Bri & Dani interview New York Times Bestselling author Julia London, admiring a neighbor’s bedazzled signed copy of her book and discussing why she joined the podcast: supporting women’s creativity and sharing lessons from nearly 29 years in publishing. London recounts losing her White House job when Bill Clinton was elected, returning to Texas, hating an administrative role, then being inspired by a 25-cent Iris Johansen historical romance to write; after initial rejection and sisters’ taunts, she sent a manuscript, got an agent, and published her first book, The Devil’s Love. They discuss changes in publishing (from mailed manuscripts to social media pressure), her surprise New York Times bestseller moment, imposter syndrome, and redefining success as longevity and daily happiness. They address AI scraping authors’ books and London’s limited use of AI for brainstorming only. London previews The Rules for Aging and Larceny (June 30) about women in their seventies robbing a casino, discusses older protagonists, writing humor from real-life texts, shares early fan fiction as a “breadcrumb,” plugs a Feel Good Workbook sponsor segment, and ends with Bravo/Housewives and Traitors chat plus a hot take urging pay for TSA agents.

00:00 Warm Welcome Gifts

03:20 Why She Said Yes

04:32 Women Supporting Women

06:19 From White House To Writing

08:00 Sisters Spark Success

11:12 AI And Authorship

14:41 Publishing Pressure Pace

17:29 New Book Heist

22:10 Austin Roots And UT

23:09 First Times Bestseller

26:04 Social Media Overload

29:06 Real Life Humor

30:55 Feel Good Workbook Ad

32:30 Early Fan Fiction

34:44 Ideas And Breadcrumbs

36:32 Breaking Family Boxes

39:32 Layered Characters Talk

40:20 Hope Quote Tears

41:28 Dog Ears Debate

43:44 Defining Success Now

47:29 Self Doubt Cycle

50:03 Creative Grandma Era

50:59 Life Breadcrumb Stories

53:17 Carb Load Bravo Chat

56:19 Traitors Season Breakdown

01:03:06 Flour Hour TSA Rant

01:04:30 Find Your Breadcrumbs

01:07:07 Post Show Chaos

Faith, Soggy Breadcrumbs & Found Family

This episode contains discussion about pregnancy loss, abuse, suicidal ideation, self-harm, transracial adoption, and fostering high-risk children. Please listen with care

In a podcast-style conversation, Lisa shares her family life as a mother of five and “Mimi” to three grandchildren, her early EMT training, and her influences from a beloved grandmother who valued people deeply. She discusses experiencing two miscarriages, the grief and unhelpful comments that can follow, and emphasizes offering only support to those grieving. Lisa and her husband have served in ministry their whole marriage, started their own church about 14 years ago, and describe discerning God’s voice through knowing Scripture, surrendering control, and taking the next step rather than waiting for “someday.” She recounts her foster and adoption journey: a failed private adoption, obtaining foster licensing, meeting siblings at an adoption fair, losing two children due to a court decision, fostering many more placements including high-needs youth, and a recent placement ending after a suicide attempt and house fire. She describes gratitude practices, her father’s legacy of loving people, and practical ways communities can support foster families.

00:00 Adoption Fair Heartbreak

00:59 Meet Mimi and the Kids

01:39 Navy Son and First Responder Roots

03:39 Wanting Grandma’s Life

06:11 Miscarriage Grief and What Not to Say

12:23 Raising Kids in Church

16:41 Hearing God and Discernment

20:07 Order, Chaos, and Real Parenting

23:06 Teen Crisis and Cutting

27:16 Foster Journey Begins

33:06 Sponsor Break Feel Good Workbook

34:42 From Adoption Plan to Foster License

37:37 Inside the Adoption Fair

41:08 Adoption Plan Derails

42:59 Race And Court Loss

43:58 More Kids More Stories

45:31 Teaching A Kid Joy

47:38 Respite Turns Longterm

50:13 House Fire Crisis

53:58 Redefining Success

57:20 Breadcrumbs And Surrender

01:03:25 Dad’s Legacy Of Love

01:07:36 Gratitude In Grief

01:12:54 How To Help Foster Families

01:17:35 Follow Your Breadcrumbs

Thank you to our podcast sponsor Dr. Kel who offers an amazing course, Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? And a great workbook, The Feel Good Workbook. Our listeners get 10% off! Use code breadcrumbs10 at checkout here. https://linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

This is an affiliate endorsement: we receive a commission if you purchase using our link & code.

