Do you love literature? Have a disconnected relationship with the classics? We've heard it all, but in this episode we break down preconceived notions, and discuss why literature and the sister arts point us to beauty.
You won't want the miss the beauty in this episode. We talk about how to close the gap between what's "out there" and what's "in here."
Our ancestors excelled at interiority and poets attempted to communicate without using trite or banal concepts. How do we experience the world around us?
We'll talk digital lethargy, prudence, and how to stop starving to death spiritually.
Find Jason M. Baxter:
Substack: https://jasonmbaxter.substack.com/
Why Literature Still Matters, Jason M. Baxter
An Experiment in Criticism, C.S. Lewis
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The mythical figure of a witch has been around for millennia. Fairy tales have often embodied that old woman in the cottage in the woods. Today we’re going to delve into the history of witches in literature and culture from a Biblical perspective. We talk conviction, boundaries, and more!
Books we Discuss:
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig
Curses and other Buried Things by Caroline George
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
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This week we dive into the spooky side of books with Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright.
We talk about what draws her to the macabre, how she fits into Christian fiction, and her thoughts on colors and her books.
She even gives her best advice for readers!
Find Jamie HERE!
Her newest book, The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall, releases October 21. You won't want to miss it!
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
Love Inspired Suspense: Buried Wilderness Secrets by Jaime Jo Wright
Secrets Along the Shore Anthology featuring Jaime Jo Wright
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We are back to School, back to Podcasting, back to Writing! This week we discuss our summer highlights, favorite books, back to school routines, and books we're looking forward to.
We discuss the various types of readers. Which one are you?
With this school-time of the year, we take a deep dive into school settings in books.
You won't want to miss this discussion!
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Books Mentioned in this Episode:
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
Reading for the Love of God by Jessica Hooten Wilson
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
You Belong Here by Megan Miranda
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
This week we talk about Beach Reads! What makes a Beach Read? What books would we take to a beach–mystery, horror, rom com? We talk butterfly-inducing and whether a beach or water setting is required.
We give the books we’re planning to read over summer, as well as some of our favorite beach reads!
Also, since it’s the last episode of our first season, we talk favorite moments, hardest part of a podcast, and a few teasers for Season 2 of the Lit Ladies!
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Books We Mention This Episode:
Highland Heist by Pepper Basham
Echoes of Darkness by Darlene Turner
Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh
What Not to Do on Vacation by Rachel Magee
Middlemarch by George Eliot
On Writing by Stephen King
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Love Haters, by Katherine Center
Say You'll Remember Me, Abby Jimenez
Summer Romance, by Annabel Monaghan
Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry
On today’s episode, we talk with author Kristine Delano about her debut novel. She writes domestic suspense and psychological thrillers, with a novel coming out in January 2026: The Lies We Trade.
Kristine worked on Wall Street for several years and knows the ins and outs of high finance. She utilizes her real-life knowledge to craft thrilling stories. We talk about interiority, emotional equity, layered characters, her writing journey, writer’s groups, and of course some tips she’s learned along the way!
Kristine empathizes with women and all they must juggle, and works to write stories that speak to those struggles. She also hosts the We Talk Careers podcast, which is a must-have resource for women and leadership.
Read Kristine's FREE novella,
Listen to her Podcast, We Talk Careers
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Do you read sad books?
Join our discussion as we talk through sad books, books that made us think, books that made us cry, and whether we *should* read sad books.
We talk: upmarket fiction, literary fiction, genre fiction, what makes a "romance" book, and more!
We want to know your thoughts: does a romance book need a "HEA" to be considered romance?
Join along and let us know what you think!
The Happy Life Of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh
Stars in the Grass by Ann Marie Stewart
Looking for Alaska by John Green
All the Yellow Posies by Elaine deBohun
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
The Last Letter, Rebecca Yarros
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-is-literary-fiction
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Join us on this magical journey through time! We discuss everything from Victorian Literature to Gothic Lit and even Britney Spears!
Tess's novel, Vale, is an epic fantastical adventure with a heavy dose of historical fiction.
We chat the motivation behind Tess's writing, the location (ALL the British feelings!), the difference between life now and life in the past, and of course a TON about Charlotte Bronte.
You won't want to listen to this fantastic interview, and check out Tess's work!
