The Functional Nerds podcast

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Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)

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Mel Robbins: The Let Them Theory, Build a Business and Life on Your Terms | Human Behavior | E329 1:16:55

11 weeks sitten1:16:55

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1:16:55

On her son’s prom night, Mel Robbins fussed over details that didn’t matter. Her daughter grabbed her arm and said, “Let them. Let them run in the rain. Let them eat where they want. Let them.” Those two simple words hit Mel like a ton of bricks and completely changed how she thinks about control. In this episode, Mel shares some of the pivotal moments that shaped her career, her innovative strategies for overcoming adversity, and how the Let Them Theory can help you navigate business challenges, strengthen relationships, and unlock your true power. In this episode, Hala and Mel will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (02:57) The Power of Action (04:22) Mel's Unforgettable TED Talk Debut (07:00) The 5 Second Rule (07:52) Building Unshakable Confidence (12:04) Turning Adversity into Strength (22:00) The Power of Showing Up for Others (30:40) Why Details Matter in Business (42:32) Understanding the Let Them Theory (51:14) The Let Them Theory in Business Mel Robbins is a motivational speaker, the host of The Mel Robbins Podcast, and a bestselling author of several influential books, including her latest, The Let Them Theory. Known for her groundbreaking 5 Second Rule, she has helped millions of people take action and transform their lives. With 30 million views, her TEDx talk made her a recognized voice in behavior change. Mel is also the CEO of 143 Studios, a female-driven media company creating award-winning content for top brands like LinkedIn and Audible. She is a Forbes 50 Over 50 Honoree and one of USA Today’s Top 5 Mindset Coaches. Resources Mentioned: Mel’s Books: The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About : https://amzn.to/4h6quLh The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage : https://amzn.to/3WdAgTX Sponsored By: OpenPhone - Get 20% off 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/PROFITING Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://www.youngandprofiting.co/shopify Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at https://www.airbnb.com/host Rocket Money - Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to https://www.rocketmoney.com/profiting Indeed - Get a $75 job credit at indeed.com/profiting Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap Youtube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services : yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new All Show Keywords: Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship podcast, Business, Business podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal development, Starting a business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side hustle, Startup, mental health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth mindset. Career & Entrepreneurship Career, Success, Entrepreneurship, Productivity, Careers, Startup, Entrepreneurs, Business Ideas, Growth Hacks, Career Development, Money Management, Opportunities, Professionals, Workplace, Career podcast, Entrepreneurship podcast…

The Functional Nerds Podcast explicit

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The weekly podcast from author/blogger Patrick Hester and author/teacher Tracy Townsend

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#Books #Cinema #Tech News #News #Arts #Geekery #Tech #Functional Nerds #Just Us

The Functional Nerds Podcast

The Functional Nerds Podcast explicit

39 subscribers

updated 2 päivää sitten

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The weekly podcast from author/blogger Patrick Hester and author/teacher Tracy Townsend

217 jaksoa

#Books #Cinema #Tech News #News #Arts #Geekery #Tech #Functional Nerds #Just Us

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The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 656-With James J. Butcher 43:43

2 päivää sitten43:43

43:43

This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome James J. Butcher , author of Cold Iron Task . About Cold Iron Task : Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby may have one case under his belt, but he’s still a novice Auditor in Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs. And he’s already made mistakes. Desperate to repair his fraying friendships, he doesn’t ask too many questions when a mysterious patron offers him the chance to join a heist of an otherworldly vault—and in the process find answers that could make things right. Complications arise when Grimsby learns that his partner, Mayflower, is keeping secrets about his past. Between facing new demons, old horrors, and monsters—both Usual and Unorthodox—Grimsby soon realizes nothing is how it appears and that not asking enough questions just might be his downfall. About James J. Butcher : James J. Butcher spends most of his time in places that don’t exist; some of which he even made himself. What little time he has left is usually spent writing or exercising. He is the son of #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher, who introduced him to books, movies and games. He lives in Denver, and is working on his next novel. This week’s picks: James: Chili Spice Pineapple Slices Tracy: Crock-Pot® Lunch Crock® Patrick #1: Running Point (Netflix) Patrick #2: Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs Links: James J. Butcher on the Interwebz Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 656-With James J. Butcher appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 655-With Tochi Onyebuchi 44:05

