Ep 222: Stephen King Starter Kit Part II (What To Read + What To Skip)

Since I write and talk about friendship so much, a frequent question comes up around supporting a friend when they are going through something difficult. I think the answer on this can vary, depending on the particular hardship, but my guest today is someone who knows what friends need when their difficult life circumstance is ongoing. Jessica Patay is the founder of We Are Brave Together, a nonprofit organization that provides respite, community, and resources for mothers caring for children of any age with disabilities, unique needs, or other medical or mental health challenges. She is is passionate about serving caregiving moms and creating authentic communities, and brings 10 tips to the conversation that will help us better support our friends who are caregiving mothers, daughters, partners, and more. Jessica has also created an anthology for caregiving moms sharing their stories titled Becoming Brave Together: Heroic, Extraordinary Caregiving Stories From Mothers Hidden in Plain Sight Learn more about Jessica Patay and follow her on Instagram Learn more about We Are Brave Together and follow them on Instagram Listen to the Brave Together podcast FULL SHOW NOTES HERE SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! JOIN US FOR STEPHEN KING SUMMER FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's my birthday week! I'm turning 45. And every year around this time, I do a birthday episode looking back and looking ahead. This year's theme is about the quiet changes that happen when you're distracted, or busy, or not paying attention. Last year on my birthday I was convinced that something HUGE was going to happen in my 44th year. I thought I had an intuition about it. I journaled my heart out about what was coming for me. And then...when I approached the end of 2023 and then eventually the end of my 44th year, I was disappointed that what I thought was a premonition hadn't come true. Instead, what I found was that I fundamentally changed in the last year. Through a series of events, heart aches, conversations, and maturity, I find myself at a really different place than I was last June. And while it might not be the seismic event I was anticipating, it has been earth shifting all the same. FULL SHOW NOTES HERE MENTIONED in this episode: Join us for Stephen King Summer! Ep 201: 10 Things I Learned in 2023 Ep 180: 4 Metaphors for Turning 44 June Journal Parties on IG Secret Stuff patreon has personal episodes like this every month   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're halfway through 2024, which means it's time to take an inventory of the best books we've read in the last six months. My real life book club joins me for a mid-year look at the literary landscape for the second year in a row. Regular guests Yasmin Dunn and Stephanie Newman-Smith are always a delight to have on the show. Apologies to your TBR after listening to this one. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN US FOR STEPHEN KING SUMMER! Yasmin’s books: You Like it Darker by Stephen King James by Percival Everett Knife by Salman Rushdie Steph’s books: Long Island by Colm Toibin Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver Slow Horses by Mick Heron Laura’s books (on this episode): Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera Sociopath by Patric Gagne Somehow by Anne Lamott Laura’s Best Books of the Year (So Far): The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The Book of Love by Kelly Link How to Walk Into a Room by Emily P. Freeman FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Mentioned in this episode: Stephen King Summer E. Shaver Bookstore in Savannah, GA on Instagram The Stacks Bookstore on Instagram Ep 209: Best Books Lately with Sara Hildreth Ep 218: Best Books Lately with R.Eric Thomas Ep 212: 10 Questions for Every Room You’re In with Emily P. Freeman Slow Horses on Apple+ Other Books Mentioned: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Holly by Stephen King Cujo by Stephen King How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix Brooklyn by Colm Toibin Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll Erasure by Percival Everett Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys  A Million Little Pieces by James Frey The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie Find Yasmin on IG @yasminheartsbooks SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jodi Wellman is focused on death. And she wants you to think about it more, too. Death is (clearly) not a popular topic, and something most of us avoid thinking about at all costs. But Jodi believes that knowing you have something to lose can help you live like you mean it. Her new book You Only Die Once: How To Make It To The End With No Regrets can walk you through making the most of your time on this earth. In this episode, author and speaker Jodi Wellman shares 5 ways to live like you're dying: Count your Mondays (quantifying your time can be remarkably clarifying) Diagnose the dead zones (areas in life that feel dead inside) Identify your deathbed pre-grets (regrets-in-the-making that can still be course-corrected) Live wider (with vitality) and deeper (with meaning): identify a list of enlivening endeavors  Pick one small thing to take action on at a time Learn more about Jodi Wellman Buy You Only Die Once: How To Make It To the End With No Regrets Follow Jodi Wellman on IG FULL SHOW NOTES HERE JOIN STEPHEN KING SUMMER HERE SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Obviously friendship is a big topic around here, but one of the