The DTALKS Podcast cover art

The DTALKS Podcast

The DTALKS Podcast

By: Joe Shaw
Listen for free

About this listen

 The DTALKS Podcast is a parenting podcast where you can "detox" from the world and get a window into how other people live their lives. Our guests are parents and non-parents alike but each of them have a unique story and journey which will empower you to live your life to the fullest and help your children be better than we are. Come detox with DTALKS. Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Relationships
Episodes
  • Episode 291 - Otherwise Known as Judy The Great (ft. Selina Alko)

    Episode 291 - Otherwise Known as Judy The Great (ft. Selina Alko)
    Feb 17 2026
    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! About Selina Alko 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! Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload. With toys and action figures from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale) Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast: Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Episode 290 - Remnants of the Past (ft. Saadia Faruqi)

    Episode 290 - Remnants of the Past (ft. Saadia Faruqi)
    Jan 6 2026
    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! About Saadia Faruqi 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! Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload. With toys and action figures from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale) Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast: Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • Episode 289 - Rodeo Hawkins (ft. John Claude Bemis)

    Episode 289 - Rodeo Hawkins (ft. John Claude Bemis)
    Oct 21 2025

    How do you write the story that only you can tell?

    How do you remain disciplined when you want to continue to create new and different pieces of art?

    Or, what if you find yourself on the run from multiversal agents of chaos!?

    All of these discussion topics and more are shared in the latest episode of The DTALKS Podcast!

    Today's guest, John Claude Bemis, shares his perspective writing, the highs and the lows, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

    About John Claude Bemis

    John Claude Bemis is the award-winning author of six middle-grade novels, a picture book, and the forthcoming Rodeo Hawkins graphic novel series. A former elementary school teacher, John earned his Master's of Education in Literacy from UNC Chapel Hill and taught fourth and fifth grades for thirteen years. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from UNC-Chapel Hill for his work as an author-presenter in schools and served as North Carolina's Piedmont Laureate for Children's Literature, promoting literacy and the literary arts. A popular instructor and inspiring guide to writers of all ages—kids, teens, and adults— he teaches creative writing workshops and leads retreats around the world. Beyond the creative expression of writing, John is also a sculptural mask-maker, a songwriter, and musician. He lives with his wife and daughter in Hillsborough, North Carolina.


    About 'Rodeo Hawking & The Daughters of Mayhem

    Sidney Poblocki is thrilled to learn his destiny is to save the multiverse—until he discovers it's actually his destiny to destroy it—in this fantasy adventure graphic novel!

    When Sidney Poblocki runs away from his troubled home life, he winds up in a whole new world of trouble. Why are interdimensional assassins after him along with every other kid named Sidney Poblocki throughout the multiverse? Will he ever see his best bud Walt again now that Walt's memory of Sidney has been erased? And what the heck is the deal with Rodeo Hawkins and her ragtag gang of mischief-making girls the Daughters of Mayhem?!

    They claim they're trying to keep him safe, but Sidney isn't so certain "safe" is even in their vocabulary. As Sidney is swept into a series of misadventures that will change the multiverse forever, one thing is for certain: with Rodeo Hawkins around, his life is about to be filled with a lot more mayhem.

    Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!

    Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

    Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload. With toys and action figures from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale) Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com


    AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

    Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.