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This week on Here's What We Know, join us for a captivating conversation with author Beth Castrodale to explore the creative life. Beth shares how her roots in journalism shaped her storytelling style, why ghost stories have always fascinated her, and what it really takes to finish a book.

Listen in as we go down the rabbit hole from haunted houses, World War I soldier journals, and audiobooks to cemetery lore and the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to beloved characters. Tune in now; you’re gonna love it!

In This Episode:

• The Path to Writing
• The Relationship Between Reading and Writing
• Running, Audiobooks, and Podcasts: Creative Consumption
• Beth Castrodale’s Books and the Audiobook Experience
• Crafting Character Voices: Writing and Narrating Multiple Points of View
• The Writing Process: Plotting, Pantsing, and Outlining
• Finding Endings and Letting Go
• Receiving Critique and the Role of Ego
• The Solitary Nature of Novel Writing
• Literary Influences and Early Reading Memories
• The Allure of Standalone Novels and Avoiding Sequels
• Research in Writing: Bringing Authenticity to Fiction
• Ghost Stories, the Paranormal, and the Challenge of Creepy
• The Process of Writing "The Inhabitants"
• The Winchester Mystery House
• Publicity, Promotion, and the Writer’s Life

This episode is sponsored by:

Dignity Memorial

Bio:

Beth Castrodale worked as a newspaper reporter until her love of books led her to the publishing field. She was a senior editor at Bedford/St. Martin’s and is the founding editor of the book-review website Small Press Picks. Her most recent novel, The Inhabitants, won the Horror categories of the Independent Publisher Book Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Best Book Awards. It was a finalist in the Horror category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

An excerpt from her second novel, In This Ground, was a shortlist finalist for a William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Award. Her début novel, Marion Hatley, was a finalist for a Nilsen Prize for a First Novel from Southeast Missouri State University Press. Castrodale also received an artist grant from the Mass Cultural Council. Her stories and essays have appeared in multiple publications, including CrimeReads, Ars Medica, The Writing Disorder, and Writing and Wellness.

If you sign up for Beth’s monthly email newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of her novel Gold River.

Website: https://www.bethcastrodale.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-castrodale-a667b81/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethcastrodale/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beth.castrodale

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This week on Here's What We Know, our host, Gary Scott Thomas, sits down with Cullen Jones, Olympic gold medalist swimmer, world record holder, and passionate water safety advocate.

Cullen shares the extraordinary story of how a near-drowning at age five ignited his purpose, ultimately driving him to become one of the fastest swimmers in history and a leader in the movement to make swimming accessible to every child.

In This Episode:

• How Cullen’s upbringing influenced his path to greatness
• The mindset and training that fueled Cullen’s record-breaking career
• The surprising way boredom can be a powerful tool for growth
• Personal stories of overcoming setbacks and staying motivated through the highs and lows
• Behind-the-scenes moments from the Olympics, from relay teamwork to celebrations
• Cullen’s mission to reduce drowning rates through initiatives like Make a Splash and Goldfish Swim School
• Insights into the cultural and historical barriers that keep many from learning to swim

This episode is sponsored by:

Bison Junk Removal (Effortless solution to your junk removal needs!)

Bio:

Cullen Andrew Jones is an Olympic medalist and the first African American male swimmer to hold a world record. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Jones swam on the legendary world-record-setting 4x100 freestyle relay team.

In 2012, Jones won gold as Team USA’s anchor in the 4x100 medley relay, silver in the 4x100 freestyle relay, and individual silver in the 50m freestyle. In total, Cullen accounts for 13 U.S. medals (seven gold) at major international competitions.

Jones married his wife, Rupi, in 2007, and she gave birth to their son, Ayvn, in 2019.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cullenjones41/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cullenjones/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CullenJones41/

X: https://x.com/cullenjones

Website: https://goldfishswimschool.com/

https://www.usaswimming.org/parents/learn-to-swim

Connect with Gary:

• Gary's Website
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Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

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This week on Here's What We Know, join us for an inspiring conversation with Jeremy Wolf, a former professional baseball player who grew up with a bat in his hands and a dream in his heart. From college ball to professional leagues and eventually playing for Team Israel, Jeremy’s story is full of grit and grace.

Today, he’s making an even bigger impact through More Than Baseball, working to improve the lives of minor league players. Listen now!

In This Episode:

• How Jeremy handled the pressure of professional sports
• The story behind co-founding More Than Baseball to improve players’ lives
• His insights on mental health and why it matters more than ever
• Lessons on turning setbacks into stepping stones

This episode is sponsored by:

Tranont

Bio:

Jeremy Wolf is a former professional baseball player who spent time in the New York Mets organization after a standout college career at Trinity University in Texas. As an outfielder and first baseman, he represented Team Israel in international competitions, including the World Baseball Classic qualifiers. After stepping away from playing professionally, Jeremy co-founded More Than Baseball, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of minor league players through better pay, housing, and mental health resources. His journey reflects a deep commitment to the game and to making it better for the next generation of athletes.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremywolf123/

Website: https://www.morethanbaseball.org/

Connect with Gary:

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Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!