aspects we don't touch on much is how these important relationships have changed in modern culture. We now have hundreds of connections in our daily lives, where our ancestors probably never met that many people in their entire lifetime. Friendship writer Anna Goldfarb brings us 5 Things to think about in our modern friendships that she expounds upon in her new book Modern Friendship: How To Nurture Our Most Valued Connections. Called “the New York Times’ friendship correspondent,” Anna Goldfarb's reporting on friendships has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME , Vox, and more. Follow @AnnaGoldfarb on IG Subscribe to her substack Friendship Explained Buy her new book Modern Friendship STEPHEN KING SUMMER IS IN FULL SWING! Join us here FULL SHOW NOTES ARE HERE   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is ONLY book recommendations. The original Stephen King Starter Kit episode has more of the author's biography and why I think reading Stephen King matters. You do NOT need to listen to Part I to enjoy Part II. LISTEN TO STEPHEN KING STARTER KIT Part I In this episode I'm sharing my personal favorites, what I would recommend if you don't like scary/horror (because there are plenty to choose from!), what I recommend for teenagers, and which Stephen King books I would never recommend you start with (even though they're popular). JOIN STEPHEN KING SUMMER FULL SHOW NOTES ARE HERE MENTIONED in this episode: My favorite Stephen King novels of all time: IT 11/22/63 The Stand Dolores Claiborne If you don't like scary, maybe start with: Carrie Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft The Institute Billy Summers If you're okay with scary books, you might start with: The Shining (horror) Misery (psychological thriller) I wouldn't start with: Pet Sematary Fairy Tale On my own Stephen King "To Read" list: From a Buick 8 Lisey's Story   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a question we've all asked ourselves at some point....Is everyone happier than me? A relatable thought made worse by the perfection of social media and knowledge that life could go take us on a hundred different paths. Did we choose the right one? It's also the title of Sarah Bragg's new book, where she explores this topic with essays and stories from her own life and parenthood. In this episode, Sarah gives us 4 ways to be happier online (since that's such a huge contributing factor to this question). I loved this conversation with Sarah and know I'm not the only one kept awake at night with comparison and curiosity. LEARN MORE ABOUT SARAH BRAGG Follow @SarahWBragg on IG Listen to the Surviving Sarah podcast Buy her new book Is Everyone Happier Than Me? FULL SHOW NOTES ARE HERE   JOIN STEPHEN KING SUMMER HERE SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My 4th annual book club dedicated to my favorite author (and the greatest living storyteller) is HERE! Stephen King Summer 2024 officially starts June 2 but you can jump in at any time over the next three months to join us for two movie watch-a-longs and three books. We're READING: 'Salem's Lot King's second novel was originally published in 1975 and this is a vampire story. You Like It Darker This is King's latest collection of short stories that just published in May 2024. We will read one or two stories to discuss (this is perfect for those King-curious who don't want to commit to the novels). 11/22/63 One of my favorite novels of all time, this book is not scary and will let you into King's master storytelling without having to endure the horror. We're WATCHING: Firestarter The Mist JOIN STEPHEN KING SUMMER! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's almost road trip season! I'm giving you 10 prompts for great conversations in the car. I purposefully designed these to work with any age, and any type of relationship. They're a mix of fun and deep, and in the episode I share alternatives or tangents you can take with each prompt, as well as sharing my own answers and stories. Happy travels! FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Join me for the STEPHEN KING SUMMER BOOK CLUB SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every now and then I have a guest on this show that just knocks my socks off and beauty industry pioneer Wende Zomnir is the latest fascinating person to get that title. In the 1990's, the top makeup and beauty brands were formal, stodgy, and established. Urban Decay disrupted the industry with their bold colors, heavily pigmented formulas, and modern branding. My guest Wende Zomnir describes what it was like to create Urban Decay and how lucky connections and a broad vision contributed to it's success. But now Zomnir is back with a new brand that is already on shelves at Sephora and poised to make another important splash in the beauty world: Caliray Beauty blends makeup with wellness to create innovative concoctions with innocent ingredients. Zomnir gives me an EDUCATION in this episode about sustainability and the future of the beauty industry. She shares the obstacles to making clean makeup and is generous with her knowledge, passion, and shout outs to other beauty brands who are doing right. Follow @wendezomnir on IG Follow @caliray on IG Shop Caliray @ Sephora FULL SHOW NOTES HERE MENTIONED in this episode: “Clean at Sephora” standards Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org)  Credo Beauty Clean Standard RELATED to this episode: Ep 14: Skincare and Makeup Favorites with Jamie Golden Ep 192: OBSESSED (More) Skincare and Makeup Favorites with Jamie Golden   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices