Last week, I talked about five cafés in my city that I’ve been to before. For this week, I explored new places (four cafés, a tea house, and a spot I randomly stumbled onto).
Crystal Coffee Café and Beanery* 2625 Packerland Dr Mon – Fri 6 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Sat 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Sun closed www.crystalcoffeecafe.com
This was a cute spot. I was there on a Tuesday morning, and all the tables were full. Service was pretty quick. They even had a drive through window if you’re on the go. My experience for the drinks wasn’t great, though. Not to say I wouldn’t try it again, but definitely getting something else. (Would definitely go back for the pesto bagel.)
-Mocha: 2/10 (tasted burnt) -Chai: 1/10 (I’m not sure if it was the chai part or the oat milk part, but there was something…off about this. There was a weird aftertaste and only the briefest second of chai spice flavor. It’s like the spices were chemically flavored rather than naturally…?)
I’ve been to the one in Sturgeon Bay, WI, a couple times before, but never to this location. It’s a tiny place with a couple small tables (maybe seven), though only one was taken. Felt like a place to get things to go.
-Mocha: 5/10 -Chai: 7/10 (You have a choice between spiced and vanilla – I, of course, went spiced. It has a good level of spiced flavor, though I would like a bit more generally. Would have again.)
The Grounded Café 300 S Adams St Mon – Fri 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Sat – Sun closed www.groundedcafegb.org
From their website: “Grounded Café was built on the belief that all people have value. That within everyone are possibilities, given the right opportunities to succeed. Partnering with local agencies, school districts, and volunteers, Grounded Café was born to breakdown stereotypes and ageism by shining a light on the strengths and ‘abilities’ of seniors and persons with disabilities. It was designed to build pride and dignity by providing opportunities to uncover and develop abilities. The people serving you are either older adult mentors or adults with a disability gaining job skills.” The café was a cute spot to sit, read, and sip your beverage (or try the Rockin’ Grilled Cheese, which turned out to be quite tasty!).
-Mocha: 4/10 (it’s a pretty bland flavor overall) -Chai: 4/10 (tastes more like a sweet chai than a spiced, which is not my thing – so definitely not a fault of the café)
This shop is located in De Pere, which is located just south of Green Bay. Cute spot – with lots of fun things to try (both beverage and food). I could see sitting and writing here for sure. (On a busy day, parking will be an issue.) I went back another time to try their latte flight, which was DECLIOUS. Looking forward to trying out their cocoa flight once it hits in the fall.
-Mocha: 5/10 (First few sips had a good balance between the mocha and the espresso. ) -Chai: 6/10 (Not overly spiced. Also, a bit different in the balance of spices – tasted more cardamom than usual.)
Q Tea Premium Tea House LLC 124 Military Ave Mon – Sat 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. www.qtgreenbay/com
So, not a coffee house, but a place I’ve been wanting to try for a long time. They have all kinds of loose leaf tea (including seven types of chai!), as well as bubble tea that you can mix and match flavors and ‘bubbles’. There were three tables, though it didn’t feel like a place people usually sit to sip their tea. (I did – read for a little bit.) I’ve been back a few times, and even went so far as to track down a reusable bubble tea straw to avoid the single-use ones they provide.
The Frappé Spot 1910 University Avenue Mon – Thur 10:30 – 6; Fri 10:30 – 7; Sat 9:30 – 5; Sun closed www.facebook.com/thefrappespot/
During my bookshop crawl from a couple posts ago, I stumbled upon The Frappe Spot, and I had to go in. (This was nearby a bookstore that seems to not operate during the hours posted – but perhaps it was worth it since it brought me here.) This is a women-owned Puerto Rican Coffee & Brunch spot. The shop’s description: “We serve Frappes Puerto Rican style, coffee, mini pancakes, crepes, waffles, pancakes cup, iced coffee, sweets creations, party candy bars, dipped chocolate treats and more.” (I got the Nutella stuffed mini pancakes and a Puerto Rican style frappe. So. Good.) Will definitely go back to try the pancake and/or French Toast flights. (Location was also super cute. Fun spot.)
Make sure you check websites or call ahead to verify if hours have changed.
*UPDATE as of 6/17/2024: Crystal coffee has closed its doors after being in the business of thirty years. Their shop is the new location of Tazza, formerly in De Pere.
I’ve always loved a good coffee shop. It’s my vibe, I guess. I prefer a local shop, preferably with mismatched furniture, plates, and mugs. Local art on the walls. A place where you can sit and study or read or write for hours. My first love from these experiences was and will always be chai (masala). I love a spiced chai. Hot or iced. Latte or straight. Or baked into a sweet treat. (Did you know that in a number of languages, chai is the word for tea, so ‘chai tea’ is redundant.)
For the first thirty-two years of my life, I couldn’t stand coffee. I don’t know what changed after that, but now I’m not entirely sure I want to survive without it. My gateway, though, thanks to my fellow assistant director during a study abroad to Costa Rica, was the mocha. If I had known chocolate was involved, I probably would have attempted it sooner. Generally, when I drink coffee, it’s black and from Door County Coffee and Tea. But on occasion, I’ll return to that mocha.
