I’ve stumbled upon a magical combination of reading and writing in the wee hours of the morning that makes me feel so good and sets my day up for success.  What is it? It’s the combination of reading small doses of personal development books and then heading to my notebook to see what comes out on the page. Come listen as I talk about the how and why behind this magical practice, share three kinds of books perfect for the task and talk about my favorite titles, too.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Reading and writing can make life better ONLY is you first make the time to read and write. =) In this episode, I’m tackling a problem I uncovered in my own reading life that stalled my reading and I have a feeling it could be one your grappling with, too: trouble with my TBR (To Be Read list). Come listen as I give you the backstory on how I uncovered this issue, the 5 steps I’m taking to do something about it and the books that are left on my newly-designed TBR list.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

We know that books and reading and notebooks and writing have the power to make life better.  But what about an honest conversation with a stranger that results in encouragement elixir in the form of a printed letter to help you get re-enchanted with yourself and your life? Yes, please.  Charissa Steyn is here to talk about the power that writing can have to connect with others and move you forward. We’ll learn about the role that writing plays in her life, her re-enchantment sessions and the books she’s reading, too.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

On the very last day of every month, I share a bonus episode of what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving throughout the last month. Today, I’m sharing the highlights on my literate life in April: three books that I could not put down, a writing life that was ON FIRE, interesting nuggets from my meditation journey and a new sound I cannot stop listening to. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

We’ve talked about a lot of things in the over 100 episodes we’ve shared together from why we read and titles we might love to how to read best and how to use reading to make life better.  But today, we are talking about something I’ve only recently been exploring: the power of reading with furry, four-legged friends.  Dr. Barb Vokatis, a reading therapy dog handler, is here to explore this idea with me and I’ll share three books with dogs as important main characters that I think you should add to your TBR stack, too.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

April is National Letter Writing month and Leah from Tiny and Snail is here to help me celebrate! Tiny and Snail produces incredibly beautiful note cards to send in snail mail, something I adore doing. They have an incredible story and are working to share their mission to make mail more beautiful, fun and easy. Plus, did you know that sending cards can raise the level of feel-good chemicals in our brains?  Come listen as we talk about the story behind Tiny and Snail, why card writing is so important and how you can get a beautiful set of cards for yourself.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Every week, I send a bit of bookish snail mail into the world to a fellow reader. Recently, a reader requested a book around adult friendship and it took me down a rabbit hole of books and notebooking in the most wonderful way.  On this episode, I’ll share a bit about adult friendship statistics, offer a list of books I’ve already mentioned previously on the podcast that embrace adult friendships and discuss three books in more depth that I think you’ll love, too. Oh…and I’ll share the notebooking prompts I used as I went back and forth from these books to my notebook, too.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Today, I’m revealing a literate experiment I’ve been working on for a while. Yes, it was inspired by a book and yes, I think you should start experimenting, too. =) Come listen as I talk about the project and walk you through the 6 steps it takes to make it your own.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

On the very last day of every month, I share a bonus episode of what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving throughout the last month. Today, I’m sharing the highlights on my literate life in March: three VERY different books, the power of affirmations, learning about an accidental icon and loving my new, beautiful notecards. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Today, we are exploring the power of reading and writing to make life feel better through Up Lit.  Up Lit is a particular genre of reading that makes us feel good. The stories are hopeful and inspiring, even if the characters are going through hard things.  Today, I’ll take a deep dive into this micro-genre, quickly mention a list of books you’re likely already familiar with that characterize this genre, take a deeper dive into three books I think you should add to your Spring TBR and end with 5 notebook prompts perfect for some uplifting writing experiences, too. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! If you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store. All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Books make me happy.  Notebooks make me happy.  That’s why guided journals make me VERY happy: they contain the very best elements of both. =) Today, I’m talking with Carol Pearson, author of 10 Little Rules for a Blissy Life, a guided journal to help you reflect on the real or imagined rules you’ve set for your life and decide if they’re keeping you from profound happiness.  Carol and I talked about all the things: what it means to have a blissy life, how to create and recreate your life rules in different seasons of life and what is really means to create a life you love. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

