Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Jason Katz, a South Florida writer who also teaches English and publishes the Islandia Journal in and around the Miami Metropolitan Area. Tune in to hear about the Everglades Griffin, why Miami has more on offer than most people realize, and the work that appears in the Journal . He also writes for himself – check out his l...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Tina Marie Osceola , an enrolled member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. We talk about Seminole gaming and what it means to her family, her feelings about the compact before the Department of the Interior, and life as part of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  Read more of her work at Life  in Naples magazine . Support the sh...

Send us your Florida questions! This week the Florida Spectacular welcomes writer James Chapin, author of Ride South Until the Sawgrass , a "Florida western." We talk about Florida's forgotten history, why Daytona Beach doesn't suck, and Hillsborough County's Environmental Lands program and why it's amazing. Listen along! Read James's Washington Post  article abo...

Send us your Florida questions! This week "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes Paul Strauss, owner of Osprey Nature Photography. Paul's work celebrates his curiosity about and appreciation of rural Florida and its flora and fauna. He's an Advanced Florida Master Naturalist (UF-IFAS), a Certified Interpretative Guide (NAI), a PADI-certified SCUBA diver, and a board member of  the...

Send us your Florida questions! In this episode "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes David Anderson, who grew up on the Jungle Prada site, a potential landing site for Panfilo de Narvaez. Take a walking tour with David the next time you're in St. Petersburg and learn more about the tours and property here . fb.com/discoverfloridatours Support the show Question or comment? Email us at...

Send us your Florida questions! Today, Rachel Arndt, communications manager for Tampa Bay Watch, an environmental nonprofit organization.  Links we mentioned: Tampa Bay Watch Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center Tampa Bay Watch Facebook page How can I get a vertical oyster garden for my dock ? Sign up for alerts (including red tide alerts) from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Su...

Send us your Florida questions! In this episode, the Florida Spectacular welcomes Jamie Rich, the founder and editor in chief of Flamingo, Florida’s only statewide lifestyle magazine—For Floridians. By Floridians. Here's how to connect to Flamingo:  https://www.flamingomag.com social: @theflamingomag Women of Waves and equal pay in surfing. Have you met the lady python hunters of Florida? Get...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Rachel Doll, who markets every book printed by the University Press of Florida. Rachel talks about current Florida books that can help you take a deep dive into the Sunshine State. Take a look at how you can read more about what makes Florida spectacular , and below find Rachel's top three books for new Floridians. Boo...

Send us your Florida questions! This week "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes Chadd Scott, Conservation Chair of the Florida Native Plant Society Ixia Chapter (northeast Florida) and Andrew Furman , avid southeast Florida gardener and author of Bitten , Goldens Are Here , and Jewfish . They talk about attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife to their three respective lands...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Mark Walters, journalist, veterinarian, and author of “Florida Scrub-Jay: Field Notes on a Vanishing Bird.” Why the scrub jay? Tune in to find out. Want to buy the book? (Spoiler alert: You do!) Get it here . Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com . Subscribe to The Florida Spectacula...

Send us your Florida questions! In this episode, the Florida Spectacular welcomes Rick Kilby, Florida author.  Orlando-based writer and graphic designer Rick Kilby is the author of Florida’s Healing Waters: Gilded Age Mineral Springs, Seaside Resorts, and Health Spas , which received the silver medal for Florida nonfiction from the Florida Book Awards and the Florida Historical Society’s Stetson K...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Bruce Horovitz, author of Gamble Rogers, A Troubadour's Life . Listen to the story of this man's incredible life, his impact on Florida and his influence on songwriters and musicians like Jimmy Buffett.   Bruce Horovitz is an award-winning author and an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the non-profit and...

Send us your Florida questions! The Florida Spectacular welcomes Dr. José García, the author of Voices from Mariel . Dr. Garcia also co-produced the award winning documentary by the same name.  Both his book and documentary have been presented nationally and internationally in such places as Europe and Australia.  Dr. Garcia left Cuba as apart of the Mariel boatlift when he was a teenager.  Get th...

