W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman Dead Famous by Greg Jenner The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Begin Again Men's Conference in Rapid City, SD

HE. IS. COMING! Greetings y'all, welcome to a bloodbath of an episode where we have a full panel of four with Colleen, Wickham, Ada and Taylan to discuss Robert Eggers' highly anticipated gothic-horror adaptation of "Nosferatu" (2024), and Werner Herzog's 1979 adaptation "Nosferatu the Vampyre" (1979).

Happy holidays, BatChat listeners. It's the week of Christmas and Chanukah this year, so we're celebrating the holiday in the BatChat style. Patreon backer and friend of the show John Wickham is joining us to discuss three of Dc's modern holiday anthologies. Have yourself a merry everyone! DC Infinite Holiday Special # 1 DC Rebirth Holiday Special # 1 New Year's Evil Vol.2 # 1 Check out our current ranking list at www.comicsxf.com/batchat-rankings/ Thanks to Geri Nonnewitz for our podcast logo Follow the show on Twitter @BatChatComics and support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/batchatwithmattandwill

Merry Christmas, everybody! We're back with a Christmas special that has nothing to do with the holiday spirit! In this week's glorious episode, Wickham and Taylan are joined by Alev Flannagan to talk about the second season of Amazon's "The Rings of Power".

Paris Marx is joined by Molly White, Brian Merchant, and Eric Wickham to discuss the highs and lows (mostly lows) of this year in tech news.Molly White is the creator of Web3 is Going Just Great and Follow the Crypto. Brian Merchant is my co-host on System Crash, a new podcast we're hosting. He's also a longtime tech journalist and author of Blood in the Machine. Eric Wickham is the producer for Tech Won't Save Us, along with a bunch of other podcast, and an independent journalist.Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.Also mentioned in this episode:Molly joined Brian and Paris on System Crash.Peter Thiel made some dumb remarks about Luigi Mangione on the Piers Morgan show while looking very shiny.Apple sold fewer than half a million Vision Pro headsets this year.Support the show

Boys and girls, meet Steven Wickham, the UK's one-and-only Real Santa. With a beard so authentic, it's earned its own fan club—led by Jay as the president. Steven doesn't just play Santa—he is Santa (minus the reindeer—those insurance premiums are sky-high).   When he's not donning the red suit, cap, and handing out presents, Steven is a versatile actor whose career has taken him across stage and screen. He's got the stories to prove it!   So, join Jay Reum and Todd Kramer as they take a deep dive into Steven's workshop to uncover the magic, the mischief, and the joy he brings to children around the world—and find out how one man makes a living playing Father Christmas when all he ever gets paid in is milk and cookies.

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week.Catherine's library find is a trio of cozy mysteries by Claudia Gray, all starring Jane Austen characters: The Murder of Mr. Wickham (2022), The Late Mrs. Willoughby (2023), and The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bough (2024). These are an absolutely delightful (and non-stressful) way to revisit these characters, and there's even a little helping of romance. Mentioned: Death Comes to Pemberley, another contemporary author's take on an Austen-themed mystery.​Terri's random recommendation is Artful Plus, the premium version of Artful Agenda, a digital planner we both use. With Artful Plus, you get a habit tracker and the ability to make and use your own stickers, among other perks. Mentioned: The Artful Agenda Facebook group, Artfully Obsessed.​​In the archives, we discussed an episode from 2020 on how parents can pay it forward (which we think is more helpful than starting or participating in a drive-thru pay-it-forward chain). Mentioned: Books from our former co-hosts: Inclusion in Action by Nicole Eredics and Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools (January 2025) by Amanda Morin.Next week's lineup: Lost S1 E23, "Exodus: Part 2," on Tuesday, December 17Shrinking S2 E6, "Get in the Sea," on Wednesday, December 18Weekly roundup on Thursday, December 19Until then (and anytime you're in need), the archives are available.

Get ready for another DINO-RIFFIC episode with Actor/Co-Writer Mike Capes, Co-Writer Johnny Wickham and Director Mike Hermosa as we cover their new movie The Invisible Raptor! Here pre-order link for the film in the posting of your interview! https://tv.apple.com/ca/movie/the-inv... After a top-secret experiment goes wrong, a hyper-intelligent invisible raptor escapes the lab and begins wreaking havoc in the surrounding neighborhood. When the creature's identity is uncovered, it soon becomes clear that a disgraced paleontologist—alongside his ex-girlfriend, an unhinged amusement park security guard, and a local celebrity chicken farmer—is the town's only hope for surviving the raptor's ravenous rampage. Katie Afraidy is a horror movie review podcast where host, horror fanatic, and comedian Katie Hettenbach talks with comedians, actors, and filmmakers about horror movies! Subscirbe on Patreon for EXTENDED UNCUT Episodes, Stickers, and SO MUCH MORE! https://www.patreon.com/KatieAfraidy Get ready for more chaos coming every TUESDAY! Old episodes of Horror at The Store will be reposted to YouTube every THURSDAY! Use code KATIEAFRAIDY25 to get 25% off of your Fangoria subscription ! Check out Filmcraft Studio Gear! https://www.instagram.com/filmcraftla/ Please don't forget to subscribe, share, and give us a review! Love my little spooky community! Follow us on Socials! https://www.instagram.com/katie.afraidy/ https://twitter.com/katieafraidy https://www.instagram.com/kthetty/ https://www.tiktok.com/@katie.afraidy https://www.tiktok.com/@kthetty Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... https://open.spotify.com/show/33nXkTF...

On an all-new dino-sized episode of your Boo Crew, two outstanding creators are about to claw their way into your horror-obsessed heart with their hilarious, warm, and blood-soaked frenetic romp...INVISIBLE RAPTOR, in theaters and VOD now! Writer Johnny Wickham and writer and star Mike Capes are here with you to talk about the horror films that made them - and their unbelievable adventure bringing to life a movie that has been KILLING it at the biggest festivals in the world, not to mention...their collaboration with special fx LEGEND, Steve Johnson (creator of Slimer, The Abyss, American Werewolf in London alongside Rick Baker and 200 others!)! You are gonna fall in love with these dudes and this movie. Boo Crew Episode 435 with Mike Capes, Johnny Wickham and INVISIBLE RAPTOR is now slaying! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we're chatting with Actor / Co-Writer Mike Capes, Co-Writer Johnny Wickham, and Director Mike Hermosa of The Invisible Raptor, which comes out In Theaters and On Digital December 6th. The film had its World Premiere at the Sitges Film Festival and currently sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.SYNOPSIS: After a top-secret experiment goes wrong, a hyper-intelligent invisible raptor escapes the lab and begins wreaking havoc in the surrounding neighborhood. When the creature's identity is uncovered, it soon becomes clear that a disgraced paleontologist—alongside his ex-girlfriend, an unhinged amusement park security guard, and a local celebrity chicken farmer—is the town's only hope for surviving the raptor's ravenous rampage.Order the film on AppleTV here: https://tv.apple.com/ca/movie/the-invisible-raptor/umc.cmc.4pcepzn000w3wiymxh14ohvfeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.

Hey there, welcome back to Amazon Made Simple!

In this episode of the podcast Ashley Scott Meyers talks with writers Johnny Wickham and Mike Capes. Our guests Johnny Wickham and Mike Capes talk about writing the Horror Comedy The Invisible Raptor. Mike Capes also stares in the movie as well. Topics include how they were inspired by cult classic movies like Sharknado and […]