9 päivää sitten44:05

44:05

This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome Tochi Onyebuchi , author of Harmattan Season . About Harmattan Season : Veteran and private eye Boubacar doesn’t need much?least of all trouble?but trouble always seems to find him. Work has dried up, and he’d rather be left alone to deal with his bills as the Harmattan rolls in to coat the city in dust, but Bouba is a down on his luck deux fois, suspended between two cultures and two worlds. When a bleeding woman stumbles onto his doorway, only to vanish just as quickly, Bouba reluctantly finds himself enmeshed in the secrets of a city boiling on the brink of violence. The French occupiers are keen to keep the peace at any cost, and the indigenous dugulen have long been shattered into restless factions vying for a chance to reclaim their lost heritage and abilities. As each hard-won clue reveals horrifying new truths, Bouba may have to carve out parts of himself he’s long kept hidden, and decide what he’s willing to offer next. About Tochi Onyebuchi : Tochi Onyebuchi is the author of Goliath. His previous fiction includes Riot Baby, a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and NAACP Image Awards and winner of the New England Book Award for Fiction, the Ignyte Award for Best Novella, and the World Fantasy Award; the Beasts Made of Night series; and the War Girls series. His short fiction has appeared in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Year’s Best Science Fiction, and elsewhere. His non-fiction includes the book (S)kinfolk and has appeared in The New York Times, NPR, and the Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy, among other places. He has earned degrees from Yale University, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia Law School, and the Paris Institute of Political Studies. He currently resides in Connecticut. This week’s picks: Tochi: Sleep Token – Emergence Tracy: 7 Wonders (board game) Patrick: Everdell (board game) Links: Tochi Onyebuchi on Instagram Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 655-With Tochi Onyebuchi appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 654-With Catriona Silvey 41:22

16 päivää sitten41:22

41:22

This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome Catriona Silvey , author of LOVE AND OTHER PARADOXES . About LOVE AND OTHER PARADOXES : Cambridge University, 2005: Student Joe Greene scribbles verses in the margins of his notebook, dreaming of a future where his words will echo through the ages, all while doubting it could ever happen. Then, the future quite literally finds him—in the form of Esi. She’s part of a time-traveling tour, a trip for people in the future to witness history’s greatest moments firsthand. The star of this tour? Joe Greene. In Esi’s era, Joe is as renowned as Shakespeare. And he’s about to meet Diana, a fellow student and aspiring actress, who will become his muse and the subject of his famous love poems. But Esi is harboring a secret. She’s not here because she idolizes Joe—actually, she thinks his poetry is overrated. Something will happen at Cambridge this year that will wreck Esi’s life, and she’s hell-bent on changing it. When Esi goes rogue from her tour, she bumps into Joe and sends his destiny into a tailspin. To save both their futures, Esi becomes Joe’s dating coach, helping him win over Diana. But when Joe’s romantic endeavors go off-script—and worse, he starts falling for Esi instead—they both face a crucial question: Is the future set in stone, or can we pen our own fates? About Catriona Silvey : Catriona Silvey was born in Glasgow and grew up in Perthshire and Derbyshire, which left her with a strange accent and a distrust of flat places. She overcame the latter to do a BA in English at Cambridge, and spent the next few years there working in scientific publishing. After that she moved to Edinburgh and did a PhD in language evolution, in the hope of finding out where all these words came from in the first place. Following stints in Chicago and back in Cambridge, she returned to Edinburgh, where she lives with her husband and children. When she’s not working as a technical writer for a software company, she writes character-driven science fiction. Her debut novel Meet Me in Another Life was published in 2021. Her next book, the time-travel romantic comedy Love and Other Paradoxes, will be released in 2025. This week’s picks: Catriona: The Gilded Crown (Raven’s Trade Book 1) by Marianne Gordon Tracy: Klikbeet Patrick: GenghisCon 2025 Links: Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 654-With Catriona Silvey appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 653-With Allison Epstein 44:12

