Get Lit(erate). Read. Write. Learn. Love.

Sometimes, we need a little help in learning how to use our journals and notebooks to create a life we love and you’ll find it on today’s podcast.

Pie is the most-loved Thanksgiving holiday dessert and that means that many of us are either buying or making a pie this Thanksgiving week.

So today, I’m sharing three books (make that four!) that have pie as a central theme: one classic must-read, one book that changed my life, a middle grade novel that will compel you to quickly turn the pages and a book that you wouldn’t think is about pie. 

Come listen and get ready for some delicious holiday reading!

It’s that time of year….time to break out my annual holiday notebook tradition!

Years ago, I created my first holiday notebook out of sheer desperation to better manage the holidays.

Now, it’s a tool that I cannot live without.

Come listen as I re-air last year’s episode describing what a holiday notebook is, how you can make one and why you need to start yours today. I’ll also share what’s new about my notebook this year and invite you to create one with me, step-by-step.

I started my Get Lit(erate). Podcast to share my love of books with others and offer sets of books to help readers manage life’s challenges and have some fun along the way. 

But I also started talking about my love of writing and notebooking…and it turns out those are some of the most popular episodes!

Today, I’m talking with Emily Winslow. She’s the author of Time to Write, a book full of inspiring lessons and practical skills to write the novel you’ve always wanted. 

She’s certainly sparked my own writing dream and made it feel reachable, too.

Come listen as we talk about her book, the writing process and everything in between. 

On the last day of every month, I share a little bit of literate love with the world: what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving. 

Come listen as I share four books I loved, two important writing prompts, a crazy amount of learning to support my new projects and some things I’ve loved, too. 

October is World Mental Health month and I’m talking with Sagit Schwartz on the power books have to shine a light on mental health.

She’s here to talk about her debut novel: Since She’s Been Gone. 

Sagit Schwartz is a writer, producer, and licensed psychotherapist. Her work has been featured in Medium, Slate, The Atlantic, Reddit NoSleep, and Lifetime Television. She resides with her husband, daughter, and rescue dog in a Southern California beach town….and her novel is incredible for so many reasons. 

It’s the first book I’ve read (if not ever!) with a main character grappling with an eating disorder in the midst of a gripping storyline that kept me turning the pages compulsively. 

It’s officially Fall and that means I am enjoying my favorite season of the year. Time for warm socks, crunchy leaves and cozy reading. 

Did you know that the term cozy is actually a special subgenre? Think cozy mysteries, cozy romances and even cozy fantasy novels. 

And where there are cozy books…there is food. =)

Today, I am sharing 3 cozy books full of Fall flavors: pumpkin, apples and pumpkin spice babka, too.

I love meeting people who embody the kind of life I want to live and have mastered the habits and mindsets that I’m trying to grow. 

Today’s guest is my ultimate guide for bringing joyful, mindful journaling into my daily life. Becca Rae Eagle is an educator, podcast host, author and writing doula here to talk about joyful journaling and her 60-Day One-Word Journaling project.

Like me, Becca enjoys one-word themes to help her focus and get intentional on the page. I know I’ll be trying her technique and journaling to some of the words in her challenge like renew, play, listen and transform. 

She drops SO MANY bits of journaling wisdom for us to learn from and embodies an energy and passion for journaling that cannot be matched.

You'll find the show notes for this episode here. 

Books can help us grow through what we go through and there are two broad categories of books in bibliotherapy: books that EXPLICITLY help us and books that IMPLICITLY help us. 

Today, I am sharing three books that blur the boundaries of bibliotherapy in different ways.

One book is a bestseller, one is brand new and one is yet-to-be-published, but should be in your pre-order cart. 

Come listen as I explore three books that feel like therapy.

Every month, I share a little bit of literate love: what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving all month long in hopes that it inspires the same for you. 

Today, I’m sharing four incredible books you haven’t heard about yet on the podcast, a bookish prompt for your notebook, LOTS of fun things I’ve been learning and of course, some things I loved that brought me happiness and health, too. 

Books and notebooks have always been a large part of my life, but their role has shifted and changed over time. 

Today, I talk about where I’ve been, where I am now and how I’ve been using reading and writing to make life better. 

Come listen as I explore restorative reading and writing: what it is, why it matters, how to get started and much more!

When I first started this podcast, I made a wish list of guests to invite on the podcast and today, I am thrilled to share that one of my wishes came true. =)

Recently, I read a historical fiction novel that sparked my interest in a historical event in a way that no other book has done: The Shore of Forever by Elora Maxwell.

This book was completely captivating. It was focused on a fascinating period of history and told the story of three characters who each had my heart and taught me a thing or two about how to live life. But even better than that, it lit my reading heart and sent me down a beautiful rabbit hole of curiosity. 