It has been said that we are the average of the five people we surround ourselves with. But what if I said you were the average of the last 5 books you read? What would your book stack say about you if it could talk? Today, I’m sharing a collection of books that would say you LOVE to read books about books, bookstores, libraries, authors and bookish people. It’s perfect timing to celebrate National Reading Month, but any time is a good time to read about books…and spark us to read more of them. You’ll find a few mentions of my favorite, a deeper dive into three books I’ve never shared and a couple books about books on my own personal TBR, too.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

March is National Reading month and we are kicking off the month with a special guest who has a rather radical reading agenda: Amanda Spencer. Amanda is a Get Lit(erate). listener who is reading to change the way she thinks about the world and is inviting all of us along with her to do the same.  Today, she talks about her reading life, her radical agenda, both figuratively and literally, and recommends a few books she thinks we all need to know about to help us read with a radical agenda, too.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Happy Leap Day! On the very last day of every month, I share a bonus episode of what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving throughout the last 30 or so days…or 29 for this special month. Today, I’m spelling the beans on my literate life in February. I read THIRTEEN BOOKS (most of this was children’s literature), failed miserably in the writing department, learned A LOT about yoga for our reading eyes and baked 72 cupcakes for a very fun reason (and then the naughty doodle slobbered on about 18 of them).  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

The reading life is full of ups and downs. From time to time, you might find yourself stuck in a reading slump and reading slump can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You might find yourself stuck in a genre, reading the same one over and over. You might find yourself stuck in a format, reading or listening exclusively. Or, you might find yourself stuck in general, struggling to find the time to read or get started after finishing a book a long while ago.  So, what’s a reader to do? Join me in today’s episode to find out. We’ll explore what a reading slump is, how to decide if you’re actually in one and how to get out of reading slumps, too. I’ll share my favorite tips and tricks AND crowdsourced favorites from my Get Lit(erate). community, too. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

If you love notebooking or journaling, then you’re in for a treat inside today’s episode. Today, I’m chatting with Michelle Haseltine. Michelle is a lifelong notebooker (with 99 completed notebooks and counting!) and leader of the 100 Days of Notebooking Facebook Group. Her work has brought so much inspiration to my own notebooking over the years and I’m thrilled to finally have her on the podcast. We talk about what notebooking is, how to get started, why the perfect notebook matters (and doesn’t!), how to show up to the page when time is crunched or things feel hard and much, much more. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Bookish love is in the air and today, I’m talking about something I adore…and am often jealous about, too.  Come listen as I talk about the bookish projects that are lighting up my reading heart, from gluten-free pies and book ornaments to book quilts and flat-lays, too. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Right now, we are smack dab in the middle of winter. The days are shorter, the sun sets earlier, the wind is colder and for many, that brings on a case of the so-called winter blues. We can feel less motivated, our overall mood can decrease and we might feel stuck waiting for the longer, sunnier days in the season ahead.  Enter books to the rescue.  Today, I’m sharing three books perfect to help you beat the winter blues. One book celebrates the magic inside of a cold winter season. Another will whisk you away to another, likely colder, location and make you forget about your own winter blues as you get lost inside the pages. And finally, the third book will give you the swift kick-in-the-pants reminder that you can control much of how you feel…so you should.  You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Each month, I take a deep dive into what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving throughout the past 30 days or so.  This month, I’m sharing about how I kicked off my reading and writing life in 2024. I’ve got some unexpected books to share, some new writing experiments, small changes that created big results and some words of wisdom I’ve loved, too. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message

Many of us have authors who we adore. We will read ANYTHING they write as soon as they publish it and know with utmost certainty that we will love it.  For me, one of those authors is Teri M. Brown, author of Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, An Enemy Like Me and Daughters of Green Mountain Gap. Today, she’s back on the podcast to talk about her writing and her recently-published novel. As we did inside our first episode together, we had a wonderful time talking about writing, books and life in general. Grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a wonderful conversation. I promise you’ll add Daughters of Green Mountain Gap to your TBR after you listen. =) You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here.  Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Patreon community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You’ll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co.  Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try! Follow Stephanie: Website   Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/getliterate/message