23 päivää sitten44:12

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This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome Allison Epstein , author of Fagin the Thief . About Fagin the Thief : Long before Oliver Twist stumbled onto the scene, Jacob Fagin was scratching out a life for himself in the dark alleys of nineteenth-century London. Born in the Jewish enclave of Stepney shortly after his father was executed as a thief, Jacob and his open-minded mother, Leah, are each other’s whole world. But Jacob’s prospects are forever altered when a light-fingered pickpocket takes Jacob under his wing and teaches him a trade that pays far better than the neighborhood boys could possibly dream. Striking out on his own, Jacob familiarizes himself with London’s highest value neighborhoods while forging his own path in the shadows. But everything changes when he adopts an aspiring teenage thief named Bill Sikes, whose mercurial temper poses a danger to himself and anyone foolish enough to cross him. Along the way, Jacob’s found family expands to include his closest friend, Nancy, and his greatest protege, the Artful Dodger. But as Bill’s ambition soars and a major robbery goes awry, Jacob is forced to decide what he really stands for—and what a life is worth. About Allison Epstein : Allison Epstein earned her MFA in fiction from Northwestern University and a BA in creative writing from the University of Michigan. A Michigan native, she now lives in Chicago, where she enjoys good theater, bad puns, and fancy jackets. She is the author of historical novels including A Tip for the Hangman, Let the Dead Bury the Dead, and Fagin the Thief. This week’s picks: Allison: Maddalena and the Dark: A Novel by Julia Fine Tracy: This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets Edited by Kwame Alexander Patrick: Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+) Links: Allison Epstein on Instagram Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 653-With Allison Epstein appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 652-With John Scalzi 48:11

5 weeks sitten48:11

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This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome John Scalzi , author of WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE . About WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE : The moon has turned into cheese. Now humanity has to deal with it. For some it’s an opportunity. For others it’s a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now… something absolutely impossible. Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and terminal patients at the end of their lives — over the length of an entire lunar cycle, each get their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to pray, to laugh and to grieve. All in a kaleidoscopic novel that goes all the places you’d expect, and then to so many places you wouldn’t. It’s a wild moonage daydream. Ride this rocket. About John Scalzi : John Scalzi writes books. He’s best known for writing science fiction, including the New York Times bestseller “Redshirts,” which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. He also writes non-fiction, on subjects ranging from personal finance to astronomy to film, was the Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series. He enjoys pie, as should all right thinking people. You can get to his blog by typing the word “Whatever” into Google. No, seriously, try it. This week’s picks: John: The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal Tracy: The Expanse Season 1 Patrick: SLY LIVES (AKA The Burden Of Black Genius) (Hulu) Links: John Scalzi on BlueSky Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 652-With John Scalzi appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 651-With L.J. Cohen 1:06:32

7 weeks sitten1:06:32

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This week on the podcast, Patrick and Tracy welcome L.J. Cohen , author of Litany for a Broken World . About Litany for a Broken World : A young girl’s disastrous first foray through the multiverse cleaves her from her family and abandons her in a homeless encampment, adrift in a world and a body not her own. A doctor struggling with grief volunteers for the annual Boston homeless census and is confronted by the impossible and her deeply buried childhood trauma. A lonely, disaffected seer, rejected by those he seeks to help, is drawn from his home by a desperate call across the world walls. When the three strangers, each broken in some way, are pulled into a conflict between those with the ability to travel the multiverse and the organization seeking to exploit them, they must risk everything that matters to heal the fractured places in themselves and throughout reality. About L.J. Cohen : LJ Cohen is a poet, novelist, blogger, ceramics artist, local food enthusiast, Doctor Who fan, and relentless optimist. She lives on a homestead farm in Central Massachusetts with her partner and two dogs (only one of which actually ever listens to her). When she doesn’t have her hands busy in dirt, clay, or yarn, LJ can be found writing, which looks a lot like daydreaming. LJ is a member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) and Broad Universe, a national organization promoting women and other marginalized gender writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. This week’s picks: L.J.: Snow! Tracy: The Spice House – Chicago Patrick: Jalapeno Cheese Bread Links: L.J. Cohen on Instagram Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 651-With L.J. Cohen appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 650-With Michael Nayak 51:53