Today, I’m talking with Elora Maxwell about her debut novel. She gives us the backstory of how it came to be, insight into the characters and structure and even shares book recommendations that pair well with hers. You don’t want to miss this!

Here in the United States, we’ve just observed Labor Day. That means back to school, cooler weather and my favorite pumpkin flavors. 

Today, I’m sharing three books with back-to-school vibes: two fiction novels set squarely in academia and one memoir with strong threads of school excellence throughout.

Every month (almost!) I share a little bit of literate love: what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving all month long.

Today, I’m sharing the summer edition of my monthly recap. I’ve got four great books to share, some fun writing experiences, a cookie recreation I am proud of and something making me VERY happy during this last week of August.

Be sure to listen to the end….I share how you can win a SIGNED version of one of my favorite picture books! 

There are many iconic books that we tuck into our reading hearts and one of those books for me is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. 

Originally published in 1911, this book still captivates the minds and hearts of many readers and I’d argue the lessons inside are even more important today than they were long ago. 

Today, I am talking with Keri Wilt, Burnett’s great-great-granddaughter and a heart cultivator at The Well-Tended Life, a podcast to help you unearth the tools to keep you growing and blooming true in every season.

I loved my conversation with Keri and we talked about all the things: The Secret Garden (and how old she was the first time she read it!), the heart taps inside the pages, her unique journaling technique and much more. I know you’ll love it as much as I did and you’ll be off to grab your notebook (or buy a new one!) to try Keri’s intentional journaling today.

There’s one genre that I have not read in my adult reading life for a VERY long time…and I know because I keep meticulous track of the books I read: fairy tales. 

That all changes starting now!

Today, I’m sharing a new journaling technique that I’m trying in my notebook: a journal tip-in. It’s a fun way to add function AND beauty to your notebook and I wish I tried it sooner. 

I talk about what tip-ins are, how they can serve our notebooks and how we can create one. Then, I’ll get personal and talk about how I’m currently experimenting with tip-ins in my own stack of notebooks and ask for special requests, too. 

Let’s celebrate National Book Lovers Day!

I love all things books and reading: books, bookstores, bookshelves, book bins, book covers, book sleeves, bookmarks, bookish culture, bookish fun and more. 

That’s why I have a special place in my reading heart for books about books. Not only do they indulge my bookish heart, but they place me square into the lives of other bookish people, too.  

We are not alone. =)

Today, I’m sharing a collection of books that embrace bookish culture.

You’ll find three of my all-time favorites, one book I love to hate, three books on my personal TBR and a couple of middle grade books I think all book lovers need to read, too.

I love all kinds of notebooking and journaling, but there’s one kind that I have not yet tried: junk journaling. 

So, I’ve brought on a special guest to help me think through what junk journaling is, why we should all give it a try and how to get started.

Jenn Begin is the perfect guest to share her passion for junk journaling and spark that magic in each of us, too. Join us as we talk about junk journaling, how we can bring our reading life inside the pages of our journals and what you need to get started. It’s easier than I thought and look at the results!

Today, I am talking about a particular bookish problem I often have: reading the books on my tall TBR stack in the season I intentionally wanted to read them in. 

I have many books that I wanted to read this summer IN the summer season because they have all the summertime vibes: they take place in the summer in warm and beachy locations and give off the summertime vibes: fun, sun and romance.

But summer is HALFWAY over and I have not read any of them. None.

So today, I’m sharing three books that I WILL read this summer, but they are NOT your typical beach read. Yes, they take place in summer in warm and beachy locations, but they are not rom-coms and instead, they focus on real characters going through real transformations in the summer season. 

Come help me choose which of the three I should read first and which you might add to your TBR stack, too!

Ever since I read The Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin, I’ve been thinking about my days a bit differently. I’m noticing things more. I’m attempting to listen more. I’m striving to stay present in the moment, to really experience it. 

I’m trying to choose a bigger life and this book is helping me do it. 

Today, I’m revealing a new side to my professional life, one I’ve been thinking about for YEARS and this book has finally helped me make the leap to bring it to life. 

I’ll share my exciting new concept, claim a new identity and explore how we can turn reading and writing into a ritual that can help you choose a bigger life, too. 

I always love a good literate backstory: how an author decided to write, the way a book came to life, why a writer shares specific stories on the page. 

Knowing the backstory, connecting to the backstory and truly understanding ‘all the things’ connects me to authors and books in new ways.

And I LOVE that.

Today, I’ve decided to share my own backstory with you, but with a twist. My very first Get Lit(erate). Patreon member flipped the script and interviewed ME for the podcast. Together, we talk about our love of books, how and why Get Lit(erate) came to be, our favorite book club selections and bookish experiences and much more.

Come listen as I spill the beans on Get Lit(erate) and then join in the fun!

It’s time to share a little bit of literate love for June of 2023!

Today, I share what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving in the month of June in hopes that it inspires your own reading and writing, too.

