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When was the last time you allowed yourself to truly be curious?
What if, instead of rushing to pick a side, we asked more questions to better understand our neighbor?
These are just a few of the questions Joe and author Britney Winn Lee discuss on today's episode of the podcast. Britney wrote a fabulous book entitled: "Sacred Curiosity: Wondering Our Way Toward Wholeness". In it and in this episode, she shares insights and learnings about what a world might look like if we all leaned in more with curiosity instead of rushing to pass judgement.
It's a fantastic discussion, enjoy!
Britney Winn Lee is an author, nonprofit professional, and seminarian who writes to make room. Living in Louisiana with her creative husband and big-hearted son, Lee works bivocationally as the Grants Outreach Coordinator for the United Methodist Foundation while also publishing numerous books, including The Boy with Big, Big Feelings, Rally: Communal Prayers for Lovers of Jesus and Justice, and Good Night, Body: Finding Calm from Head to Toe. With a BA in religious studies and a master’s degree in nonprofit administration, Lee has worked for over a decade in faith- and justice-based, creative community-building.
Curiosity slows us down, tunes us in for transformation, pushes past shame, activates awe, and rewrites with hope. What if our most accessible resource for healing and transformation is ready and waiting to be harnessed? When everything feels gray and hopeless, curiosity emerges as an unexpected path back to color and life. Sacred Curiosity explores how the simple practice of remaining open to wonder can become a powerful force for personal and communal renewal.
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:
What would you do if you moved to a new town where an endless game of Capture the Flag was already going on?
Would you join in?
Which side would you take?
These are, but a few of the questions asked by today's guest, J.D. Amato in his book "The Endless Game"!
J.D. and Joe get into a fantastic conversation about writing, storytelling, career journey, and life itself. It's a fantastic conversation you won't want to miss, enjoy!
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J.D. Amato is a writer based in Astoria, New York. He is best known for his work in comedy television. Outside of writing, he is an amateur distance runner and loves colorful things.
When Fred Townsend and his family move to Lakeside, Illinois, Fred is inducted into a game of capture the flag that has split the entire town in two. But this isn’t a normal game. It’s been going on for decades and has been passed down from generation to generation. It has its own history, laws, and institutions, with elaborate castle-like bases, dreary prisons, kid-run saloons, and even a council of home-schooled kids that preside over the rules of the game.
But for Fred, and all of Lakeside’s kids, this unending war is not just about winning—it’s also about learning how you want to fit into the world, the power of friendship, and making sure this summer is one they will never forget.
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:
We are SO EXCITED to welcome back Alyson Gerber to the show to discuss her latest book in The Liars Society series, 'A Secret Escape'!
Alyson shares how her characters have changed from Book 2 to Book 3, what puzzles await them, and her advice for the reluctant readers out there.
Enjoy!
Alyson Gerber is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Liars Society series and the critically acclaimed novels Focused, Braced, and Taking Up Space. A former marketing director, Alyson earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She grew up in New England and now lives in New York City with her family.
The game starts now. Jack and Weatherby―the newest members of Last Heir, the most powerful secret society in the world―have landed at an exclusive prep school in the Swiss Alps, ready to win big.
Last Heir is offering the chance of a lifetime: millions of dollars, a private island, and a powerful spot in the society’s inner circle. Not everyone has the same reasons for playing, but with money, power, and influence up for grabs, everyone wants to win. Too bad they’re not all playing by the same rules.
New York Times bestselling author Alyson Gerber crafts an explosive, high-octane mystery that will immerse readers in a world of dangerous riddles, friendship and betrayal, and an addictive search for the truth.
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:
How would you pay homage to the books who helped shaped you as a child?
That's the topic of discussion for today's episode as author and illustrator Selina Alko stops by The DTALKS Podcast to discuss her latest book, "Otherwise Known as Judy The Great".
We get into a discussion about childhood influences, different art styles used for the book, and lessons Selina hopes readers take away from her book. It's a great conversation you're really going to enjoy!
Check it out!
Selina Alko is an award-winning author and illustrator known for blending lyrical storytelling with vibrant mixed-media art. Raised in Vancouver by a Turkish Jewish father and Jewish mother, she grew up immersed in culture, creativity, and diverse perspectives that continue to shape her work. Selina has a degree in art history from University of British Columbia and a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She has created more than twenty-five acclaimed children's books, with features in The New York Times, NPR, People, and Time Out New York Kids. A National Jewish Book Award winner, her titles have also been honored as Junior Library Guild Gold selections and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. She is the recipient of the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Excellence in Children’s Literacy.
About 'Otherwise Known as Judy The Great'
Judy Blume is known for fearlessly discussing topics that were once considered taboo. As a young girl, Judy was not encouraged to share her feelings, so instead she invented stories as a way to understand the world around her. Growing up Jewish, during and in the aftermath of WWII, dramatically shaped Judy’s childhood. Her younger years were full of fear. Judy processed her conflicted emotions by making up stories where she could control the conflict as she worked through challenging life scenarios. These stories became the subjects of the books she later published for children, tweens, teens, and adults including Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, Freckle Juice, and the Fudge series.
This inspiring collection of poems celebrates the childhood years of Judy Blume, one of the most beloved American writers of all time.
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:
Get ready for a SUPER episode!
One might even call it a MARVELous episode!
On this episode of the podcast, author Saadia Faruqi stops by the show to share about her latest book, "Ms. Marvel: Remnants of the Past".
Saadia shares about her background as an author, how she got an opportunity to tell a story in the ever-expanding cannon of Ms. Marvel, and how all kids should feel seen in the literature they consume.
Enjoy!
Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American author and interfaith activist. She writes the popular children’s early reader series Yasmin and other books for children, including award-winning middle grade novels, chapter books, and graphic novels. Her 2025 novel The Strongest Heart, depicting mental illness and its effect on families, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist and the Horn Book. In 2024, The Partition Project, highlighting the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan, won the South Asia Book Award. Her 2023 graphic novel Saving Sunshine, about animal conservation and biodiversity, was a finalist for the Eisner award, a Kirkus Best Book, and a New York Public Library Best Book. Additionally, A Place At The Table (co-written with Laura Shovan) was a Sydney Taylor Notable in 2021 for its heartwarming friendship story between a Muslim and Jewish girl. Saadia is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry and prose, and was featured in Oprah Magazine in 2017 as a woman making a difference in her community. She lives in Houston, TX with her husband and children.
About 'Ms Marvel: Remnants of the Past'
Ms. Marvel trips into a mystery that brings her from Jersey City to Lahore, Pakistan, and back again, all on a chase for a magical artifact in this adventure from Marvel Press.
Kamala Khan is Jersey City’s premier super hero, Ms. Marvel! She’s stretched between going to the mosque, posting Avengers fanfic on the internet, and fighting crime.
But then a clash ends with a pair of priceless spectacles in the wrong hands—Ms. Marvel’s! Now she’s on a mission to return them to where they belong, once she’s figured out where that is. A mysterious new bad guy drops hints at magical secrets the spectacles hold, setting Ms. Marvel on a quest to Lahore, Pakistan. It’s the trip of a lifetime, seeing the land of her father’s youth, but Kamala is forced to grapple with what to do when the choice between right and wrong isn’t so clear.
Saadia Faruqi delivers a beautiful exploration of the Pakistani American experience through the eyes of Marvel’s Kamala Khan.
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast: