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Let's talk about poetry, society, religion, quotes, lifestyle, food, family and life in general. Come let's motivate, encourage and share life experiences. Shakespeare once said, "All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts".
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Learning to talk is natural, but let's face it, finding the right words can be tough. We either stumble and risk losing respect, or stay silent and lose self respect. Enter the Optimal Conversations Podcast. Here, we explore effective communication through life changing stories and simple techniques for great conversations. We discuss what works and what doesn't, so you’re never lost for words again. I'm Mary Wong, founder of Optimal Life Solutions, and over the past 20 years, I've been help ...
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The high-art low-brow minds behind Bloomsday Literary bring you interviews with the creatives you should know, but don’t. Poets, novelists, memoirists, & short story writers join co-hosts Kate and Jessica as they take a respectful approach to investigating the writer’s art and an irreverent approach to getting the nitty-gritty on the hustle for publication and exposure. Most of us writers making a living by the pen occupy somewhere between the ubiquitous bestsellers and the people who want t ...
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Host Aaron M. Wilson reads a sonnet a day from the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon himself, William Shakespeare. No ads, no commentary, no sweeping background music... just the meditative beauty of these iconic words. During these turbulent times, let this be your bite-sized audio escape.
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A podcast between two avid readers in which the topics are chosen from the book jar! Episodes are released every two weeks. Send us your topics to have them added to the jar.
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At ’Observations from the Road Less Traveled,’ our mission is to provide a fresh and insightful perspective on the world around us. Through engaging discussions on current events, unexplained phenomena, and thoughtful reviews of media and news, we navigate the uncharted territories of information. Our goal is to offer a unique lens through which we share our opinions, fostering a space for critical thinking and open dialogue. We believe in the power of curiosity and exploration, encouraging ...
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Books You've Been Avoiding On Your TBR (To-Be Read) Shelf | A Feather So Black, Wheel of Time & Many More
54:34
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This one is dedicated to all the book stacks on all those book shelves just waiting to be read. In this episode, Marissa and Megan uncover their most shameful -- or most interesting -- books on their TBRs that they've been avoiding. From books they didn't even know they owned to books they've been waiting for the perfect moment to pick up, join the…
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Roadies did you know there was a place in America where you can legally get away with murder? On this episode of Observations Blondie and your Captain take you to Yellowstone National Park and talk about the infamous Zone of Death...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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On this week's episode of Observations From the Road Less Traveled we're going to talk about the scourge of the Pacific Northwest (and pretty much everywhere else really); Bigfoot. Yay or Nay Roadies?By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Biggest Bookish Pet Peeves | A Feather So Black, Wheel of Time & Many More
57:14
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All the things that make us cringe, gag, and recoil away from a book within an instant. From abhorrent stickers on book covers to the worst plot devices we've ever read, this week Megan and Marissa discuss their biggest book pet peeves. Marissa also shares an embarrassing reader faux pas she committed and Megan pretends she's very much over it. As …
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Sorry Roadies, but the truth is that while Blondie and The Captain might feel (and definitely act) like kids, the truth is we're not... So on this week's episode of Observations we're going to get into Social Security and whether our Uncle Sam is going to take care of us as sail into our golden years.…
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Ep#19 - Jodi Gagne - From Roller Coaster to Self-Loyalty
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When Jodi meets women who have so much adrenaline going on that they are constantly in fight or flight, she is reminded of her former life as a wedding planner - a life where everything has to happen promptly and perfectly. That was before she found the power of stillness and the realisation that to speed up, she needed to slow down. Listen to her …
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On this week's episode of Observations Roadies Blondie and The Captain will talk to you about the beautiful but troubled Marilyn Monroe. We'll get into her sad life, her various relationships and ultimately her strangely questionable death...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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This episode is a short one Roadies but definitely worth your time. Can you imagine walking down the street on a sunny day and being swept up and covered in liquid brown sugar? No? The check this out...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Ep#18 - Liz Fleming - Navigating Grants for Business Growth
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Have you ever wondered how other businesses seem to find the cash for large projects or equipment? Or perhaps you have already realised that there is a grant that could help you but hold back because of the daunting task of applying. Our guest, Liz Fleming, is a Chartered Accountant with more than 15 years of experience in corporate finance. She no…
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Bullshitting with The Captain and Blondie (The Second One)
1:01:27
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Here you go Roadies! The second installment of Bullshitting With The Captain and Blondie, or Shooting the Shit With The Captain and Blondie. We'll decide on a name for it by the fourth or fifth time we do it I'm sure...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Reading Challenges: Everything We Love & Everything We Don't | Crossroads of Twilight, Yellowface, Funny Story & More
45:35
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Anybody up for a challenge? Reading challenges are popular across TikTok, StoryGraph, and pretty much anywhere you find readers. Megan and Marissa give their thoughts on reading challenges – which ones they love and which ones they can't quite get into. Megan compares reading challenges to playing the Sims and Marissa changes her opinion quickly as…
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What's the Deal With Conspiracy Theories?