In this week's episode, we wrap up the November Writing Challenge by taking a look back at the Five Iron Laws Of Storytelling, which have often been discussed on this show before. Be sure to get your free copy of STORYTELLING: HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL at my Payhip store. The book will remain free until December 9th: https://payhip.com/b/JPDoT TRANSCRIPT Note: Spoiler alert at 3:35. Please check this section of the podcast before proceeding if you are concerned about spoilers for several older television shows, movies, video games, and books.     00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 229 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is November 26th, 2024, and today we are wrapping up our November Writing Challenge with a look back at The Five Iron Laws of Storytelling. You may note that I am recording this a bit earlier than I usually do, but that is because I want to take a couple days off for Thanksgiving.   To celebrate the end of our November Writing Challenge and to congratulate you all for listening to these shows, I am giving away free copies of my nonfiction book, Storytelling: How to Write a Novel on my Payhip Store. The link will be in the show notes, and if you follow that link, you can get a free copy of Storytelling: How to Write a Novel from my Payhip Store until December 9th. So follow that link in the show notes to my Payhip store and you can get a free copy of Storytelling: How to Write a Novel until December 9th. Before we get to our main topic, let's have a look at my current writing projects. My main project right now is Orc Hoard, the fourth book in the Rivah Half-Elven series, and that puts me at 55,000 words into it and that puts me on chapter 11 of 18. So I think the final draft will be around 85,000 words or so, which will make it the longest book in the series to date. And if all goes well, I very, very, very much want to have that out before Christmas. I'm also about 4,000 words into Shield of Deception, which will be the fourth book in my Shield War series and if all goes well, I am hoping that will be the first book I publish in 2025.   In audiobook news, the audiobook of Cloak of Spears, as excellent narrated by Hollis McCarthy, is now available at all the usual ebook stores. I will include a short preview of the audiobook of Cloak of Spears at the end of this episode, so you can listen to that then. And that is where I'm at with my current writing projects as we wrap up November and head into December.   00:01:57 Main Topic: The Five Iron Laws of Storytelling   So now let's go right into our main topic, The Five Iron Laws of Storytelling. I figured this would be a good main topic to wrap up our November Writing Challenge with as it is a good reminder and a good summation of many of the things we talked about in the past month. The Five Iron Laws of Storytelling is a concept I first talked about on my website like 10 years ago now. The name Iron Law is sort of a tongue in cheek joke because I got the idea from a science fiction author Jerry Pournelle, who termed what he called Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy, where describing that after a certain amount of time, a bureaucracy will cease to attend to the function to which it was created and instead devote its attention to sustaining and perpetuating the bureaucracy. And I'm sure we can all think of examples of that, so that's where I took the name from, but it's not so much Iron Laws as these are useful principles to guide you while you are writing a fictional story, whether it's a short story, a screenplay, or a novel. I would say it's fair to argue that storytelling does have some laws you can follow (or at least if you don't like the term laws, best practices) and a writer will ignore those best practices to his peril. When people get ticked off about the ending of a story like the ending of The Sopranos or the ending to Stephen King's Dark Tower series, if they simply don't like a novel or a TV show, it's usually because the writer ignored one of more of these Iron Laws that we're going to talk about. These then are what I believe to be The Five Iron Laws of Storytelling.   When discussing them, I will cite five examples that I think to be excellent examples of the craft of storytelling: the movie the King's Speech, the movie Wreck-It Ralph, the movie Gravity, the novel Pride and Prejudice, and the TV series Breaking Bad. I should note that I did not personally care for Breaking Bad because it was too nihilistic for my taste, but nonetheless, it was an excellently crafted example of a well-written story. I'll also cite four things I believe to be examples of bad storytelling: the final two volumes of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, the Dragon Age 2 computer game, the original ending of the Mass Effect 3 computer game, and the ending of the Sopranos TV series. So note that there will be spoilers for all of these shows, films, books, and games. Now onto the five laws.   #1: The protagonist must have a problem that results in a conflict because if there is no problem, there is no story. Conflict and problems are engines that drive the story. A happy life with minimal conflicts and problems might be the ideal that we all want in real life, but it does make for an exceedingly dull story. The main character of his story needs to have a problem that results in some kind of conflict. Note that this conflict doesn't necessarily have to have an actual villain, it just needs a problem to solve. The movie The King's Speech doesn't have a villain (though the future and former King Edward VII is kind of a jerk) but instead revolves around George VI's efforts to deal with his speech impediment. Gravity likewise has no villain but centers around Dr. Stone's efforts to survive in the harsh environment of space. So the protagonist must have a problem. The story is about how he or she deals with said problem, which leads us on to number two. #2: The protagonist's problem and conflict must be consequential to the protagonist and have real stakes for the protagonist. The problem has to be serious because if it is not, there are no real stakes, the reader will get bored and cease to care about the character. The worst of all worlds is an unlikeable character with a trivial problem. Walter White in Breaking Bad is a thoroughly unlikable character, but he becomes sympathetic to the audience because of the nature of his problem. He's dying of cancer and so he turns to meth production to ensure his family's security after his death. Walter's problem, of course, has very real stakes, his own mortality and his family's future, but the stakes need not be life and death, but nonetheless, they need to be emotionally serious and significant to the protagonist.   