Chasing Creative

We thought we’d be back with a new season of Chasing Creative in 2022, but alas: it did not happen. Our lives are just too full right now with, well… life! We cannot, however, let the year go by without getting together to talk about books: our most favorite episode to record each season. So, we’ll dive in and talk about our reading wins this last year, our goals for next year, and what life *actually* looks like these days for both of us.  Where to connect with Abbie:  Goodreads | Instagram | Newsletter | Bookshop (affiliate)  Where to connect with Ashley:  Goodreads | Instagram | Newsletter   Books Mentioned: The Chaos Machine by Max Fisher The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk  Wintering by Katherine May Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune  The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (audio narrated by Tom Hanks)  Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (on audio)  Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty Anxious People by Fredrik Backman  Matrix by Lauren Groff Sea Wife by Amity Gaige  Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver  The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo  The Life We’re Looking For by Andy Crouch  The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman The Wild Robot & The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling (illustrated versions, too!)  The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street Series by Karina Yan Glaser (audio)  The Henry Huggins Audio Collection by Beverly Cleary  Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery  Rewilding Motherhood by Shannon K Evans  State of Wonder by Anne Patchett  Attached to God by Krispin Mayfield The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr Try Softer by Aundi Kolber Middlemarch by George Eliot  The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

Hi! It has been *an entire year* since we last appeared in your podcast feed.  We’re wading through Pandemic Year 2 just like everyone else, complete with all the day-to-day negotiations and risk calculations like everyone else. And also: a fourth baby for Ashley, a smattering of kids entering the public school system for both of us, and entire routines shifting overnight.  We gave ourselves a break and didn’t record a single thing together in all of 2021 – but it didn’t feel right to finish a year on the calendar without talking together about books. So let’s talk books!    Resources Mentioned:  Pantsuit Politics Extra Credit Book Club The Anthropocene Reviewed podcast by John Green    Books Mentioned: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi  Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer Rewilding Motherhood by Shannon K. Evans No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler  Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley What You Wish For by Katherine Center  It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn (DNF for Ashley)  Fair Play by Eve Rodsky (skimmed by Abbie)  Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham  The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson  Harry Potter Book 1-3  The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi Keep Going by Austin Kleon  The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater  Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr  The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto The Bodyguard by Katherine Center The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green  Who Made This Cake? by Chihiro Nakagawa The Wordless Trilogy by Aaron Becker The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall  Mine! How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control our Lives by Michael A. Heller and James Salzman 12 Tiny Things by Ellie Rosher and Heidi Barr The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett  Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty   Where to connect with Abbie:  Goodreads | Instagram | Monthly Newsletter | Bookshop Storefront (affiliate link)    Where to connect with Ashley:  Goodreads |  Instagram |  Blog  |  Newsletter

2020 hasn't been kind to most of us, but books are always there to see us through. Listen in to hear how 2020 changed our reading habits, the books we loved (and didn't), and what's next for our reading lives—and the podcast!—in 2021. Books Mentioned in This Episode The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett Becoming by Michelle Obama The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Kindred by Octavia Butler The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin Pride by Ibi Zoboi The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi The Selection Series by Kiera Cass The Book of Essie by Megan McLein Weir Your Blue Flame: Drop the Guilt and Do What Makes You Come Alive by Jen Fulwiler What Is a Girl Worth? My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics by Rachael Denhollander Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb Attachments and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell  Eleanor & Park and Landline by Rainbow Rowell Harry Potter (of course)  Beach Read by Emily Henry Normal People by Sally Rooney Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters by Tom Nichols I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World by Shelley Miller The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stievater The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden (book 3 of Winternight trilogy) The Book of Essie by Megan McLein Weir Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson  The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Tweet Cute by Emma Lord Calm the H*ck Down by Melanie Dale Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell  Curious George by H. A. Rey Maybe God Is Like That, Too by Jennifer Grant and Benjamin Schippert The Wind in the Willows by Igloo books  The Preacher’s Wife by Kate Bowler Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and Women's Work by Kathleen Norris The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai  Reconnect: Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction by Ed Cyzewski The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner The Switch by Beth O’Leary The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary   Links Mentioned in This Episode Past Chasing Creative episodes with Kendra Adachi (the Lazy Genius): Kendra Adachi on Trusting Your Creative Intuition and Kendra Adachi on Valuing Yourself Enough to Create The Naughty Corner comedy special by Jen Fulwiler on Amazon Prime  Read more of Ed Yong’s science writing for the Atlantic Ashley’s Winnie-the-Pooh books are out of print, but this looks similar  Abbie’s copy ofThe Wind in the Willows   Connect with Abbie:  Website: http://www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages   Connect with Ashley:  Personal blog: http://www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: http://www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites  Twitter: http://twitter.com/brookseditorial        

