1. In the beginning

In the first episode of a special mini-series leading up to the release of her debut novel, Too Blessed to Stress, Alli Hoff Kosik pulls back the curtain on how this book came to be... and why it’s the last subject she ever expected to write about.With pub day just weeks away (March 3, 2026), Alli sets aside the logistics of publishing to explore the deeper story: how a culturally Jewish, largely agnostic kid became fascinated by the spectacle, power, and contradictions of white evangelical megachurch culture. Through vivid childhood memories—first Holy Communions she didn’t attend, Christmas pageantry she was meant to observe from a distance, and an unforgettable Rockettes nativity scene—Alli traces how early experiences with religion taught her to watch closely without choosing sides.As Alli begins connecting the dots between her upbringing, pop culture, and the story she couldn’t not write, this episode sets the stage for the series to come—and the book she hopes you'll pick up in just a few weeks!Links:Too Blessed to Stress — available for pre-order nowEvents for Too Blessed to StressFollow Alli on Instagram: @allihoffkosikFollow Alli on Substack: Getting It Alli Together Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.