58:33
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This week Blondie and The Captain talk conspiracy theories. What are the most popular? What are the most far out? Join us as we dive into where these theories come from and how they stay alive over the years...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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On this week's episode of Observations From the Road Less Traveled Blondie and The Captain take a look at the works of William Shakespeare. Or Sir Francis Bacon. Or Christopher Marlowe. Or Edward deVere. Or Sir Walter Raleigh.By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Let's Talk About BookTok 2.0 W/ Alix Calfa | Sarah J. Maas, Colleen Hoover, Robert Jordan, And More
1:03:32
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Alix Calfa joins us for a surprise guest episode! Marissa and Alix discuss BookTok – and, in fact, all things about books online. The readers tackle discussing good recommendations and poor ones, as well as some of the more popular BookTok books and whether they are worth the read. As always, we start the podcast with some of our more recent reads.…
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EP 17 - Jane Shakespeare - Her Philanthropic journey with Figtree Children
51:24
51:24
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A trip to Sierra Leonne as part of her studies changed Jane's perspective on life. She decided to make a difference when she saw how little people there had. This led to her starting her own charity, the Figtree Children. Supported by a social enterprise gift store, multiple donors, and charity events, Figtree Children supports children to be cared…
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Well Roadies after spending a long evening at Gillette watching TB12 be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame Blondie and The Captain decided to tell you about it and to talk a little about the NFL and our Patriots while we were at it...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Bullshitting with The Captain and Blondie (The First One)
1:08:11
1:08:11
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So we're trying something new Roadies! Since we do so much of it anyway we're going to record some of our shooting the shit and see what you think. The subjects will be as much a surprise to us and they are to you and we pull them out of a hat in the studio...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Our Favourite – And Most Remarkable – Bookmarks | Bookmarks, Notation, Dog-Earring, And More
51:37
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Do you use bookmarks? Marissa and Megan discuss the most remarkable bookmarks they've had over the years. From American one-dollar bills to a leather marker with a flower that seems one petal short, both readers talk about whether or not they use them, what will count as a bookmark, and whether dog-earring is ever an option. We start the podcast wi…
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EP16 - Ana Salido - Looking after Yourself as you Lead the Way
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Ana talks about how looking after ourselves is pivotal to successful leadership. With a background in organisational psychology and later on in personal development and coaching, Ana has spent years supporting women in navigating the unique pressures of modern life. In her work with women, she often meets the mother-hens looking after all the chick…
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The Captain and Blondie are wrapping up their discussion about HH Holmes this week Roadies. We'll talk about his arrest and (spoiler alert) execution, and even touch on whether he may have been Jack the Ripper, but we'll also talk about the legend versus the facts. WAS HH Holmes America's first serial killer?…
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Blondie and The Captain continue their discussion of the infamous HH Holmes this week and this time around will discuss his arrival in Chicago, the Holmes hunting ground known as the World's Columbian Exposition, and start to dig into the so-called "Murder Castle".By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Top Tips to Getting Out of A Reading Slump | Book Clubs, Reading Challenges, DNF-ing & More
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Slumps suck. Reading slumps extra suck. Every avid reader has been through one reading slump or another and, while sometimes they are inevitable, there are some ways to get through them without losing your mind. Marissa and Megan discuss their experiences with their own reading slumps, and all the top tips they have to prevent them. From reading ch…
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The Captain and Blondie begin their 3 part series on the infamous Chicago killer HH Holmes this week by talking about his youth, education and transformation from Herman Webster Mudgett to Dr. Henry Howard Holmes.By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Yes, there are still flat earthers and these people actually walk among us! This week The Captain and Blondie take a look at the flat earth movement to see what makes them crazy, I mean what makes them tick...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Our Top Villains In Literature | Dracula, President Snow, Sauron & More
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Everybody loves a good villain. From the most sinister non-human entities to the humans we start to empathize with, we've got all the best baddies from books we've read. We start with a classic President Snow and end with an even more classic villain who will suck your blood, and we hit every bad guy in between. We start the podcast with our most-r…
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Celebrity Gossip; Who Doesn't Love This Shit?