In today’s episode, we chat with Kayla Craig about what it looks like to advocate for the more vulnerable people around you. As a journalist, Kayla learned the value of listening well and choosing to hear a story and act on it. As a mom, Kayla knows just how important the stories we read and tell and see in our own lives affect everything about them -- and she has some tips for adding diverse voices to your shopping list this year. Kayla Craig is a writer and podcast producer who believes in the power of story. She writes modern prayers for moms and dads at Liturgies for Parents and her book is forthcoming with Tyndale in 2021. Kayla co-founded and hosts Upside Down Podcast, a place for conversations on faith and justice. She is a podcast producer for Sacred Ordinary Days, where she helps cultivate peace, presence, and purpose. Kayla loves deep mugs of coffee, deeper belly laughs, and even deeper questions. She and her pastor-husband Jonny live in Iowa, where they’re raising four young kids who joined their family via birth and adoption. She has two fluffy dogs and spends too much time on Instagram. Her most recent published essays are in This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections + Practices and Rally: Litanies for the Lovers of Jesus and Justice.  Kayla’s tips for diversifying your holiday decor and your bookshelves:  Buy a nativity set where the figures are historically accurate and have brown skin.  Buy books written by Black and brown authors.  Don’t just buy books with diverse characters struggling with racial tension. Buy books that normalize the lives Black and brown people live; make sure that your kids see Black joy.  Follow @hereweread on Instagram for diverse book suggestions all year long.    Books we talked about: Madeleine L'Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner  This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections + Practices Rally: Communal Prayers for the Lovers of Jesus and Justice   Here’s where to find Kayla:  Site: www.kaylacraig.com Newsletter: https://kaylacraig.substack.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kayla_craig/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaylacraig Liturgies for parents info: http://www.kaylacraig.com/liturgies-for-parents.html Liturgies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liturgiesforparents/ Podcast: http://www.upsidedownpodcast.com/ Work: https://sacredordinarydays.com/pages/podcast Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kayla_craig   Here's where to find Abbie:  Website: http://www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages   Here's where to find Ashley:  Personal blog: http://www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: http://www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites   Twitter: http://twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial

Ari Tison is an award-winning writer with poems and short works published in Yellow Medicine Review, The Under Review, and Rock & Sling. She is also the editor for Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop's Broadside Competition. Ari lives and works on Dakota and Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) lands in St. Paul, MN. Join us as she shares action steps for lifting up underrepresented voices in the literary community, especially Indigenous people and those who are incarcerated. Action steps that life up underrepresented voicesReach out to nonprofits to see where they need help. Look for ways to serve that match your interests and talents. Investigate nearby prisons to see if they have creative arts programs you can support. Seek out and share work by marginalized populations. Read anthologies that include Native writers. Connect with tribes in your area to learn about creative events or festivals you can attend or local artisans you can support. Learn about the history of the land you live and work on. Which Indigenous tribe(s) was the land taken from? Links mentioned in this episodeMinnesota Prison Writing Workshop Birchbark Books Books mentioned in this episodeThe works of Poet Laureate Joy Harjo New Poets of Native Nations edited by Heid E. Erdrich Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer There There by Tommy Orange The Great Believers by Rebecca Makai The Day You Begin  by Jacqueline Woodson  