Thus, for this café crawl through my city, I thought I would compare all these places based on these two drinks – the mocha and the chai. (I should note that my 10/10 is Twinnings’ Chai Ultra Spice.) For part one, here are five great cafés I’ve already been to.
Full disclosure – Kavarna is my favorite coffee shop of all time. Even when I didn’t live in Green Bay, any time I passed anywhere near the city, I would stop for tea and their hummus (and their cheesy artichoke wrap). I’ve been going to Kavarna for two decades now, starting back when they were at their old location – a tiny spot a few blocks south of where they are now that had about ten tables crammed into it. My dear friend, Ashley, was vegan at the time, and this was the only place that served vegan options back then. It also made for a great spot to study. These days, their new location has plenty of seating (and some meat on the menu). (I will admit I was a little afraid when Linda and Alex sold Kavarna before the pandemic hit – worried new owners would change everything I love about this place; while I still miss seeing them behind the counter, I’m happy to say that this place still feels like my café home away from home.)
-Mocha: 8/10 (The mocha is a good balance. If someone is looking to get into coffee, this is a good start. You can still taste the espresso, but it doesn’t punch you in the taste buds like some mochas can. It does take a little bit of extra time to make – but they melt/mix the chocolate syrup with the espresso rather than just squirt the syrup into the bottom of the empty cup.) -Chai: 8/10
(If you’re ever in Mankato, MN, check out the Coffee Hag – they were my café home away from home while I was in grad school. They are right up there with Kavarna.)
The Attic Corner 730 Bodart St Monday – closed; Tues – Thurs 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Fri 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat – Sun 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. www.theatticcorner.com
As I talked about in the bookstore crawl, my first encounter with this café was during college my freshman year when my workshop class would meet here with a smaller group. For this post, I’m focusing specifically on this place as a café. It’s a great spot to sit and write or read or chat with a friend. They have a full coffee/tea bar. Usually, they have a sandwich/brunch menu, though as of this writing, it’s temporarily suspended. They still have soup, salads, and tasty baked goods, though.
-Mocha: 7/10 (if you prefer your mocha to be more espresso than chocolate, this is it – also, the color is a lot darker than typical, so you know it’s not as heavy handed on the milk) -Chai: 8/10 (it’s got a good spiced flavor to it!)
Common Grounds, UWGB Campus 2420 Nicolet Dr, University Union Monday – Sunday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Check building hours website as hours change by semester.
This café is located in the student union of the University of WI – Green Bay, my alma mater. Back then, I would spend a lot of time studying here. I preferred it to the library only because of the easy access to chai. I also loved their Groovin’ Grounds series, when a singer/songwriter just starting out would bring their guitar or keyboard, set up in the corner, and play for a few hours. I encountered a couple of my favorite singers that way. The tradition continues today (during the school year), and I’ve visited a couple times. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there (the pandemic), so I was shocked to see the renovations – it’s a completely different spot these days (though the old fire place is still there). I almost decided not to include this one because they carry Starbucks now – and the goal was to talk about local alternatives. But it’ still a sentimental place for me, so do with that what you will.
Copper Rock Coffee Company (inside of Copper State Brewing) 313 Dousman St Monday – Friday starting at 6:30 a.m.; Saturday starting at 7 a.m.; Sunday closed. www.copperstate.beer
My first encounter with Copper Rock was actually in Appleton during their Mile of Music event (when a mile-long strip of venues – cafés, bars, street corners, etc. – bring in musicians to play all hours of the day and evening – for free. And no covers – it’s all original music.). When I heard they were opening a location here in Green Bay, I was excited. At first, I didn’t know they were opening as Copper State, a brewery, that would have a Copper Rock coffee bar across from their regular bar. The vibe isn’t quite the same as the one in Appleton (because of the actual bar and the restaurant), but there is a corner with a couch and a couple chairs that are comfy to sit in for a few hours to read or write and sip on a chocolate chai frappe.
-Mocha: 5/10 (it’s a good mocha – just typical) -Chai: 5/10 (Their chais are powdered, though they have a couple options – regular, vanilla, chocolate, decaf. I usually get a chocolate chai frappe when I come here, but I tried the regular chai latte. It had a good flavor, and it’s a bit ‘creamier’ in consistency than a normal chai.)
The Daily Buzz 124 Walnut St #124 Mon – Fri 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sat – Sun 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. www.dailybuzzgb.com
I’ve only been to this place a couple of times. It’s downtown, and if I’m going downtown, I’m going to Kavarna. *shrugs* But a friend brought me here the first time, and then I returned when I was attending an event across the street. There’s isn’t a whole lot of seating in the café, but there is a ‘spirits lounge’ right across from it that is under their umbrella, as well as a small patio with a couple tables (accessed from the lounge).
-Mocha: 5/10 (typical mocha) -Chai: 3/10 (tasted like gently spiced oat milk – not much chai flavor at all)
Make sure you check websites or call ahead to verify if hours have changed.
For a lot of people who don’t live in this city, when they hear our name, they probably tend to think football. If you asked them what else we might have, chances are that artists are low on that list, if they’re mentioned at all. However, we have a thriving artist community here – we have painters and sculptors and musicians and writers and on and on. We have large concert venues, as well as hole-in-the-wall spots for folks just starting out. We have the Weidner Center for Performing Arts. We have the Neville Public Museum and the incredible Art Garage. And we have an annual Mural & Busker festival. 🙂
This summer saw our third Mural & Busker festival. There were a few murals through the city prior to this, but in the last three years, an astounding thirty murals have been added. I’ve always been a fan of street art, and I’m excited to have so many great spots to check out in my own city.
You can check out the Downtown Green Bay website for a map and listing of all murals in the city – spread out across the Broadway District, Downtown District, and Olde Main Street District (where the bulk of previous murals were located prior to this series of festivals). If you click on the markers on the interactive map, you can learn more about that particular mural or sculpture, as well as the artist who created it. Many of the individual pages have images of the artwork.
Below are a few of the murals you can find in the Olde Main Street District. (There are links to the Downtown Green Bay website pages associated with each mural below the image.)
Below are a few of the murals you can find in the Broadway District. (There are links to the Downtown Green Bay website pages associated with each mural below the image.)
During the two-day festival, you can hang out and watch the artists at work, as well as enjoy a myriad of buskers all along the mural trail (last year’s trail spanned about .75 miles).
During this year’s festival, they also held a community mural where folks could participate in painting the string of concrete barriers lined along the sidewalk in front of the construction currently happening in the Broadway District. There are lots of little details to see along the barrier. (Not sure how long this will stick around.)
I have a rather long commute to work, and when people ask me why I don’t move to the city where I work, I joke that I could never live in a city that can’t sustain a bookstore. Honestly, it’s half a joke. (The other not-so-jokey part is how expensive said city is, especially since it is closer in size to a small town than a big city.) How a city with a large university within its borders and a community college a few miles away can’t keep a bookstore, I will never understand. (Or a local coffee shop, for that matter.)
Meanwhile, in Green Bay, we have several book shops (and many great local coffee shops as you’ll see in the coming weeks). While we do indeed have a B&N, and yes, I have been there many times, I do prefer to shop local whenever I can. My go to is Lion’s Mouth, but I know that this city has several other spots, and I decided to use this series of GB-related blog posts as an excuse to visit these other shops, too.
Originally known as The Reader’s Loft located in Bellevue, the store reopened in November 2019 under new ownership with a new name and a new downtown location. Lion’s Mouth (and The Reader’s Loft before it) has been my favorite bookshop in Green Bay for a long time. They have a plethora of events that include everything from story time for kids to author readings/Q&As to a number of book clubs you can join and story time for the kids. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend checking them out.
The Attic Corner 730 Bodart St Mon – Thurs 7 -3; Fri 7-5; Sat – Sun 8-5 theatticcorner.com
My first encounter with this bookstore/café was during college my freshman year. I was in a creative writing workshop course, and the class was so large that the professor offered to meet a smaller group downtown for more workshop time. I jumped at the opportunity. At that time, the café had run down couches (I always felt like my butt was on the floor) and shelves upon shelves of used books. I loved it. These days, the furniture has all been replaced, though the shelves still line the walls.
This is a used book shop – and I honestly can’t believe I’d never been here before! (I will definitely be back.) While I was looking around, I overheard a customer who had brought in some of their own used books to ‘sell’. I had recently boxed up some books to donate, and they were still sitting in my car, so I inquired about the process. I brought in one of the boxes (the others had hardcovers and textbooks, which they don’t buy), and she flipped through them. For each book they take, you get up to 15% of the original price (listed on the cover) worth of store credit. You can use that to get discounts on books you buy – which are all priced at half the cover price or four bucks (whichever is more). If you have credit, you pay half the cost (so 25% of the cover price) and can use credit for the rest (if you have enough, of course – otherwise your out-of-pocket is higher). The credit doesn’t expire. Also, they have a stamp card – buy ten books, get one free. (They had a pretty stellar children’s/YA section.)
I included this on my list partly because I’d never been there before, but also because I think it’s good to have a comic shop on a bookstore list. Comics are stories, too – and it shouldn’t matter how we consume stories. The store is large, and I could see someone easily spend hours flipping through all the boxes of comics. (I had hoped to see more graphic novels – most of the ones I saw were Marvel/DC related, of course.) Will definitely go back and peruse when I have more time.
I debated not including this because (after visiting, I realized) it’s a shop with something for everyone – except if you are looking for books. The shop is a thrift store (which I assumed given the name – but it appears on all the GB bookshop lists, so I thought maybe they had a used book section). It’s a series of ‘booths’ that people can display their items for sale. There were some books scattered throughout, and I’m sure the number fluctuates, but if you are looking to have yourself a bookshop crawl, this isn’t the place. However, if you are looking for odds and ends, it’s a fun place to wander through.
I originally had a sixth stop during my bookstore crawl, but despite being there during their posted open hours, the shop was closed. I reached out via Facebook (there is no phone number available on the website or elsewhere) to inquire if the shop is indeed in operation, but I never heard back. (The lawn looked like it hadn’t been cut in a long time, so I’m guessing closed meant closed-closed). I’m bummed as it was a combo book shop and gallery, and that sounds like my kind of place.
