Stories from the Ashes Podcast

Our Guest:

This week I had the pleasure to talk with my husband, Erik Sautter, about his literary journey and his experience being married to a crazy book lady (me).

We opened the floor to your questions and you didn’t disappoint! Thank you!

Let us know in the comments if you have more questions and we’ll tackle them on IG and FB for you!

Books and resources recommended in this episode (minus Goosebumps, that’s not a recommendation, that one’s just here because… well… you know…):

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

Goosebumps- Erik insisted I include the above meme he made just for this day.

Red Phoenix by Larry Bond

1984 by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Fox in Sox by Dr. Seuss

Sandra Boynton

Let’s Talk About series by Joy Berry- We have the full set, but I see some individual titles have been reprinted!

Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail by Danica McKellar

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

Scholastic DVD Collections- these can still be found second hand for a steal or at the public library

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

Reading Rainbow Presents: Gregory the Terrible Eater (1992 FHE release)

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

DoesTheDogDie.com- a website with crowdsourced content for books, movies, tv, and more.

Phillis Wheatley by Shirley Graham- Find a complete printable list of The Messner Biographies here.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Thank you for listening! If you enjoy our podcasts, please leave a review or stars wherever you are listening- it means a lot to us!

Our Guest:

Elly Swartz is a middle grade author of books with heart. So much heart! Ambre has spent the last year and a half trying to get anyone who will listen to have their older kids read Elly’s book Give and Take. If you haven’t yet, there’s no time like the present! It’s a beautiful book for anyone with anxiety, friends, or a family. (ha!)

Elly’s catalogue includes:

* Finding Perfect

* Dear Student

* Give and Take

* Smart Cookie

* Hidden Truths (Release Date of October 31st, 2023- Find it on our “Pre-Orders We’re Excited About It” Amazon Storefront List.

Elly’s three influential books from her own life:

* Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary

* Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret

* Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park

Books we’ve both loved:

* Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White- audiobook read by the author

* Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Elly’s 6” (give or take 6” or so) of favorite books on Emotional Intelligence for Kids:

* Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

* Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

* Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

* Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

* The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

* Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

* The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

* A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

* I'm Worried (The I'm Books) by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi

* When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni and Peter H. Reynolds

Other Recommendations from Ambre:

* The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

* Watch Season One of the Wingfeather Saga for FREE here!

“Be Kind to Yourself” by Andrew Peterson (A favorite in our home)

Thank you for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes and book lists!

Help spread the love by sharing with a friend!

Our Guest:

Inara Sautter is Ambre’s eldest ( as a Tolkien fan, she prefers Eldar) daughter, a writer, and the lead producer of the Stories from the Ashes podcast.

She joins Ambre in this episode to share her experience growing up with dyslexia, her joy in being a reader, her thoughts on family read alouds, and her journey thus far as a writer (among other things!).

Her delightful short story fan fiction on the characters of The Lord of the Rings taking a day trip to the strip mall can be found here: The Fellowship, a Minivan, a Leaf Blower, and a Few Doughnuts.

If you would like to leave Inara a tip for making these podcasts possible, you may do so here. Just leave a note that it’s for her and she will send you many thanks as she gleefully enlarges her Tolkien shelf. On her behalf- thank you!

Books Recommended in this Episode:

Due to the frequency with which Inara is asked for book recommendations by community members, we have given her her own List on the RA Amazon storefront. All of the following titles can be found there along with other books she loves!

* Book of Dragons by Edith Nesbit, our favorite audiobook reader for Nesbit is Cathy Dobson (it’s the green cover)

* Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit

* Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

* Green Ember series by S.D. Smith

* The Phoenix and the Carpet by Edith Nesbit

* Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

* Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

* Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

* Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink

* Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

* The Red Door by Rachel Lulich- Pre-order until September of 2023!