In the King's Speech, at no point in the movie is George VI in any kind of physical danger. He is wealthy and respected, his wife and children love him, and he does not have the self-destructive impulses and nature of his brother. Nevertheless, his problem is real. It is emotionally painful and opposes a risk to both himself and his sense of duty to the monarchy and the country. Likewise, Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice is in no physical danger throughout the book. Nonetheless, the stakes of her problem and her feelings for Mr. Darcy are consequential. If she does not secure a good marriage when her father dies, there is a very real possibility she'll be impoverished. Or if she marries an unsuitable man like Mr. Wickham, her life will be miserable. So while a young woman dealing with her feelings seems like a trivial problem, it will nonetheless have potentially dire consequences for Elizabeth and her family if she chooses wrongly.   Physical danger is likewise an easy way to introduce high stakes to a story. In Gravity, Dr. Stone faces constant risk of death in a variety of agonizing ways due to the harsh nature of space. Wreck-It Ralph faces the prospect of non-existence if he dies outside his game. In Breaking Bad, other than the inevitable death from cancer, Walter White faces increasingly high odds of getting shot in the head by his business partners and customers, since crystal meth is clearly not a business for conservative-minded investors. Regardless of the nature of the problem and the conflict, it must be consequential and carry high risks and dangers for the protagonist. That said, the problem must be something the protagonist can conceivably deal with. Too vague of a problem or too powerful of a problem, and the story goes off the rails.   When I'm recording this in November of 2024, it's a few months since the fourth Dragon Age video game came out, and if you look at the internet at all, there are of course frequent debates about which Dragon Age game was the best and which one was the worst. But in my opinion, Dragon Age 2 is the weakest of them because it runs smack dab into the problem we've been talking about. The central conflict in the game was strife between the mages and the Templars who are supposed to police the mages. The Templars claim that the mages are demon worshiping abominations while the mages claim that Templars are arbitrary and brutal. As it turns out both sides are right, regardless of which faction the protagonist chooses to aid, making the conflict of Dragon Age 2 to be human nature/social injustice. Regardless, it's not a problem that can be resolved within the game and in the ending, the Templars and the mages go to war no matter what decisions the player actually makes, so I'm afraid that the story falls flat.   #3: The protagonist must take action and struggle to resolve his or her conflict and problem.  A common failure in storytelling is a protagonist who has a serious problem but does nothing about it. We've all read stories with a passive protagonist, or even worse, a protagonist who does nothing but whine about his difficulties or thinks that by feeling bad about his or her problems, they will somehow magically get better. Worst of all is when a protagonist does nothing but whine or complain for two hours or 300 pages and somehow does solve all of his or her problems. This is apparently a common problem in the genre of romance novels. The opposite of this problem is the boring invincible hero. This is common in science fiction or fantasy series where towards the end of the series, the hero is so powerful that he or she can defeat all his problems using magic or a blast from a particle cannon. Struggle is necessary for a story. If the protagonist does not struggle, the story will probably be boring. No, the protagonist has to take action, actual active action to resolve the problem, but he or she must struggle while doing so. In Breaking Bad, Walter White sets out to solve his family's impending financial ruin by brewing up some crystal meth for sale. In Wreck-it Ralph, Ralph wants respect from the other denizens of his game, so he jumps to another game to win a medal and therefore prestige. In Gravity, Dr. Stone struggles to stay alive the entire time in the face of the indifferent hostility of outer space to human life. If these characters did nothing to surmount their problems, we would have boring stories.   #4: The protagonist must face challenges and setbacks and his or her efforts to resolve the problem that may even backfire. This is a good antidote to the boring invincible hero problem we just mentioned. Think of this as the unexpected complications ensue rule. You see this all the time in real life, it matters both serious and trivial. Like say you need to mail your rent check but you're out of stamps, so you drive to the post office, but there's an accident in the intersection and you have to take a different route. As you take a different route, your car breaks down. All these new problems need to be dealt with and you still have to mail the check. We've all had days like that, and fictional protagonists should be no different in the pursuit of their goals.   Additionally, it's possible for a protagonist to inadvertently make things worse through his or her actions. Like in Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph sets off for his medal of heroism, but in doing so, accidentally puts his own game out of order and inadvertently unleashes the virus like cy-bugs in the Sugar Rush game. Walter White in Breaking Bad is a textbook example of this. In the course of attempting to solve his problems, he makes a number of extremely bad decisions that estrange him from his family and sent his business partners gunning for his head. In the King's Speech, George VI gives up in despair believing he'll never overcome his speech impediment. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth torpedoes her relationship with Mr. Darcy because of her misunderstanding of his motives. And if you've seen Gravity, you know that Dr. Stone's situation frequently goes from bad to worse.   #5:  The ending must provide satisfactory emotional resolution to the problems raised in the story. Of all the Five Iron Laws of Storytelling, this one is undeniably the most important. Screw this one up and readers will be ticked and talk about on the Internet for years. Whatever crisis comes up in the story, whatever conflict or difficulties, it must be resolved in an emotionally satisfying manner   by the end of the story. It can be a happy ending or a sad ending or a mixture of the two, but it must be emotionally satisfying.   Let's look at some bad examples first. Stephen King is an excellent writer. If you've read his book 11/22/63, you know that's a great book. But when he's written as much as he has, not everything is going to be good, of course. And Stephen King's The Dark Tower series is a good example of a weak ending. After 22 years and seven books, the protagonist Roland learns that he has repeated his quest to the Dark Tower over and over again for thousands of years, forgetting every time, which makes everything that happened in the previous seven books utterly meaningless since the events happened before and will happen again. Therefore, there is no emotional resolution to the story or Roland's quest for the Dark Tower. The computer game Mass Effect 3 is another example of how not to end a story. In the case of Mass Effect 3, the original ending is simply too abbreviated. Commander Shepherd sacrifices himself or herself. A weird light shoots out of the Citadel. The Normandy crash lands on an alien planet, and that's it. Considering the hundreds of hours of gameplay involved and the intricate network of emotional relationships between Shepherd's companion and the dozens of subplots over the three games, the ending was too short to provide adequate emotional resolution. It felt a bit like a cop out as if the writers had simply said, okay, we're done, stop here, and had given up before attempting the necessary ending. The ending of Dragon Age: Origins by contrast was an excellent example of a well done ending.   The ending of the Sopranos is an even more extreme version of this.  Infamously, the series simply ends with a cut to black in the middle of Tony Soprano and his family eating dinner. Many viewers thought their televisions had failed. This is the ultimate example of a story of failing to provide emotional resolution. The final episode does not even attempt to do so. I suspect these problems arise when a writer tries to be realistic, which is what happens when a writer mistakes verisimilitude (a story feeling realistic) for realism. A story requires suspension of disbelief and attempting phony realism can cause the story to break down.   But let's move from the negative to the positive and look at some good examples of endings. The ending of Breaking Bad was well executed, since it resolved the story's emotional conflicts. Walter White does not escape punishment for as many crimes since he's shot to death in the end. Additionally, he dies in the act of resolving some of the conflicts that he helped create. His meth empire has been taken over by his enemies and his former partner has been forced to prepare meth for them. Walter tries to provide for his family, free his partner, and defeat his rivals and dies at the end, killed not by his cancer, but by finally facing the consequences of his many bad decisions. Note that this is by no means a happy ending, but it is a satisfying ending, which is more important.   The King's Speech ends well, with George VI addressing the nation over the radio without melting down due to his speech impediment, simultaneously resolving the conflicts over his stammer and his fear of accepting his duties as king. This is an ambivalently happy ending. George VI has overcome his conflicts, but the viewers know that the United Kingdom is about to go through World War II and George himself will die prematurely of lung cancer and heart disease in 1952. Nevertheless, the conflicts within the story have been resolved.   Wreck-It Ralph has a more straightforwardly happy ending. Every single conflict raised within the story is resolved. Ralph accepts his role as villain in the game, realizing he is a vital part of the team. He gains the respect of his neighbors, and the villainous King Candy and the cy-bugs are defeated. Additionally, even when the side conflicts are resolved: Fix It Felix marries Sergeant Calhoun, King Candy's malevolent influence over the racing game has ended, and the homeless video game characters are able to set up inside Ralph's game.   To sum up, stories have a sort of irresistible logic to them. Much like a properly balanced equation. a writer should set out to create a story that follows this logic, which will result in a far more enjoyable experience for the reader.   So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.   Don't forget to get your free book copy of Storytelling, how to Write a Novel from my Payhip store.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 61, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: The final chapter closes all of the stories surrounding the Bennet household. Mrs Bennet is overjoyed at Darcy and Elizabeth's, and Jane and Bingley's marriages. Mr Bennet is happy too, even to the point of leaving home to regularly visit Elizabeth at Pemberly. Jane and Bingley stay in Netherfield house for only a year, they then move up north, within 30 miles of Pemberly. Kitty goes to stay with both sisters often too, and becomes a proper lady, losing most of the bad influences that Lydia taught her. Lydia and Wickham try to get closer to Darcy and Elizabeth, hoping that Darcy will be able to provide them with a fortune. Though Darcy can never have Wickham at Longborne, he does consent to allow Lydia to visit very seldom. Even Lady Catherine, after some time passes, comes back to Darcy's side, wanting to be part of his life again, and being able to put up with Elizabeth. With the Gardiners, Darcy and Elizabeth remain forever close; forever thankful to them for their part in joining the two of them. The End.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 60, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Mr Darcy and Elizabeth are out on another walk, and Elizabeth starts teasing him by asking questions about how he could ever had fallen in love with her. The two go back and forth jokingly on this topic for a while and soon decide that a letter must be written to Lady Catherine, who, after all, gave Darcy that final confirmation that Elizabeth must love him. Elizabeth also writes to Mrs Gardiner, properly responding to her letter about Darcy's influence in Lydia and Wickham's marriage. A little time passes and the Collins' come to town, taking a break from their home, and more importantly escaping the wrath of Lady Catherine from Darcy's letter. Elizabeth is very happy to see that her family and friends are making a good effort to get to know Darcy, and though she is concerned about their behaviour, she is glad to see that Darcy doesn't think any less of her for these important people.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 58, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Darcy has come back to town, and early one morning Mr Bingley and Darcy make their way to Longborne. Bingley, wanting to be alone, suggests that they go on a walk together, and he, Jane, Kitty, Elizabeth, and Darcy walk off together. Kitty wants to call upon Maria Lucas, and stays with her, and Jane and Bingley, walk slower than Darcy and Elizabeth. Once alone, Elizabeth immediately thanks Darcy for his kindness in the Lydia and Wickham affair. Though slightly upset that Elizabeth found out, he tells her that it was not for his feelings for his family, but for his feelings for her, which have not changed since his last proposal. When Elizabeth says in reply that her feelings have wholeheartedly changed, a smile and warmth that becomes him, unveils Darcy's face. The two then talk about Lady Catherine's visit to both Elizabeth and Darcy; Darcy mentions that this interaction caused him to hope more than ever that Elizabeth had changed her mind about his proposal. He then goes to say that everything Elizabeth said about his behaviour was true, and that it caused him to take a proper look at himself in the mirror and change who he was. He was selfish, and ungentlemanly, and he needed to change. Elizabeth claims that she never intended to cause such a huge change in him and tells Darcy to never mention it again when he brings up the words that she used in her refusal of him. They then discuss his letter and how it too had a starting effect on changing Elizabeth's opinion of Darcy. They talk and walk together many miles, and soon realise that they need to head back to Longborne. At the hall, they part, and try to hide their happiness from the rest of the family for the time being.