Make sure you check websites or call ahead to verify if hours have changed.
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report voted Green Bay, WI, #1 Best Place to Live. Now, even as someone who has returned to this city over and over (I’ve moved here three times, only leaving out of necessity), I have to admit I was a bit surprised to hear this. I mean, have you seen our winters? (Apparently, that’s what has previously kept us out of the running for the top spot in years past.)
I realize a lot of folks elsewhere were probably also shocked by this – looking at you east and west coasters who view my state as something you fly over just to get to the ‘good stuff’. But we do have good stuff, too. We are more than the Packers and snowy winters.
I’ve been to exactly one Packer game (because I was being a supportive girlfriend). It was freezing, and I may have been wearing a Bears sweatshirt as one of my many layers. And the Packers may have neglected to score a single point. I may have been the only happy one in my group…
The Green Bay Rockers are a member of the 22 team Northwoods League, the largest summer collegiate league in the country.
We are the state’s oldest settlement (thanks to the Fox/Bay, which grants access to the Great Lakes). We have a really wonderful arts culture and entertainment scene here (theater, concerts, tiny hole-in-the-wall venues). We have great coffee shops and craft breweries and wineries and distilleries (we like to partake in beverages in this city). The Fox River runs through us. (Do like to boat? Fish? We got you.) We are a ‘big’ city with a small town feel. And yes – sports. Beyond the NFL football previously mentioned, we also have varying levels of hockey, baseball, and basketball (a team for every budget). (I fully understand I sound like a brochure here, so I’ll stop. For now.) Ever wanted to climb a frozen waterfall? We got you. Ever wanted to see your favorite musicians perform or your favorite author read? We got you. Looking for a great place to go to college? Yeah, we got you there, too. (We have four colleges within our city limits, and there are another thirty-one within a hundred miles. I might be biased, but my alma mater UWGB is a magical place.) This city is far more than meets the eye.
And it’s a relatively inexpensive place to live. Even after the housing inflation due to the pandemic. When I was first looking for a house here (also, hello – the fact that I could even afford a house here nine years ago when I was still a fairly new full time teacher…), I did a comparison to where I was teaching – and the house I ended up with would have cost me DOUBLE near my work. It wasn’t a hard decision to make.
So maybe you’ve never considered coming to Green Bay on your vacation. But maybe you should. (Yeah, I sound like a brochure again.)
I am, of course, referring to on paper. As part of my Kickstarter for Wherever Would I Be, there was an add on for having a character named after them in my next book. I probably should have thought that through better given that said next book is a murder mystery. [strained smile] The detectives are all named for my favorite characters on my favorite procedural shows. The main character’s nickname is after Willie Garson’s character on White Collar – one of my most favorite characters every written (and he was THE BEST option to play him). I love how characters get their names, whether by the writer or a nickname within the story. For Mozzie, we learn the heartwarming truth that his chosen name is after a teddy bear he had as a child when he was orphaned, a teddy bear named Mozart. My MC will have Moz as her nickname. (Garson sadly passed away in 2021. Rewatching this show also hits a bit different these days.)
Eight friends took me up on this add on – to name a character after them. Eight. I was thinking one or two might. Not eight. Good thing it’s a serial killer story. 😛
That being said, it’s a very different experience when you write about a character you made up and killed off than it is when said character has the same name as a friend of yours. This week, I wrote a chapter where we find one such victim and then, after they are ID-ed, inform their mother. It was really hard to get the image of my friend out of my head, and I definitely felt all the feelings when writing the mother in mourning in learning what happened to her child.
Here are the answers to the second six questions Goldstein asks on his podcast. To read the first six, see last week’s post.
What is the sexiest film? — Unfaithful with Diane Lane, Richard Gere, and Olivier Martinez. I had no idea what the film was about going into it – I just adored Richard Gere and would watch anything he was in. Looking back, I can say why I felt this way about the film, though I don’t think I could have verbalized it then – this was the first film I remember seeing where a woman was allowed to own and chase her desire (granted, she did it through an affair, which is not a laudable move). She wasn’t shamed by the writing for this desire/wanting – she was allowed to explore and live it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the film, but if memory serves, Martinez’s character did pursue her at first, but ultimately, she was the one who sought him out over and over. (The ending is terrible, though.)
Which film do you most relate to? — Feed the Fish. It was filmed and takes place in my home county – and there were so many times where a plot point would just really hit home about what it was like having grown up there. One bit was one of the characters had like twelve jobs, so they kept popping up everywhere. That was my life there every summer through college.
Which film is objectively the greatest ever? — Schindler’s List. (And I saw this before I understood the true magic of Liam Neeson.) It was during a film studies course that I was the TA for, and I remember being blown away by it. And devastated by it. This is probably, now that I think about it, the catalyst for my interest in WWII historical fiction novels. The acting was incredible. There were some truly beautiful shots and choices made. There is, of course, gruesome violence – so if you’ve never seen the film before, make sure you’re in the right mainframe to do so. My second choice for this would be the first John Wick movie – stick with me here a moment. Yes, there is a lot of violence in this film – but the skill with which it is pulled off is incredible. The story is heart-breaking – watching Wick pine for his dead wife. His motivation – well, I won’t spoil that one for you, but he becomes the reluctant hero to avenge another death. The thing that makes it for me, though, is the cinematography – it is outstanding! Violence aside, this is a beautiful film.
