What if an artificial intelligence could translate whale song, decode elephant frequencies, and relay a very uncomfortable message from every animal on Earth?

Author Bill Wittur joins Holly B. and Rogan to explore the wild, science-backed frontier of animal communication — and how it sparked a novel. Along the way, the conversation weaves through bioacoustics, speciesism, the healing power of writing, and why the Earth hums in G sharp.

Large language models are being used to translate whale clicks and sperm whale vocalizations. Researchers have identified what may be vowels used by Caribbean sperm whale populations — a potential breakthrough in interspecies communication.

Bill’s book follows a sentient AI that learns to communicate with animals. The animals’ verdict? Humans need to back off. The novel explores speciesism, the philosophy of Peter Singer, and the question of what happens when another species finally gets a voice.

Dolphins communicate at frequencies up to 20 times beyond human hearing. Elephants and whales use ultra-low frequencies that would damage our hearing at full volume. Military sonar, Bill explains, is essentially like placing a stick of dynamite beside a dolphin’s head.

Philosopher Peter Singer coined the term ‘speciesism’ in his 1970s book Animal Liberation. Bill argues that cracking even one species’ language will force a reckoning with how humanity treats the non-human world.

From journaling through grief to forest bathing, Bill shares the rituals that keep his creative life alive. He also reveals a hidden habit: early in every novel, he writes a chapter honouring the Muses through a character’s relationship with music.

300 pages of lyrics written since COVID. Guitars, a dreamed-of mandolin, and the advice of Jeff Tweedy (Wilco): write everything, even the mundane. Bill traces the overlap between songwriting, poetry, and fiction — and why he thinks musically even when writing prose.

Bill is the author of Extinction Event and the forthcoming sequel Ecopia. He is currently completing an MFA in Fiction at King’s College. A songwriter, guitarist, former wine importer, and committed believer that AI will crack animal language long before humanity is ready for what they have to say.

Bill is also working on a non-fiction memoir about his brother’s experience living with a stroke, and maintains a stockpile of over 300 pages of song lyrics written since the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://billwittur.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bill.wittur.2025/

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Episode Summary Holly joins Rogan from the big city while he holds down the fort in his little shed. This week: eerie lakefront fog, a Tony Bennett vinyl score on Record Store Day, Holly's adventure navigating Toronto transit solo, and the Toronto Indie Author Conference. Plus: slow eating, dishwashers, and a disputed chapter count.

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Intro/Outro Music by Uppbeat - RA Let Good Times Roll

Episode Summary

In this episode, Holly and Rogan sit down with Rachael Austin — dog mom, photographer, and dog-friendly travel content creator — for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about life on the road with two very spirited hunting dogs.

Meet the Dogs

Rachael introduces us to Willow, her eight-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer and original creative muse, and Timber, her three-year-old Vizsla with a coat the color of autumn leaves. She breaks down the key difference between the two breeds — GSPs love to range (sometimes out of sight!), while Vizslas want to stay close to their people.

From Camera Novice to Content Creator

What started as snapping photos of Willow grew into a full creative practice. Rachael shares how she taught herself photography through YouTube, Skillshare, and sheer trial and error — even getting drone-certified along the way. Her dogs pushed her toward a niche she didn't expect: dog-friendly travel.

Balancing Creativity with Burnout

After a hectic fall season of paid brand work, Rachael got real about creator burnout. She shares her systems: shot lists, scheduled content-free weekends, and knowing when to leave the camera at home. Rogan gets some solid first-time backpacking advice ahead of his Algonquin trip this summer.

Book Club Moment

In a delightful twist, all three discover they're currently listening to the same audiobook — The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett— and bond over Pancakes the cat, Uncle PJ, and Holly's very particular audiobook strategy.

Find Rachael

Check out Rachel’s stunning dog-friendly travel content on social media, and keep an eye out for her upcoming website relaunch and — fingers crossed — a coffee table book.

https://roamingwithpointers.mypixieset.com/

https://www.instagram.com/roamingwithpointers/

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Episode Summary

The One Where Holly Steals Nothing (But Really Wants a Puppy)

Holly kicks things off fresh from the gym and yoga, while Rogan admits to a rare early Saturday wake-up. The two compare matching plaid outfits (with very different color palettes) and settle in with their drinks — Holly with a McDonald's latte, Rogan empty-handed after a last-minute errand run.

Things of the Week

Rogan had an exciting week, but his thing of the week is under NDA — so his thing of the week is, officially, NDAs.

Holly is on a Caesar salad kick. She draws the comparison to her legendary chocolate bar phases (Twix era → Kit Kat Chunky → Aero → current: O'Henry Peanut Butter).

The Book: The Road to Tender Hearts

Holly can't stop talking about it. Standout detail: inanimate objects (including the house) have inner thoughts and speak — a whimsical touch she absolutely loves. Both hosts agree they enjoy a little whimsy in their reading.

Engagement Question

Do you like books where animals, objects, or inanimate things have thoughts and speak?

Holly is currently unavailable — she's having her tarot cards read and eating a Caesar salad. Rogan is signing something he can't tell you about.

In this episode, Holly B. and Rogan are joined by novelist Annie Hartnett (Rabbit Cake, Unlikely Animals, Road to Tender Hearts) for a delightful conversation about the animals who fuel her dark comic fiction — from Harvey the Border Collie who inspired her debut, to Pancakes the death-predicting cat in her latest novel, to the brand-new puppy asleep in the next room. Annie opens up about writing humour instinctively while having to actively edit in emotion, why a funny premise is half the battle, and how a pandemic correspondence with her brother in Moscow helped her develop a Russian fox's inner monologue. Warm, funny, and full of great craft advice — plus Border Collie facts you didn't know you needed.

