Inspired by a recent New York Times article showing the decline of recreational reading, this week's episode is a deep dive into reading for fun and the distractions pulling us away from this beloved passtime.

A study from 2004-2023 shows a 40% decline in recreational reading. We take a look at why this might be happening, our own habits as readers, and the need to hold on to necessary skills. What does this mean for the future? Are we losing readers? Are we forgetting how much fun reading can be? Will the next generation value reading as much as past generations? There is so much to discuss and so many thoughts.

We want to hear your thoughts! Let us know what you think. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send an email to [email protected]

Mentioned on this episode:

The Power of the Pen Ted Talk

https://youtu.be/85bqT904VWA?si=lVhhcGZJyLj2sQDD

A big welcome back to one of our favorite guests! Melissa Grace celebrates the release of her latest book and a big event at Reading Rock Books. Marjorie and me is Melissa's 6th book with the most delightful and unique premise. Follow Kat as she finds herself in the adventure of a lifetime after she unexpectedly purchases an urn at a local thrift store that brings with it more than she bargained for! Melissa shares how this charming and thought-provoking story was inspired by her own local thrift store experience and the beautiful way these characters captured her heart. From bridging generational gaps and finding joy during the low points of life to immortalizing the real-life places we call home, this week's show covers all the feels and endearing themes of how writers and readers create human connection through stories.

Find Melissa Grace on the socials and via her website:

https://www.melissagracewrites.com

Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads or send an email to [email protected]

Write for perfection or write first and edit later? On this week's episode Angela and Sarah take a look at that messy first draft and whether or not we should polish before completion. Can a first draft be polished and ready? Do all stories have a place? How many eyes need to be on a manuscript before it's published? How well do you know your characters? How well do you know your story? Join the conversation as we explore writing instincts, the pressure we put on ourselves to get it right the first time, the importance of writers groups, and learning to trust yourself in the process.

Find us on the socials! Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send us an email at [email protected]

June was audiobook month and Angela and Sarah had the opportunity to talk with award-winning voiceover artist, Charlotte Ann. Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite audiobook or how the narrator makes their voice convey so many emotions that pull you farther into the story? Charlotte Ann talks all things voice work and how she uses her vocals to touch the hearts and minds of listeners in many different genres.

CHarlotte's Bio:

Charlotte has honed her talents to become a fiercely dedicated, award winning voiceover artist who is as friendly as she is skilled. She has that great girl-next-door, conversational, believable voice that listeners can easily relate to. She's also confident in the worlds of pharma and tech and can explain complicated concepts clearly. She takes great pride in her voiceover work and strives to give her clients "rainbows and unicorns" with every opportunity.

Born in the New York Bronx and later perfecting her cow-tipping skills in Ohio, Charlotte has been active in the performing arts ever since she debuted as an Angel in her first grade Christmas Pageant. Rave reviews followed her as she graduated from Fort Hayes Performing Arts High School and into the University of Southern California's Theatre program. Charlotte resides in sunny Los Angeles with her hubby and beloved sparkly voiceover booth. She enjoys scuba diving, traveling, and doing nightly "shows" with her dog, Piper. She also sings with the world-renowned Angel City Chorale.

Find her online:

https://www.charlotte-ann.com/#about

Find us on the socials: Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. Or send us an email to [email protected]

June has flown by, but these new releases are hot off the presses and ready for readers to dive right in. Angela and Sarah discuss what's new, what they're looking forward to reading, and authors that should be on everyone's radar.