9 weeks sitten51:53

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This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Michael Nayak , author of SYMBIOTE . About SYMBIOTE : As World War III rages, the scientists in Antarctica are thankful for the isolation – until a group of Chinese scientists arrive at the American research base. In their truck is a dead body, the first murder in Antarctica. The potential for a geopolitical firestorm is great, and, with no clear jurisdiction, the Americans don’t know what to do. But they soon realize the Chinese scientists have brought far more with them than the body… Within seventy-two hours, thirteen others lie dead in the snow, murdered in acts of madness and superhuman strength.An extremophile parasite from the truck, triggered by severe cold, is spreading by touch. It is learning from them. Evolving. It triggers violent tendencies in the winter crew, and, more insidiously, the beginnings of a strange symbiotic telepathy. Exhausted by suspicion and fear, with rescue impossible for months, the desperate crew members turn on each other. A small group of survivors try to resist the siren call of the growing hive mind and stay alive long enough to solve the mystery of the symbiotic microbe’s origins. But the symbiote is more than a disease – it is a biological weapon that can change the balance of power in a time of war. The survivors cannot let anyone infected make it to the summer season, when planes will arrive to take them – and potentially the symbiote – back to civilization. About Michael Nayak : Michael Nayak was born in Los Angeles and now lives in Washington, DC. By day, he is Doctor/Major Nayak, working for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Michael is a former Antarctic researcher, space shuttle engineer. He is a USAF Test Pilot School graduate, Rotary National Award for Space Achievement recipient, and has 1,000+ hours of flight time in 40+ aircraft. His real-world experience in the science and intelligence communities adds next-level authentic details and a touch of hyper-realism to his work. This week’s picks: Michael: OK Go – Upside Down & Inside Out (Video) Tracy: Sky Team (Game) Patrick: J.R.R. Tolkien – Poems And Songs Of Middle Earth (Album) Links: Michael Nayak on the network formerly known as Twitter Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 650-With Michael Nayak appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 649-With Strange Horizon’s Kat Kourbeti and Michael Ireland 50:32

10 weeks sitten50:32

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This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Kat Kourbeti and Michael Ireland from Strange Horizons to talk about the new podcast project celebrating 25 years of the magazine: S.H.@25 . S.H.@25 Links: Arkady Martine’s SH@25 episode, featuring her soundscaped poem The John Scalzi interview Ootheca by Mário Coelho (with the cockroaches for teeth) Alhaji Jerry by ML Kejera (with musical interludes by the author) Kat’s favourite author narration she’s produced (Rasharelle Little by Isaana Skeete, who now volunteers with SH): About Strange Horizons : Strange Horizons is a weekly magazine of and about speculative fiction. We publish fiction, poetry, reviews, essays, interviews, roundtable discussions, and art. About Kat Kourbeti: Kat is a queer Greek/Serbian SFF writer, film critic, and podcaster based in London, UK. Her (very gay) novel-in-progress about a secret society of Swedish superheroes was shortlisted for the London Writers Awards in 2019, and she was a juror for the Best Non-Fiction category in the 2020 British Fantasy Awards. She organises Spectrum, the largest critique group for SFF writers in the UK, and her day job is in theatre. You can find her on all social media as @darthjuno. About Michael Ireland: Michael Ireland is the Podcast Producer for Strange Horizons. Based near Glasgow, Scotland, he is also the co-creator and director of the acclaimed audio drama The Secret of St Kilda. As a disabled creator, he has also worked in television, short films and documentaries. He only has four cats at present and would be easily convinced to adopt more. @mickallister on Bluesky and @MichaelStKilda on other Social Media. Links: Kat Kourbeti on BluSky Michael Ireland on BluSky Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 649-With Strange Horizon’s Kat Kourbeti and Michael Ireland appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 648-With Jack Campbell 49:34

11 weeks sitten49:34

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This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Jack Campbell , author of Destiny’s Way Book 2 of The Doomed Earth Duology . About Destiny’s Way : Lieutenant Selene Genji is hurled into the past to try and save a world that doesn’t want her in this action-packed adventure from New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell. Earth was destroyed on June 12, 2180. Lieutenant Selene Genji watched it happen. And only she can prevent it. Thrown forty years into the past, into a time before the Universal War began, Genji can only guess what to do to change the events that led to the death of all humanity. She has no way of knowing the long-term impacts of her actions and can only depend on her instincts. But many of the people Genji’s trying to save want her dead. Her creation was an experiment: a fusing of human and alien DNA. To them, she’s a monster who can’t be trusted, a tool of the aliens who have just made first contact. Fortunately, she has an unshakable ally in Lieutenant Kayl Owen, who has risked everything to help her mission. Declared a traitor to humanity by Earth Guard, Owen is determined to help Genji save the Earth. Even if he dies trying. About Jack Campbell : Jack Campbell is the pen name of John G. Hemry, a retired U.S. Navy officer. His father (LCDR Jack M. Hemry, USN ret.) is a mustang (an officer who was promoted through the enlisted ranks), so John grew up living everywhere from Pensacola, Florida to San Diego, California, including an especially memorable few year on Midway Island. John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons, Kansas in 1974, then attended the U.S. Naval Academy (Class of ’78), where he was labeled “the un-Midshipman” by his roommates. John speaks the remnants of Russian painstakingly pounded into him by Professor Vladimir Tolstoy (yes, he was related to that Tolstoy). He lives in Maryland with a wife who is too good for him and three great kids. The two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic but are slowly improving with therapies, education and medications. This week’s picks: Jack #1: The Cleopatras: The Forgotten Queens of Egypt by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones Jack #2: The music of Sandra Boynton Jack #3: Agatha All Along (Disney+) Tracy: Kinfire Chronicles (Game) Patrick: Norman’s Rare Guitars Documentary Links: Jack Campbell Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 648-With Jack Campbell appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 647-With Lauren J. A. Bear 49:36

12 weeks sitten49:36

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This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Lauren J. A. Bear , author of MOTHER OF ROME . About MOTHER OF ROME : The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children. But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story. Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir. Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh. Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life…and her beloved land. To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature’s mightiest force – a mother’s love – and fight. All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia. About Lauren J. A. Bear : Lauren J.A. Bear is a reader and writer, an educator, a troublemaker, and a fierce mama bear. Lauren was born in Boston and raised in Long Beach, CA. After studying English at UCLA and Education at LMU, she taught middle-school Humanities for over a decade — and survived! She is a teaching fellow for the Holocaust Center for Humanity, and lives in Seattle with her husband and three young children. She likes crossword puzzles and being on or near the water without getting wet. This week’s picks: Lauren: Laurence King Jigsaw Puzzles Tracy: 7 Minute Workout App Patrick: Lioness Season 2 (Paramount+) Links: Lauren J. A. Bear on Instagram Tracy Townsend on BluSky Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2025 Patrick Hester The post Episode 647-With Lauren J. A. Bear appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 646-With Katherine Villyard 53:59

13 weeks sitten53:59

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This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Katherine Villyard , author of IMMORTAL GIFTS . About IMMORTAL GIFTS : Prussia, 1841. Abraham only ever wanted to play violin. Hiding his Jewish status so he can study at the prestigious Berlin Academy of Music, the eager young man is delighted to find a patron who believes in him. But he’s mortified when his new friend turns him into a vampire… and Abraham earns the fury of an ancient antisemite who vows to see him permanently dead. Fleeing the hate-mongering fiend across the decades, the sensitive violinist at last settles in twenty-first-century New Jersey with a mortal woman. But when he discovers his relentless tormentor has tracked him down yet again, Abraham despairs he’ll never find true happiness. With everyone he’s ever loved at risk, can he escape the rage of a ruthless bigot? About Katherine Villyard : Katherine Villyard was born in Dallas, Texas. Her father was civilian support for the military, so she moved every two years and attended four different high schools. The most exotic one to US readers will probably be Kaiserslautern American High School in Germany, but her favorite was Arts Magnet High School at Booker T. Washington in Dallas, where she studied theater. She also went through a phase where she wore a lot of white dresses and sat in windowsills writing (bad) poetry; what she called her “Emily Dickinson phase.” Katherine is a former Microsoft MVP in Enterprise Security and Cloud and Datacenter Management, a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, a member of the Horror Writers Association, and the President of Broad Universe. She has a tendency to develop nerdy fascinations and research binge. Previous topics include Pueblo pottery, Navajo weaving, Pre-Columbian art, Frida Kahlo, Percy and Mary Shelley, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Her work has appeared in Escape Pod, Electric Velocipede, and Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. When she’s not writing, working, or research binging, she’s probably spoiling cats or playing The Sims. This week’s picks: Katherine: ONYX BOOX Note 3 – E Ink Tracy: Patrick Hester (ARGH /dies of embarassment) Patrick #1: Star Trek: Lower Decks Series Finale (Paramount+) Patrick #2: Arcane: League of Legends Series Finale (Netflix) Links: Katherine Villyard on Instagram Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester The post Episode 646-With Katherine Villyard appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 645-With Cerece Rennie Murphy 1:07:09

