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In today’s episode, I am chatting with Jacqui Lents. Jacqui was born and raised in her beloved Michigan, where her life has meandered more like a lazy river than a high-speed expressway. Before settling into her career as a high school social studies etacher, she dabbled in at least fifteen different jobs—some more unusual than others. When she is not revinventing herself, Jacqui can be found throwing axes (responsibly), attempting to conquer her TBR pile, swimming in her loch, or hanging out with her husband of over twenty years, who has yet to flee despite her ever-evolving hobbies. Jacqui is the host of the award-winning podcast, Jacqui Just Chatters and we are here to tday to talk about her debut novel, The Daphne Project.

This is Jacqui’s first appearance on Bookish Flights as a published author (yay!), and we dive deep into the themes that inspired her book. We talk about what it means to become "vintage," embracing imperfections, personal growth, and the hard but transformative process of rediscovering your identity.

Episode Highlights:

• Jacqui’s journey from educator to author.
• What inspired The Daphne Project.
• The beauty (and humor) in becoming “vintage.”
• Reinvention and identity in midlife.
• Why real stories about real people matter.
• How teaching shaped her writing voice.

📚 Whether you're feeling a little vintage yourself or just love a good story about transformation, this episode is for you.

Connect with Jacqui Lents:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Books and authors mentioned in the episode:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott
• Stalking Around the Christmas Tree by Jacqueline Frost
• Beachbum Bookworm Booktube channel
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Book Flight

• Happy Place by Emily Henry
• The Christmas Tree Farm series by Jacqueline Frost
• The Magic Ship by Sandra Perretti

Dessert Pairing

• Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

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• Website