Finding Favorites with Leah Jones

Canadian author Vanessa Ricci-Thode has turned her front yard into an official Monarch butterfly waystation and joined Leah Jones to talk about her love of the migrating butterfly. We talk about the very long commute from Mexico to Canada, simple steps to conservation and their second love of gigantic trees. Vanessa's new book True Flame (Book 2 of the Fireborn series) is available now and books 3...

Chad Hancock, host of Wackadoo! A Bluey Podcast for Grown-ups, joined Leah to introduce her to the new blue dog popular with kids and parents alike. Chad shares how he and his family started watching family, why it's an important piece of children's media and some of his favorite episodes. We also compare notes on hosting food podcasts, Chicago vs. San Francisco, and puppets on stage. Follow Chad...

Author and MFA student Allison Stalberg joins host Leah Jones to talk about niche, independent RPG games, obscure TV and movies from the 80s, the impact of Tumblr and her current writing projects. Follow Allison online Twitter @stalbergwrites Tik Tok @stalbergwrites   Sor Anime on Tumblr Show Notes The Candle Wench (page 43) Wander   Faerie Tale Theatre YouTube Playlist of Faerie Tale Theater The...

Dana Kaye, a Chicago-based book publicist, loves the creative outlet of stand-up comedy. She also loves a good memoir, so first we compare notes on audio memoirs we've been listening to before diving into how she uses open mics and stand-up comedy as a creative writing outlet. Follow Dana Kaye online https://kayepublicity.com/ Instagram @danakaye23 Show Notes You could make this place beautiful by...

Stacey Agdern, author of B'nai Mitzvah Mistake, joined Leah to talk about the intersection of writing romance, being joyfully Jewish, and her love of hockey. In her fourth romance novel with Jewish characters, Stacey brings together professional hockey and Jewish traditions. Follow Stacey online StaceyAgdern.com Facebook Twitter @nystacey Instagram @sagdern   Tule Publishing: B'nai Mitzvah Mistake...

Christina Meyer, a musician and practicing physican, joined Leah to talk about her love of NKOTB. We talk NKOTB Cruises, Joey's solo shows, fandom friends and getting ready for BlockCon happening this weekend in Chicago. (In fact, both Christina and Jen - who was on the podcast to talk NKOTB in 2021 - were both at BlockCon this weekend!) Follow Christina online DrMetalMusic.com Instagram @nikkinan...

Laura and Annie are childhood best friends who both became mental health professionals. During peak COVID lockdown, they created the BFF Sticker Club. It's an online community for adults who love stickers, so we are talking all about stickers and stickies! BFF Sticker Club Instagram @thebffstickerclub Etsy for thebffstickerclub   Show Notes Camp GUCI Camp BFF (Sold out for 2023) St. Elmo's steakho...

Phil Gomes joins Leah this week to reminisce about the early days of blogging and his dedication to the Brazilian spirit cachaca. Phil is the CCMO of Bloq and is currently based in Rio de Janeiro with his family.   Follow Phil online PhilGomes.com   Twitter @philgomes   Substack Show Notes Instagram Cachacagora Cachacagora.com Werneck Cachaca apprenticeship Wikipedia Bagaceira September 13 Rabo de...

Phillip Mottaz, author of The Psychic Barber mystery series, is on Finding Favorites to talk about CCIW colleges (Go Knox! Go Millikin!), early aughts Chicago improv and The Ramones.   Follow Phillip on Twitter and check his website for updates The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air: A Psychic Barber Mystery The Homicidal Hairstyle of the Viral Video Vixen (Book #2): A Psychic Barber Myster...

Author Nicole Zelniker (she/they) joined Leah to talk about Broadway shows, writing and their love of cats. (Cats the animal, not Cats the musical, but maybe also Cats the musical). Nicole is the EIC of Knee Brace Press and her latest book, Until We Fall , available wherever books are sold. Follow Nicole online Tik Tok @nicolewritesbooks Twitter @nicolezelniker   Instagram @nicolezelniker NicoleZe...

Chris Bagg, co-host of Upper Middlebrow, joins Finding Favorites to talk about Dungeons & Dragons and the greater universe of table top role playing games. He shares how he started playing D&D, what he plays now and a brief explanation of why 50,000 D&D players and creators cancelled their memberships. Keep up with Chris online Twitter @chrisbagg Instagram @christopherbagg   ChrisBagg.com/ Listen...

Laurel Snyder, an Atlanta-based author, joined Leah to talk about the music and marriage of Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires. From Jason's early career in the Drive By Truckers to current collaborations with his wife Amanda Shires, their music was the soundtrack to Laurel's pandemic life. Laurel's new book The Witch of Woodland is available for pre-order now and is a perfect gift for tweens preparin...

Abby Stewart, a Bay Area author, loves artists journals and queso. She joined Leah fresh from AWP in Seattle to talk about her new novel Foundations, writing and publishing during lockdown, and her love of diaries and journals written by artists. We also talk about the best ways to improve Velveeta queso dip. Keep up with Abby online HelloAbigailStewart.com   Twitter @abby_writes   Instagram @abby...

Leah was sick with COVID this week, which meant no energy for new interviews. However, mountains of Candy Chat Chicago epsiodes were in the hopper waiting to be edited and it happens to be Jocelyn's birthday. So happy birthday Jocelyn, here is a crossover episode of Candy Chat Chicago!

Jesse Dukes, co-host of the podcast Upper Middlebrow, loves the Richard Lester movies from 1973 and 1974: The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers.  We also talk about the Neal Stephenson deep dive on Upper Middlebrow. Follow Jesse online @CuriousDukes UpperMiddlebrow.com Show Notes Blank Check Podcast Strange Days The Hunt for Red October M3gan Klara and the Sun   Her Curious City Three Muske...

Cameron MacKenzie returns to talk about places that feel like home that aren't home and we try to find the thread that connects Kamakura in Japan, The Nation in Washington DC, The Presidio and Washington Square Park in San Francisco, and Fergies Bar in Philadelphia. CameronMacKenzie.org Facebook River Weather stories Show Notes The Nation in DC Reddit thread - do you remember Nation Night Club? Th...

Marty Beckerman, an LA-based author, comedian and new dad, is on the podcast this week to celebrate the launch of his new book The Time Meowchine: A Talking Cat’s Y2K Quest to Save the World and talk about the 90s. The 1990s, that is. We talk about how he started going to the gym as a joke and accidentally got swole, legally being able to tell dad jokes, and the 1990s. Keep up with Marty online an...

Lyndsey Little, creator of OniGirl comic , joined Leah to talk about her love of monsters, the monster boarding school where her comic is set, and the best foods for nostalgia day! Support Lyndsey's kickstarter to bring glorious color to OniGirl Follow Lyndsey on Instagram and Tik Tok Show Notes Stories to Dismember podcast Most Oreo Oreo Godzilla Movie Monster Evolution Biblically Accurate Angels...

Shai Korman, co-host of the Friday Night Movie Podcast, is back and we are talking about music movie moments. Opening and closing credits, soundtracks, movies about bands and more. https://www.frinightmovie.com/   Follow Shai on Twitter and Instagram Show Notes Signal Awards for Excellence What Does It Eat   Bandcamp Fridays for 2023 The Wrong Cat Died Monkees The REM song inspired by the Monkees...

Author Chelsea Stickle picked up embroidery as a hobby to channel her rage and has been poking fabric with sharp needles ever since. You can order her newest chapbook Everything's Changing from Thirty West Publishing House - it is a collection of surreal micro-fiction and flash fiction rooted in the chaos of the last few years. Follow Chelsea online ChelseaStickle.com Twitter @Chelsea_Stickle Ever...

Michael Shelly, a music maker and WFMU DJ, joined Leah to talk about a few of his favorite things including the music of NRBQ (New Rhythm and Blues Quartet), the classic comic strip Nancy, and eating good food on the road. We also chat about WFMU and how Michael met They Might Be Giants, which lead him to one show at Millikin in the 90s. Keep up with Michael Twitter @wfmumichael   WFMU Archives WF...

Author, podcaster and journalist Dan Kois joined Leah to kick-off the new year to explore the classic children's book Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton. Dan's first novel Vintage Contemporaries is available on January 17, 2023 and can be pre-ordered now from Bookshop.org . Follow Dan on Twitter and check his website for updates about the launch events for Vintage Contemporaries. Parents, you nee...

Friends and guests of Finding Favorites are back to tell us about their favorite things from 2022. This is a clip show with SO many great recomendations, most of which are in the show notes below. This includes clips from How Did This Get Made (Leah asking a question at the Stone Cold live show in LA) and Doughboys (Burger King 6 with Jon Gabrus and Adam Pally) Leah Intro 1 - best movies of 2022 S...

New York-based filmmaker Liz Nord joined Leah to run down a list of documentaries for watching during winter break. Liz also talked to Leah about how she became a documentary filmmaker and obsessed with the art form. Follow Liz online to find out when her documentary is streaming. h ttps://www.liznord.com/ Instagram @LizFilm Show Notes Music Box Theatre Chicago Trembling Before G-d Supersize Me St...

Terry Gant, Chicago-based comic bookstore owner , joined Leah to talk about hospital husbands, Twitter and Prog Rock. He prescribes the musical journey for someone new to Prog Rock and ready to get a feel for symphonic Swedish death metal. See Terry speaking at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Monday, December 19th, 2022, at the event Spiritual Awakenings . Shop at Third Coast Comics online or in...