018: julie: the unwinding of the miracle, shark heart, & why we can't prepare for grief

This week, Nins and Arns explore two unforgettable stories about grief, love, mortality, and what it means to leave something behind. Arns reflects on Julie: The Unwinding of the Miracle, the moving podcast and memoir chronicling the life of Julie Yip-Williams, a lawyer, mother, refugee, and writer who spent her final years preparing her loved ones for life after her death. Nins dives into Shark Heart by Emily Habeck, the bestselling magical realism novel about a husband slowly transforming into a great white shark—a devastating metaphor for terminal illness, caregiving, anticipatory grief, and the impossible task of saying goodbye to someone you love. Together, these stories spark a conversation about legacy, friendship, marriage, girlhood, mortality, caregiving, grief, and the courage it takes to love deeply despite knowing loss is inevitable. Content warning: terminal illness, cancer, death, grief, loss of a parent, end-of-life discussions. Referenced in this episode: Julie: The Unwinding of the Miracle Podcast Series on Spotify & Apple The Unwinding of the Miracle: A Memoir of Life, Death, and Everything That Comes After by Julie Yip-Williams Shark Heart by Emily Habeck Writers' Block podcast: "WB_S3E30: Shark Heart with Emily Habeck" on Spotify & Apple Interview with Emily Habeck by Nils Shukla for The Fantasy Hive 0:00 - Intro 3:04 - Announcements: merch, sob stories 7:29 - Arns: The Unwinding of the Miracle 25:13 - Nins: Shark Heart 49:45 - Outro Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears. Follow us: » Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast » TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast » YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com. Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]. brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.