New episodes out every Wednesday! 

Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Post and tag us on socials! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

If you loved what you heard, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a review. This really helps us out as we get started and helps us know what great content to continue generating for each of you. 

In the meantime, go pickup your breadcrumbs! 

What if the most devastating losses of your life turned out to be the very thing that saved it?

This week, Brittany & Dani sit down with Jess from the Twin Mom Life Podcast. She experienced two back-to-back miscarriages in 2018, only to discover they were the catalyst for a diagnosis that explained not just her losses, but a mini-stroke she'd had at 21 that doctors hadn't fully connected until years later. Jess opens up about being diagnosed with Factor V Leiden, a blood-clotting disorder, navigating pregnancy on injectable blood thinners, and coming out the other side with three kids: daughter Kaia, born in February 2020, and a surprise set of identical twin boys.

But the medical journey is only half the story. Jess shares raw, honest reflections on severe postpartum depression during COVID isolation with Kaia, the whiplash of an unexpected twin pregnancy, and how a string of career pivots, from nonprofit public health to real estate appraising to home organizing that all eventually led her to launch the Twin Mom Life Podcast and build a local twin playdate community she desperately needed and couldn't find.

This episode is for anyone who has felt alone in a season of loss, longed for community that truly gets it, or followed a winding path that finally started to make sense.

📌 Chapters:

00:00 Miscarriages Saved Me

00:47 How We Connected

02:38 Two Losses Back To Back

05:39 Diagnosis Factor V Leiden

06:39 Stroke At 21

09:26 Treatment And Hope

11:07 Kaia And COVID Postpartum

12:00 Twins Surprise

13:31 Moving To Texas

14:15 Postpartum During Pandemic

19:51 Workbook Sponsor Break

21:41 Community And Careers Tease

23:27 Kaia Name Breadcrumb

25:39 Laugh Styles Banter

26:18 Career Pivots to Appraising

27:46 Organizing to Podcast Launch

32:13 Building Twin Mom Community

33:22 Craving Connection and Authenticity

35:25 Retreats and Filling Your Cup

38:09 Gooey Dough Burnt Toast Risen Bread

39:14 Girls Trip and Kid Milestones

42:48 Find or Follow Breadcrumbs

44:16 Wrap Up and Bonus Banter

💊 This episode is sponsored by Dr. Kel! Get 10% off her course Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? and The Feel Good Workbook using code BREADCRUMBS10 at checkout → https://linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

*Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.*

🍞 New episodes every Wednesday!

📺 Watch on YouTube!

📲 Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn & TikTok!

🔍 Where's Waldough? Find the hidden loaf & tag us!

🎙️ Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form!

⭐ Loved this episode? Leave us a review as it means the world and helps us grow!

Now, go follow (or find) your breadcrumbs. 🍞

Love, Hosts Brittany & Dani

She rescued six giant bookstore display books headed for the dumpster. One of them ended up changing everything.

That book was It Ends With Us. It became the unexpected breadcrumb that connected our two hosts, became a prop for book reels, a meetup mascot, and ultimately a catalyst for this entire podcast. This week, we finally sit down with the woman behind that moment: Aurora.

But Aurora isn't just the reason this podcast exists. She's also a reader, a Bravo devotee, a proud eldest-daughter-energy human, and the volunteer leader behind Austin's Volunteer Healthcare Clinic, a long-running charitable clinic that's been quietly changing lives in our city.

In this episode we get into:

✦ The full story of the giant book, the dumpster, and how a podcast was born

✦ Colleen Hoover as a gateway author (and whether the Goodreads ratings hold up)

✦ Recent reads: The Correspondent, Wild Dark Shore + audiobook recs

✦ Growing up in NYC, a Hallmark-worthy love story in New Orleans, and landing in Texas on a hunch

✦ What it really means to trust your gut — in your career, your community, and your life

✦ The Volunteer Healthcare Clinic: what it is, why it matters, and how you can help

This one is cozy, funny, and quietly profound. Exactly what a Wednesday needs.

