Middle Ground Books: After Hours

A dead author’s unfinished book. Children forced into someone else’s plan. An ancient soul weighing. A flock of sheep solving a murder. Megan, Debra, and Lance talk about the stories people leave behind, who gets control of them, and why scotch may or may not count as soup.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 ebooks https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobooks https://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.📅 Store Events and News🎉 Middle Ground Books 2nd Anniversary Celebration (Father’s Day in June at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, Kansas)🎬 Page to Screen Book Club (Launching in June, led by Kai)📚 Family Story Time (Every Saturday at 11 AM)🧢 Research Mode Hats Now In Stock (Green Middle Ground Books hats with the shop logo and the listener favorite “Research Mode” detail)📖 The Covered PagesThe Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke Heirs by Faridah Àbíké Íyímídé The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin Dad Brain by Darby Saxbe, PhD The Egyptian Book of the Dead, Papyrus Ani, compiled by E. A. Wallis Budge Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann Big Bad Wolf by Leonie SwannMiddle 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June is packed, and so is this episode. Megan, Debra, and Lance break down the biggest new releases hitting the shelves, including Ann Patchett’s quietly unsettling Whistler, Melissa Albert’s dark fairy tale adult fiction The Children, Isabel J. Kim’s buzzy sci fi thriller Sublimation, and Marion, a feminist Psycho retelling where this time, the knife is in her hands.Then a customer asks for fantasy novels without romance, and the shelf gets complicated fast. Project Hail Mary, Murderbot, Discworld, Piranesi, gothic fiction, Miss Marple, self defense, Harlequins, and Lance’s possible 500 subscriber romance punishment all end up inside the no mance debate.Can you recommend great books without romance, especially in fantasy?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.📖 The Covered PagesBooks by Melissa AlbertThe ChildrenThe Hazel Wood duology and companionBooks by Terry PratchettMortHogfatherGuards! Guards!Books by Susanna ClarkePiranesiJonathan Strange & Mr. NorrellBooks by Ann PatchettWhistlerBooks by Isabel J. KimSublimationBooks by Katherine ArdenThe Unicorn HuntersBooks by Maggie O’FarrellLandBooks by Lisa SeeDaughters of the Sun and MoonBooks by Leah RowanMarionBooks by Jennifer N. BrownThe Last Book of Elizabeth BartonBooks by John ScalziStarter VillainBooks by Martha WellsMurderbot DiariesBooks by CzajkowskiGreen City WarsBooks by Alex MichaelidesThe Silent PatientBooks by J. R. R. TolkienLord of the RingsBooks by Stephen KingMiseryBooks by Edwin AbbottFlatlandMiddle 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 ( ⁨@CosmicAtomSounds⁩) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer reads, childhood memories, and a whole lot of books. Megan, Debra, and Lance talk public pools, farm work, county fairs, and the stories they snuck in after dark. Plus June book club picks, a store birthday, discounts, and what is on their reading lists for the season.What childhood book still feels tied to summer in your memory?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 ebooks https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooksAudiobooks https://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.📖 The Covered PagesEscape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key The Trouble With Miss Switch by Barbara Brooks Wallace The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clark The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins The Close Encounters Man by Mark O’Connell The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe The Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst A Far Flung Life by M. L. Stedman The Light Between Oceans by M. L. StedmanMiddle 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 ( @CosmicAtomSounds⁩) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan, Debra, and Lance celebrate crossing 100 YouTube subscribers with viewer shoutouts, comment responses, and a little appreciation for the people helping the podcast grow. Then science fiction takes over the shop, asking how much of the genre belongs to real science, how much belongs to imagination, and how much comes from the fears people are carrying at the time. H. G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, the French comic Valerian, and Olivia Waite’s Murder by Memory shape a conversation about invisibility, alien communication, poppycock science, dystopian fiction, and climate anxiety. Some science holds up. Some really doesn’t.How much bad science are you willing to forgive if the story works?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.📖 The Covered PagesThe Invisible Man by H. G. WellsThe Time Machine by H. G. WellsFlatland by Edwin A. AbbottRelativity The Special and the General Theory by Albert EinsteinThe Space Trilogy by C. S. LewisProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirValérian and Laureline by Jean Claude Mezieres and Pierre ChristinThe Fifth Element by Luc BessonOperation Bounce House by Matt DinnimanDungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanAfter the Fall by Edward AshtonThe Danger of Small Things by Carol LewisMurder by Memory by Olivia WaiteNobody’s Baby by Olivia WaiteAnd Another Thing by Eoin ColferThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsThe Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsDivergent by Veronica RothThe Maze Runner by James DashnerSilvercloak by L. K. StevenStrange Buildings by UketsuMiddle 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An episode recorded near Christmas 2025, sent forward like a bookstore time capsule. Megan, Debra, and Lance have a conversation that somehow involves a naked detective over Los Angeles, imprisoned gods, betrayal, lost Narnia doors, and food comparisons that we have now grown accustomed to.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.📖 The Covered PagesThe Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. JemisinStripped for Murder by Richard S. PratherEmbers by Sandor MaraiThe Lost Story by Meg ShafferThe Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. LewisMiddle 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lit RPG takes over the shop as Megan, Debra, and Lance dig into Dungeon Crawler Carl, A Parade of Horribles, and the strange pull of stories built around game mechanics, monsters, and impossible odds. The conversation branches into isekai, Aethon Books, sci-fi versus fantasy, Reddit reactions, and why Matt Dinniman’s series hits harder than its premise suggests.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.📖 The Covered PagesStrange Buildings by Uketsu Silvercloak by L. K. Steven The Close Encounters Man by Mark O'Connell The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman (Book 8 of Dungeon Crawler Carl) Delvers LLC by Blaise Corvin He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon The Primal Hunter by Zogarth Hell Difficulty Tutorial by Cerim The Martian by Andy Weir Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Three Body Problem by Liu CixinMiddle 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Debra, Megan, and Lance settle in after a long week for a looser, after-hours recording. The conversation drifts through Emporia Kansas events, Comic Con memories, merchandise ideas, and the podcast’s unexpected international reach, with side tangents that stretch from Bob Ross to Scooby-Doo. Another chance to spend time with the hosts outside the usual book talk. Well…for the most part.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.📖 The Covered PagesAmerican Fantasy by Emma StraubThe Egyptian Book of the Dead by E. A. Wallis BudgeProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirAbsent by Brendan P. BellacourtOh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. SeussWill the Pigeon Graduate by Mo WillemsYou’re On Your Way by Melanie WattMarcie and the Giraffe by Kim Gregory12 Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. BeaulieuThe Dragons of Deepwood Fen by Bradley P. BeaulieuA Veil of Spears by Bradley P. BeaulieuMiddle 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Independent Bookstore Day is almost here, so the shop is in prep mode. There are plans for a costume event for kids, raffle prizes, local authors coming through, and a couple golden tickets hidden somewhere in the store. In between all the planning, the trio still finds time to give the rundown.When a bookstore turns an event into something interactive, does it bring people in or just add to the noise around it?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 Independent Bookstore Day at Middle Ground Books, with plans for a costume event, raffle prizes, local authors, and a couple golden tickets hidden somewhere in the store. Megan, Lance, and Debra talk through what’s coming together, what’s already in motion, and what they’ve been reading in the middle of it all, from mystery and horror to a few unexpected standouts.📖 The Covered PagesThe Wishing Game by Meg ShafferThe Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. HarrowA Song to Drown Rivers by Ann LiangMy Husband’s Wife by Alice FeeneyKingdom of Ash by Sarah J. MaasVicious by V. E. SchwabProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirDante’s Inferno by Dante AlighieriDelvers LLC by Blaise CorvinDungeon Crawler Carl: The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt DinnimanThe Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey HartmanShroud by Adrian TchaikovskyWhat Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan, Debra, and Lance open with a Comic-Con recap before moving into a National Poetry Month reading. They explore haiku from Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki, selections from Shel Silverstein, slam pieces by Taylor Mali and Mike McGee, and Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est.” The conversation also includes original Midwestern poetry from Kerry Moyer and a reading of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Bed in Summer.” This special episode releases after the Comic-Con video production timeline, with the full convention footage now available on YouTube.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 Haiku (Amber Books illustrated collection) by Matsuo Bashō, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, Masaoka ShikiWhere the Sidewalk Ends by Shel SilversteinHaiku Kaiju Achu by George McClements“Labeling Keys” by Taylor Mali“Open Letter to Neil Armstrong” by Mike McGee“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen“Bed in Summer” by Robert Louis StevensonPoems by Kerry MoyerMiddle 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle Ground Books After Hours steps onto the Comiccon floor. Along the way, you’ll meet Jeffrey Winkler, who founded Cate’s Concepts and works across both design and hands-on building, Stephanie Hasen, a literary agent working with authors and publishers in children’s and young adult literature, Basi, owner of Senciil Studios, a Midwest-based Black comic book company, Kyle Strahm, known for his work on comics like"Twig", and Chris Grine, an American cartoonist, writer, and illustrator adapting Animorphs into a graphic novel series.This chapter looks at the people who helped make Comic Con what it is, and shows how those same paths are still open to the ones working toward them.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. Middle 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The bookstore trio scrambles to finish Comicon costumes while celebrating their surprising connection to Wishbone, the beloved literary dog. Lance reads gruesome passages from Dante's Inferno, sparking debate about whether it's profound literature or medieval fanfic. Inspired by a book about magical libraries that relocate people into classic novels, they debate which public domain book they'd escape into, from Winnie the Pooh to Pride and Prejudice.