* The Skyward Series by Brandon Sanderson

* Enchantress from the Stars (Published in 1970) by Sylvia Engdahl

* An Elephant in the Garden: Inspired by a True Story by Michael Morpurgo

* Soldier, Statesman and Defendant: Aaron Burr by Jeannette Covert Nolan

* Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr: Their lives, their times, their duel by Anna Erskine Crouse and Russel Crouse

* Thomas Jefferson: His Many Talents by Johanna Johnston

* Benjamin Franklin Scientist-Diplomat by Charles Michael Daugherty

* The Story of Benjamin Franklin by Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft

* Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

* Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key by S.D. Smith and J.C. Smith

* The Mystery of the Loch Ness Monster by Jeanne Bendick

* The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

* James Baldwin Fifty Stories Retold by James Baldwin

* Silmarillion by J.R.R Tolkien

Resources Recommended:

* The Young Writers Workshop

* Inara listened extensively to books through our Audible subscription as a pre-reader and has barely slowed down now that she’s a confident reader.

* Audible is currently offering a 3 month free trial for new members. Click here to check it out!

* To discover more books that we’ve read and recommend, check out our free Living Books Literary Catalogue of good, true, and beautiful books for your family.

Thank you for Listening. This podcast is public, so please share it with a friend!

Subscribe now and never miss a free booklist, article, or podcast! Join our community of book lovers!

Our Guest: Author Rachel Lulich

* The Red Door Coming September 2023 -orders available from Bandersnatch Press:

* Random Walk (Fractured Galaxy Book 1)

* The Ethics of Hope (Fractured Galaxy Book 2)

* Standard Candles (Fractured Galaxy Book 3)

* The Confessing Church (A play)

* To Do This Right: Poems of Faith

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

Featured books in this episode:

* Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

* Five Little Peppers by Margaret Sidney

* Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

* The Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

* Thoroughbred (72 book series)

* Histories of Earth by Steven J. Carroll Podcast Episode

* Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith

* The Wheels of Time by Robert Jordan

* Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

* The Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan

* The Good Master by Kate Seredy

* Jane Austen for comfort reads

Thank you for listening! Share this episode with your Hopepunk loving friends!

Our Guest: Author Rachel Lulich

* The Red Door Coming September 2023 -orders available from Bandersnatch Press:

* Random Walk (Fractured Galaxy Book 1)

* The Ethics of Hope (Fractured Galaxy Book 2)

* Standard Candles (Fractured Galaxy Book 3)

* The Confessing Church (A play)

* To Do This Right: Poems of Faith

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

Featured books in this episode:

* Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

* Five Little Peppers by Margaret Sidney

* Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

* The Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

* Thoroughbred (72 book series)

* Histories of Earth by Steven J. Carroll Podcast Episode

* Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith

* The Wheels of Time by Robert Jordan

* Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

* The Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan

* The Good Master by Kate Seredy

* Jane Austen for comfort reads

Thanks for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes and booklists. Spread the word and tell a friend!

Our Guest: Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is an incredible adventure guide and real life survival specialist. He’s proudly autistic and a speed talker- depending on the platform you listen through, you may be able to slow the audio down if you find it hard to keep up!

* Hutch’s site: Ready Set Adventure. Be sure to check out all the free activities available including plans to build a kid’s crossbow! You can also purchase adventure kits to complete with your kids!

* Hutch’s most recent book, How To Make and Use Hide Glue: "The Duct Tape of our Ancestors.", is frequently referenced in this episode.

***This episode focuses on all the real life applications of the book, Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk, and we strongly recommend reading it before listening unless you don’t mind spoilers!***

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

Featured books in this episode:

These titles can all be found or searched through our Amazon Storefront.

* Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

* My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

* Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

* Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books

by Gary Paulsen

* The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

* Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History by Jeremy Schaap

* Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

* The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

* The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind (!!!heavy adult content!!!)

* How To Make and Use Hide Glue: "The Duct Tape of our Ancestors." by Aaron "Hutch" Hutchings

* Wolf Hollow and its sequel: My Own Lightning by Lauren Wolk

* Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

* Tarzan by Burroughs

* A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Thank you for listening! Share this episode with your nature study group!