Which film is the one you’ve watched the most? — I can’t pick just one here because there are several that I watch repeatedly. Either when I’m too stressed to watch something new, or I need something to fall asleep to, or something I can listen to when I’m working. The American President, While You Were Sleeping, Kissing Jessica Stein, and I’ve recently added Free Guy to that list. All movies about people finding themselves (and, sometimes, love).
What’s the worst film you’ve ever seen? — Premonition. Now, I love Sandra Bullock as an actress. If she’s in a movie, I’m going to see it. But this one missed the mark for me. And if my love of Sandra Bullock isn’t enough to get me through it, then it must be bad. I think the concept was interesting (a woman living a terrible week of her life out of order), but the execution of it just missed so many marks. And the twist at the end… which I won’t spoil. Just – no.
What is the film that’s literally made you laugh out loud themost? — These days, I find it takes a lot to get my to the point of laughing out loud. I’m not a big fan of ‘low-brow’ comedy (and you can keep the fart/poop joke humor). But I remember a series of movies that came out in the late ’80s and early ’90s that would get my howling. Good Morning, Vietnam. Down Periscope. Grumpy Old Men. My sister and I used to watch these all the time and just holler. Though it’s been a bit since I’ve watched any of them. Should probably watch again and see if they hold up…
At the end of the podcast, Goldstein tells his guest that there is only enough room in the casket to take one film with them into the afterlife – so which one would they take? For me, Anne of Green Gables. If there turns out to be an afterlife, I’d like to sit and watch this with Nana again.
As I wrote about in my last post, I started listening to Films to Be Buried With a few months ago, which is Brett Goldstein’s podcast. I really enjoy listening – it doesn’t matter if I have any idea who the guest is or not. The notion of a conversation about life through film is a lovely one. So I thought I’d answer the questions myself that Goldstein poses to his guests.
The podcast begins with Goldstein informing the guest that they’ve just died and asks them how they died. If it were me, my death would likely be caused by me tripping over absolutely nothing but my own two feet and cracking my skull on something. 🤷 I’m a klutz with too many close calls already. I’m just playing the odds here.
What was the first-ever film you saw? — I honestly couldn’t tell you because there are so many films from my childhood that I remember (we watched a lot of movies back then). The thing, though, that seemed to tie them all together was trauma. WHY was there so much trauma in those films? Looking at you The Land Before Time, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, All Dogs Go to Heaven… Ok. Well, that last one is on me. I don’t know which one came first – I just remember being devastated by them all…
What was the film that scared you the most? — Tremors. I was WAY too young to see this film, but Reba was in it, so I guess that made it ok in my parents’ eyes? (I wasn’t even double digits…) I remember watching it with my dad, and it terrified me. I’ve always had vivid dreams, so this just sent me off the deep end. I tend to avoid horror/gore for this reason, and I’m just now realizing this film is probably why… (To be fair, Twister along with my fear of tornados also scared the &$%# out of me.)
What was the film that made you cry the most? — I mean, aside from all those traumatic films from my childhood…? In my late teens/early twenties, I was big into RomComs (I still enjoy them, but I’m more jaded/realistic these days). Looking back, I realize I needed the happy endings. There was always a happily ever after to look forward to. And then [spoilers coming – but to be fair, the film came out in 2001] I watched Sweet November. I could not for the life of me understand why someone would find their happy ending (even if it would be short-lived due to her health) and walk away from it. I was so ready for him to change her mind, convince her to stay with him, that when he takes the blindfold off, and she’s disappeared/walked away – I lost it. I wasn’t ready for it. For a long time, this was the film I would watch when I needed a good cry.
What film is TERRIBLE but you love it? — Mamma Mia. So many people hated this film, and there are definitely some cringe-worthy things about it (sorry, but Brosnan should never sing in public…and surely not when being recorded). But Meryl Streep is delightful, as always. And Colin Firth…well, do I need to say more than that? (He’s handsome, British, and awkward. Just my type. I guess I did need to say more.) Christine Baranski and Julie Waters were comedic geniuses in it. But the film is, at its heart, a farce – so everything is over the top. I get why people panned it. I’m just willing to overlook all of that to see Firth.
What is the film you once loved but watching it now you realise it’s terrible? — Never Been Kissed. Nothing against the actors or their performances. But the idea of a high school teacher falling in love with one of their students (even one who is actually age appropriate because he didn’t know that!!) is just completely cringe-worthy looking back (not to mention the part where her brother follows suit and starts dating a high school gymnast…). When it came out, it checked all my RomCom boxes [spoilers – but come on, it came out in ’99] – the longing from a distance, the ‘thinking I screwed it all up’ moment, and the moment when your heartstrings are officially tugged as he finally comes to the pitcher’s mound (a little late, of course) and kisses her. As a high school student myself when it came out, the notion of how inappropriate their ‘friendship’ was didn’t occur to me – not until I was an adult and a teacher myself. I had friendships with some of my teachers in high school, but never one that crossed the threshold of the classroom, let alone crossed any other sort of lines. The lines he knowingly crossed before he knew she was of legal age… Well, we call those red flags these days.