Books Referenced this episode:
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
City of Bones, Cassandra Clare
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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This week we take a deep dive into a fantastical fantasy world! Author Rachelle Nelson discusses:
*The truth behind her stories
*Lessons for teens
*Good guy vs. bad guy in fiction
*Fantasy world building
*Soft magic vs. hard magic
*The difference between being wanted and being loved.
You won't want to miss the story behind her journey to publication, inspiration, favorite mythical creatures, and more.
Purchase Sky of Seven Colors and her newest, Embergold!
Follow Rachelle: https://rachellenelsonauthor.com/
Instagram: @rachelle.nelson.author
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Here are some mentioned books and resources this episode:
Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lectures
The Story Equation, Susan May Warren
Dust, Kara Swanson
This week we tackle the topic of perseverance with historical fiction writer KyLee Woodley. Her debut novel recently released, and we discuss history, inspiration, writing, rejection, research, waiting, and SO MUCH MORE!
One of our favorite writing resources came up; be sure to check out The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.
This is full of gems for readers and writers alike. Get a glimpse into KyLee's process and be sure to check out her newest book!
The Bandit's Redemption, by KyLee Woodley
Find her on Instagram and Facebook!
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The month of love continues and we take a DEEP dive into romance tropes we LOVE (and hate)! Of course we all have different takes on these hot topics that are all over the literary world! What works, what doesn't, what's overdone? Listen and chime in!
Love triangles, friends to lovers, fish out of water, brother's best friend, manic pixie dream girl, rivals to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, love at first sight, Byronic hero, single dad, age gap, nanny, billionaire romance...we chat about them all!
Books we mention:
The Vow, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter
Memory Lane and Sweet on You, Becky Wade
One Foggy Christmas, Kortney Keisel
To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Jenny Han
The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley, Courtney Walsh
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
Looking for Alaska, John Green
Dear Henry, Love Edith, Becca Kinzer
All the Yellow Posies, Elaine DeBohun
A Lady's Guide to Scandal, Sophie Irwin
Dangerous Beauty, Melissa Koslin
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https://www.dabblewriter.com/articles/romance-tropes-the-heartbeat-of-a-genre
It’s the month of love, and we are chatting romance with a queen of Christian romance, Pepper Basham! We talked about favorite romance tropes, the books she’s written, readers’ favorites and more. We also heard a bit about her writing journey and how God has worked in His perfect timing.
@pepperbasham, https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham https://pepperdbasham.com/
Search for Pepper's books here!
We talk about:
Closet kisses...Easter Eggs!
Why are romance books important?
Does fictional romance set us up for unhealthy expectations?
Favorite tropes: fish out of water, anyone?
Friends to more?
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Books mentioned in this episode:
Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, Bethany Turner
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
It's the start of the year and today we're talking about reading goals, past and present. Join along for our conversation as we discuss:
Do YOU set reading goals each year? Let us know!
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Some of the books we're looking forward to reading/ have read:
The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien
The Love Haters, Katherine Center
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman
A Sea of Unspoken Things, Adrienne Young
Jesus through Medieval Eyes, Grace Haman
The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
It's January--the time of year we all have resolutions. If you're a writer or aspiring writer, you won't want to miss this episode. Packed with a bunch of practical tips from writers at various stages, you'll get some ideas to implement right away!
We discuss:
Find the Historical Bookworm Podcast, mentioned here:
https://historicalbookworm.com/subscribe-to-podcast-2/
Check out our featured guests and their works:
Darcy Fornier, @darcyfornierwriter
The Crown and the Axe, by Darcy Fornier
Stephanie Goddard @stephgoddardbooks
The Wedding Feast, by Stephanie Goddard
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Episode Description
For our first-ever crossover episode, we are thrilled to share this timely convo with our friends at Booked Solid Podcast!
Join Han & Steph as they chat about all things books! With a fresh and fun perspective, you’ll hear from your favorite authors, Bookstagrammers, and publishing professionals! Both Hannah & Stephanie are clean romance authors and Bookstagrammers with a heart for sharing good, clean reads that spread joy!
Tune in today as we take turns spotlighting major trends we observe in the current book world—and hash out whether they’re forever or fleeting. Topics include:
Find Booked Solid on Instagram:
(@bookedsolidpod, @hannahbooksit, @stephanienmack)!