Our Guest: Steven J. Carroll, author and songwriter.

I truly believe that this series, The Histories of Earth, is the best series you and your kids haven’t read yet. The books increase in complexity and length as they go along and as the characters age. If you only take one series recommendation from me this year, let it be this one- and don’t judge it on book one for, while perfectly delightful, it’s setting the stage and the stories mature as you go. The audiobooks are perfection.

*age recommendations in the episode by book (as the series scaffolds)- for teens and parents too!*

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Histories of Earth (4 book series) by Steven J. Carroll

* In the Window Room

* A Prince of Earth

* All the Worlds of Men

* Worlds Unending

The Road to Jericho by Steven J. Carroll

City of Words by Steven J. Carroll (Dystopian YA to be covered in a separate interview)

* City of Words

* Mountain of Shadows

Life is Beautiful- a movie

The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso

The KJV Bible

Robinson Crusoe

Find more books we recommend in our free searchable literary database!

We are an Amazon Affiliate. Purchases made through our Storefront help us keep the lights on and are much appreciated!

Help us spread the word about this series by sharing this episode with a friend. Thank you!

Our Guest:

Reader and artist Kelly Curtis. A serendipitous meeting through Facebook has lead to this wonderful discussion and her sharing of her alternative book covers from last year’s reading. More of Kelly’s art can be found and purchased on Etsy in her shop EudemoniaArt.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

“It all started with Miss Prim.

For many years, I was convinced of a tragic lie: that novels were lesser things than non-fiction. In my youth, a novel was a school assignment to trudge through, because some conclave of intellectuals blessed it with merit. At best, the story within would relate to some "real" thing of interest. This conviction became less of one over time. And it changed completely in January when the ancient widow character in The Awakening of Miss Prim shook my depths. From there I began novel reading for pleasure; to soften all the hardness; to elevate the soul.

I am not a speedy reader, but I managed 13 novels this year. I painted a little painting for each book, which I happily display here.” -Kelly Curtis

Featured books in this episode:

* The Great Divorce CS Lewis

* The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

* The Awakening of Miss Prim: A Novel by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera

* Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

* Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

* Jane Austen’s books

* Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

* Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

* The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge

* The Dean’s Watch by Elizabeth Goudge

* Skyward Novellas by Brandon Sanderson

* Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

* The Book of Ruth

* Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward with Christine Hunter

* The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

* These Are My People: a Biography of Gladys Aylward by Millie Howard

* The Proper Place by O. Douglas

* Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel by John Guy

* The Histories of Earth series by Steven J. Carroll with Joel Froomkin (Narrator) Further information now that I’ve finished the series: book four does have some “religious content” in that they meet a society founded by Ancient Romans and tell them the history that came since Ancient times on Earth including the downfall of their Empire and the influence of Christianity in that time. They are all appalled (lol) to have ever become a monotheistic society. It does not proselytize. I loved this series and cannot recommend it highly enough!

* Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl

* The Confessions, Revised: Saint Augustine (The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, Vol. 1) by Augustine and Maria Boulding (Translator)

* The Julian Messner Shelf of Biographies- Link is to our printable series list

* The Story of Clara Barton of the Red Cross by Jeannette Covert Nolan

* Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsk

Kelly’s other covers from last year:

Thanks for listening! Subscribe now to never miss an episode or our free booklists!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and spread the love!

Welcome back for Season 2 of the Stories from the Ashes podcast!

We’re so glad you’re listening and learning along with us!

Today’s guest is Gloris Young, children’s book illustrator, artist, and one of the most influential people in Ambre’s love of stories and reading. You can see some of her journal pages and read her writings on her blog, Gloriadelia.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

Correction: Actress Agnes Moorehead was incorrectly identified as costumer Edith Head.