🩺 SUPPORT THE VOLUNTEER HEALTHCARE CLINIC

Donate: https://www.volclinic.org/donate.html

💊 This episode is sponsored by Dr. Kel — take her course Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? or grab The Feel Good Workbook. Use code BREADCRUMBS10 for 10% off: linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

(Affiliate link — we earn a small commission at no cost to you.)

▶️ New episodes every Wednesday. Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Tag us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok! 

If this episode meant something to you, leaving a review takes 30 seconds and genuinely helps us grow. We read every single one.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Aurora — the woman behind the big book

01:45 Dumpster rescue: how It Ends With Us changed everything

03:11 The breadcrumb that became a podcast

05:47 CoHo merch, movie nights & fandom

07:54 No book snob energy here

10:41 Recent faves + TBR pile

12:50 Audiobooks that actually work

16:03 Growing up a reader in NYC

18:29 A Hallmark-worthy love story

21:36 Corner moms & community

24:38 From New York to Texas

32:53 College EMT pivot

34:17 The Feel Good Workbook (sponsor)

37:25 Healthcare career breadcrumbs

39:14 Moving on a hunch

40:09 Finding purpose in service

41:19 How the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic began

43:33 Volunteer stories & real impact

46:14 Why community care matters

48:45 How to support the clinic

50:03 Small choices, big turns

55:03 Flour hour hot take

55:23 Sound bath debate

01:00:57 Carb-loading & Bravo chat

01:04:06 Iconic quotes & fandom moments

01:07:07 Heartbreak & empathy

01:08:36 Breadcrumbs sign-off

01:11:35 Outtakes & banter

🥖 Go follow your breadcrumbs!

If you like baked goods, creative spaces, books, & coffee, you will love this episode. This is a great example of what being a Jack of all Trades looks like! Can we do it all? Sure! Maybe not all at the same time, but why not try everything we want to try! Listening to her breadcrumbs and picking them up along the way, has led to every venture she has started.

Finding Your Breadcrumbs with Maiah of @forloveandfrosting and The Secret Date Society

In this podcast hosts Bri & Dani interview Maiah, a twin mom and creator behind @forloveandfrosting, whose content evolved from baking recipes and cakes into mostly relatable mom-life reels with some health and wellness. She shares her family background of twins (she’s a twin, has twin brothers, and has 10-year-old twin girls plus a 3-year-old son) and discusses challenges unique to twin parenting, especially avoiding comparisons and labels. Maiah describes her kids’ podcast Best Bedtime Short Stories, her fiction writing (including Ways to Say Goodbye), and her small-scale gluten-free/vegan bakery work with local coffee shops, rooted in her own food allergies. She also explains launching her chocolate-dipped stuffed dates brand, Secret Date Society, where to buy them, and the importance of creative outlets, community, confidence, and “finding” vs. “following” breadcrumbs.

00:00 Meet For Love Frosting

01:39 From Baking to Mom Reels

02:34 Twin Mom Life

04:55 Twin Identity Matters

07:06 Twin Mom Friendship Story

09:58 Bedtime Stories Podcast

14:30 Writing Books and Flow

18:22 Coffee Shop Nostalgia

24:07 Gluten Free Baking Origins

28:39 Secret Date Society

30:24 Feel Good Workbook Ad

32:07 Parallels and Antiques

32:47 Old Phones Nostalgia

33:45 Kids and Landlines

34:49 Where to Buy Secret Date

35:28 Marketing and Creative Confidence

39:01 Twin Separation Story

41:42 Navy SEAL Dad Lessons

44:19 Crime and Second Chances

46:25 Wild Break In Stories

50:58 Breadcrumbs Debate Gratitude

54:57 Bloopers and Real Estate Creeps

58:16 Open House Scare Wrap Up

Thank you to our podcast sponsor Dr. Kel who offers an amazing course, Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? And a great workbook, The Feel Good Workbook. Our listeners get 10% off! Use code breadcrumbs10 at checkout here. https://linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

This is an affiliate endorsement: we receive a commission if you purchase using our link & code.