Deep in a pandemic, an election cycle, and a world that looks vastly different than six months ago, we’re all a little worn out these days. But we also need to press ahead like never before. We wanted to talk to Dani Bruflodt on how she summons the energy to engage online around social justice, politics, and making a difference in the world -- and how hydration is her secret weapon to get it all done with some energy left over.  Dani Bruflodt is a writer and creator who “talks loud on the internet”. She’s a native Minnesotan currently living the Universal-Healthcare dream life in Copenhagen, Denmark, and she would love for you to drink some water. Resources from this episode:  The Enneagram Institute has excellent resources to help you find your type.  Dani’s hydration tracker for kids. Plan Podcast Episode 029: How to achieve optimum hydration   Dani’s 7 tips for how to get engaged and make a difference:  Know that it is never too late to become a better person. Feeling hypocritical stops a lot of us from joining movements or getting involved. You can wake up tomorrow and decide you’re going to be a better person. Know that it is okay to change your mind, especially when you are presented with better information. Pick one thing you’re passionate about. One cause that you really, truely, deeply feel passionate about. You don’t have to become an expert on everything immediately. And then when you pick that thing, take time to step back. Do not rush in and expect to fix this issue that you’ve taken up. It’s especially important to pause and look to see who is already doing this work and fall in line with how to support them and continue their work rather than do anything that might interfere with work already being done. It is okay to be wrong, and it is okay to say “I am not informed enough to speak on this topic”. Fear of being wrong, or the feeling that if you claim to be an activist you automatically have to know everything stops so many of us. No. It is OKAY to be wrong. It is a mark of intelligence to recognize when you’re wrong, learn better, and do better, and there is nothing wrong with being asked a question or being engaged in a conversation and saying “You know what, I don’t feel informed enough to speak on this.” Know that there is probably not an end-point to the work. Whether it’s anti-racism or ending child hunger. Even if you ensure all children have full tummies, you still have to get up every day after that and ensure those programs stay afloat, that they have funding. You have to remember to rest. Getting into the trenches with any form of activism is not for the faint of heart. It takes a toll on you physically and emotionally -- especially if you are a privileged white person who has rarely had to endure chronic stress -- this can really hit you like a brick wall. You have to learn to take breaks, to rest, to step away from the work for a moment and then get back in there.   Dani’s 3 groups of people we’re worried about offending and what to do instead:  “Following”: Focus on gaining supporters, not followers. Focus on quality, not quantity.  Family/Friends: Lean into the fact that if you lose them for being outspoken, they may not have been worth your time or energy to begin with. Potential Clients or Collaborators: Trust that sharing your morals and values will help you attract clients and collaborations that align with you.     Books we mentioned:  The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris  How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell The Preacher's Wife  by Kate Bowler    Connect with Dani:  Website: http://thyme-is-honey.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thyme_is_honey/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThymeIsHoney/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thyme_is_Honey Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thymeishoney/ Podcast: https://PlanPodcast.com Hydration Course: https://HydrationChecklist.com    The Daily Page Planner: https://DailyPagePlanner.com  Digital Daily Page Planner: https://DigitalDailyPage.com    Connect with Abbie:  Website: http://www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages   Connect with Ashley:  Personal blog: http://www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: http://www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites Twitter: http://twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial

Deep in a pandemic, an election cycle, and a world that looks vastly different than six months ago, we’re all a little worn out these days. But we also need to press ahead like never before. We wanted to talk to Dani Bruflodt on how she summons the energy to engage online around social justice, politics, and making a difference in the world -- and how hydration is her secret weapon to get it all done with some energy left over.  Dani Bruflodt is a writer and creator who “talks loud on the internet”. She’s a native Minnesotan currently living the Universal-Healthcare dream life in Copenhagen, Denmark, and she would love for you to drink some water. Resources from this episode:  The Enneagram Institute has excellent resources to help you find your type.  Dani’s hydration tracker for kids. Plan Podcast Episode 029: How to achieve optimum hydration   Dani’s 7 tips for how to get engaged and make a difference:  Know that it is never too late to become a better person. Feeling hypocritical stops a lot of us from joining movements or getting involved. You can wake up tomorrow and decide you’re going to be a better person. Know that it is okay to change your mind, especially when you are presented with better information. Pick one thing you’re passionate about. One cause that you really, truely, deeply feel passionate about. You don’t have to become an expert on everything immediately. And then when you pick that thing, take time to step back. Do not rush in and expect to fix this issue that you’ve taken up. It’s especially important to pause and look to see who is already doing this work and fall in line with how to support them and continue their work rather than do anything that might interfere with work already being done. It is okay to be wrong, and it is okay to say “I am not informed enough to speak on this topic”. Fear of being wrong, or the feeling that if you claim to be an activist you automatically have to know everything stops so many of us. No. It is OKAY to be wrong. It is a mark of intelligence to recognize when you’re wrong, learn better, and do better, and there is nothing wrong with being asked a question or being engaged in a conversation and saying “You know what, I don’t feel informed enough to speak on this.” Know that there is probably not an end-point to the work. Whether it’s anti-racism or ending child hunger. Even if you ensure all children have full tummies, you still have to get up every day after that and ensure those programs stay afloat, that they have funding. You have to remember to rest. Getting into the trenches with any form of activism is not for the faint of heart. It takes a toll on you physically and emotionally -- especially if you are a privileged white person who has rarely had to endure chronic stress -- this can really hit you like a brick wall. You have to learn to take breaks, to rest, to step away from the work for a moment and then get back in there.   Dani’s 3 groups of people we’re worried about offending and what to do instead:  “Following”: Focus on gaining supporters, not followers. Focus on quality, not quantity.  Family/Friends: Lean into the fact that if you lose them for being outspoken, they may not have been worth your time or energy to begin with. Potential Clients or Collaborators: Trust that sharing your morals and values will help you attract clients and collaborations that align with you.     Books we mentioned:  The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris  How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell The Preacher's Wife  by Kate Bowler    Connect with Dani:  Website: http://thyme-is-honey.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thyme_is_honey/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThymeIsHoney/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thyme_is_Honey Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thymeishoney/ Podcast: https://PlanPodcast.com Hydration Course: https://HydrationChecklist.com    The Daily Page Planner: https://DailyPagePlanner.com  Digital Daily Page Planner: https://DigitalDailyPage.com    Connect with Abbie:  Website: http://www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages   Connect with Ashley:  Personal blog: http://www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: http://www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites Twitter: http://twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial

We’re welcoming counselor, writer, and calligrapher Simone Griffin to the show today. Join us as she shares about the overlap between counseling and creativity, and how art—both our own and others’—can improve our mental health. Be sure to check out Simone’s newsletter, Counseling + Christ, and her devotional workbook, Glimmers of Hope.  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Christ + Counseling newsletter Glimmers of Hope: A Devotional Workbook for Navigating the Struggles of Womanhood with Grace by Simone Griffin Mini book club: A Holy Pursuit: How the Gospel Frees Us to Follow and Lay Down Our Dreams by Dianne Jago Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb Pride by Ibi Zoboi Hamilton Broadway film Here’s where you can find Simone:  Website: http://simonegriffin.org/ Etsy: GlimmersofHopeShop Instagram: @sincerelysimoneg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Hope-Anchored-Soul-1492959650997664/ Here’s where you can find Abbigail:  Website:  www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: @abbigailekriebs Twitter: @abbigailekriebs Here’s where you can find Ashley:  Website: www.ashleybrookswrites.com Creatively Yours newsletter Instagram: @ashleybrookswrites Twitter: @brookseditorial

We’re welcoming counselor, writer, and calligrapher Simone Griffin to the show today. Join us as she shares about the overlap between counseling and creativity, and how art—both our own and others’—can improve our mental health. Be sure to check out Simone’s newsletter, Counseling + Christ, and her devotional workbook, Glimmers of Hope.  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Christ + Counseling newsletter Glimmers of Hope: A Devotional Workbook for Navigating the Struggles of Womanhood with Grace by Simone Griffin Mini book club: A Holy Pursuit: How the Gospel Frees Us to Follow and Lay Down Our Dreams by Dianne Jago Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb Pride by Ibi Zoboi Hamilton Broadway film Here’s where you can find Simone:  Website: http://simonegriffin.org/ Etsy: GlimmersofHopeShop Instagram: @sincerelysimoneg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Hope-Anchored-Soul-1492959650997664/ Here’s where you can find Abbigail:  Website:  www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: @abbigailekriebs Twitter: @abbigailekriebs Here’s where you can find Ashley:  Website: www.ashleybrookswrites.com Creatively Yours newsletter Instagram: @ashleybrookswrites Twitter: @brookseditorial