Subscribe to Hannah’s Newsletter
Subscribe to Stephanie’s Newsletter
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Here's the full list of books mentioned in this episode! (Disclaimer: we have not read all of these, and some are "open door." For the purposes of our conversation, they were relevant, but as always we encourage listeners to use their own discernment).
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Funny Story by Emily Henry, Happy Place
First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Thomas Umstattd Jr. Article Referenced: https://www.authormedia.com/2022-social-media-marketing-guide-for-authors/
Join us as we talk Christmas books and seasonal favorites. With special guests Betsy St. Amant and Morgan Tarpley Smith, we dive into their holiday book A Louisiana Christmas to Remember .
Fake dating, Christmas dopamine, hurricane impact, the never-before-heard story of the PINEAPPLE... and favorite settings make their way into the conversation. Follow our guests for more fun book info:
@morgantarpleysmith, www.morgantarpleysmith.com
@betsystamanthaddox, https://betsystamant.com/
Let us know--Have you seen the movie Holiday in Handcuffs?
“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.”
– Laura Ingalls Wilder,
Prairie Wisdom
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Welcome to our festive Thanksgiving episode! Join us as we discuss a range of topics--feasts, food, and family in our favorite fictional worlds! Of course, we learned a whole lot about each other and how we celebrate the holidays. Come along with us for the journey!
We'd love to know...
What does BBQ mean to you, where you live?
Do you eat acorn squash?
And do you have Bojangles?
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Here are our book recs this week!
Her Mother's Hope and Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers
Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascall
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Louise Penny
Alaskan Courage Series by Dani Pettrey
O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Dive Team Investigations by Lynn H. Blackburn
The Lost Library by Melissa Koslin
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood
This episode contains book recs for the season! We have a spectrum of options for you to choose! Come along as we talk through some of our favorites!
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Here are some of our favorites:
Light and "clean" fall-themed books:
Just Don't Fall, Emma St. Clair
Can't Help Falling, Courtney Walsh
The Madwoman Upstairs, Catherine Lowell
Slightly Spooky, Christian:
Echoes Among the Stones, Jamie Jo Wright
Ted Dekker books
Darcy Coates books
Moody, but Not Scary
Bone Gap, Laura Ruby
Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All, Laura Ruby
House of Hollow, Krystal Sutherland
Chief Inspector Gamache, Louise Penny
Vale, Tess Bentley
Classics:
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier
Horror-Leaning Fantasy:
Ninth House, Leigh Bardugo
Starling House, Alix E. Harrow
Silver Nitrate, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Certain Dark Things, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Simone St. James, especially The Sun Down Motel
Classic Scary:
Dracula, Bram Stoker
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
Modern Scary:
Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Hollow Places and A House with Good Bones, T. Kingfisher
How to Sell a Haunted House, Grady Hendrix
Psychological Thrillers:
I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Iain Reid
Looking Glass Sound, Catriona Ward
Sharp Objects, Gillian Flynn
Join us as we talk through this spooky topic! We'll talk through what makes this genre unique, the difference between horror and terror, catharsis, our first horror movie experiences, and so much more!
We want to know: have you heard of the "final girl" trope?
Take a look at Karissa's Substack article for lots of additional thoughts: https://karissariffel.substack.com/p/why-i-write-horror-as-a-christian
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In this episode, we discuss our opinions on the state of Christian fiction. We cover a brief history of Christian fiction, talk what trends we're liking, and cast our hopes and predictions for the market! Where did it start? How has it changed? Does it need to have a salvation narrative to be considered Christian? Listen to this week's episode to hear our thoughts.
Spoiler! We want more romantasy!
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Want to check out the books we mention?
When Calls The Heart, Janette Oke
This Present Darkness, Frank Peretti
The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
Redeeming Love and The Mark of the Lion, The Atonement Child, Francine Rivers
A Midnight Dance, Joanna Davidson Politano
He Should Have Told The Bees, Amanda Cox
The Destiny Trilogy, A.C. Williams
Stats, data, and research articles can be found here:
Bestsellers:
https://christianbookexpo.com/bestseller/fiction.php?id=0924
https://christianbookexpo.com/bestseller/fiction.php?id=BO23
Data:
https://wng.org/articles/the-lost-realm-of-christian-sci-fi-and-fantasy-1725932830
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2023/12/christian-fiction-finally-has-issues-messy-clean/