New episodes out every Wednesday! 

Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Post and tag us on socials! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

If you loved what you heard, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a review. This really helps us out as we get started and helps us know what great content to continue generating for each of you. 

In the meantime, go follow your breadcrumbs! 

Some stories feel like time capsules and this one cracks open the past in the most magical way ✨

This week, Bri & Dani are bringing you a special SXSW episode featuring Jessica Hall of X-Cetra, a story that beautifully bridges past and present through childhood creativity, raw talent, and the kind of artistic spark that reminds you why art matters.

What started as a preteen band recording songs in a home studio in the summer of 2000 became something much bigger. After burying their CDs out of embarrassment, the music resurfaced years later online, eventually catching fire during COVID and finding a global audience. Now, 25 years later, the album has been re-released by Numero Group on vinyl and streaming and even inspired the documentary Summer 2000, premiering at SXSW.

In this episode, we talk about:

The documentary is funny, nostalgic, moving, and unexpectedly magical.

🎞️ If you’re at SXSW, don’t miss Summer 2000 at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar.

🎧 Listen to the podcast episode on Spotify & Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube

📅 The Breadcrumb Effect post new episodes every Wednesday

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to SXSW

01:44 Y2K Breadcrumbs Unboxed

02:56 How the Band Formed

04:33 Recording Summer 2000

06:23 The Album Gets Rediscovered

08:44 Numero Group & Vinyl Release

12:55 Why It Resonates Now

17:04 Shadow Artist & Creativity

18:49 X-Cetra & “X-Cetrify”

22:28 Documentary & SXSW Premiere

23:32 Millennial Creativity Stories

24:22 Ad Break

25:57 Famous Yet Joke

26:07 Name Mixup Story

27:00 Manifestation Talk

27:24 Job Wish Comes True

28:40 Letters & Nick

30:33 Values & Nutrition

31:41 Travel Builds Empathy

33:17 Documentary as Therapy

34:52 Create for Joy

36:00 Spoon Salad Hot Take

37:00 Gratitude & Creativity

38:45 Find Your Breadcrumbs

40:09 Bag of Rocks Banter

41:18 Reality TV Formulas

42:41 Why We Love Patterns

44:31 Closing Chaos

About Jessica Hall:

Jessica Hall’s story is one of adventure, creativity, and deep connection. From rafting the Grand Canyon to living abroad in Spain, her path reflects a curiosity about the world and a willingness to follow experiences that transform you. With a background in health, nutrition, and creative project management, she blends structure with intentional living. Music has remained a constant thread, especially through her relationship with her partner, Nick, and her journey has come full circle with the rediscovery of her middle school band, X-Cetra.

At its core, this conversation is about returning to your creative instincts, reconnecting with your inner child, and building a life that feels meaningful, imperfect, and true.

Sponsor:

Thanks to our sponsor, Dr. Kel!

Get 10% off The Feel Good Workbook and the course Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? using code breadcrumbs10: https://linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

This is an affiliate link, and we may earn a commission from purchases.

*******************************

New episodes out every Wednesday! 

Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Post and tag us on socials! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

If you loved what you heard, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a review. This really helps us out as we get started and helps us know what great content to continue generating for each of you. 

In the meantime, go follow your breadcrumbs! 

April Henley on Discovery Writing, a Merlin Cozy Fantasy Coloring Novel, and Following Breadcrumbs

Dani & Bri interview Texas fantasy author April Henley about meeting them at the Texas Booksta Network event in Waco and her path to publishing. Henley describes wanting to be an author since 16, earning Baylor’s professional writing degree, and finishing her debut cozy medieval fantasy Treasures in a Bottle (published December 2023) using “discovery writing” influenced by Stephen King’s IT and On Writing. The novel follows Merlin 100 years after King Arthur as he tries to prevent magical creatures from fading as humans forget them; it uniquely includes 50 illustrations designed as a “novel coloring book” with illustrator Brian Brinlee. She discusses self-publishing responsibilities, events and travel including Northern Ireland and Tintagel, ren faires and cosplay, and support from Texas Renaissance Festival contacts who helped her publish and led to a Tavern Masters game tie-in. Henley also shares her father’s death in 2021, plans for a memoir about losing her horse Tommy, and plugs a Feel Good Workbook sponsor.

