Shark Heart by Emily Habeck is a surreal love story about newlyweds Wren and Lewis, whose marriage is upended when Lewis is diagnosed with a rare condition that will slowly transform him into a great white shark. As they confront grief, change, and the limits of love, the novel uses magical realism to explore what it means to stay connected when life becomes unrecognizable.

A nonprofit leader by day, Ashley spends her free time volunteering; chasing down Richmond’s best hikes and restaurants with her friends, family, and pup; and adventuring across the globe. A recovering English major, she’ll take any excuse to turn a good read into a great conversation.

Ashley is the Executive Director of Communities in Schools Chesterfield, and on May 12th they are having their first ever Adult Spelling Bee Fundraiser! You should definitely come to raise some money for a great cause, also - I will be one of their “Celebrity Spellers” so come witness me failing horribly at spelling!

Spelling bee tickets: https://cisofchesterfield.networkforgood.com/events/96878-cis-c-adult-spelling-bee-extravaganza

Searn more about CIS: www.cisofchesterfield.org

Our drink this week is the Metamorphosis Cocktail, which I absolutely loved - it literally changes colors!

Metamorphosis Cocktail

Ingredients

2 oz gin

1 oz butterfly pea tea (cooled)

¾ oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz Simple Syrup

Ice

Optional flair:

Edible glitter

Black sugar or salt rim

Lemon twist or edible flower

Directions:

Brew butterfly pea tea by steeping 1–2 tsp dried flowers in ½ cup hot water for 5–7 minutes; strain and cool.

Fill a glass with ice and add 2 oz gin + 1 oz cooled butterfly pea tea.

Slowly pour in ¾ oz fresh lemon juice and watch the color change from blue to purple.

Stir in ½ oz simple syrup to taste, then garnish if desired.

In This Episode

Shadowlands Film Quote (I could not remember who to attribute this to while we were recording)

Speculative Fiction