16 weeks sitten1:07:09

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This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Cerece Rennie Murphy , author of In the Garden of Light and Shadow . About In the Garden of Light and Shadow : 4000 years ago, a rebellion in the Ever brought angels to live among us. At first, they were worshiped as gods. But that was not enough. And in their hunger for power, Evil claimed their hearts and made them demons. Lilavois St. James rose to fight them. As a member of the Sisters of Light, she swore an oath to use the magic of the moon to battle the demons and defend humankind. Until one day, she met a demon and fell in love. And I was born. About Cerece Rennie Murphy : Cerece Rennie Murphy is the national bestselling and award-winning author of ten novels, children’s books, and short stories. She is also the founder of Virtuous Con, an online science fiction and comic culture convention that celebrates the excellence of BIPOC creators in speculative fiction, across the mediums of fiction, comics, film, and visual arts. This week’s picks: Cerece #1: America’s Test Kitchen Brown Sugar Cookies Cerece #2: Cross (Prime) Cerece #3: Indigo by Beverly Jenkins Cerece #4: Taking a Walk Tracy: Just the Recipe (App) Patrick #1: Beatles ’64 (Disney+) Patrick #2: Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 (Paramount+) Links: Cerece Rennie Murphy on Instagram Virtuous Con Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester The post Episode 645-With Cerece Rennie Murphy appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 644-Just Us and the Holidays 1:07:14

17 weeks sitten1:07:14

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In a very special JUST US episode of the podcast this week, Patrick and Tracy are talking about cats, Dungeons & Dragons, Patreon, coffee, Star Wars coffee mugs, working out, black Friday, smart tvs, peopling, weddings, San Diego ComiCon, conventions, Denver’s Pop Culture Con, the holidays and gift giving, kids, family, spreadsheets, pivot tables, gift cards, restaurant menus, holiday music, Mariah Carey, The Wall Street Journal’s news podcast, Spotify, the Table of Ultimate Gaming kickstarter (2018), Pathfinder 2E, the Glass Cannon podcast, Hasbro, Philips Hue smart light bulbs and strips, and so much more… This week’s picks: Tracy: Cockroach Poker (Game) Patrick: Arcane League of Legends Season 2 (Netflix) Links: Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester The post Episode 644-Just Us and the Holidays appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 643-With R.S.A. Garcia 1:05:49