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 A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann LiangDante’s Inferno by Dante AlighieriThe Astral Library by Kate QuinnThe Daughter of Crows by Mark LawrenceMiddle Aged Man in a Trash Can by William Bryan JohnsonHell to Pay by William Bryan JohnsonPride and Prejudice by Jane AustenSherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan DoyleAnne of Green Gables by L. M. MontgomeryAdventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark TwainWinnie the Pooh by A. A. MilneThe Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. LewisDracula by Bram StokerAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis CarrollLeft Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. JenkinsMiddle 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan and Debra bring in their latest book club picks while Lance reads from a Terry Pratchett story, all of it sitting in the same space at once while they all get ready for Comicon.Do you push through a book no matter what, question everything as you go, or stop the second something feels off?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 Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. WangMy Husband’s Wife by Alice FeeneyRock Paper Scissors by Alice FeeneyBeautiful Ugly by Alice FeeneyGood Bad Girl by Alice FeeneyHis and Hers by Alice FeeneySometimes I Lie by Alice FeeneyThe Wee Free Men by Terry PratchettThe Carpet People by Terry PratchettDragons at Crumbling Castle by Terry PratchettThe Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry PratchettMiddle 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish mystery fiction, St. Patrick’s Day folklore, and a focus on Caimh McDonnell’s Bunny McGarry series and its mix of humor and crime.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 Disaster Inc by Caimh McDonnellDungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanKingdom of Ash by Sarah J. MaasJonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna ClarkeBlood Over Bright Haven by M. L. WangThe Astral Library by Kate QuinnThis Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany CrumThe Wishing Game by Meg ShafferThe Lost Story by Meg ShafferThe Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. HarrowSuper Nintendo The Inside Story of the Game Changing Console by Keza MacDonaldAll About Allergies by Zachary RubinWhen Trees Testify by Beronda L. MontgomeryOperation Bounce House by Matt DinnimanMiddle 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fantasy author T. Kingfisher has built a reputation for mixing humor, horror, and strange creatures in unforgettable ways. This chapter 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Page Turners series continues as the group settles in to talk through what they’ve been reading lately. The conversation bounces between time travel, romance, bookish love, and the usual side paths that come with a table full of readers. Along the way, they share what’s been happening around the shop and invite anyone in the Emporia area to stop by, hang out, and find their next favorite read.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.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 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 PagesGeorge Falls Through Time by Ryan ColletteGalentine’s Day by Rebecca AndersonOnce Upon a Tome by Oliver DarkshireMiddle 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The group revisits a conversation with Tiffany Killoren, talking through her move from practicing law into writing fiction, what it cost to walk away from one profession, and how that decision slowly opened the door to a writing career that found readers far beyond where it began.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A January episode with a little something sweet in the air, offering a happy early birthday nod to A. A. Milne.The group spends the episode in the Hundred Acre Wood, talking all things Winnie-the-Pooh and the world Milne wrote into being.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new.📖 The Covered PagesThe Bookbinder’s Secret by A. D. BellOnce Upon a River by Diane SetterfieldMurder by the Book by Lauren ElliottSomewhere, a Boy and a Bear by Daniel BernstromThe House at Pooh Corner by A. A. MilneHalfway Down by A. A. MilneWaiting at the Window by A. A. MilneIf this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section above. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special tribute episode in celebration of the belated "Tolkien day" based on Tolkien’s January 3 birthday.The group talks about J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, touching on their personal histories, their books, friendships, and all that helped shape their writing.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new.📖 The Covered PagesThe Hobbit by J. R. R. TolkienThe Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. TolkienThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. LewisOut of the Silent Planet by C. S. LewisPerelandra by C. S. LewisThat Hideous Strength by C. S. LewisThe Pilgrim’s Regress by C. S. LewisThe Allegory of Love by C. S. LewisThe War of the Ring by Christopher TolkienThe Kalevala translated by Elias LönnrotPrometheus Bound by AeschylusThe Aeneid by VirgilThe Iliad by HomerThe Odyssey by HomerThe Mythmakers by John HendrixThe Rembrandt Heist by Anthony M. AmoreThe Museum of the Missing by Alex GeorgeThe Book Haters’ Book Club by Gretchen AnthonyRead This If You Want to Be a Great Writer by Ross RaisinNormal People by Sally RooneyYellowface by R. F. KuangDubliners by James JoyceDungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanIf this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section above. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lance, Debra, and Megan look back at their favorite reads from 2025 and share what they’re excited to read in 2026. The episode touches on what’s ahead for the store, including new events and activities, and ways they’re hoping to make the shop an even more active place for readers to spend time together in the year ahead.📖 The Covered PagesSalt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael MossThe Everlasting by Alex E. HarrowWhitewash by Carey GillamPoisoning the Well by Sharon Udasin and Rachel FrazinThe Call by Yannick MurphyFast Like a Girl by Mindy PelzThe Menopause Reset by Mindy PelzIsabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver DarkshireThe Knight and the Moth by Rachel GilligWhere the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice MonroeThe Torchlight by Mura BofiniSomewhere, a Boy and a Bear by Daniel BernstromIf this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section below.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the final part in the Christmas Special trilogy, closing out the holiday season with a conversation about Dungeon Crawler Carl and how it can actually be attuned to Christmas, kind of like Die Hard.📖 The Covered Pages Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanIf this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section below.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new.A Thank You to Listeners and Followers:The cast of Middle Ground Books would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours, and to say thank you for joining them for the laughter and the in depth conversations about the books they have come to love and wanted to share with you, the listening audience, After Hours once the store is closed for the day. There is more to come, but in the meantime they wish you a safe closeout to the year and an even safer time bringing in the new year.Cosmic Atom Sound Studios would also like to thank you, the listener, for the interaction and support, and hope you enjoy every moment of hearing these three voices come through your speakers, headphones, or even your TV. Here’s to many more episodes ahead and, one day, to you visiting their shop in Emporia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part two of the three part Christmas special finds the group talking through children’s Christmas books and how those stories land differently now than they did growing up.The Covered PagesHow the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr SeussJan Brett Christmas and winter titles: The Mitten, The Hat, The Christmas Sweater, Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, Gingerbread Baby, and The Night Before ChristmasHow Does Santa Go Down the Chimney by Mac BarnettThat Is Not My Hat by Jon KlassenElmore the Christmas Moose by Dev Petty and Mike BoldtMurray Christmas by E. G. KellerThe Twelve Days of Christmas by Greg PizzoliA Stickler Christmas by Lane Smith Let it Glow by Marissa MeyerThe Christmas Murder Game series: The Christmas Cracker Killer by Alexandra BenedictA Christmas Carol by Charles DickensA Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. SchulzThe Polar Express by Chris Van AllsburgIf any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The crew opens their first Christmas special by settling in with The Hogfather, the holiday tale they all read to get into the spirit of the season.The Covered PagesThe Hogfather by Terry PratchettMort by Terry PratchettThe Discworld series by Terry PratchettGood Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry PratchettThe Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry PratchettThe Carpet People by Terry PratchettIf any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The crew settles in to talk through the books they just finished reading, sharing first impressions, lingering thoughts, and the pieces of each story that stayed with them. They dig into how a book’s structure shapes the experience and how certain themes land once the final chapter closes. Also, Lance follows through on a promise he made in the last episode.The Covered Pages:“A Fire Endless” by Rebecca Ross“The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling“Treasury of the World’s Best Loved Poems”"Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need" by Blake SnydeIf any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The crew settles in with drinks and finally gets a moment to breathe after a long day. They share what they are reading now, what is waiting on their shelves, and how their different tastes shape the rhythm of running Middle Ground Books and Gifts in Emporia KS. It is a soft, late night conversation with the lights turned low, a family style moment in their own bookstore, talking about the stories that match their moods as much as their personalities.📖 The Covered Pages:“Flatland” by Edwin Abbott Abbott“The King in Yellow” by Robert W. Chambers“A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah HarknessIf any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hosts dig into the reality of today’s publishing market and how small bookstores are expected to compete with giant companies that control prices and swallow the profits. They talk about overpriced banned books, the way big retailers create fake rarity, and why local shops carry the same titles without the inflated cost. It is an honest look at surviving as a community bookstore in an industry that feels stacked against you.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From coming-of-age stories to provocative adult fiction, the crew unpacks what happens when books get banned and authors land on the cancel list. They dig into who draws the line, how those labels reshape careers and readership, and why the stories meant to be silenced often end up louder than ever.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lance, Megan, and Debra introduce themselves, brainstorm the show’s name, and dive into the world of young adult fiction over drinks and laughter.Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.Follow CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.