What is the film that means the most to you? Not because of the film it’s self, but because of the memories, you have of it. — Anne of Green Gables, the CBC miniseries by Sullivan Entertainment. My maternal grandmother introduced me to it (and all of my cousins, actually), and I LOVED it. I loved the story. I loved the cast. But, mostly, I loved watching it with my nana. I couldn’t even tell you how many times we watched (it was certainly the most requested film when we were there, which was weekly). And I can never pass up a PBS marathon of it. (I also own them on DVD and am writing a story that takes place in that world.) I lost my nana in 2007, and watching it reminds me of her and helps me feel closer to her.
I spend a lot of time in my car during the academic year since I have quite the commute. Previous to my last move that took me farther away from campus, I used to play music and sing along. Well, that’s not a big deal if your commute is fifteen minutes. At the moment, if I sang the entire way, I’d have no voice left long before I’d reach my destination. Kind of hard to teach without one.
When I first discovered podcasts, I had one that I listened to – but I also only had a five minute commute, so it didn’t take long for me to fall behind. Today, I have several that I juggle – but they help keep me awake (and entertained) whenever I’m on the road. So I thought I’d write up a little recommendation list in case you are looking for something to listen to.
Stuff You Should Know – My first podcast, which I encountered not long after they started airing. If you listen to this show, perhaps you also remember those first few pre-Chuck episodes that were like five minutes long. These days, they have three episodes a week, two coming it at about 45-60 minutes, with a ‘short stuff’ between that runs about 10-15 minutes. I really do love listening to this podcast. I love to learn, and they have taught me about so many interesting topics. They are well-researched, and I trust their credibility. I also just enjoy listening to the banter between the co-hosts, Josh and Chuck. It’s a good time all around. I’ve only ever skipped one episode because it came with a trigger warning for squeamish people…which I am. You can jump around, but I would recommend listening to episodes you think you might not have any interest in – they do a really good job of making even seemingly boring things interesting, as well as breaking down difficult topics to make them more easily understood.
How Did This Get Made – I remember discovering this a few years after it launched, and I started downloading them. I did get through the first couple episodes, but my commute was so short back then that I didn’t have time to keep up. When I ended up with a much longer commute and therefore more listening time, I started trying to catch up – though by that point, their full back catalogue was only available through a subscription with Stitcher. I listen via Apple Podcasts, which has the last six months available. The podcast did start up Matinee Mondays where they pull an episode from ‘the vault’ and air it again, so you can eventually listen to them all even without a subscription. Generally, they’ll pick an episode that fits whatever new film they are talking about. I will offer that you don’t necessarily need to watch the films before listening (though I’m sure that will add to the experience – though sometimes it’s fun with the more absurd films not to have seen it while listening to them trying to react to it). I will throw out there that this may not be a podcast to listen to with kids in the car. There are at times some raunchy jokes, as well as swearing in just about every episode.
Armchair Expert – I started listening to this when it first launched – I was a fan of Dax Shepard from Parenthood, and as an introvert, the notion of a long-form interview really resonated with me (we introverts prefer in depth conversations over small talk, which is likely why I’m not a fan of talk shows where interviews are a few minutes and guests repeat the same couple stories). I particularly enjoy the Experts on Expert thread (where they interview experts in their fields) and Flightless Bird (with David Farrier, a New Zealander who got stranded in the U.S. during COVID and began a podcast under the Armchair umbrella where he explores the strangeness of our country). They have a couple other podcasts under their umbrella, like one on dating and another on freezing your eggs/fertility, and more recently a series called Armchair Anonymous where they post prompts and then virtually meet with folks to hear their stories. The celebrity interviews, which was the original podcast, is also engaging – even if you don’t care for the celebrity, you can still learn some interesting things. There is also a fact check after these episodes where his co-host, Monica Padman, checks the things folks say throughout the episode (later into the series, their producer Rob also speaks up more, and I find him delightful). As time has gone on, the fact checks have grown more into the three checking in with each other and telling stories.
Smartless – I’ve been a fan of Sean Hayes since Will & Grace, so when he, along with his buddies Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, started up this interview podcast, I had to give it a listen. These episodes are about an hour. They come out first to their subscribers (through Wondery, ad free), then are available elsewhere a week later. They start with the three catching up, telling stories and poking fun (which carries throughout the episode – depending on who the guest is). Then, one will introduce their surprise guest – the other two don’t know who they are about to interview. Again, because it’s a long-form interview, you get to learn things about these folks that you probably didn’t already know. It’s especially fun when one of the three hosts fans out over one of the guests.
From Smartless Media comes my new favorite podcast, Just Jack and Will, where Sean Hayes and Eric McCormack are re-watching and discussing episodes of Will & Grace. It’s like someone made a podcast just for me… I love this show so much, for so many reasons, and so far they have discussed three episodes – and I find myself smiling through the entire conversation. The behind-the-scene tidbits and memories from Hayes, McCormack, and their guest (so far Max Mutchnick, Jimmy Burrows, and Debra Messing) are great – but the way it sounds like no time has passed just continues to make this such a comfort show.