1:10:11
1:10:11
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This week Blondie and The Captain take their first shot at what may become a regular feature on Observations when they dive into the cesspool of celebrity gossip. Who the heck is marrying who and for how long this week? And who cares? (Blondie, that's who)By LessTraveledPodcast4
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EP15 – Natasha Fountas – The Conversations we Have with Ourselves
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Natasha shares her journey from a young woman who hid herself away to an emancipated woman enjoying her freedom. Her experience has given Natasha a unique perspective on the world of self-talk. She says our conversations with ourselves are crucial to success in every part of our lives. Insta: natashafountas Great conversations underpin all successf…
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The Zombie Apocalypse; We're Ready. Are you?
1:07:53
1:07:53
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On this episode of Observations From the Road Less Traveled, The Captain and Blondie discuss the inevitable zombie apocalypse and try to decide who's the weak link...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Our Favourite Autobiographies & Memoirs | Vivek Shraya, Jennette Mccurdy & More
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From the rawest insight into people's lives to illuminating spotlights on important issues, biographies and memoirs can leave a long-lasting impact. In this episode, Marissa and Megan discuss their favourite memoirs and autobiographies. Marissa discusses several dancer and a few artists' memoirs, while Megan talks about reading about therapy and de…
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Jack the Ripper Part 2; The Suspects
1:31:04
1:31:04
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As we wrap up our Jack the Ripper Series, Blondie and the Captain talk about the investigation into the serial murders, discuss the suspects and reveal their ideas on who the infamous killer was... A little longer than you're used to but well worth the time!By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Ep 14 - Vicki Bennet - Creativity, self care and more!
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Take a walk in the world of prolific author and mentor Vicki Bennet. She talks about all things creativity, self-care, and emotional regulation, sharing her expertise from over 35 years of corporate training. Great conversations underpin all successful relationships and can create enduring transformational impact. If you want to change the world an…
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On this episode of Observations, The Captain and Blondie start looking at the infamous London serial killer Jack the Ripper... In Part 1 of the two part series, we look at life in London in 1888 and the victims of the still unidentified monster.By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Poetry 101: Top Tips for Getting Into Poetry | Lang Leav, Shakespeare, Dickinson, Plath & More
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Welcome to Poetry 101. Marissa is a big poetry buff, and this week we're discussing all our best tips for getting into poetry. Throughout this podcast, Marissa and Megan share their experiences with poems and poetry – and give you all the reasons why you shouldn't be scared of them, no matter what your high school English teacher made you feel. Fro…
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Episode 6 - Should James Cameron have called that movie Olympic?
1:11:38
1:11:38
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This week you'll all endure listening to The Captain explain why he doesn't think the Titanic actually sank at all, and Blondie decides whether or not he's crazy.By LessTraveledPodcast4
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EP#13 – Angela DePalma – On Resilience, Healing, and Transformation
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Her life started with a tumultuous childhood in an abusive household with a Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde father and an unshrinkable, high-functioning mother who hid the abuse. Now, she has turned it all around. Angela has lived the journey of trauma, resilience, healing, and transformation and now helps other women from struggling to thriving with her co…
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Episode 5 - Are there ANY good Movie Franchises?
1:09:28
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On this episode of Observations Blondie and The Captain talk about movie franchises. What the heck is a movie franchise anyway? Are there any really good ones? We’re pretty sure there are…By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Phuc and Kate speak with the acclaimed and straight-up luminous Texas Poet Laureate, ire’ne lara silva, at the 2023 Writer’s Family Reunion sponsored by Writespace. We had the opportunity to chat about her process, the bold and unapologetic treatment of grief in her writing, and how she finds cracks of light in the depths. silva, who is an inductee…
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On this episode of Observations From the Road Less Traveled Blondie and The Captain explore Dracula in reality, in myth and in popular culture.By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Ep#12 - Narelle Gatti – Why Accessibility Matters for All of Us.
