Letters to Kody : Postcards from Coffeeshops

About Letters to Kody : Postcards from Coffeeshops

Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

D. J. Swales

Category

society & culture · society & culture · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Mar 2026

Latest episode

4 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Sept 2026

   The English Lake District: Faerie Hawthorns, Cursed Ketchup, Enya, a Lost Celtic Language, and the 'Girl Power' Saint Who Sailed Alone

   Faerie Hawthorns, Cursed Ketchup, Enya, Lost Celtic Language, St Bega, 'Girl Power', and Whitby Abbey This episode of Letters to Kody was penned and published in Worcestershire, the home of the sauce. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   2 Sept 2026

   A Singapore Social Doyenne (Pt 2): The Devil Child, Elbows in Seoul, Oompa Loompa, Baroque Midnight Feast, Minangkabau Cuisine, Myna Birds at Paragon

   A Singapore Social Doyenne (Pt 2): The Devil Child, Elbows in Seoul, Oompa Loompa, Baroque Midnight Feast, Minangkabau Cuisine, Myna Birds at Paragon This episode of Letters to Kody was penned and published in Worcestershire, the home of the sauce. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   31 Aug 2026

   Skint in Singapore, The Devil Child, Scarlet Pimpernel, Departed Surabaya Beauty Queen, Swimming with Toads, Diving for Cyprus Treasure, Trapped Under a Table, Baroque Midnight Feast, Minangkabau Cuisine, Myna Birds at Paragon| 120 Countries and Counting

   Skint in Singapore, The Devil Child, Scarlet Pimpernel, Departed Surabaya Beauty Queen, Swimming with Toads, Diving for Cyprus Treasure, Trapped Under a Table, Baroque Midnight Feast, Minangkabau Cuisine, Myna Birds at Paragon This episode of Letters to Kody was penned and published in Worcestershire, the home of the sauce. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Mount Pinatubo Trek (Pt 2): Volcanic Acid Swim, Bottomless Crater Lake, Mystery Monster, Melted shoes, Manila, Dugongs, Clark Airbase, Mud, Rebirth, Coron Island, Kayangan Lake, Dissolving Skin, and a Klepto Monkey | 120 Countries and Counting

   Volcanic Acid Swim, Mount Pinatubo, Bottomless Crater Lake, Mystery Monster, Melted shoes, Manila, Dugongs, Clark Airbase, Mud, Rebirth, Coron Island, Kayangan Lake, Dissolving Skin, and a Klepto Monkey This episode of Letters to Kody was penned and published in Worcestershire, the home of the sauce. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Mount Pinatubo Trek (Pt 1): Mad Max, Volcano, Philippines, Mountain Gods, Bolivia, the Kari-Kari Monster, Mega Tsunami, and an Alaskan Crazy Rich Asian Wedding | 120 Countries and Counting

   Mad Max, Mount Pinatubo, Volcano, Philippines, Mountain Gods, Bolivia, the Kari-Kari Monster, Mega Tsunami, and an Alaskan Crazy Rich Asian Wedding. This episode of Letters to Kody was penned and published in Worcestershire, the home of the sauce. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   3 Aug 2026

   Mistbound Hy-Brasil, The Azores, and Manila : Mythical Island, Typhoons, Tornadoes, Plane Incident, LASIK, Sharks, Saltwater Crocodiles, and a Draft Thriller | 120 Countries and Counting

   Mythical Island, Typhoons, Tornadoes, Plane Incident, LASIK, Sharks, Saltwater Crocodiles, and a Draft Novel This episode of Letters to Kody was penned and published in Hy-Brasil, the Mid-Atlantic island of Irish myth, which may (or may not) be in the Azores. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   26 Jun 2026

   Belfast and Iceland : The Jewel Box, The Troubles, Masked Assassins, Medieval Irish Monks, Dream Sofas, Belfast Fog, and Fleetwood Mac | 120 Countries and Counting

   West Belfast, The Troubles, Masked Assassins, Mum’s Ashes, Rose Garden, Black Irish, Irish Monks in Iceland, Brown Recluse Spider, Magical Realism, Dream Sofas, Belfast Fog, Falls Road, and Fleetwood Mac. This episode of Letters to Kody was published in Worcestershire, England, in the same building where the marriage licence of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway is preserved. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

8. 