What does it take to transform a military upbringing into a thriving IT services business? Mike Wickham, a West Point graduate and the force behind the successful SD Tech, joins us to share his incredible journey. Through insightful anecdotes, Mike reveals how his curiosity, meticulous preparation, and unwavering integrity have been fundamental to his career. He also discusses the profound impact his international business experiences have had on his approach to sales and business development, emphasizing the joy he finds in meeting new people and understanding their motivations.  Leadership is not just about directing but also about enabling others to succeed. Mike delves into his leadership philosophy, underscoring the importance of collaboration and open communication within a team. He advocates for a culture where team members bring solutions to the table, not just problems, fostering ownership and responsibility. We also discuss the critical role of data-driven performance monitoring, clear organizational goals, and the mentorship of future leaders. Mike's practical advice for young leaders highlights the necessity of respecting experienced colleagues and balancing confidence with humility.   Shifting gears, we reflect on the true essence of career fulfillment versus the often misleading pursuit of money and status. Mike shares personal stories about the importance of gratitude and the serendipitous turns that can lead to the most rewarding experiences. We also navigate the often complex world of CRM systems, discussing how proper data management and addressing underlying sales processes are crucial before implementation. Tune in to hear Mike's candid thoughts on maintaining CRM effectiveness and the exciting future of AI in streamlining data entry. This episode is packed with rich insights and practical advice that you won't want to miss. Mike Wickham, born in San Antonio into an Air Force family, spent his early years between Texas and various locations across Asia. After high school, he was appointed to the US Military Academy at West Point, where he later graduated and served as an artillery officer in the US Army. His final military assignment was as commander of a nuclear-capable field artillery unit in Europe. Following his military service, Mike launched a 20+ year career in international business, working for prominent telecom and technology companies like AT&T, MCI International, IDT, and V-Band. Based in the New York City area, he helped develop markets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America through strategic partnerships and joint ventures. Now residing in Texas, Mike continues to provide technology solutions to the Central Texas market.   Quotes: "Frankness is crucial. If there's a problem, put it right in people's faces and say, 'We all own this.' It fosters a culture of ownership and responsibility."  "I've always been curious about what people do, why they do it, and how they do it. Integrity sets the tone for everything you do in sales. If people can't trust you, they won't buy from you."  "Chasing money and status can be a pitfall. True fulfillment comes from doing work that brings joy and satisfaction."     Links: Mike's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvwickham/ SD Tech - https://www.sd-tech.net   Get this episode and all other episodes of Sales Lead Dog at https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 53, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Lydia and Wickham leave the area to go to Newcastle and Mrs Bennet is distraught. Her daughter is not too upset about leaving, and Wickham gives a very noble adieu. For a few days after their departure Mrs Bennet is depressed, but some very exciting news quickly brings her out of it. Mr Bingley has ordered for Netherfield to be opened. Mr Bennet is adamant that he shall not head to Netherfield to greet Mr Bingley when he comes, and though Mrs Bennet is furious with him for not going, she is again soon relieved and shocked by seeing, a few days later, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy ride across their paddock to their front door. The two gentlemen come in and Bingley talks for a while with Mrs Bennet while she layers praise and kind words on him to Elizabeth's distain. Mr Darcy is very silent throughout their visit. On the Men's departure, Mrs Bennet invites the two to dine with them later that week, reminding Mr Bingley that he had made a promise to her to dine there just before he left Netherfield last time. Elizabeth is perplexed by Darcy's behaviour but is very pleased to see that all of Bingley's love for her sister is still present.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 52, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Mrs Gardiner responds to Lizzy's letter. She writes that Mr Darcy followed them to London only a day after they had left. Darcy felt responsible for what happened as he had been too proud to tell anyone about Wickham's true behaviour; Mrs Gardiner suggests a potential “other motif”. Darcy had extra information that could help him find Wickham, Mrs Young, the woman who helped him run off with Miss Darcy so long ago. She, after some bribery, told Darcy where to find Wickham and Lydia. He proceeded to meet with Wickham several times, and Lydia only once. He tried to convince Lydia to go back to her family and refused all help from Darcy. Darcy convinced Wickham to marry Lydia too, as he never really intended to do it and planned to try to marry into wealth in a different country. After meeting with Wickham and Lydia, Darcy made his way to Mr Gardiners, waiting until Mr Bennet had left the area first. The two men took several days to come to an agreement on how to proceed with the payment of Wickham's debts and eventually Mr Gardiner had to yield to Mr Darcy and let him pay for all of Wickham's disgraces. Mr Darcy then told Mr Gardiner that he was to take all of the credit for paying these debts. Darcy didn't want it to be known to the Bennet family that he had interfered. On the day of the wedding, Darcy was also present, and he then dined with the Gardiners at their home. Mrs Gardiner concludes, writing that Mr Darcy is in need of a little more liveliness, and that if he married well, then she could teach him, and jests to Elizabeth that she should one day like to complete her tour of the grounds of Pemberly.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 51, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: The day of Lydia's wedding has arrived, and their carriage soon arrives. Mrs Bennet is overjoyed to hear the daughter's voice and welcomes her child with the warmth. Mr Bennet is unhappy and slightly unwelcoming to his daughter and her husband. Elizabeth is disgusted by Lydia's behaviour. She has not changed at all throughout this whole horror show and doesn't even pretend to notice how hard it must have been on her family. Lydia talks about her running off with Wickham as if it was a joke, and the only person seemingly not disturbed by this is her mother. Elizabeth escapes from them for a breath of fresh air before dinner. Lydia wants to go around the town and show off her wedding ring to everyone, says that she should have taken everyone to Brighton, as they could have all found husbands. Lydia, after a couple of days goes to tell Elizabeth about her wedding day as she had run off before the story was told to the rest of her family. The story bores elizabeth through until the end when Lydia lets slip that Mr Darcy was there. Lydia says that no one was supposed to know that, and playing coy, Elizabeth pretends that she doesn't want to hear more about it. She immediately runs off to write a letter to her aunt about Darcy's being there. She needs to know what a man, who seemingly had no want nor reason to be there, was doing at that ceremony.