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1:16:52
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As a mother of three young children, Narelle found herself falling over things and went to see her optometrist to discover she was facing permanent blindness. That hasn’t stopped her from living her life to the fullest, and she is on a mission to make sure anyone with a disability has the same opportunity. In this episode, we talk about resilience,…
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So Blondie is a big believer in Angels. The Captain is on the fence, but in this episode we're going to talk about Angels and if they are real, how they come to us and why...By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Best Book Recommendations We've Given Each Other | Iron Widow, Lore Olympus, Throne of Glass & More
59:24
59:24
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Will we hurt each other's feelings? You'll have to listen to find out! In this episode of The Book Jar Pod, Megan and Marissa discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the books they've recommended to each other over the years. From some classic recommendations like Sabriel and Iron Widow to some newer ones like Emma and Throne of Glass, expect to…
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On this episode The Captain and Blondie will discuss society's perceptions of God, where those perceptions came from and how they affect our society.By LessTraveledPodcast4
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Ep#11 - Luke Irwin - Too Small to be a Target? Think again!
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Cybercriminals are mind-blowingly cunning and don’t care how much they hurt you! If you have a business or organisation of any size (yes, even if you are the tiniest business on the planet) you cannot afford to miss this conversation with Luke Irwin. In this episode, Luke raises the cybersecurity profile for small businesses to make them aware of t…
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Let's Catch Up On Our Most Recent Reads! | Silver in the Bone, The Wheel of Time, Cruel Illusions & More
1:14:29
1:14:29
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Megan is back! And we have some book talk to catch up. Marissa and Megan go through their most recent reads – all 25 books they've read since they've last met. From Heartstopper and Fly By Night to The Fires of Heaven and The City of Brass, join your fave readers as they rate and discuss all the books they've read to start this year. We end the pod…
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Enzo Silon Surin writes, composes, and publishes artifacts on the “witness continuum”—art that he says “pays homage to the culture in which it was formed” and the necessity of generational change. Surin’s work spans librettos commissioned by the Boston Opera Collaborative, four poetry collections, and a musical-in-the-making. He also founded Centra…
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Does Alyson Sinclair sleep? We had to keep asking ourselves as we chatted it up with Alyson from the floor of AWP (Association of Writing and Writing Program)’s Conference and Bookfair. She’s done it all when it comes to the writing world—bouncing between the bureaucracy of big-four publishers—um, she sent faxes to Seamus Heaney?—to the hustle and …
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Fave Female Characters in Books w/ Alix Calfa & Tay Andresen | The Poppy War, Stormlight Archive, Sabriel & The Hunger Games
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Let's have some girl talk. And by girl talk, we're talking about our fave girlies in books. To top it off, Marissa is joined by both Alix Calfa and Taylor Andresen, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy. The three readers discuss an abundance of amazing female characters they've read in novels. From Sabriel and Katniss Everdeen to the lead…
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Ep#10 - Patty Beecham - Let's talk about writing a memoir
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Patty Beecham's life is filled with fascinating adventures. From the daughter of a priest in a country town to a roving breakfast reporter on 612-4QR, traveling via time as a funeral photographer and retiring between two cities., with so much more packed in between... Join us as we chat about her journey of writing her childhood memoir and followin…
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As Program Director of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), Chelsea Kern is the glue that holds so much of the indie literary world together, advocating for mission-driven independent publishers and magazines—and, with equal importance, introducing readers to the work this community produces. It is clear from our conversation, sh…
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Let's Talk About BookTok w/ Alix Calfa! | Twilight, ACOTAR, Sarah J. Maas, Fourth Wing & More
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Another week, another guest. Alix Calfa, from our sister podcast, The Queens of Fantasy podcast, joins Marissa to discuss a truly industry-changing social media platform: BookTok. Both Alix and Marissa point out the good, the bad, the ugly, and the inspirational aspects of such a whirlwind force as BookTok is. We mention fave creators, fave book re…
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