We’d be remiss in trying to continue on with the podcast acting as if nothing is happening around us. 2020 has been an upheaval year for just about every single person on the planet, and while we are both privileged, middle-class white ladies in Midwestern states who are faring quite well during the pandemic, all things considered, our lives do still look very different than they did in March.  So this season, rather than continue to explore how we fit creativity into our daily lives -- something we are largely unable to do right now as we have in the past -- we wanted to explore a topic that has emerged as one we both care about deeply: How do we use creativity to make a difference?  We’re going to be interviewing people who use their creativity to create change in directions that matter to them. We hope you’ll get to hear from a wide variety of artists who hold a variety of views. None of them will be identical to our own, and we don’t believe that they have to be. In this episode in particular, we’re going to be talking about the pandemic and what our lives look like right now. The choices we’ve made for our families may not be the same as yours, and that’s okay! We know that in this time, everyone is doing what they think is best.  However, we do want to be upfront and say that race and issues of equality are not “too political” to talk about on a podcast that discusses creativity. Everything is political, first of all. And second: the issue of equality for all people is a human rights issue, not something we are willing to debate.  We hope you gain some ideas from our guests this season about how you can create change around the things that matter to you, regardless of where your personal views land.  Got someone you’d love to hear from this season about how they make a difference with their creative gifts? Email us at chasingcreativepodcast@gmail.com.    Resources we mentioned in this episode:  Andy Slavitt on Twitter King Gutter Baby on Instagram (infectious disease expert) 1619 Podcast Series Pantsuit Politics Podcast  Home Cooking with Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway  The Lazy Genius Podcast with Kendra Adachi  Lisa Hensley on Instagram   Mini Book Club:  Best Summer Reads: Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson The Selection by Kiera Cass  Harry Potter (of course)  Pride by Ibi Zoboi    Nonfiction that’s changed our perspective: Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch  Becoming by Michelle Obama   Books that have spurred us onto action in some way: Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms by Erin Benzakein  Visions of Vocation by Steven Garber

We’d be remiss in trying to continue on with the podcast acting as if nothing is happening around us. 2020 has been an upheaval year for just about every single person on the planet, and while we are both privileged, middle-class white ladies in Midwestern states who are faring quite well during the pandemic, all things considered, our lives do still look very different than they did in March.  So this season, rather than continue to explore how we fit creativity into our daily lives -- something we are largely unable to do right now as we have in the past -- we wanted to explore a topic that has emerged as one we both care about deeply: How do we use creativity to make a difference?  We’re going to be interviewing people who use their creativity to create change in directions that matter to them. We hope you’ll get to hear from a wide variety of artists who hold a variety of views. None of them will be identical to our own, and we don’t believe that they have to be. In this episode in particular, we’re going to be talking about the pandemic and what our lives look like right now. The choices we’ve made for our families may not be the same as yours, and that’s okay! We know that in this time, everyone is doing what they think is best.  However, we do want to be upfront and say that race and issues of equality are not “too political” to talk about on a podcast that discusses creativity. Everything is political, first of all. And second: the issue of equality for all people is a human rights issue, not something we are willing to debate.  We hope you gain some ideas from our guests this season about how you can create change around the things that matter to you, regardless of where your personal views land.  Got someone you’d love to hear from this season about how they make a difference with their creative gifts? Email us at chasingcreativepodcast@gmail.com.    Resources we mentioned in this episode:  Andy Slavitt on Twitter King Gutter Baby on Instagram (infectious disease expert) 1619 Podcast Series Pantsuit Politics Podcast  Home Cooking with Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway  The Lazy Genius Podcast with Kendra Adachi  Lisa Hensley on Instagram   Mini Book Club:  Best Summer Reads: Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson The Selection by Kiera Cass  Harry Potter (of course)  Pride by Ibi Zoboi    Nonfiction that’s changed our perspective: Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch  Becoming by Michelle Obama   Books that have spurred us onto action in some way: Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms by Erin Benzakein  Visions of Vocation by Steven Garber

