Stems and Stories Podcast
A podcast hosted by two professional book nerds and plant enthusiasts. Bringing botany and books together to a streaming service near you.
Follow their bookish and botanical adventures here.
Read. Write. Repeat.
Insert additional steps as necessary. (See: Drink tea. Repot succulent. Interview rad person. Take photos. Practice yoga. Sew a dress. Build a thing. Walk the dog. Sleep…maybe.)
Live another day to cook another meal
Battling mental illness one meal at a time. As a human who lives with mental illnesses, I’ve found ways to combat some of the symptoms. Hint: It involves a lot of seasoning. And books too.
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.
George Orwell
To tell stories is to seek the truth. And then, if you should find it, to decide how to tell it.
Short Story Song Series: Run Away to Mars by TALK
The following piece of flash fiction was inspired by Run Away to Mars by TALK. The sun set slowly as festivities came into full swing. The opulent garden party seemed almost too upscale for the guests dressed mostly in jeans, flannel, and light sweaters. Fall had just begun to set in, but it was even…
The Book Cook: Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel | Creamy Alfredo with Tuscan Chicken Meatballs
Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel by James Markert is truly a story that sticks with you if you let it—which is interesting since the primary theme of the book is the power of memory. I first read the book two years ago and not only was it the perfect poolside read, but it really captured…
In Celebration of Libraries
Brief musings on National Library Week When I sat down to write this, I didn’t quite know what I wanted to write yet. I knew I wanted to address National Library Week. As a publishing professional, author, and book geek, libraries have always held a special, sacred place in my heart. I’m honestly not sure…
Luminous
lu·mi·nous/ˈlo͞omənəs/ adjective full of or shedding light; bright or shining, especially in the dark. The world is heavy right now. Hatred. Violence. Pain. But the world has been heavy before. And it will be heavy again. The weight of the darkness can only be offset by the souls who shine, despite having been told their…
Three pieces of advice for college freshmen
Two pieces of advice that got me through undergrad, graduate school, and my first two years post-grad…plus one thing I keep learning every day This week, I had the opportunity to speak to a class of college freshmen at my alma mater, St. Bonaventure University. Normally, I can gauge whether or not a classroom actually…
The last stem of hope
With the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg many have echoed the sentiment that our last hope has gone. That we are hanging from our final stem, awaiting the fall. Awaiting the collapse of our world as we know it. No. That’s it. No. Let her memory lead the revolution, and may we never know the…
H.R. Gordon 