Andi Richardson from Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia is on the show to talk about Fountain's mission in the book community and why investing in books is one of the most important things we can do. Do you buy new books when they come out or wait until you can find them in your favorite used bookstore? Andi and Sarah dive into how our book buying decisions impact the future of publishing and why it matters for all of us for generations to come. Support your favorite authors, bookstores, and literacy! Let us know your thoughts and where you like to buy your books.

Check out Fountain Bookstore:

https://www.fountainbookstore.com

https://www.instagram.com/fountainbookstore/

Books/Authors mentioned on this show:

S.A. Cosby

Henry Wise (Grove Atlantic)

Link to books mentioned on the show:

https://bookshop.org/lists/investing-in-literature-with-andi-richardson-from-fountain-bookstore

When you purchase books from our bookshop.org link you support the show and indie bookstores. Please support Fountain Bookstore as well by purchasing on their website or through their bookshop.org page.

Welcome back! After a year-long hiatus, we're back with an exciting episode to kick off the new season of our show. This week we dive into the necessary but often dreaded query trenches with guest Rachel Gladstone, author of The Weekend Wedding Assistant. What does it take to get an agent? We dive into the competitive world of pitching and securing an agent, and what it's like to part ways with your agent and find yourself in the query trenches all over again.

If you're a writer hoping to query, you're in the query trenches right now, or you're a reader wondering how this process actually works, this epsiode is for you!

Find Rachel at: https://rachelgladstone.net

https://pamphleteer.co/tag/tales-from-the-westside/

Books mentioned in this episode:

https://bookshop.org/lists/navigating-the-query-trenches-with-rachel-gladstone

Please consider supporting the show and indie bookstores by visiting our bookshop.org link to purchase your books!

Inspired by a recent New York Times article showing the decline of recreational reading, this week's episode is a deep dive into reading for fun and the distractions pulling us away from this beloved pastime.

A study from 2004-2023 shows a 40% decline in recreational reading. We take a look at why this might be happening, our own habits as readers, and the need to hold on to necessary skills. What does this mean for the future? Are we losing readers? Are we forgetting how much fun reading can be? Will the next generation value reading as much as past generations? There is so much to discuss and so many thoughts.

We want to hear your thoughts! Let us know what you think. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Or send an email to thewaywewordpodcast@gmail.com

Mentioned on this episode:

The Power of the Pen Ted Talk

https://youtu.be/85bqT904VWA?si=lVhhcGZJyLj2sQDD