Middle Ground Books: After Hours

Fantasy author T. Kingfisher has built a reputation for mixing humor, horror, and strange creatures in unforgettable ways. This episode looks at Nine Goblins and the unusual tone that defines her fantasy worlds.When fantasy mixes humor with darker elements, does it make the story more memorable or does it pull you out of the world?Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.Physical books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.Print and ebookshttps://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobookshttps://libro.fm/middlegroundbooksIf you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at https://www.middlegroundbooks.comFollow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.This chapter centers on T. Kingfisher’s Nine Goblins while branching out into the tone and storytelling style that runs through much of her fantasy work. Megan, Lance, and Debra talk about the strange humor woven through the story, the unsettling moments hiding beneath the jokes, and the unusual characters that make Kingfisher’s books stand out in modern fantasy.📖 The Covered PagesNine Goblins by T. KingfisherA Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. KingfisherMiddle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

This chapter takes a look at the realities of running a small bookstore and the strange things that come through the door. From used book buybacks to unexpected finds, the shelves sometimes fill with items no one could have predicted. The team talks about blind date with a book ideas, unusual inventory, and the day to day surprises that come with owning a bookstore. It’s a glimpse into the unpredictable side of shop life and the stories hidden in the books people bring in.If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are. Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop pagehttps://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobookshttps://libro.fm/middlegroundbooksIf you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop athttps://www.middlegroundbooks.com.Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.📖 The Covered PagesKingdom of Ash by Sarah J. MaasHow to Lose a Goblin in 10 Days by Jesse SilvaMy Husband’s Wife by Alice FeeneyAgnes Abee’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather FawcettBlood Over Bright Haven by M. L. WangBeowulfIsland at the Edge of the World by Mike PittsHow They Get to You by Chris KohlerMiddle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

When you come back to a series years later, how do you refresh yourself? Recaps, spoilers, rereads, or just jump in and hope for the best?This chapter returns to the Page Turners series and moves through the books currently taking up Megan, Debra, and Lance’s headspace. The conversation ranges from finally finishing a long awaited fantasy finale to revisiting the grisly beginnings of the mystery genre, with detours into cozy goblins and strange trivia. From talking back to characters in the middle of a battle to discovering that the first detective story was far darker than expected, the contrasts are sharp and sometimes hilarious. If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are. Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop pagehttps://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobookshttps://libro.fm/middlegroundbooksWhen you use the links above, be sure Middle Ground Books is selected as your store so your purchases directly support the shop.📖 The Covered PagesKingdom of Ash by Sarah J. MaasThe Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha ChristieThe Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan PoeBeowulfDelvers LLC by Blaise CorvinMore True Facts That Sound Like Bullshit by Tim RaybornHow to Lose a Goblin in 10 Days by Jesse SilvaThe Man Across the River by Zvi KolitzMiddle Ground Books: After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

This chapter centers on Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes and Bookshops and Bone Dust as an entry point into cozy fantasy. The conversation moves from small business storytelling to the realities of self publishing and traditional shelves, drawing in part from SFF Addicts Podcast episodes 39 and 40. From orc run coffee shops to struggling bookshops, the genre keeps its focus on work, community, and quiet stakes. It also returns to independent bookstores and the publishing choices that shape both fiction and the shelves we stand behind.For the month of February, Middle Ground Books is offering 10 percent off all Black American authors in store.If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are. Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop pagehttps://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobookshttps://libro.fm/middlegroundbooksIf you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read. You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com. Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community. 📖 The Covered PagesThe Spellshop by Sarah Beth DurstThe Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth DurstNine Goblins by T. KingfisherA Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee OnhwaThe Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke NatsukawaDungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanBeowulf: A Translation and Commentary by J. R. R. TolkienThe Automatic Noodle by Annalee NewitzMurder by Memory by Olivia WaiteNobody’s Baby by Olivia WaiteThe Everything Store by Brad StoneOperation: Bounce House by Matt DinnimanPity the Reader by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnellBookshops & Bonedust by Travis BaldreeMiddle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

This interlude steps away from a single theme and introduces unrestrained conversations between Megan, Deborah, and Lance about what has been taking up their headspace lately. The conversation moves through author habits, hobbies, and the dynamics between each member. From sea creatures to the kinds of museums that make you wonder who decided they should exist in the first place, the range is wide. It offers a clear sense of the voices behind Middle Ground Books.If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are. Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop pagehttps://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobookshttps://libro.fm/middlegroundbooksIf you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read. You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com. Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community. 📖 The Covered Pages The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Amy EngelShadow Divers by Robert KursonRemarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltBelieve in Yourself by Rosemary WellsMiddle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

Lance, Megan, and Deborah reflect on Black History Month, sharing personal experiences, reading insights, and the authors and stories that have shaped how they think about the month. The conversation moves between books, culture, and lived experience, creating space for thoughtful discussion rather than tidy conclusions.If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are. Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop pagehttps://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobookshttps://libro.fm/middlegroundbooksIf you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read. You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com. Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community. 📖 The Covered Pages American Nations by Colin WoodardPersonal Everest by Renée WatsonPippi Longstocking by Astrid LindgrenA Sword and a Sea by Vanessa RileyThe Second Daughters of DePree by Nekesha WilliamsEvicted by Matthew DesmondAll the Blues in the Sky by Renée WatsonWill’s Race for Home by Jules Parker (Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner)Erasure by Percival EverettMiddle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.