00:00 Guilt and Loss

01:07 Full Circle Podcast Intro

02:06 Why Waco and Baylor

03:05 Becoming a Writer

05:38 Finishing the First Novel

07:26 Discovery Writing Method

13:03 Saying Goodbye to Characters

15:38 AI and the Human Soul

17:03 Merlin Fantasy Plot

18:35 Coloring Novel Origins

21:47 Book Tours and Festivals

25:26 Self Publishing Hustle

28:54 Parents and Creativity

32:34 Dad’s Passing and Dedication

35:32 Feel Good Workbook Ad

37:06 Ren Fest and Cosplay

38:25 Cosplay Favorites

39:25 Ren Fair Creativity

40:56 Hobgoblins Nightlight

42:53 Finding Story Sparks

44:04 Ren Fair Connections

46:25 Merlin Card Game

48:47 Memoir of Tommy

51:14 Pet Loss Stories

56:52 Flour Hour Hot Takes

59:54 Where to Find April

01:02:54 Bloopers and Outtakes

Thank you to our podcast sponsor Dr. Kel who offers an amazing course, Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? And a great workbook, The Feel Good Workbook. Our listeners get 10% off! Use code breadcrumbs10 at checkout here. https://linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

This is an affiliate endorsement: we receive a commission if you purchase using our link & code.

New episodes out every Wednesday! 

Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Post and tag us on socials! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

If you loved what you heard, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a review. This really helps us out as we get started and helps us know what great content to continue generating for each of you. 

In the meantime, go follow your breadcrumbs! 

From Operations to Career & Home Journey: Faith, Control, and Finding the Breadcrumbs

In this podcast episode, Bri & Dani interview Jackie of Career & Home Journey about her professional background and the personal “breadcrumbs” that shaped her path. Jackie shares that she previously lived in Colorado and rose from copying files to overseeing operations for a state agency, managing a 22-person team and handling cross-functional areas like technology, finance, budgets, and marketing, emphasizing advancement by doing work others avoid and valuing the operations “big picture.” She discusses how her view of success was influenced by her mother, a single mom who worked two jobs without a college degree and became the finance director of their small town, and how Jackie’s childhood expectation of being a stay-at-home mom shifted as she became ambitious, returned to work after having a baby, and later built a business to blend career and home priorities. Jackie describes key faith-related influences from women in her life, including a cousin who modeled creating a welcoming home and an aunt who regularly took her to church, while noting she lacked guidance in reading the Bible. She opens up about the death of her stepdad when she was 19, her resulting anger toward God, and how she later recommitted to finding a home church while pregnant with her son to raise her children in the church. She also shares a difficult season of infertility and multiple miscarriages, and how the commonly referenced story of Sarah became more relatable when she later encountered the fuller, messier context. A major turning point came from a toxic workplace environment after new executive leadership arrived; Jackie describes waking at night to a noise and thinking someone had been sent to kill her, recognizing the toll of stress and control. After being told to “focus on what you can control,” she later found the devotional book "Control Girl" by Shannon Popkin—"Lessons on surrendering your burden of control from seven women in the Bible"—which prompted self-reflection and shifts in how she showed up in her marriage, parenting, and home systems (moving from Instagram-worthy setups to functional organization and clearer expectations for family members). Jackie explains how this evolved into her Instagram series "Girls Night Out with Women of the Bible," where she modernizes women’s stories (inspired by scripture) to make them relatable, including examples like Lot’s wife and themed drinks (e.g., Eve as an apple martini). She and the hosts discuss how women’s stories are often “cleaned up” in church contexts, how professional women can feel excluded by traditional ministry structures, and why it matters to talk about messiness, emotions, and the impact of anger, anxiety, and fear. She details her current offerings through Career & Home Journey, including her first publication, a 45-day devotional journal titled "My Body, His Temple" with scripture references and journal prompts, and a planned women-of-the-Bible themed event product (described as a dinner-mystery-style kit) targeted for early April, potentially after Easter. Jackie also shares she is available for speaking engagements and gives her handle (@careerandhomejourney) and website (careerandhomejourney.com). The episode includes how Jackie and the hosts met after Jackie moved from Colorado to Texas in July, connecting through their children’s afterschool program and neighborhood walks, and how their daily conversations align with the show’s breadcrumb theme. Jackie says her current definition of success is “contentment,” referencing Rachel Cruze’s "The Contentment Journal" and noting a shift away from constant striving. The conversation ends with light segments on Texas HEB pricing/curbside differences and a playful debate over NSYNC vs. Backstreet Boys, and the hosts close by encouraging listeners to “find your breadcrumbs.”