This summer, I’ve set a goal to really lean into my writing life. I want to write more regularly, tackle some writing projects, write outside the box and boost my writing communities, too. 

So, I’ve joined two very different writing groups and have been reflecting on what I like about each, what I’ve learned about the process and what really works for me. 

Surprisingly, I’ve realized how much I like writing to a prompt…tiny clips of song lyrics, to be exact. These nuggets of inspiration are shockingly helpful in showing up to the page and this got me thinking: book quotes can do the same. 

I LOVE collecting compelling quotes from the books I read. I have multiple quote notebooks, a Google Doc collection and even digital Keep notes and a Padlet wall full of them. 

Today, I am bringing you five book quotes that are sure to send you straight to your notebook. I’ll share the quote, the book it's from and what it might spark for you. This just might be my favorite episode yet!

Do you remember the hobbies and passions you had as a child? Do you make time and space for them in your adult life? I knew I could seriously improve in this department in my own life, so I turned to books. 

Books that remind me how important it is to make time for things we enjoy and care about. Books that spark a flame to get back to the things that make us happy. Books that show us what can happen to the trajectory of our lives if we do. 

Those are the kinds of books I am talking about on today’s episode: books that spark a passion. 

Today, I’m talking with Christie Zimmer on the power of journaling to make our lives better….especially our reading lives. 

We’ve collaborated together to create a colorful printable to help us reflect on our rules for reading, where they came from and what they mean, if they serve us or not and how we want to harness their power in the future. 

But the best part? While this might begin with a discussion about the rules in our reading life, it’s the perfect prompt to think about other rules in our lives and if they serve us in this season. It’s coaching for your reading life AND your actual life, too. 

June is Alzheimers and Dementia month.

With over 55 million people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses, many of us are personally impacted by this disease.

Today, I’m sharing three books that have been particularly powerful in my own reading life on this topic.

But since I have more to share, I’ve created a book list with many more recommendations in hopes that you find a book that’s right for you.

Every month, I share what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving in a bonus episode. 

Today, I’m sharing a list of books you haven’t heard me talk about on the podcast yet, a writing group that’s lighting my writing heart on fire, a fun historical project that involves a notebook and something I never knew I could do at my local library. 

It’s graduation season! Today, I share a bit of my own graduation regret and offer a collection of fantastic gifts for graduates, Get Lit(erate)-style. 

You’ll find three picture books, three notebooks, three technology gadgets and three bookish gifts just for fun on today’s episode. 

I regularly reflect on my reading statistics generated from my bookish spreadsheet so I can continue to grow as a reader. I just reviewed my updated reading charts and did NOT like what I saw.

Today, I share and think through my latest bookish statistics and offer a collection of books to celebrate AANHPI month so I can diversify my reading life in the process. 

Writing daily in my various notebooks, especially my Morning Pages notebook, has been a life-changing practice for me, but sometimes, those gleaming white pages can feel daunting.

Often, I’ll find myself writing about the same thing over and over again or writing in the same way over and over again. And while that’s not a bad thing, sometimes I just need to get out of a notebooking rut.

Today, I’m sharing five fresh writing experiments to get you out of a notebooking rut, too. 

Every May, we explore and celebrate the concept of motherhood: the incredibly loving act of caring for another. 

And while we may not all be mothers in the traditional sense, we all have experience with our own sense of mothering and what that conjures up for us. 

Today, I’m sharing three books (and a few bonus recommendations, too!) that explore the concept of motherhood.

One book you won’t expect, one book is brand new and one book will make you think about mothering in a way you likely never have.

I love book birthdays: celebrating the day that new books are released into the world for readers to experience and learn from. 

Today, we are celebrating the release of Megan Tady’s debut novel titled Super Bloom. 

I devoured this book and it has a place on many of my personal book lists: books I’ve hugged, books with amazing first lines and books that show me new possibilities. 

Come listen as I talk with Megan about the journey to her book birthday, all about her debut novel and what’s next on the horizon, too.

It’s time for my monthly bonus episode of literate love!

Each month, I’ll share what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving in hopes that it inspires your own literate life, too. 

Today, I share the books I’ve read, the writing prompts I’ve tried, the things I’ve learned and the little things that have brought me literate love in April of 2023. 

Spring is in the air and that means Spring cleaning, organizing and freshening. Why not bring a bit of that Spring organization to our bookshelves?

Today, I am talking about shelf-care: showing love to your bookshelf in mindful and intentional ways to rejuvenate your reading life.

Today, I’ve officially added a new place to my bookish bucket list: The Kindred Spirits Mailbox in North Carolina. 

I am quite smitten with this mailbox and all it represents. Join me today to hear what the Kindred Spirits Mailbox is, what it represents, the books it reminds me of and what it can offer all of us. 

Books and notebooks are my favorite tools to create a life we love. 

