Spirits: Mythology, Legends, & Folklore

This week we’re joined by author Sascha Stronach to talk about his debut novel, The Dawnhounds. We chat about spreading Māori science fiction, mushroom cities, and being joyously weird.Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of pandemic, politics, colonization, colorism, racism, violence, mold/decay, sewage, and climate change. GuestSascha Stronach (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki) is a speculative fiction author based out of Wellington, New Zealand. His debut novel The Dawnhounds is equal parts Perdido Street Station and Discworld; Tamsyn Muir called it "a wonderful queer noir fever dream". You can order The Dawnhounds now! Follow him on Twitter @understatesman Housekeeping- Live Show: Join us on July 15th in-person in NYC OR stream the show live! - Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood!- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out NEXT STOP: An audio sitcom that explores the turbulent time of your mid-to-late 20s when everyone is changing around you -- and you worry that you might not catch up. Season 1 is out now! Search for NEXT STOP in your podcast app or go to nextstopshow.comSponsors- Inked Gaming is your one-stop-shop for premium gaming goods. Visit inkedgaming.com/spirits and use the code: spirits when you’re ready to checkout!- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Cornbread Hemp is a USDA Organic CBD company based in Kentucky that offers Flower-Only™ full spectrum products. Go to cornbreadhemp.com and use code SPIRITS for 25% off your order.Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hestia is the living embodiment of the heart of the home. This oft-forgotten Olympian might not have gotten into the same shenanigans and antics that the other gods got into, but that doesn’t stop her from being an incredibly important goddess. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, birth, colonization, abandonment, execution, being buried alive, imprisonment, enslavement, and propaganda. Housekeeping- Live Show: Join us on July 15th in-person in NYC OR stream the show live! - Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas!- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out The Newest Olympian: Join Mike Schubert, a first-time PJO reader, on his quest to find out if Percy Jackson is the YA series we should’ve been reading all along! Search for The Newest Olympian in your podcast app or go to thenewestolympian.com to start listening!Sponsors- Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.- Brooklinen delivers luxury bed sheets, pillows, comforters, & blankets straight to your door. Go to Brooklinen.com right now and use promo code “spirits” to get $20 off when you spend $100 or more, PLUS free shipping.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Julia’s house might be haunted, but we’re not gonna dwell on that. Instead, we’re revisiting how haunted pasta is, yelling at you about using homemade ouija boards, and picture ourselves as extremely haunted dolls. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of family member death, health conditions, bugs, and ouija boards.Housekeeping- Live Show: Join us on July 15th in-person in NYC OR stream the show live! - Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends Rainbow Parenting!- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out Exolore: Helping you imagine other worlds, but with facts and science! Every other week, astrophysicist/folklorist Moiya McTier explores fictional worlds by building them with a panel of expert guests, interviewing professional worldbuilders, or reviewing the merits of worlds that have already been built.Sponsors- Wildgrain is the first bake-from-frozen box for artisanal bread. For a limited time, you can get $30 off the first box - PLUS free Croissants in every box - when you go to Wildgrain.com/Spirits to start your subscription.- Doordash is a fast, convenient food delivery app. Get 25% off and zero delivery fees on your first order of $15 or more when you download the DoorDash app and enter code spirits. - BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s summertime and we’re revisiting our own hometown urban legends. Don’t go swimming in Lake Ronkonkoma, don’t visit the Hell House, and don’t look too deep into the military base that inspired Stranger Things. But DO grab a Long Island beer and listen to this episode. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of suicide, murder, death, execution, drowning, colonization, police corruption, animal attacks, child death, war, hanging, car accidents, medical/scientific experimentation, decomposition, military, and disease. Housekeeping- Live Show: Join us on July 15th in-person in NYC OR stream the show live! - Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell.  - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: It’s Multitude Survey Summer! Give us your feedback at multitude.productions/survey Sponsors- OSEA creates clean, vegan, and cruelty-free products that are safe for your skin and the planet. Get 10% off your first order with promo code SPIRITS at OSEAmalibu.com.- Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits. - BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined by author B.L. Blanchard to imagine a North America without colonization. We talk about map-making as world-building, returning home, and dancing the rice. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of murder, imprisonment, colonization, climate change, death, heart attack, and estrangement. GuestBrooke Blanchard, who writes under the name B. L. Blanchard, is a graduate of the UC Davis creative writing honors program and was a writing fellow at Boston University School of Law. She is a lawyer and enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She is originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but has lived in California for so long that she can no longer handle cold weather. Pre-order The Peacekeeper today! Housekeeping- Merch: Pick up your Spirits major arcana tarot deck and get our first sticker of the month at spiritspodcast.com/merch- Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends The Anti-Racism Daily newsletter. - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Have you heard about the MultiCrew?! This is our membership program that lets you help us invest in Multitude as we try weird new stuff. Plus, you get a members-only weekly podcast: Head Heart Gut, our weekly friendly debate show. Join for as little as $5 a month at multicrew.club and get access to Head Heart Gut!Sponsors- Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.- Brooklinen delivers luxury bed sheets, pillows, comforters, & blankets straight to your door. Go to Brooklinen.com right now and use promo code “spirits” to get $20 off when you spend $100 or more, PLUS free shipping.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As queen of the Olympians, Hera gets a bit of a bad reputation. But we’re here to tell you that not all of her stories focus on revenge and toxic relationships. She deserves some love too! Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of misogyny, sexual assault, cheating/extramarital affairs, toxic relationships, childbirth, labor, premature birth, infertility, child endangerment, animal death, mental illness, animal sacrifice, and murder. Housekeeping- Merch: Pick up your Spirits major arcana tarot deck and get our first sticker of the month at spiritspodcast.com/merch- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune. - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Games and Feelings is an advice podcast about games. Join Question Keeper Eric Silver and a revolving cast of guests as they answer your questions at the intersection of fun and humanity. Search for Games and Feelings in your podcast app today! Sponsors- Doordash is a fast, convenient food delivery app. Get 25% off and zero delivery fees on your first order of $15 or more when you download the DoorDash app and enter code spirits. - Tab for a Cause is a browser extension that raises money for charity! Join team Spirits at tabforacause.org/spirits- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You know we live in a digital age when we’re VERY excited to be reading a handwritten urban legend. We discuss whether hot breath or cold breath on your ear is better (because…ghosts) and discuss whether or not ghosts can or even SHOULD breathe.Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of spiders, death, dangerous working conditions, child death, drowning, dismemberment, car accidents, and surgery. Housekeeping- Merch: Pick up your Spirits major arcana tarot deck and get our first sticker of the month at spiritspodcast.com/merch- Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends This is Good for You.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out the Queer Movie Podcast - a queer movie watch party hosted by Rowan Ellis and Jazza John. Join them as they research and rate their way through the queer film canon, one genre at a time. Search for Queer Movie Podcast in your podcast app to subscribe today!Sponsors- Wildgrain is the first bake-from-frozen box for artisanal bread. For a limited time, you can get $30 off the first box - PLUS free Croissants in every box - when you go to Wildgrain.com/Spirits to start your subscription.- Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits. - BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Was Drew Barrymore’s “Ever After” the best version of the Cinderella story? We’re joined by lexicographer Jane Solomon to determine if this 90s body glitter filled movie truly embodies this fairy tale! Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of sexual innuendo, heart attack, death, slavery, violence, gore, murder, abuse, and child abandonment. GuestJane Solomon is a lexicographer and emoji expert based in Oakland, California. She spends her days working on various projects related to words and emoji. She's currently the Senior Emoji Lexicographer at Emojipedia. She serves on the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee and the Word Panel of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Jane is the author of the children's book The Dictionary of Difficult Words. She has a twin sister who is also a lexicographer. Find her on Twitter at @janesolomon. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta. - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out Join the Party, a collaborative storytelling and roleplaying podcast co-hosted in part by Julia and Amanda. Search for Join the Party in your podcast app, or go to jointhepartypod.com.Sponsors- Calm is the #1 app to help you reduce your anxiety and stress and help you sleep better. Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/spirits.- Brooklinen delivers luxury bed sheets, pillows, comforters, & blankets straight to your door. Go to Brooklinen.com right now and use promo code “spirits” to get $25 off when you spend $100 or more, PLUS free shipping.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined by author Isabel Cañas to talk about her debut novel, The Hacienda, and all things postcolonial gothic! And along the way we chat about Latinx Mirkwood elves, the haunted house book boom, and holding the door open for others. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of murder, storms, rejection, isolation, colorism, racism, and colonization. GuestIsabel Cañas is a Mexican-American speculative fiction writer. After having lived in Mexico, Scotland, Egypt, and Turkey, among other places, she has settled (for now) in New York City, where she works on her PhD dissertation in medieval Islamic literature and writes fiction inspired by her research and her heritage. You can order her book, The Hacienda, now!Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out NEXT STOP: An audio sitcom that explores the turbulent time of your mid-to-late 20s when everyone is changing around you -- and you worry that you might not catch up. Season 1 is out now! Search for NEXT STOP in your podcast app or go to nextstopshow.comSponsors- Doordash is a fast, convenient food delivery app. Get 25% off and zero delivery fees on your first order of $15 or more when you download the DoorDash app and enter code spirits. - BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spirits- Shaker & Spoon is a subscription cocktail service that helps you learn how to make hand-crafted cocktails right at home. Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/cool Find Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Next time you’re buying pottery or some cool jewelry, remember that Hephaestus is to thank for that and SO much more. Learn how the Greeks did Hephaestus dirty, and how he’s even cooler than you even knew.Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of ableism, eugenics, illness, abuse, the military/war, violence, sex, pregnancy/birth, and sexual assault/rape.Resources for Disability research: Disability Visibility Project, Alice Wong, Amanda Leduc, Sara Deris, Haley R. Graham, Jay Dolmage, and Dr. William Ebenstein. Housekeeping- Recommendation: This week, Julia recommends Old Enough on Netflix.- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Check out The Newest Olympian: Join Mike Schubert, a first-time PJO reader, on his quest to find out if Percy Jackson is the YA series we should’ve been reading all along! Search for The Newest Olympian in your podcast app or go to thenewestolympian.com to start listening!Sponsors- Blueland creates everyday eco-friendly cleaning productions that save you money and space, without any plastic waste. Get 20% off your first order when you go to blueland.com/spirits. - ThirdLove is on a mission to find a perfect bra for everyone. Get 15% off your first order at thirdlove.com/spirits.- BetterHelp is a secure online counseling service. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/spiritsFind Us OnlineIf you like Spirits, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us @SpiritsPodcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can support us on Patreon (http://patreon.com/spiritspodcast) to unlock bonus Your Urban Legends episodes, director’s commentaries, custom recipe cards, and so much more. We also have lists of our book recommendations and previous guests’ books at http://spiritspodcast.com/books.Transcripts are available at http://spiritspodcast.com/episodes. To buy merch, hear us on other podcasts, contact us, find our mailing address, or download our press kit, head on over to http://spiritspodcast.com.About UsSpirits was created by Julia Schifini, Amanda McLoughlin and Eric Schneider. We are founding members of Multitude, an independent podcast collective and production studio. Our music is "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.