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Diving into the Cold

In this episode of the Secret Library Podcast, I speak with Anna Brones from the middle of her current book writing adventure. Anna shares her experiences working on her forthcoming book about cold water practices and communities, inspired by her own cold water swimming routine. We look at the shift in her creative process as she takes on a research-heavy nonfiction book, which is a new direction after her previous titles. She also shares historical and cultural context for cold water immersion. We get into the challenges of balancing different types of creative work and the importance of celebrating small victories along the way. Join us for a fascinating conversation about the intersections of art, writing, and the natural world.

Chapters:

01:40 Anna's Journey: From Cookbooks to Cold Water03:45 The Concept of Cold: Exploring the New Book04:32 Cold Water Practice: A Personal Journey05:33 Building a Cold Water Community08:41 The Writing Process: Challenges and Insights10:51 Travel and Research: Immersing in Cold Cultures15:19 The Creative Process: Embracing the Struggle19:03 Writing Gnomes: The Magic Behind the Words21:20 The Unknowable Element of Creativity22:25 Visual Art vs. Writing: A Creative Comparison23:54 Balancing Passion and Relaxation26:47 Victorian Ladies and Cold Water Cures34:11 The Fluidity of Creative Processes41:18 Celebrating the Creative Journey

About Anna:

Anna is a writer, artist, and educator based in the Pacific Northwest. She works as a papercut artist, hand cutting illustrations from single pieces of paper, which have been used everywhere from books to wine labels to public art installations. Passionate about sharing creativity with others, she regularly teaches workshops, both in person and virtually. She is also the author of several books including Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break, Live Lagom: Balanced Living the Swedish Way, and Best Served Wild: Real Food for Real Adventures. She contributes to a variety of digital and print publications and is currently at work on her forthcoming book Cold: Lessons of Place, Presence, and Practice (2026)

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