In this week's episode, we explore how to harness Amazon Brand Analytics for instant cash flow. Join us with Noah Wickham, Brand Director at My Amazon Guy, who manages a portfolio exceeding $150 million ARR. Discover how to interpret key metrics, create tailored promotions, and boost your brand's visibility on Amazon. Noah shares his extensive e-commerce expertise, including strategies for data-driven decision-making that can elevate your business. Subscribe for more insights and tips on growing your Amazon brand! Takeaways:Utilizing Brand Analytics for Data-Driven Decisions: Brand Analytics provides valuable insights into customer behavior, product performance, and market trends. Sellers can leverage this data to make informed decisions about inventory, pricing, and marketing strategies.  Creating Targeted Promotions: Analyze sales data and customer search behavior to tailor promotions and discounts. By identifying popular products and trends, sellers can create effective, targeted promotions that drive immediate sales. Effective Coupon Strategies: Use Brand Analytics to determine which products will benefit most from coupon promotions. Ensure that coupons are strategically placed to maximize their impact without causing overlap that could diminish their effectiveness.  Leveraging Customer Search Data: Understand what customers are searching for and adjust product listings accordingly. Optimize keywords, titles, and descriptions based on search data to increase visibility and attract more buyers. Monitoring and Adjusting Pricing: Regularly review pricing strategies based on competitive analysis and sales performance. Use insights from Brand Analytics to adjust prices dynamically to stay competitive and boost sales.  Understanding Market Trends: Stay updated with market trends and customer preferences by analyzing data from Brand Analytics. This helps in anticipating changes in demand and adjusting business strategies proactively.  Optimizing Product Listings: Improve product listings by using data insights to highlight key features and benefits that resonate with customers. This can enhance the appeal of listings and increase conversion rates.  Quote of the Show:Building brand awareness on Amazon is increasingly challenging due to the influx of Chinese sellers driving a race to the bottom. While Amazon has invested in making brand presence important, they've also created an environment where the brand itself seems to matter less. Brand analytics and tailored promotions add complexity, as they target audience groups rather than emphasizing the brand's true value. Links :LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahwickham/Website :  https://myamazonguy.com/YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@MyAmazonGuy/featuredWant To Level Up Your Business? Register With Our SponsorsViably is the complete financial solution to help e-commerce business owners extend their cash flow through funding. Viably's revenue-based funding programs are designed to provide online sellers with the funding they need to achieve their business goals. Whether you need to increase your inventory or ramp up your marketing efforts, Viably can help you access the capital you need to succeed.Claim your extra $1,500 when you qualify for $25,000 or more in funding. Go to https://www.runviably.com/legends  and start your application today.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 50, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Mr Bennet laments about his financial situation. He wishes that he had done better for himself, and that he and Mrs Bennet had had a son, so that his debt to his brother-in-law won't ruin him. He has to settle his will and then write to his brother-in-law saying that he accepts the terms of the dowry for Wickham. He and Mrs Bennet then talk about the particulars of their daughter's marriage to Wickham, and he explains to her that she shouldn't get too carried away with things as he refuses to send Lydia money for a dress and is adamant that neither she nor Wickham shall every place a foot in Longborne again. Elizabeth thinks that her telling Darcy about the Lydia situation was not the best decision now that all is okay as she doesn't want it to ruin any chance, she could have with him. She also smiles to herself thinking “if only Darcy could propose to her again” as she would now readily accept. Mr Gardiner writes one last time to Longborne and asks if Lydia and Wickham could for one last time visit before Wickham heads up north to join a different branch of the army where he won't know anybody who could be of any corrupting influence. He also asks Mr Bennet if he can inform the local debitter of Wickham that their debts will soon be paid. Mr Bennet, after some persuasion from Elizabeth and Jane, agrees to let Lydia and Wickham stay one last time at Longborne before heading up North.

