The Secret Library Podcast

Colette Lafia is an author, librarian, and spiritual director. We could have talked for hours. Between the influence of her early study of poetry on her writing today, to the struggle of remembering why she's writing when a publisher turns down a proposal, there's so much to relate to in this interview. Colette is a fantastic example of how living a life with many moving parts can feed you as a writer. We talk about the wonderful messages in children's books and how adults can get so much out of those stories and how certain themes stay with us our whole lives.  If you need support or motivation to keep going in your writing journey, look no further than this conversation. It will leave you refreshed and ready to get back to it, while reminding you that none of us is alone in this process.  Show Notes for Episode 21 with Colette Lafia: How did the books begin? (3:00) Poetry's influence on all writing (3:45) Creating a friendship with a trappist monk and then writing the book(4:30) Writing about surrender (6:30) How to know books want to be written through you (7:30) The timeline of lived experience to finished book (8:45) What it's like when a personal story gets published (10:30) The healing element of writing about shadow topics (11:15) Defining what success means for a book and the writer (12:00) Boundaries around writing about vulnerable topics (14:00) Vulnerability and balancing writing about self and for others (15:45) Having a support team along the way (16:45) The challenge of re-writing and the introduction (17:45) Book proposals (19:00) Finding a publisher (19:30)  Having faith in the process (21:30) The conundrum of the editorial calendar (23:00) Dealing with rejection from a publisher & persevering (24:45) What's driving your writing? (25:30) The empowerment of the self-publishing option being available (25:30) Going the distance in writing a book (27:00) Colette's ongoing writing process and the platform you need in non-fiction (27:45) Keeping writing fresh through exploring other genres and working in the children's library (32:45) The love of children's lit among adult readers (33:15) Leading retreats and being a spiritual director to connect with people (36:00) Processing vs. living in writing (37:00) Mining and finding new layers in your own experience (37:45) What Colette is reading now  Show Notes with Links | Sponsored by Muse Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

This week, Jane writes in feeling quote overwhelmed about being pregnant and living far away from her family. She wants to know everything there is to know about babies for she and her partner expect their little one. Listen up to find out what NOT to read in this situation. Also, check out the show notes for links to the books I suggested.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

I've known Michelle Wetzel since we were in high school together (not so) many years ago. I've been watching the trend and evolution in the world of young readers who create bookstagram accounts and rack up the follower counts into the thousands. Michelle is a high school librarian in Wayne, PA just outside Philadelphia, so she was the perfect person to turn to as I've wanted to dive into the world of young adult readers.  If you want to know where the cool kids get their books, this is the episode for you. Show notes for Episode 20 with Michelle Wetzel: Love for the nerds (2:00) Not enough time to read in high school (3:00) One book, one city at the high school level (3:30)  Fiction vs. Non-fiction in academics (4:30) High school trends (6:00) M Bookstagram and the high school demographic (7:30) Student reading clubs and reading lunch (8:45) Action book club (9:15)  Trends in YA (11:00)  Cover design in YA (12:30) eBooks vs physical copies in the school library (13:45)  Knitting and reading (15:45) Audiobooks in other languages (17:00)  Digital magazines reading (19:00)  Traveling with devices vs. hard copy (19:45) Digital reading for kids (21:15)  Kindle vs iPad reading (22:30) Buying print books versus checking them out (23:45) Reading physical books as a parent (24:45) The commonalities of the high school book junkies (25:00) Library volunteers (26:20) Bringing reading out into the community (27:00)  Trying to find YA that's not depressing (28:30)  Fan fiction & how to find it (31:45)  Harry Potter as the cure for grad school (34:00)   Full Show Notes with links | Sponsored by Muse Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

I'm loving this week's letter from Jess. She's looking for something to read that is both practical and woo-woo. I've got a few fun suggestions on the show. Check out the show notes so you can read along with her If you enjoy these minisodes, please write in to get your own prescription. Also, feel free to leave practical woo-woo titles in the comments so Jess gets even more book love. Sponsored by Pretty by Post Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

Stunt journalism is an amazing practice for writing from personal experience. In this episode, you'll learn how to do stunt journalism and how writing can expand your perspective and enjoyment of your own life. Erin Jourdan has taught this process to hundreds of people, both online and in person, with life-altering results.  She's got not only anecdotes but current scientific research that we discuss about how writing about your life can change it for the better. This was such an exciting conversation and it made me want to run out and start a stunt writing project immediately. I know you'll feel the same way.    Show Notes for Episode 19 with Erin Jourdan: What is stunt journalism? (1:45) How memoir is a loaded term (5:00) Cultural differences and awareness around stunt journalism (6:15) Categories of stunt journalism (7:15) Mentioned:  Marie Kondo | The Box prompt Pretending to be a journalist (10:00) Emotional spelunking (12:15) Having a passport (13:30) Local stunts & mental travel (16:15) The impact and evolution of the stunt writing process (17:15) How writing can change your life (19:00) Emotional barometric pressure (19:30) Further information and eBook with Stunt Writing prompts (21:00)  Storytelling as a therapeutic modality (22:00) Theories on why writing benefits the brain (23:00) Gratitude journaling (25:00) The impact of publishing/sharing fiction vs. non-fiction or personal experience writing (26:00) Getting it onto the page alone vs. in community (28:30) The benefits of sharing work in a safe group (29:45) Fiction feedback vs. personal writing feedback (31:00) Expanding from a scene to a full book on the next level (33:00) Hot spots (34:45) Mentioned: Nona Caspers Writing should be available to everyone (37:45) Community stunts  and making your world bigger with writing (39:30) Take publication out of the equation when you're writing (40:30) Writing as therapeutic and spiritual (42:00)  Writing and memory (42:45)  The role of accuracy in non-fiction, memoir, and personal experience writing (43:30)  Expanding your point of view through stunt writing (45:30) Full show notes with links | Sponsored by Muse Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