Featured books in this episode and those illustrated by our guest:

* Marco Polo by Manuel Komroff (Gloris illustrated the gorgeous map)

* John of the Sirius trilogy by Doris Chadwick: John of the Sirius, John of Sydney Cove, John and Nanboree (Gloris illustrated the covers and interior maps)

* Let's Explore… the British Isles A Geography Reader by Caroline Walker (Gloris illustrated the cover, interior illustrations, and maps- Inara modeled for the arm of the Lady of the Lake!)

* James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl- as most of you know, I have huge Dahl reservations which doesn’t change the fact that I loved this read aloud experience as a child.

* Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson narrated by Greg Wagland

* Muppet Treasure Island (movie)

* Fluffy Goes to School by Kate McMullan

* The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

* Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White narrated by the author

* Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom by Leonard S. Marcus (S1E6, below, is where Ambre reads some of the backstory on the writing of Charlotte’s Web as referenced in this episode.)

* Mr. Bear Squash-You-All-Flat by Morrell Gipson

* Once On A Time by AA Milne

* News of the World by Paulette Jiles narrated by Grover Gardner

* The Cay by Theodore Taylor narrated by LeVar Burton

* The Bomb by Theodore Taylor

* The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (one of the books Gloris couldn’t remember the title of during our conversation). She only recommends this book for adults and not teens. Content Considerations: non-erotic sex scene between two unmarried characters, violence at the hands of the Nazis, SA off scene referenced from a Nazi.

* The Four Wings by Kristin Hannah (the other title Gloris was going to look up the title of. Also only recommended for adults) Content Considerations: Non-erotic sex scene

* A Dog Named Christmas series by Greg Kinkade. **Content Considerations: main characters with special needs both mental and physical. In book three the protagonist moves in with his girlfriend.** All of the books work as stand alone titles and Books one and two have been listened to multiple times by Gloris and are her top recommendations from the series.

* Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien- Ambre prefers narration by Rob Inglis for the first read through and Andy Serkis after for younger children.

* Cider with Rosie, The Autobiographical Trilogy by Laurie Lee

* Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

* 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (we also recommend the movie)

* Q's Legacy: A Delightful Account of a Lifelong Love Affair with Books by Helene Hanff

* A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

* The Bible

* David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

* Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Recommended children’s authors:

* Edith Nesbit

* C.S. Lewis

Ambre’s art that Gloris inquired after:

Jacqueline Biang Art

Thank you for listening to Stories from the Ashes. This podcast is free so please share it!

In this episode you’ll hear Ambre and Amanda dive into their own self care tips, as well as those from the RA community, and share their plans for the podcast in Season 2.

Correction: in the episode I mentioned that baby Inara only slept for 45 minutes a day. Obviously, I misspoke. What I meant to say was that she only slept in 45 minute increments, all night long, until she was two and a half. That’s much more reasonable sounding.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this community. Thank you for your support!

Featured books in this episode:

* Anne of Green Gables

* Jane Austen

* Clara Barton of the Red Cross (a Julian Messner Biography) by Jeanette Nolan

* The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson

* Wintering by Katherine May

* “Book with the tiger on the cover” is In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Peter A. Levine

* The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge

* Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

* The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation by James Wilder and Michel Hendricks

* Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink

Other resources and links shared:

* I can’t seem to find the Oxford University Press study with the “rocket booster” comment, only a million sites quoting it but not giving more specifics. So rude.

* Dessicated Brain. Sounds gross, I know, but after taking it five times I now have two “spotlights” in my brain so don’t knock it till you try it. Erik and I both love Ancestral Supplements for all our organ meat needs. Read the the reviews. Real food=real miracles.

* Hopepunk sweatshirts/t-shirts/stickers, etc. All merch options for all our designs are available here. Here’s a $15 off $50 voucher for new customers if you’re looking at the sweatshirts- or a LOT of stickers!

* The song that goes all around in your head is “Sweet Dreams” and it’s in 8D which is what makes it so funky. You HAVE to use headphones to get the full affect.

Join the conversation!

Tell us what you do for self care! What would you like to share about your experiences with wintering?

Subscribe to receive new posts and join the community!