Dr. Grayson Wickham is a doctor of physical therapy, a certified stength and conditioning specialist, and the founder of Movement Vault, an app that is highly effective in helping people achieve mobility and flexibility gains. Grayson is a joint mobility specialist and the goal with is work is to help prevent and fix joint pain and injury, and to improve performance using Movement Vault's effective active stretching methodology. We discuss some of the confusion around the topic of mobility, the differences between mobility and flexibility, why active stretching yields better results than static stretching, and much more. Mentions: www.movementvault.com @movementvault

Send us a textClick link for ESM Journal Page:Excel Still More Journal on Amazon.Video to describe the ESM Journal.Sponsors:  Jon Cunningham, Owner, Cunningham Financial GroupWebsite:  www.cunninghamfinancialgroup.com   Phone:  205-326-7364Tyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487Here is a link to Phil Wickham's Song: The Jesus Way(Note - It is new to me, but I see it's been out for a year!)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fhv4arL3ykIf you curse me, then I will bless youIf you hurt me, I will forgiveAnd if you hate me, then I will love youI choose the Jesus wayIf you're helpless, I will defend youAnd if you're burdened, I'll share the weightAnd if you're hopeless, then let me show youThere's hope in the Jesus wayI follow JesusI follow JesusHe wore my sin, I'll gladly wear His nameHe is the treasureHe is the answerOh, I choose the Jesus wayIf you strike me, I will embrace youAnd if you chain me, I'll sing His praiseAnd if you kill me, my home is heavenFor I choose the Jesus wayI follow JesusI follow JesusHe wore my sin, I'll gladly wear His nameHe is the treasureHe is the answerOh, I choose the Jesus wayAnd I choose surrenderI choose to loveOh, God my Savior, You'll always be enoughI choose forgivenessI choose graceI choose to worship, no matter what I faceI choose the Jesus wayI choose the Jesus wayI choose the Jesus wayI choose the Jesus wayI follow JesusI follow JesusHe wore my sin, I'll gladly wear His nameHe is the treasureHe is the answerOh, I choose the Jesus wayI follow JesusI follow JesusHe wore my sin, I'll gladly wear His nameHe is the treasureHe is the answerOh, I choose the Jesus wayOh, I choose the Jesus way

The authors of Emma of 83rd Street are BACK with Elizabeth of East Hampton! In this summery modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet is an East Hampton townie whose life is thrown into disarray when Manhattanites Will and Charlie settle in for the season. Topics discussed include local vs. tourist vibes, surfing, characters and plot lines that were updated, MLMs, education in Austen, the women's agency, the cameo of all cameos, Jane's fandoms, and sister love stories.Elizabeth of East Hampton is on sale now, so go get your copy from your favorite local bookstore or any of the major ones! And follow Audrey and Emily on Instagram at @audrey.and.emily. Glossary of People, Places, and Things: Barbie, Marrying Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Wickham, Doctor WhoNext Episode: Persuasion Chapters 8-9Our show art was created by Torrence Browne, and our audio is produced by Graham Cook. For bios and transcripts, check out our website at podandprejudice.com. Pod and Prejudice is transcribed by speechdocs.com. To support the show, check out our Patreon!Instagram: @podandprejudiceTwitter: @podandprejudiceFacebook: Pod and PrejudiceYoutube: Pod and PrejudiceMerch store: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/pod-and-prejudice?ref_id=23216