Hello! Welcome to another Dear Book Dr. Minisode.  This week's letter comes from Genevieve who's asking about dating and love. It's a tricky subject, since I don't think there is any easy answer and there's no way to guarantee results in the dating realm. With that said, I do think there are books that can help along the way and I can share resources that helped me when I was dating.    Show notes with links to suggested books | Sponsored by Pretty by Post Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

Natashia Deón is a wonder. When Julia Callahan gave her incredible ability to build networks and community back in Episode 10, I was impressed. But in reading her book, Grace, and speaking with her, I am now in love. Natashia is a novelist, criminal defense lawyer, law professor, and a mom. How does she do all these things? Even she doesn't know. If you've ever wondered how it feels to "make it" in writing- to publish a book, win a prestigious fellowship, and get a glowing New York Times Review, this conversation is for you. From the writing process to community to fears around writing and what it feels like to get your published book in your hands for the first time, we covered it all. I just know you'll love her as much as I do.   Show Notes for Episode 17 with Natashia Deón: Finding time to write (2:00) Mythbusting the writing retreat (3:45) The structure of Grace (4:45) Getting into criminal defense (7:15) Pen Emerging Voices Fellowship (9:45) The MFA (10:45) How long it took to write a book (11:45) Dirty Laundry Lit (12:30) Curating Dirty Laundry (15:45) Building literary community and giving back (16:00)  How writing benefits everyone (18:20)  When do I get to say I'm a writer? (19:15)  Why are we so hard on ourselves as creatives? (21:00) Going from writer to "author" (22:30) Never get the galley in public (23:15) On writing a tough subject (25:30) Taking real life work into fiction (26:45)  Writing about history so it feels alive in the present (29:30) The impact of slavery on our current reality (30:00) How we can look at contemporary issues as related to history (32:00) The importance of language in our society (33:30) International viewpoints on freedom and where we're trapped (34:45) How the nation is losing its voice and the two party system (37:30) The difficulty of "we" (38:45) Can I be a writer like this? (39:00) The next project & being open (41:30) The New York Times Review experience (42:00) On the critical self and perpetually moving the bar (44:00) Deserving vs. begin grateful (45:30) What Natashia is reading now (47:45)  Sponsored by Muse Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

Oh girl. This episode is close to my heart. This week's letter comes from Megan, who has just finished reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.  Here's how to take care of yourself after you finish this amazing book.  Show notes with links to book suggestions | Sponsored by Pretty By Post Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

Art Books are a category that we haven't explored on the show until now. Krysta Williams is a photographer and book maker and today we discuss the book as object, creating beautiful books, how photography collections get sequenced and how we feel about the future of physical books. (it's a positive discussion, don't worry) In addition, we nerd out about photography, journals, and planners. Learn one of the coolest ways to modify a journal to make it your own that I have seen so far. Show notes for episode 16 with Krysta Williams: Books as objects (2:30) Sadness over the demise of the darkroom (3:30) How Krysta began making books (4:00) The narrative of images (4:45) Elements of book design (6:15) Medium hopping (7:15) Interacting with photographs inside of books (8:00) Going from photo collection to book (9:15) Printing photographs digitally (11:20) The difference between digital files and printed images (14:30) The subjectivity of photography and TRUTH in media (16:15) Mentioned: Making books of other people's photography (19:45) Laying out pages for a book (22:30) Reasons to make a photography book (23:15) Preserving photographs as memories (27:00) Books as a way to make things official (28:00) Talking about The Bridge on BBC (28:45) Why you can't count on social media to preserve your images (30:00) Millennials and book buying (31:30) Beauty in one of a kind objects and analog (32:00)  Journals and planner madness (34:00)  Compulsive childhood bookmaking (36:00)  Breaking in a new journal (37:00)  Journal mods (38:15) Mentioned: modified cover- see above The naughtiness of modifying books (40:00) Marginalia and marking in books (42:00) Turning corners down (43:15)  Paper altars in journals (48:30) Full show notes with links | Sponsored by Muse Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe

How can I get back to me? This is a big question from this week's letter.  Sheryl has gotten all of her kids off to school and suddenly has her time back to herself and doesn't even remember what hobbies she wants to pursue herself.  Listen up to learn how Sheryl can take care of herself and to get a jump on taking care of YOU. Show Notes for this Episode | Sponsored by Pretty by Post   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetattooedgoverness.com/subscribe