"You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind...." Journey with us, as Rodi and Jeff welcome Josh Malerman (author of Bird Box) back to the podcast to discuss the enduring influence and cultural impact of the Twilight Zone's original television run from 1959-1964--a masterclass in short storytelling, just in time for SHORT STORY MONTH.

Music in a library! It's not a novel-ty... And we encourage all the artists who perform here to be as loud as possible! Take a trip down memory lane with us, looking back at 12+ years of concerts hosted inside the library and hear a preview of what's to come...

This week, we're talking about twice-told tales and retellings. We go from Greek Mythology to Fairy Tales to Shakespearean Plays, and quite a bit of Arthurian Legends, and discuss the ways in which these centuries-old stories are revitalized today, while also talking about amazing contemporary authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and graphic novel series like Once & Future. 

Ypsilanti-based photographer Jim Roll talks about incorporating a bit of chaos and the subconscious into his process, as well as the double-exposure "film soup" development of his mesmerizing, polychromatic, dream-like images, all of which is captured from the natural landscapes surrounding the Huron River. www.jimroll.com | Jim is also a musician and audio engineer who has been a part of the Michigan music scene for decades, we talk about that, as well as his philosophy around photography. His work is on display inside the Ferndale Library this spring! 

Librarian Susan Paley joins us again to talk about her favorite books of the year..., so far! That includes three mystery titles from the collection she helps develop here at the Ferndale Library, as well as one biography! Books discussed include The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, The Maid by Nita Prose, The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale and The Master by Christopher Clarey. 

Today, we're talking about our favorite and least favorite depictions of librarians (& libraries) on screen, through movies and television, from The Mummy to the Music Man! 

Today, we're talking about what it was like to become a Youth Librarian in the midst of a pandemic, whilst also reflecting on everything we learned from visiting our libraries during childhood. We also talk about how the Kids Corner is built for kids, and what it means when a librarian says "reading is reading!" Joining us on this episode is youth librarian Mary Grahame Hunter, who develops our non-fiction collection for young readers, joins librarian Kricket Hoekstra (who has previous experience as a teen librarian). 

Bestselling legal thriller author Lisa Scottoline returns to the podcast, discussing the common thematic elements that are threaded through all of her books, no matter what the genre or elevator pitch may be... She's also specifically discussing her latest book, What Happened to the Bennetts, about a family that has to be taken into the Witness Protection Program. The name of this book's villain is also nearly identical to the name of our podcast host, so we also ask about that...