   25 Jun 2026

   Worcester and Manila: The Moth and the Mugwort | 120 Countries and Counting

   Football World Cup, Deserted Streets, Bridge over the Severn River, Late Night Sunset, Creatures of the Dusk, Portals, and Mugwort. This episode of Letters to Kody was recorded in Worcestershire, England, close to the church where William Shakespeare wed Anne Hathaway. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

9. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Belfast Fire Dragons, Lourdes Holy Water, Stolen Paintings, New York, Singing Cicadas, and a Fairy Wind in Seoul | 120 Countries and Counting

   Coal Smoke, Dragons, West Belfast, Monsters, Seoul, Holy Water, Lourdes, Long Island City, Fairy Wind, Chanel No. 5, Fallen Angel, Druids, Han River, and the Korean War. This episode of Letters to Kody was recorded in Times Square, New York City. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

10. 

    2 Jun 2026

    Mistbound Realm, Shamanic Trance, British Museum, Brontë Sisters, Buried Treasure, and Ancient Celts | 120 Countries and Counting

    Mistbound Realm, Germany, Ancient Headdress, Shamanic Trance, British Museum, Bloomsbury, Yorkshire, Brontë Sisters, Buried Treasure, and Ancient Celts. This episode of Letters to Kody was recorded in Times Square, New York City. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

11. 

    7 Apr 2026

    Appalachia, Mummified Monkeys, Changelings, Wild Dogs, Roman Legions, Yokai, Fairy Forts, Abandoned Airport, Egyptian Princess, and the Bridge of Spies | 120 Countries and Counting

    Appalachia, Mummified Monkeys, Changelings, Wild Dogs, Roman Legions, Fairy Forts, Abandoned Airport, Egyptian Princess, Yokai, Rochester, Berlin Wall, Bridge of Spies, Belfast, Camera Obscura, and Cyprus. This episode of Letters to Kody was recorded in Worcestershire on 3 April 2026, a few miles from the childhood home of Bosie, Oscar Wilde’s lover. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

12. 

    3 Apr 2026

    Yakushima Island, Studio Ghibli, The Faraway Tree, West Berlin, Queen Nefertiti, and Christopher Isherwood | 120 Countries and Counting

    Yakushima Island, Studio Ghibli, Princess Mononoke, The Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton, Germany, Giant Trees, The Amazon, West Berlin, Loggerhead Turtles, Queen Nefertiti, and Christopher Isherwood. This episode was recorded in Worcestershire, in the same building that preserves the marriage licence of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

13. 

    31 Mar 2026

    Tokyo Food Halls, Magnolias, Carrot Cake, Seoul, and the Mole People | 120 Countries and Counting

    Tokyo Food Halls, Snaggletooth, BTS, Magnolias, Dinosaurs, Dentist, Pickling, Carrot Cake, Eleanor of Provence, Fallen Bishop, Tutankhamun, and Seoul. This episode was recorded in Worcestershire, a few miles from the childhood home of Bosie, Oscar Wilde’s lover. Several years ago, a young man’s car collided with a fire truck in Kentucky. His name was Kody. He dreamed of seeing the world beyond the beauty of Kentucky, but had barely glimpsed it when he lost his life on his way to work at Walmart, aged twenty-three. For years beforehand, Kody had keenly followed my travel dispatches from around the world, sharing questions and comments. Now, through Letters to Kody, I’m taking him with me around the world — on the road, in the present, and through anecdotes from past travels. Every episode dedicated to Kody honours his spirit of adventure and curiosity. I’m author D. J. Swales. As a child, I gripped my teenage mum’s hand on a stormy ferry to Liverpool, fleeing the violence of conflict-torn Belfast. I haven’t stopped travelling since. I’ve been drifting in the wake of my grandfather — an old Irish sea-dog who circled the world a dozen times before being knocked into the hold of a ship in Hamburg. Since fleeing the bullets and bombs of Belfast, I’ve called twelve countries and three US states home, explored 120 countries and forty-five US states, and I’m still counting. These are memoir-letters from my tumbleweed life. Winding, personal, and wide-ranging, they move between nature, folklore, history, humour, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary ordinary moments that make life on the road worth living — and worth sharing. By listening, you speak Kody’s name. You help carry his spirit somewhere new. Letters to Kody is dedicated to all those who have wandered, all those who wish to wander, and to the loved ones we’ve lost along the way. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Letters to Kody is a travel memoir podcast exploring memory, myth, history, and place through a series of episodic letters addressed to a lost friend. Each episode is part journey, part reflection, and part remembrance. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps the journey continue. D. J. Swales (https://linktr.ee/djswaleswritesbooks) is the bestselling author of People of Bloomsbury (https://geni.us/1mUB4tC?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+charming+feel-good+ebook%21) and the Fitzmarbury Witches (https://geni.us/Part1ebook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=click+here+for+horror+ebook%21) series, available on Kindle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Contact Letters to Kody : Postcards from Coffeeshops

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.