This season of Chasing Creative was about the ebbs and flows of the creative life. When we brainstormed that theme last summer, we had no idea that the world would be facing a pandemic in the spring of 2020 as we record and release this episode. It’s brought changes big and small to our own creative processes and, we’re guessing, yours too.  In this episode, we catch up on the first few months of 2020 -- new babies! pre-pandemic vacations! -- and how the onset of a global pandemic has affected our lives inside and out.   Resources We Talked About Ashley recorded a special episode of the podcast title Creativity as Self-Care in early April. If you’re finding your creative energy decimated by the pandemic, that episode could be a creative hug for where you are at right now.  Ashley is knitting a shawl using this pattern, and she gets her yarn from Yarnery in Minnesota. They offer shipping around the country in case you, too, have a hankering to make something with your hands these days.  The blue unicorn and festive llama cross stitch kits that Jacob completed can be found here if you or your kids (or partners!) need some handiwork for the evenings. Want to know when Season 7 launches? Sign up for our email list here.    Books We Talked About The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling (of course!) A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Alice Network by Kate Quinn  Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb    Here’s where you can find Abbie: Website: http://www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages   Here’s where you can find Ashley: Personal blog: http://www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: http://www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites  Twitter: http://twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial

**We had originally planned to air this episode in early June of 2020 (recorded in early May), but chose to hold off on publication to keep the airwaves clear in the wake of the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, and the nationwide uprising that continues to today as more Black lives are taken because of racist people and racist policies. We want our listeners to know that we stand in full support of the protests and the push for racial justice and equality. We are actively engaging with our own racial bias in our own lives, learning, growing, and working to become antiracist. We are listening to BIPOC Voices as we move forward in this never-ending work, and we are pledging to use this space to amplify those voices in the future. We apologize that we have not made this a priority in the past. We will do better. If you are someone that identifies as BIPOC and would like to come on the podcast to talk about creativity and your journey as an artist, or you'd like to recommend and connect us to someone who does, we would be grateful if you'd reach out to us at chasingcreativepodcast@gmail.com. Our mic is yours.  This season of Chasing Creative was about the ebbs and flows of the creative life. When we brainstormed that theme last summer, we had no idea that the world would be facing a pandemic in the spring of 2020 as we record and release this episode. It’s brought changes big and small to our own creative processes and, we’re guessing, yours too.  In this episode, we catch up on the first few months of 2020 -- new babies! pre-pandemic vacations! -- and how the onset of a global pandemic has affected our lives inside and out. Resources We Talked About Ashley recorded a special episode of the podcast title Creativity as Self-Care in early April. If you’re finding your creative energy decimated by the pandemic, that episode could be a creative hug for where you are at right now.  Ashley is knitting a shawl using this pattern, and she gets her yarn from Yarnery in Minnesota. They offer shipping around the country in case you, too, have a hankering to make something with your hands these days.  The blue unicorn and festive llama cross stitch kits that Jacob completed can be found here if you or your kids (or partners!) need some handiwork for the evenings. Want to know when Season 7 launches? Sign up for our email list here.    Books We Talked About The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling (of course!) A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Alice Network by Kate Quinn  Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb    Here’s where you can find Abbie: Website: http://www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages   Here’s where you can find Ashley: Personal blog: http://www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: http://www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites  Twitter: http://twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial

As the lazy genius, Kendra Adachi teaches people how to be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t. Join us in this episode to hear how she listens to her intuition when it comes to creative projects, the seasonal rhythms she uses to get things done, and the creative process that led her to leave perfectionism behind as she wrote her book. Resources mentioned in this episodePreorder Kendra’s book, The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done.  Find Kendra on the Lazy Genius Podcast and the Lazy Genius Collective!  Sign up for Kendra’s monthly newsletter, The Lazy Letter, for some of the best book/movie/TV show recommendations on the internet, plus smart reflections on living life the lazy genius way.  Change Your Life Chicken Recipe (Guys, it really will change your life.)   Check out our first episode with Kendra back from 2016! On Valuing Yourself Enough to Create with Kendra Adachi  Mini book clubA Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman In the Woods by Tana French The Likeness by Tana French Still Life by Louise Penny Burnout: The Secret to Solving the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski Deep Work by Cal Newport Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport Here's where you can find KendraWebsite: thelazygeniuscollective.com Podcast: The Lazy Genius Podcast Instagram: @thelazygenius Here's where you can find AbbigailWebsite: inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: @abbigailekriebs Twitter: @abbigailekriebs Pinterest: @abbigailekriebs Facebook: @inkwellsandimages Here's where you can find AshleyWebsite: brookseditorial.com Personal blog: ashleybrookswrites.com Instagram: @ashleybrookswrites Twitter: @brookseditorial

As the lazy genius, Kendra Adachi teaches people how to be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t. Join us in this episode to hear how she listens to her intuition when it comes to creative projects, the seasonal rhythms she uses to get things done, and the creative process that led her to leave perfectionism behind as she wrote her book. Resources mentioned in this episodePreorder Kendra’s book, The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done.  Find Kendra on the Lazy Genius Podcast and the Lazy Genius Collective!  Sign up for Kendra’s monthly newsletter, The Lazy Letter, for some of the best book/movie/TV show recommendations on the internet, plus smart reflections on living life the lazy genius way.  Change Your Life Chicken Recipe (Guys, it really will change your life.)   Check out our first episode with Kendra back from 2016! On Valuing Yourself Enough to Create with Kendra Adachi  Mini book clubA Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman In the Woods by Tana French The Likeness by Tana French Still Life by Louise Penny Burnout: The Secret to Solving the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski Deep Work by Cal Newport Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport Here's where you can find KendraWebsite: thelazygeniuscollective.com Podcast: The Lazy Genius Podcast Instagram: @thelazygenius Here's where you can find AbbigailWebsite: inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: @abbigailekriebs Twitter: @abbigailekriebs Pinterest: @abbigailekriebs Facebook: @inkwellsandimages Here's where you can find AshleyWebsite: brookseditorial.com Personal blog: ashleybrookswrites.com Instagram: @ashleybrookswrites Twitter: @brookseditorial

The world has been turned upside down, and being productive as a creative doesn't need to be your top priority right now. Instead, learn to think of your creativity as a form of self-care.   Resources Mentioned in This Episode The No Grocery Challenge by Sarah von Bargen Bank Boost by Sarah von Bargen Elise Blaha Cripe's Three Things Template for Instagram Encouraging Creative Kids by Elise Blaha Cripe Coloring printables for kids from Jane Heinrichs The Growing Gills book club with Jessica Abel A Pep Talk for Being Stuck on The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra Adachi Mini Book Club Big Dreams, Daily Joys by Elise Blaha Cripe Essentialism by Greg McKeown Spark by Andrea Debbink Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren Keep Going by Austin Kleon Calvin and Hobbes comics Past Episodes of Chasing Creative to Revisit S6 E5: Sarah von Bargen on Setting Creative Goals that Actually Make You Happy S6 E3: Elise Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen S6 E2: Nicole Gulotta on Seasons of Creativity S5 E7: Jessica Abel on Integrating Creativity into Your Life  S5 E8: Doing the Work: How We’re Using the Lessons from Growing Gills  S5 E4: Creativity, Burnout, and a New Way of Looking at Self-Care with Addie Zierman S5 E3: Taking Creative Risks with Andrea Debbink S5 E2: Creativity and Place with Jane Heinrichs S4 E25: Creating in the Chaos S4 E7: Creative Challenges  

