In a special episode, Jessica interviews Kalyn Gensic and Kate Stover, who both work in her hometown of Abilene, Texas. Come for the in-depth conversation about what is happening on the ground right now in one corner of Texas; stay for the beautiful discussion about the teachers and librarians who have changed our lives. You'll want to send this to a teacher or librarian in your own life--we're so grateful to the people who often face insurmountable odds (including personal threats!) to make sure our kids learn and grow and thrive. Kalyn's incredible words at the end made us cry.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Jessica's new cozy mystery, A Zoom with a View, under the not-so-secret pseudonym, Jess Cannon, is now out wherever books are sold! Literary nerds, you will love it. A cozy murder mystery filled with hometown drama, social media influencers, an over-the-top mother, and two very attractive local men, A Zoom with a View will make you want to move to Blue Oak—if only the Fourth of July festivities didn’t end with a dead body.

Join the conversation on Substack! If you'd prefer to be a Patreon subscriber, you can join now for just $3 a month. Thank you for your support! The success of this podcast depends on you!

"The Beautiful and Banned" is produced by Christine Renee Miller and Jessica Goudeau/Jess Cannon. Follow us on social media: @beautifulandbannedpod, @christinereneemiller, and @jessica_goudeau and @jesscannonwrites.

If you have questions for us, visit the "Contact Us" page on our website. If you liked our show, please rate and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. The best way to support our podcast is to share it with your friends!

Our co-producer, Rob Heath, wrote and performed our theme music. Kalin Siegwald designed our logo. This is A Sisters By Different Misters Production.

Episode 2 links:

• Kalyn Genesis's tearjerker of a piece for the Texas Observer, "How a High School Librarian in Abilene Fought Back Against Moms for Liberty"
• Read Kalyn's cozy academic rom-com books: https://kalyngensic.com/
• More info on Texas SB 13
• An excellent piece on US HR 7661 (the national book banning bill)

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text to suggest books, plays, films, or guests, or just share your thoughts!