• Rabbit Cake — debut novel. Narrated by a 10–12-year-old girl processing her mother's mysterious drowning (suicide or sleepwalking accident?). Dark comedy; funny because of the girl's strange, scientific way of seeing the world. Dog Boomer based on Harvey.

• Unlikely Animals — partly narrated by cemetery ghosts. Features Moses the Great Pyrenees, a domesticated Russian fox, and a lot of graveyard atmosphere. Annie calls it her "weirdest book."

• Road to Tender Hearts — most recent novel. Her intentionally funniest. An elderly man uses obituaries like Tinder and drives across the country to pursue a high-school sweetheart. Features Pancakes the death-predicting cat and a talking hat.

Annie Hartnett

Author of three novels: Rabbit Cake and Unlikely Animals and new national bestseller The Road to Tender Hearts -- out now! Find it at your bookstore!

anniehartnett.com

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Episode Summary

Holly and Rogan kick off this episode with some warm-weather complaints (yes, even 27°C indoors counts), before diving into their favourite things of the week. Rogan shares his love of savoury French toast — a childhood staple made by his dad — and how a friend recently elevated the recipe with a goat cheese and sun-dried tomato spread. Holly's highlight?

A trip to Hobby Lobby across the border, where she fell in love with everything from miniatures to a print of two donkeys she swears is a portrait of her and Rogan's dad.

The conversation takes a more ambitious turn when they reveal their upcoming plans: a 3-day, ~80km hike through the Niagara section of the Bruce Trail — one of Ontario's oldest maintained trails. Neither of them feels fully prepared, but they're committing anyway.

They also touch on a CN Tower challenge and a 10K race (that Rogan forgot to sign up for — Holly has not forgotten). Trail runners vs. ankle boots, training timelines, and general panic ensue.

Engagement Question: Wish them luck on the Bruce Trail — or let them know how screwed they are. Either answer accepted!

Episode summary

This episode is a warm, wide-ranging conversation about the animals that ground us, the creative projects we're afraid to birth, and the astrology that can help us time both. Julia Portela — astrologer, reiki practitioner, theater kid, and self-described "black cat energy" person — shares the deeply moving story of her cats Sherlock, Watson, and Fig, and how each one supports a different phase of her creative and spiritual work. From there the conversation opens into Julia's practice (the Art of Living Alchemy), her pop culture podcast Femme & Furious, why she believes pop culture is inherently spiritual, and the Big Magic-esque philosophy that ideas have their own consciousness and will find whoever is ready to birth them.

What we cover

Sherlock, Watson & Fig — the cats who spiritually babysit

Julia's three cats each serve a distinct energetic role: Sherlock was her first bonded companion, Watson is her co-host in life and creative spark, and Fig is the Cancer-energy protector who shows up for deep work and stays up doing the rounds at night.

What is the Art of Living Alchemy?

Julia's personal philosophy merging astrology, Reiki, and creative coaching — designed to help people transmute their inner potential (their chart) into a life they actually want to live. Special focus right now: helping creatives write books, start podcasts, and finally put their ideas out into the world.

Astrology is data, not belief — and you can chart your pets

Julia breaks down how astrology works as pattern recognition and potential mapping, not a belief system. She's done Harry Potter's natal chart, fictional characters from novels, and yes — you can absolutely run your cat's chart.

The creative itch, Big Magic, and why ideas pass you by if you're not ready

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert makes an appearance — the idea that creative concepts exist in a collective consciousness and will move on to whoever is ready. Julia keeps an ideas journal, avoids chasing shiny objects, and is moving to Paris. There's a whole astrology class about the current moment available free on YouTube.

Black cat energy vs. golden retriever energy — defined for the uninitiated

A deep dive into the bookish romance community's shorthand for personality types: golden retriever = bubbly, friendly, all-in; black cat = aloof, discerning, broody. Heated Rivalry was strongly endorsed by two out of three hosts.

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@juliaroseportela IG / TikTok

If you have been waiting to write that book, start that podcast, or move to Paris — this episode was made for you.

Episode Summary

A late-night catch-up between Holly and Rogan: handmade books, miniature house plants, a very unusual coffee recipe with sugar and an egg, Rogan's belated discovery of Mulholland Drive, and a very relatable struggle to find time for the gym. Classic Ramblings energy — cozy, chaotic, and over way past Holly's bedtime.

Highlights

• Holly made two handmade books at a weekend bookbinding workshop — one with a very lemon cover. Two days of work, completely worth it.
• The miniature house project is picking up traction on TikTok and YouTube. A log cabin is the next target. Before-and-after content is coming.
• France's egg espresso: one teaspoon of sugar, whipped raw egg, espresso poured over. Rogan will try it. Holly will not make it herself but may try it under supervision.
• Rogan watched Mulholland Drive (2001) while tired and missed most of it. He found out about it via a Chappell Roan lyric. He was one year old when it released.
• On the exercise front: mornings don't work for Rogan (he runs twice as far in the evenings), after-work is the sweet spot but work runs late, and weekends disappear fast. No resolution reached — but relatable content achieved.
• Holly and Rogan are both preparing for the CN Tower climb. Rogan is (somewhat) confident. Holly is going to beat him.

Listener engagement question

What color should Holly paint the outside of the miniature house?

Holly and Rogan confirmed this episode that the show now has more than five listeners — two of them commented. Huge. We see you.

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