What are you reading this summer? Let us know and join the conversation! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send us an email to: [email protected]

Books and authors mentioned in this episode: (be sure to check out bookshop.org and choose Reading Rock Books in Dickson, Tennessee at checkout)

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

https://bookshop.org/p/books/dont-let-him-in-lisa-jewell/21866724?ean=9781668033876&next=t

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

https://bookshop.org/p/books/atmosphere-a-love-story-taylor-jenkins-reid/21972372?ean=9780593158715&next=t

So Far Gone by Jess Walter

https://bookshop.org/p/books/so-far-gone-jess-walter/21845730?ean=9780062868145&next=t

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

https://bookshop.org/p/books/beautiful-ruins-jess-walter/9038753?ean=9780061928178&next=t

The Cold Millions by Jess Walter

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-cold-millions-jess-walter/14027227?ean=9780062868091&next=t

Fox by Joyce Carol Oates

https://bookshop.org/p/books/fox-joyce-carol-oates/21815717?ean=9780593978085&next=t

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab

https://bookshop.org/p/books/bury-our-bones-in-the-midnight-soil-v-e-schwab/21504341?ean=9781250320520&next=t

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-listeners-maggie-stiefvater/21787842?ean=9780593655504&next=t

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Raven Cycle Trilogy)

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-raven-boys-the-raven-cycle-book-1-volume-1-maggie-stiefvater/15283633?ean=9780545424936&next=t

King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby

https://bookshop.org/p/books/king-of-ashes-s-a-cosby/21879054?ean=9781250832061&next=t

With A Vengeance by Riley Sager

https://bookshop.org/p/books/with-a-vengeance-riley-sager/21856750?ean=9780593472408&next=t

Final Girls by Riley Sager

https://bookshop.org/p/books/final-girls-riley-sager/8619419?ean=9781101985380&next=t

Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski

https://bookshop.org/p/books/ordinary-love-marie-rutkoski/21796398?ean=9780593803264&next=t

The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-girls-who-grew-big-leila-mottley/21835221?ean=9780593801123&next=t

The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-mann-kyra-davis-lurie/21788127?ean=9780593800867&next=t

Dan In Green Gables by Rey Terciero

https://bookshop.org/p/books/dan-in-green-gables-a-graphic-novel-a-modern-reimagining-of-anne-of-green-gables-rey-terciero/21786413?ean=9780593385586&next=t

Road Home by Rex Ogle

https://bookshop.org/p/books/road-home-rex-ogle/20614893?ean=9781324019923&next=t

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel

https://bookshop.org/p/books/far-and-away-amy-poeppel/21872554?ean=9781668022856&next=t

Today at School With Yesterday and Tomorrow by Jessica Young

https://bookshop.org/p/books/today-at-school-with-yesterday-and-tomorrow-jessica-young/21818006?ean=9780593812754&next=t

We're back! This week we dive into titles and why choosing the right title for a book is important. From trends, genre, story details, publisher and author choices, what we call a story can have a huge impact on sales, reader appeal, and even our own judgment (don't judge a book by its title?)

Angela and Sarah discuss confusing titles, controversial titles, and advice on choosing the right title for a story.

Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send us an email to [email protected]

Books mentioned in this episode:

Helen of Troy 1993 by Maria Zoccola

https://bookshop.org/p/books/helen-of-troy-1993-poems-maria-zoccola/21580400?ean=9781668046333&next=t

All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby

https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-sinners-bleed-s-a-cosby/18738107?ean=9781250831927&next=t

Dog Bless You by Alex Miller

https://bookshop.org/p/books/dog-bless-you-discovering-god-s-love-through-man-s-best-friend-alex-miller/22469362?ean=9781641469340&next=t&next=t

It's One of Us by J. T. Ellison

https://bookshop.org/p/books/it-s-one-of-us-first-time-trade-j-t-ellison/20059850?ean=9780778310952&next=t

If You Were My Daughter by Marianne Richmond

https://bookshop.org/p/books/if-you-were-my-daughter-a-memoir-of-healing-an-unmothered-heart/f03973641cba801e?ean=9781464231933&next=t

Maggie:or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee

https://bookshop.org/p/books/maggie-or-a-man-and-a-woman-walk-into-a-bar-katie-yee/21930349?ean=9781668084212&next=t

Shifting Time by Kelly Bennett Seiler

https://bookshop.org/p/books/shifting-time-kelly-bennett-seiler/7876351?ean=9781593096502&next=t

What If by Randall Munroe

https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/7083933?ean=9780544272996&next=t

Welcome back, Everyone! This week author Art Bell joins the show to introduce his latest book What She's Hiding, discuss the transition from writing memoir to thrillers, and share how his time at Comedy Central and Court TV informed and shaped his writing. Art is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for readers, writers, and storytellers across the board.