00:00 Loss at 19 & the Breadcrumbs That Shape Us (Cold Open)

01:23 Meet Jackie: From Colorado Ops Leader to a New Chapter

03:59 Redefining Success: Single-Mom Roots & Ambition

07:08 Faith Foundations: Women Who Led Her to Church

10:10 Grief, Anger, and Finding a Home Church Again

16:15 Infertility, Miscarriages & the Sarah Story Revisited

19:43 Girls Night Out: Making Women of the Bible Relatable

22:48 Women in Church Culture: Work, Belonging, and Messy Stories

26:09 Toxic Workplace Wake-Up Call & the ‘Control Girl’ Breadcrumb

32:08 Sponsor Break: The Feel Good Workbook (Hot/Cold Guidance System)

33:42 From Control to Systems: Organizing Home Life for Real People

36:02 Proverbs 31 Pressure vs. Real Women in Scripture

38:25 Breadcrumbs in the Small Stuff: Journals, Notes, and Letting Go

42:33 Seeing God in Real Time & How a Move Sparked New Breadcrumbs

44:35 How We Met: The Texas Move, School Routines, and After-School Logistics

45:21 Afterschool Chaos & the ‘God Moment’ That Brought Them Together

45:56 First Impressions at Pickup: ‘She Always Looks So Professional’

46:25 From School Meeting to Neighborhood Walks: Instant Best Friends

48:16 Creative Journeys Need Community: Hype Girls, Timelines & Breadcrumbs

50:31 Women Supporting Women + A Stoic Take on ‘Being Better’

52:07 Everyone Has a Story: Shared Themes of Love, Loss & Growth

53:30 Faith for Beginners: Finding the ‘Messy Women’ in the Bible

55:25 Her Offerings: Devotional Journal, Mystery Dinner Bible Nights & Speaking

59:45 Redefining Success: Contentment as the New North Star

01:01:52 Flour Hour Hot Takes: HEB Prices, Curbside vs In-Store

01:05:41 The ‘Fight’: NSYNC vs Backstreet Boys (and Britney vs Christina)

01:08:13 Concert Nostalgia & Wrapping Up with Jackie’s Plugs

01:10:51 Final Sign-Off Debate: ‘Follow’ vs ‘Find’ Your Breadcrumbs

Thank you to our podcast sponsor Dr. Kel who offers an amazing course, Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? And a great workbook, The Feel Good Workbook. Our listeners get 10% off! Use code breadcrumbs10 at checkout here. https://linktr.ee/Dr.kelley

This is an affiliate endorsement: we receive a commission if you purchase using our link & code.

New episodes out every Wednesday! 

Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Follow us on Instagram or TikTok! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Post and tag us on socials! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

If you loved what you heard, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a review. This really helps us out as we get started and helps us know what great content to continue generating for each of you. 

In the meantime, go follow your breadcrumbs! 