20 weeks sitten1:05:49

1:05:49

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome R.S.A. Garcia , author of The Nightward . About The Nightward : For 500 years Gaiea’s Hand has stood as a ward against the Dark. The Age of Chaos is a faded memory. The Goddess has left Gailand and given her Blessing to the Queens to rule in her stead. Princess Viella of the court of Hamber is the Spirit of Gaiea, presumptive heir to the throne and budding wielder of magic. And yet she’s still a child—not yet ten years old—and a day spent evading her teachers and her dutiful bodyguard, Luka, is much more satisfying than learning about telepathy, illusions, and other spells, or obeying even her mother, the Queen. There is time enough…until there isn’t. For the night the Queen hosts the Ceremony to confirm Viella as the next Hand of Gaiea, everything changes for her—in the most horrific way imaginable: the assassination of Viella’s mother. Now Viella is Queen. Luka, despite resenting his position as royal babysitter, does not hesitate. He rushes his charge from the Court and vows to keep her safe. Yet he is unsure how to help a burgeoning Hand of Gaiea, let alone contend with his place as a man in a matriarchal world and the secret that is burning inside him. Together, they are on the run from darkness in a world where the lines between magic and technology are blurring and it’s up to a child and her protector to bring clarity and light back to the Queendom. About R.S.A. Garcia : R.S.A. is a Nebula and Sturgeon Award winning writer of speculative fiction. She is also the winner of the Machine Intelligence Foundation for Rights and Ethics’ 2023 Media Award, and a Locus, Ignyte and Eugie Foster Award finalist. Her Amazon Bestselling science fiction mystery, Lex Talionis, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Silver Medal for Best Scifi/Fantasy/Horror Ebook from the Independent Publishers Awards (2015). She has published short fiction in venues such as Clarkesworld Magazine, Uncanny Magazine, Escape Pod, Strange Horizons, The Sunday Morning Transport, and Internazionale Magazine. Her stories have been long-listed for the British Science Fiction Awards, translated into several languages, and included in a number of anthologies, including the critically acclaimed The Best of World SF, The Best Science Fiction of the Year, The Year’s Best Fantasy, and The Apex Book of World SF. Her sci-fantasy duology, beginning with The Nightward, is forthcoming from Harper Voyager US, October, 2024. She lives in Trinidad and Tobago with an extended family and too many cats. This week’s picks: R.S.A.: The Uncanny Counter (Netflix) Tracy: Obscurio (Game) Patrick: Robin’s Nerd Supplies Links: R.S.A. Garcia on Instagram Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester The post Episode 643-With R.S.A. Garcia appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

The Functional Nerds Podcast

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Episode 642-With Mike Chen 52:38

21 weeks sitten52:38

52:38

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Mike Chen , author of Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? (A Moon Knight & Venom Story) . About Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? (A Moon Knight & Venom Story) : Marc Spector is used to voices in his head. He’s used to waking up disoriented, unsure what his alters, Jake and Steven, might have been up to. He’s used to having an Egyptian god command him as Moon Knight, his avatar of justice and revenge. What he’s not used to: staring into the face of a literal out-of-body doppelgänger. Another Marc crash-landed from an alternate reality, begging for help? Yeah, that is a new one, even for him. But before he can really process anything beyond Khonshu’s incessant alarm bells, it becomes clear this other Marc didn’t travel solo. Some kind of alien—a symbiote named Venom—casts off its current host and begins to merge with Marc, forcing Khonshu away from his chosen champion and claiming Moon Knight for its own. The formerly stark white suit that struck fear into the hearts of criminals now looms as a jet-black shadow over friends and foes alike. Marc’s lethal prowess, fueled by Venom’s penchant for violence, carves a trail of chaos as they comb through the vigilante’s torturous past. Yet a sliver of hope remains: Finally free of Venom’s control, the other Jake and Steven regain consciousness to find themselves in a strange reality, without their Marc but with a strange bird-like god insisting that “they will do.” Desperate, lost, and running out of time, the pair make a deal: become Khonshu’s new avatar to track Venom’s path of destruction, save this universe, and just maybe figure out a way back to their own. About Mike Chen : Mike Chen is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Brotherhood, Here and Now and Then, A Quantum Love Story, and other novels, as well as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comics. He has covered geek culture for sites such as Nerdist and The Mary Sue, and in a different life, he’s covered the NHL. A member of SFWA, Mike lives in the Bay Area with his wife, daughter, and many rescue animals. Follow him on Twitter, Bluesky, and Instagram: @mikechenwriter This week’s picks: Mike #1: Star Wars: Outlaws (Game) Mike #2: Bouquet of Dried habenaros Tracy: Werewolf by Night (Disney+) Patrick: The Glass Cannon Podcast, Campaign 2: Gatewalkers Links: Mike Chen on BlueSky Tracy Townsend on the network formerly known as Twitter Patrick Hester on Instagram The Functional Nerds Patreon Page © 2024 Patrick Hester The post Episode 642-With Mike Chen appeared first on The Functional Nerds .…

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