Art Bell is a former television executive. As president of Court TV, he oversaw daily live courtroom coverage and the production of hundreds of hours of original true-crime television series, documentaries, and movies. His memoir Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humor, was a finalist in the 2020 Best Book Awards in both the memoir and business categories. Bell has had short stories, nonfiction, and satire published in several journals, including Lowestoft Chronicle, Aethlon: The Journal of Sports Literature, The Ocotillo Review, Fiction Southeast, Castabout Arts and Literature, High Shelf Press, and Writers Read. What She's Hiding is his first novel.

Find Art at his website: https://www.artbellwriter.com

As always, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send us an email: [email protected]

Books mentioned in this episode:

What She's Hiding by Art Bell

https://bookshop.org/p/books/stranger-to-danger-art-bell/21048144?ean=9781646047512&next=t

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-glass-castle-a-memoir-jeannette-walls/951745?ean=9780743247542&next=t

Welcome back! This week Angela and Sarah take on the elephant in the room. Should authors use artificial intelligence to write their books? Should publishers cut overhead costs by having AI write contracts, design covers, and write copy, etc? Is there a difference between using AI as a tool to aid performance vs letting it do the bulk of the work for you? We tackle everything in this episode about one of the most heated debates in the art world today. We also look at the future and where these trends are going. No matter where you stand, we all need to be prepared for the changing times we live in.

Let us know what you think! Send us all your opinions on AI, art, and writing. Are you worried? Afraid? Excited? We want to know! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send an email to [email protected]

Books mentioned in this episode:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

https://bookshop.org/p/books/klara-and-the-sun-kazuo-ishiguro/18514778?ean=9780593311295&next=t

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-uglies-collection-uglies-pretties-specials-extras-scott-westerfeld/12981965?ean=9781534432673&next=t

Support your local independent bookstore! Be sure to add Reading Rock Books to your bookshop.org order.

In honor of National Poetry Month, Cameron Mitchell is on the show this week to talk about the power of poetry and how it connects us to our humanity and our communities, and how it shapes our perspective on the world around us.

Why is poetry important? Do we fully appreciate poetry? Is the right emphasis being placed on poetry in schools? Join the conversation as we dive into verse, spoken word, and the world of rhyming thought with one of Nashville's premier poets, Cameron L. Mitchell.

Cameron L. Mitchell is an international artist known for his transformative storytelling. Honored as the 2022 Poet Laureate of Murfreesboro, he is the founder of Free Fyre, an arts organization dedicated to mental health advocacy and community engagement globally. An award-winning actor, Cameron is known for his role as Corey Maxson in "Fences" (Nashville Rep) which received the award for Best Contemporary Drama. Cameron is also starring in the feature film "Dating My Past" that premiered internationally in Curacao currently streaming online. As an artist he has collaborated with organizations like Disney, Legacy Foundation in Japan, Nafasi Art Space in Tanzania, and PBS.

Find Cameron on Facebook and Instagram at Cameron L. Mitchell and Camspeaks1 or at his website: https://www.freefyre.org

Find us on the socials: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send an email to [email protected]

Thanks for listening!

This week Angela and Sarah welcome author Melissa Grace to discuss the journey of storytelling and what it means to be an "extraordinary" person. Learn how each of us got our start, how we met, and what propels us on the road to storytelling today. Melissa offers a beautiful take on how grief inspires stories and how writing can be used as a powerful tool for processing grief. Melissa's latest book Marjorie and Me releases August 19.

Find us on the socials: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or you can send us an email at [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you!