The world has been turned upside down, and being productive as a creative doesn't need to be your top priority right now. Instead, learn to think of your creativity as a form of self-care.   Resources Mentioned in This Episode The No Grocery Challenge by Sarah von Bargen Bank Boost by Sarah von Bargen Elise Blaha Cripe's Three Things Template for Instagram Encouraging Creative Kids by Elise Blaha Cripe Coloring printables for kids from Jane Heinrichs The Growing Gills book club with Jessica Abel A Pep Talk for Being Stuck on The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra Adachi Mini Book Club Big Dreams, Daily Joys by Elise Blaha Cripe Essentialism by Greg McKeown Spark by Andrea Debbink Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren Keep Going by Austin Kleon Calvin and Hobbes comics Past Episodes of Chasing Creative to Revisit S6 E5: Sarah von Bargen on Setting Creative Goals that Actually Make You Happy S6 E3: Elise Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen S6 E2: Nicole Gulotta on Seasons of Creativity S5 E7: Jessica Abel on Integrating Creativity into Your Life  S5 E8: Doing the Work: How We’re Using the Lessons from Growing Gills  S5 E4: Creativity, Burnout, and a New Way of Looking at Self-Care with Addie Zierman S5 E3: Taking Creative Risks with Andrea Debbink S5 E2: Creativity and Place with Jane Heinrichs S4 E25: Creating in the Chaos S4 E7: Creative Challenges  

Today we’re chatting with Lindsay Swoboda about how being a military spouse experiencing seasons of deployment and living overseas has affected her creative journey. Along with being a military spouse, Lindsay is also a mom and writer. Her blog Uplifting Anchor encourages mothers and military spouses in their daily and creative lives. Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeEating Popcorn in the Dark Because You’ve Earned This, by Melanie Dale on Coffee + Crumbs Elise Blaha Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen (Chasing Creative Season 6, Episode 3) The Get to Workbook Jessica Abel on Integrating Creativity Into Your Life (Chasing Creative Season 5, Episode 7) Mini Book ClubCirce by Madeline Miller Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Big Dreams, Daily Joys by Elise Blaha Cripe Here's where to find LindsayWebsite: www.upliftinganchor.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/upliftinganchor/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/upliftinganchor/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/upliftinganchor/pins/ Here's where to find AbbieWebsite: www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: www.twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook:  http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages Here's where to find AshleyPersonal blog: www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites Twitter: www.twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/brookseditorial

Today we’re chatting with Lindsay Swoboda about how being a military spouse experiencing seasons of deployment and living overseas has affected her creative journey. Along with being a military spouse, Lindsay is also a mom and writer. Her blog Uplifting Anchor encourages mothers and military spouses in their daily and creative lives. Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeEating Popcorn in the Dark Because You’ve Earned This, by Melanie Dale on Coffee + Crumbs Elise Blaha Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen (Chasing Creative Season 6, Episode 3) The Get to Workbook Jessica Abel on Integrating Creativity Into Your Life (Chasing Creative Season 5, Episode 7) Mini Book ClubCirce by Madeline Miller Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Big Dreams, Daily Joys by Elise Blaha Cripe Here's where to find LindsayWebsite: www.upliftinganchor.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/upliftinganchor/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/upliftinganchor/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/upliftinganchor/pins/ Here's where to find AbbieWebsite: www.inkwellsandimages.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs Twitter: www.twitter.com/abbigailekriebs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/ Facebook:  http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimages Here's where to find AshleyPersonal blog: www.ashleybrookswrites.com Business website: www.brookseditorial.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleybrookswrites Twitter: www.twitter.com/brookseditorial Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/brookseditorial

We both spent 2019 getting serious about writing our novels. In this episode, we're hashing out all the details, from where we got our book ideas to how we're fitting writing into our daily lives. Listen in to hear more about our creative processes and what the future holds for our writing. Resources mentioned in this episodeS6 E3: Elise Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen S5 E7: Jessica Abel on Integrating Creativity into Your Life S5 E8: Doing the Creative Work: How We’re Using the Lessons from Growing Gills Scrivener Self-Control app Abbie and Ashley's writing accountability template WriteTrack word count tracker Rachael Herron on How to Write Your Book in 90 Days Books mentioned in this episodeAnne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery Divergent series by Veronica Roth The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Atomic Habits by James Clear A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert Eat, Pray, Love  by Elizabeth Gilbert