Send us your Florida questions! Today "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes Jim Ross, Florida author and the managing editor of the Ocala Star Banner. Jim edited and contributed to In Season: Stories of Discovery, Loss, Home, and Places in Between (University Press of Florida, 2018. Get the book here . Find Jim on Twitter , Facebook , or at jimross96@gmail.com . Support the show Question or...

Send us your Florida questions! Meet William McKeen, who shows us the bookish history of Key West in his book, Mile Marker Zero. He's written a bunch of other stuff, too:  Everybody Had an Ocean, a nonfiction narrative; Asshole: A Memoir, a blog; Homegrown in Florida , an anthology; Outlaw Journalist , a biography; Highway 61 , a memoir; and Rock and Roll is Here to Stay , an anthology. He li...

Send us your Florida questions! When the Florida bug bites you, you'll know. Andrew Furman, this week's guest on The Florida Spectacular, knows. Andrew Furman wrote the novel Jewfish  (Little Curlew Press, 2020.) He teaches at Florida Atlantic University's Creative Writing MFA program, and his nonfiction work, Bitten: My Unexpected Love Affair with Florida talks about falling in lov...

Send us your Florida questions! Tyler Gillespie joins the podcast this week to talk about his new book, The Thing About Florida (UPF, April 2021), growing up in Florida as a gay Christian, and other Florida stories (including how lucky he feels to be Floridian.) To learn more about Tyler's book and his upcoming speaking events, visit his website . Support the show Question or comment? Email u...

Send us your Florida questions! Scott Deitche talks about the Tampa mafia and some of the key players. He also talks about what made the mafia in Florida a bit different than in the rest of the country. Join Scott on the Tampa Mafia Tours at tampamafia.com . scottdeitche.com facebook.com/Scott-M-Deitche-Author-211094778568 twitter.com/Scottyyz instagram.com/scottdeitche/ Support the show Question...

Send us your Florida questions! Mary Szaroleta, director of OLLI at Eckerd, joins the podcast to talk about the Explore Florida program at Eckerd, which is open to anyone, as well as her favorite Florida places, and what it's like being the daughter of a Weeki Wachee mermaid.  Learn more about OLLI at Eckerd's Explore Florida program and their all-access Zoom pass at eckerd.edu/olli . If...

Send us your Florida questions! Today, Amanda Hagood talks about Cli-Fi, which stands for Climate Fiction. She talks about why these books are gaining momentum, and offers some examples you have to add to your nightstand. Links from the podcast: Orange World and Other Stories , by Karen Russell Florida , by Lauren Groff Mr. Eternity , by Aron Thier Support the show Question or comment? Email us at...

Send us your Florida questions! Today, Florida writer Nikesha Williams joins us to talk about how her fiction writing career morphed into a full-time publishing career. Her press focuses on "publishing great writers who weave compelling narratives that intrigue, foster great conversation and debate, and urge people to action" much like Nikesha's first book, Four Women, did.  At the...

Send us your Florida questions! Jon Kile talks about RVing through Florida with his kids and wife, and how his travels in a Dodge Ram turned Florida travel into a way of life for his family.  dontmakemeturnthisvanaround.com The Grandfather Clock by Jon Kile VEDS Fort De Soto Campground Chassahowitzka River Campground Suwannee River State Park Campground John Pennekamp State Park Bahia Honda State...

Send us your Florida questions! This week we talk to Jono Miller, who has written a delightful book about the cabbage palm. Join us as we talk about mob stories and cabbage palms, conquistadors and cabbage palms, and the war between the states (no, not that one) to get the cabbage palm as the official tree. You can pre-order Jono's book from the University Press of Florida .  Support the show...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, Early Florida scholar Dr. Thomas Hallock joins the podcast to talk about getting "the story about the story" and how travelers can see Florida like its first Euro-Explorers did.  Read Tom's blog about exploring Florida here , and pre-order his book here . Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com . Subsc...

Send us your Florida questions! Dave Scheidecker, the historic archaeologist for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, joins the podcast this week to talk about what his work with the Tribe involves, myths surrounding the Tribe, and how Florida itself helped the Seminoles remain unconquered.  We look forward to having Dave back on the podcast to talk more about Polly Parker, Egmont Key's concentrati...