E156: Cottagecore Movies with Liz Parker

 

Surprise! A NEW BONUS EPISODE! Today I welcome Liz Parker back to the show to talk about Cottagecore Movies. I really needed a break from the world, so I wanted to do an episode that felt like a warm hug. This also came just in time for Liz’s upcoming book, THE OTHER MARCH SISTERS, which she co-wrote with Linda Epstein and Ally Malinenko, from the point of view of the other March sisters in LITTLE WOMEN. It comes out February 25th, so get your preorders in while you enjoy the show!

Movies included in our discussion include:

• Practical Magic
• Cold Mountain
• Howl's Moving Castle
• The Secret Garden
• Chocolat
• Little Women
• Sense and Sensibility
• The Secret of Roan Inish
• My Neighbor Totoro
• Wicked Little Letters
• The Holiday
• Steel Magnolias

E155: Spicy Cozy SciFi and Fantasy Books by Kimberly Lemming

 

Today I welcome Kimberly Lemming to the show to talk about her work, including a new science fiction romcom series that begins with I GOT ABDUCTED BY ALIENS AND NOW I’M TRAPPED IN A ROMCOM. We also discuss her previous cozy fantasy romcom series that began with THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON. We chat about maintaining her voice across genre, and what folks are seeking when reaching for these distinctive titles. Please note that there is a sound fluctuation for the first ten minutes of the show, so please excuse that and enjoy the chat because Kimberly Lemming is a smart and fun delight that I know you’ll enjoy. The three authors Kimberly recommended are Lexi Esme, Regine Able, and Ella Maven. I also mention Ruby Dixon's Bull Moon Rising. 

E154: Gothic Fantasy with Hailey Piper

Today I welcome Hailey Piper to the show to discuss Gothic Fantasy. Hailey knows this genre blend well, as the author of several books that do this work, including her new book ALL THE HEARTS YOU EAT, and her upcoming 2025 release, A GAME IN YELLOW. We chat about elements that define this subgenre, our earliest interest in Gothic Fantasy, and we give some recommendations, listed below:

• Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles
• The King in Yellow by Robert W Chambers
• Plain Bad Heroines by Emily B Danforth
• Yellow Jessamine by Caitlin Starling
• A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock
• Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas
• Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope 
• The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
• House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson 
• Small Favors by Erin Craig 

E153: Grady Hendrix and WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS

Today I welcome Grady Hendrix back to the show to discuss his new book, WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, a story about the homes for pregnant teenage girls that were largely used in the years before Roe v Wade. We chat about everything from the inspiration of this story, to the food, and the human monsters in the book. The story has a lot of depth and I enjoyed breaking down even the small details with Grady, so I hope you enjoy it.

E152: Poe, Ghosts and Mystery with Christa Carmen

 

Today I welcome Christa Carmen, winner of the Bram Stoker award for her debut novel DAUGHTERS OF BLOCK ISLAND. I have her on the show today to discuss her new book, BENEATH THE POET’S HOUSE, a contemporary story that takes place in the home of famous transcendentalist, Sarah Whitman, a romantic interest of Edgar Allan Poe’s. We discuss Poe and how she connected her plot to his work and his life while centering Whitman’s interest in transcendentalism. I hope you enjoy it!

E151: LITERARY WITCHES and a New Year with Taisia Kitaiskaia

Today I welcome Taisia Kitaiskaia to the show for a chat about her book of illustrated poetry and her oracle deck, both titled LITERARY WITCHES. Taisia lives here in Austin, and worked with another Austin artist, Katy Horan, to create a gorgeous collection of poetry and art, as well as an inspiring oracle deck. Though they came out years ago, I hoped Taisia could bring in 2025 with inspiration for us all. She even does an oracle pull for us at the end of the episode, which I found hopeful. I hope you do too.