Films to Be Buried With – This is my most recent find, though the podcast has been out since 2018. In this, Brett Goldstein (who you likely know as Roy Kent on Ted Lasso) has a discussion with their guest about films. The premise is they have died (and they get to choose how they died), and they reflect on their life through the lens of films they’ve watched. It’s a lovely premise (death aside, of course) and a fun listen – even if you don’t know the guest.
Badass Writers – I first encountered Kathleen Foxx via writing twitter, and she’s one of my most favorite people to follow. In addition to creating a welcoming writing community on that platform, she has a podcast where she interviews authors (full disclosure, I was one of the authors), as well as agents and editors, granting access to knowledge for writers trying to make their way through the querying trenches. If you’re a writer, give it a listen, and make sure to follow her on twitter.
Where Should We Being? – I first heard Esther Perel via her interview with Armchair Expert. She has her own podcast where she counsels couples through conflict. Normally, this is something that is kept behind closed doors – but with this podcast, these conversations come to light and can help others feel less alone in their own lives and conflicts. This is a podcast with ‘seasons’, so there aren’t continuous episodes. There is a backlog of about seventy-five episodes to listen to while you wait for the new season. (She also has a fun game with the same name.)
I’ve got other podcasts I’ve downloaded but just haven’t had the time to listen to yet (like Revisionist History, No Stupid Questions, and Happy Sad Confused). What podcasts do you listen to that you’d recommend folks should give a try?
Let’s get real about royalties. You did the majority of the work. You get very little of the money. Frustrating, I know.
If you go the ‘traditional’ publishing route (get an agent or go direct to a publisher), royalties for papaerback books (according to Authors Guild – please note that contracts can vary widely) are generally 7.5-8% of the list price (sometimes escalating to 10% after a specific number are sold). A book priced at $15.99 means a royalty of $1.20-$1.27 per printed book (and $1.60 upon escalation). For an eBook, royalties are generally 25%. An eBook priced at $9.99 means a royalty of two $2.50. (If you go through an agent, their fees come out of this portion. A typical agent fee is 15% – so your royalties for a print book would be $1.02-$1.09 and $1.36 upon escalation, as well as $2.13 for an ebook.)
If you self-publish, you will likely make the most money from your eBooks (and any print copies you can personally sell). There are many places you can publish an ebook (and each will have their own requirements, such as cover size and file type). I looked at three places – B&N Press, KDP, and IngramSpark:
eBook Royalty %
B&N Press
70% (for books priced up to $199.99)
Amazon (priced 2.99-9.99)
70% – file delivery (ex. U.S. buyers = .15 MB, or around six cents) 35% in territories not listed here: Digital Book Prices (also if they price match with another retailer and the price falls below 2.99)
Amazon (priced .99-2.98 or 10.00 and up)
35%
Amazon KDP Select
70% (in all countries listed in above link, with the addition of Brazil, Japan, India, and Mexico) Paid per page read for Kindle Unlimited (based on size of fund based on memberships) NOTE: 90-day mandatory enrollment – automatically re-enrolled until you opt out (but can only do so at that 90-day mark); there are free marketing benefits – but you cannot sell your book or give it away for free anywhere else (including your own website)
IngramSpark
40% Ingram makes it REALLY difficult to find the royalty amount…? I saw in a couple places that it might be 50%. I can promise it’s not 70%, as is reported in several other places. When I was uploading, I considered the ebook, and the 40% stopped me in my tracks. But, of course, I can’t find where I saw that.
Royalties for an eBook priced at $9.99: 70% is $6.99; 40% is $3.99; 35% is $3.50.
As you are trying to decide where to price your book and which royalty to pick – consider this:
9.99 x 70% = 6.993 (KDP/Amazon gets 2.997)
19.99 x 35% = 6.9965 (KDP/Amazon gets 12.9935)
If you self-publish a paperback, you again have many choices of where to do this. Below is info for the same three places. Prices will vary based on the size of the book and the number of pages, as well as if the interior will have color or not. Let’s assume a 350-page book, 8×5.25, cream or white 50 lb pages, BW interior – $15.99 price point:
Printing Cost
Author Royalty
Retail Distribution Author Royalty
B&N (has groundwood paper as an option in addition to white and cream) No fee to upload. Allows preorders – does not push to amazon.
$5.46
(Price point*55%)-printing cost = Royalty
$15.99*55%=8.79 8.79-5.46=3.33
Royalty = $3.33
7.20 (45%) Your royalty remains at $3.33
KDP No fee to upload. Cannot have preorders on printed books.
$5.15
(Price point*60%)-printing cost = Royalty
$15.99*60%=9.59 9.59-5.15=4.45
Royalty = $4.45
You can opt into expanded distribution (if your book qualifies), but your royalty becomes $1.25
Ingram ($49 to upload; additional fees to upload new files*) Allows preorders – does push to Amazon and other online retailers.
$6.18
People don’t buy direct from Ingram – they would purchase from a distributor. So it depends where they buy it from.
You can set different discounts for different territories.**
*IngramSpark has since stopped charging for this – but I’m leaving this here in case things change.
**You can set whether or not you allow retailers to return books, but please note that if you say no, it will reduce the likelihood they will buy copies. Also, you can set yes with two options – destroy (you are charged the wholesale cost) or mail (you are charged the wholesale cost plus two dollars to ship to you – they don’t guarantee the condition of the book). (NOTE: Retailers often require a 40% discount – this means setting your Ingram discount to 53-55% because Ingram will also take a piece of the pie.)
You can also purchase author copies from all of these places (print cost + shipping/handling/tax) and either sell them yourself or sell on consignment with local shops. Just note – the printing and shipping will come out of your 60%. (Note: For KDP, these author copies are not eligible for free Prime Shipping. Also, KDP won’t allow you to set your paperback to pre-order, so you can’t order author copies prior to your launch date.)
IngramSpark specifically has a couple things that can change the cost of printing/shipping your book:
Printing Service – you can pay a little more to get your books printed sooner. (Economy – 5 business days; Express – 2 business days; Rush – 1 business day – though it does say “usually” before each one)
Shipping (Basic – which doesn’t have tracking, and then Commercial or Residential Ground, 2nd Day, and Next Day; if you do not own a business, you will be paying for residential, which is, of course, the most expensive; if you use basic, and the shipment is lost, you’re out of luck – and the money)
Handling Fee ($1.99 for 1-50 books; jumps to 4.99 at 51 copies; it might jump again, but I didn’t look at any shipments over sixty books)
Tax
The more books you buy, generally the better off you are (but not always – such as a jump in printing cost from twenty-five to twenty-six copies or the jump in the handling fee at fifty-one). For the prices below, I checked the Economy printing (five days, though depending on how many you buy, it’s not too much more to bump that up) and Residential Ground (which is the cheapest shipping for a residential home that still has tracking – one book with basic shipping would be 13.21, but, again, you run the risk of it getting lost and having to rebuy it). Shipping becomes more economical the more copies you get. Remember that this is for a book priced at 15.99. (Taxes and shipping should be seen as estimates as they are specific to my state/location. This is just to give a general idea.)
*Cartons hold twenty books – if you get more than that, you’ll get multiple boxes.
If you buy one carton of twenty books and sell on a 60/40 consignment:
15.99 * 60% = 9.59
9.59 – 8.16 = 1.43 royalty per book
For my own book, I found the highest royalties possible in purchasing anywhere from 1-60 books was 50 books. The upfront cost for fifty copies is a lot – in the made-up scenario from above, it would be $394.99. You can play around with Ingram’s calculator before you begin to figure out what your own costs would be (as your page count and other choices would affect the cost).
If you are interested in hardcover:
350-page book, 8.5×5.5 (note size difference), cream or white 50 lb, BW interior, dust cover – $20 price point.
Printing Cost
Author Royalty
Retail Distribution Author Royalty
B&N (has groundwood paper as an option in addition to white and cream)
10.79
If you sell direct (meaning to a person not a bookshop): Royalty = Price point – handling fee – printing cost – shipping – estimated tax For this scenario shipped to me, the total cost would be $18.36. Shipping here becomes a LOT more economical at five copies ($5.50 for one copy vs $7 for five copies – cost would be $13.05 per book at five copies, so $6.95 royalty per book).
Minimum price allowed is 21.58, which sets your royalty at 1.08
KDP No fee to upload. Cannot have preorders on printed books.
9.70
60%
Minimum price allowed is 16.17, which would result in 0.00 royalty. $20 price point would be 2.30
IngramSpark (Again, used to have an upload cost – they have since removed it)
12.25
People don’t buy direct from Ingram – they would purchase from a distributor.
You would have to set your price above 20 to break even. $21 would get you a whopping $.19 (But, again, you can set different discounts in different territories.)
Here’s a quick look comparison of the overall/breakdown costs. Please note that shipping and tax are based on my home state and will differ depending on where you live, as well as the final size/weight of your book (I’m continuing to use the paperback dimensions noted above for these estimates). (Cost is the total cost including printing, shipping, handling, and tax.)
*For IngramSpark, I chose the Economy Printing and Residential Ground. Prices will go up with quicker printing/shipping. I don’t recommend using basic shipping as there is no tracking number, and you’ll be out of luck if the package(s) goes missing. **KDP lists their shipping and handling as one number rather than broken out separately like the other two. Also, remember that most indie bookshops aren’t going to buy from KDP/Amazon.
+ On July 7, a week after making this post, IngramSpark sent out on email that they were ‘simplifying’ their shipping costs (so if you read this post prior to that, your eyes are not deceiving you – the numbers have changed). They also got rid of handling fees.
Standard Shipping UPS Ground Commercial and Residential Shipments are trackable No handling fee $8.99 per order PLUS
$0.70 per book, up to 15 books $0.65 per book, 16-49 books $0.60 per book, 50 or more books
Basic Shipping Media Mail or comparable, delivered by USPS Shipments are not trackable and are not insured No handling fee
2.99 per order PLUS $0.50 per book, up to 25 books
I typically order 50 copies at a time (due to previous handling fee jump, the cost per book jumped at 51). These new prices mean that if I were to buy 50 copies, my total cost went down $28.61, and my royalty per book went up $.57.
Ami Maxine 