Turning Grief Into Community: Angela’s Breadcrumbs, Bookstagram, and The Renewal Reader

Dani and Brittany interview Angela, a Pennsylvania-based corporate professional, mom of two sons, and creator of @bookthoughtswithangela. Angela shares how major losses became “breadcrumbs” that redirected her life: two miscarriages led her to start vision board workshops in 2018 focused on law of attraction, and her brother Anthony’s death in 2021 led her to create a Bookstagram community and later a free seasonal digital magazine, The Renewal Reader, aimed at readers healing through challenges and seeking an “inner comeback.” She discusses reading as a key part of her healing (“reading is greater than or equal to therapy”), her love of literary fiction and grief themes, and book recommendations including Remarkably Bright Creatures, Blue Sisters, The Wedding People, and You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. Angela explains junk journaling (scrapbooking’s “younger sister”) as a low-maintenance creative outlet started in 2020, preserving tangible memories for her sons. She also talks about how grief shifted her work priorities: after 18 years at the same company, she moved to a less demanding role closer to home to be more present and maintain creative time, using strategy, visualization, and manifesting. The hosts and Angela discuss supporting grieving friends through simple, pressure-free check-in texts, reflect on finding breadcrumbs in hindsight, and highlight Angela’s community-building collaborations, including distributing printed copies of her magazine at a local bookshop. Angela shares a personal “year of fun” mindset for turning 40 and describes auditioning for Wheel of Fortune in Philadelphia, entering the contestant pool for up to 18 months. The episode ends with the show’s segments “Carbloading” (Angela recommends the thriller Look Closer by David Ellis and mentions busy kid sports schedules) and “Breaking Bread” (gratitude for the conversation, readers, and creative outlets).

Go sign up for Angela's newsletter and sign up to receive The Renewal Reader!

New episodes out every Wednesday! 

Watch all videos on YouTube! 

Follow us on Instagram or TikTok! 

Where's Waldough? Did you find the hidden loaf? Post and tag us on socials! 

Want to be a guest? Fill out our Guest Interest Form! 

Thank you to our podcast sponsor Dr. Kel who offers an amazing course, "Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams?" & "The Feel Good Workbook." Our listeners get 10% off!

Use code breadcrumbs10 at checkout here.

This is an affiliate endorsement: we receive a commission or other compensation if you purchase using our code through the link.

If you loved what you heard, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a review. This really helps us out as we get started and helps us know what great content to continue generating for each of you. 

In the meantime, go follow your breadcrumbs! 

00:00 Loss, Miscarriages & the ‘Breadcrumb Effect’ Begins

02:36 Meet Angela: Delco Life, Family, Corporate Career & Bookstagram

03:38 Vision Board Workshops After Miscarriage: Turning Grief Into Creation

05:33 Brother’s Passing (2021) & Launching Bookstagram as Healing

07:21 Reading as Therapy + Introducing the Renewal Reader Digital Magazine

09:20 Finding Your Voice: Confidence, Self-Development & ‘Breadcrumbs’ in Hindsight

15:16 Shared Losses & Grief Book Recommendations (Library Love)

18:08 How to Show Up for Grieving Friends: The Power of a Simple Text

20:56 Sponsor Break: ‘Are You in Alignment With Your Dreams?’ Course

23:02 Grief at Work: Shifting Priorities, Manifesting a Better Role

27:21 Junk Journaling 101: Scrapbooking’s Little Sister & A Tangible Legacy

33:06 Reflecting on Breadcrumbs + Listening to Your Gut (A Wild Book Quote)

35:48 Hindsight, Gratitude & Digging for the Good Moments

37:44 What Is The Renewal Reader? Healing Through Reading, Creativity & Community

39:17 Behind the Magazine: Consistency, Community Focus & Canva Logistics

42:11 Turning 40 as the ‘Year of Fun’ + Wheel of Fortune Audition Story

46:15 Segment Time: Carbloading—Current Reads, DNFing & Rereading Favorites

49:00 Carbloading Continues: Kid Sports Schedules & the Myth of Work-Life Balance

51:25 Breaking Bread: Gratitude, Local Bookshop Collab & Closing Catchphrase Debate

57:51 Final Wrap: Tech Glitches, Podcast Shoutouts & ‘Find Your Breadcrumbs’ Sign-Off

Thank you to our podcast sponsor Dr. Kel who offers an amazing course, Are You in Alignment with Your Dreams? And a great workbook, The Feel Good Workbook. Our listeners get 10% off! Use code breadcrumbs10 at checkout here. (Full disclosure: this is a paid/affiliate endorsement: we receive a commission or other compensation if you purchase using our link or code.)

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