Today, I am talking with someone who offers a new kind of journaling to help others achieve their biggest goals. Jen Laffin is an educator-turned life coach that believes in the power of the pen to guide us to where we want to go next. 

In this episode, we’re talking all about journaling for self-discovery: the why, the how and how NOT to get in our own way. 

Plus, I’ll wrap up the episode with a list of books perfect to spark a self-discovery journey in your own notebook, too. 

Notebooking is a big part of my life and my most treasured notebook is my Morning Pages journal. 

I’ve mentioned it a few times on the podcast, but I haven’t taken a deep dive into the world of Morning Pages….until now. 

Join me as I explore what Morning pages are, how you can get started, what to write about, how to sustain your habit over time and answers to common questions. 

Come listen!

I’ve been experimenting with ChatGPT in my professional and personal life and have some strong opinions about how it might be used to boost our reading lives. 

Today, I share the specific prompts I used inside ChatGPT to decide what to read next. I was shocked at the accurateness of the information and even more surprised at the level of reflection it prompted about my reading life. 

I love sending literate love out into the world so that my obsession can inspire others to lean into what they love, too. 

So, I’ve launched a monthly addition to the Get Lit(erate). podcast: monthly literate love!

Each month, I’ll share what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving in hopes that it inspires your own literate life, too. 

Today, I share the books I’ve read, the writing prompts I’ve tried, the things I’ve learned and the little things that have brought me literate love in March of 2023. 

March is National Crafting month and I have a new kind of episode for you that blends a set of crafty books with a crafty interview with someone who connects her love of books, libraries and crafts together. 

Today, I am talking with Ellen Lumpkin Brown of Sew It! Workshop, a virtual and pop-up sewing studio that embodies books and reading and creativity for a purpose. I recently completed one of Ellen’s virtual workshops with my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community and created a weighted eye mask perfect for resting my tired reading and writing eyes.

And if I can do it, you can, too.

Come listen to add some crafty books to your TBR stack, get inspired by Ellen’s passion and creativity and claim some for yourself. 

How’s your Middle Grade March been going? I’m here with a VERY special guest. She is one of my favorite middle grade authors: Ann Braden!

Today, we celebrate the power of middle grade novels. You’ll learn about her unexpected backstory, the pieces of her life found inside all three of her books and how her books have become movements.

Ann’s energy is contagious and you won’t want to miss her enthusiasm for all things middle grade.

Today’s episode was inspired by my recent #ReadYourFeed post. This is where I read the social media feed of a friend or follower and recommend a book I think they’ll love.

Last week’s recommendation sent me down a rabbit hole of bookish inspiration full of inspirational books that could be read in small doses and in no particular order.

Today, I’m sharing those books. They’re perfect for when you need a dose of inspiration, a bit of reflection or a spur to action.

I’ve had a dream in my heart for a while… to write a picture book.

I’ve always wanted to write my own picture book, but never felt confident or competent enough to actually take any action.

Until today.

Today, I talked with Wendy Reed, author of over 18 books she’s independently published. We talked about our shared love of books, her courage to self-publish and how that first book led her to writing dreams she didn’t even know she had inside her.

You’re sure to be inspired, just like I was.

I’m back with another episode on bibliotherapy!

I received some many wonderful comments and curious questions about the practice that I decided to create another episode on the topic.

But this one is different.

Today, I’m walking you through my own unique process of bibliotherapy with a book I’ve read recently. We’ll talk about how to find the time to read, which books to choose, how we engage with the book and what comes next.

Today is a big day on the Get Lit(erate). podcast.

I’m interviewing someone that brings me a great deal of journaling inspiration with her colorful, curious and whimsical printable journals and journal pages: Christie Zimmer!

I feel like Christie is my journaling twin, as we have very similar philosophies about journaling and notebooking and we often head to our notebook for many of the same reasons.

But there’s one key difference: I tend to stay in the left side of my brain when I journal, sticking to my tried and true notebooking habits inside predictable, lined notebooks.  Christie invites me to explore the right side of my brain as I notebook, welcoming new colors, shapes, reflective prompts and overall notebooking experiences.

In today’s episode, we talk about all things journaling, from the why and how we journal to the when and what we do when we arrive on the page.

Middle Grade March is here! We have the entire month to read, enjoy and celebrate all things middle grade children’s literature and that’s exactly what I’m doing today.

Some of my most popular episodes on this podcast have been on the power and possibility of bringing a consistent notebooking and journaling habit into our lives.

We might think we are too busy, too overwhelmed and too tired to journal daily…and we might be. But honestly, we cannot afford not to and I’ll tell you why.

Today, I’m exploring the power of journaling and notebooking to support our mental health.

I’ll share powerful research on why journaling is important to our physical, mental and emotional health and share three specific journal techniques to support your model and mindset.

Come listen!