Stories for daydreaming. A virtual blanket fort of respite from the busy world. Visit my website for each episode's contemplative prompts: fullywoven.com/woolgathering
Host Carolyn McVikar Edwards reads The Light Keeper's Box, a traditional origin story about day and night from the Warao people, offering a new perspective on the balance of light and darkness.
13 Dec 2024
Advent 2024: Mary Oliver's "Bird"
Mary Oliver shares her poignant and uplifting essay 'Bird' from Upstream, revealing the transformative power of compassion and care for the vulnerable.
5 Dec 2024
Advent 2024 - For Joshua by Richard Wagamese
Author Richard Wagamese shares the poignant letters he wrote to his son Joshua, offering a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of Indigenous identity.
8 Dec 2023
Revisiting Stealing from Wizards
The Stealing from Wizards series by R.A. Consell is so good that I'm sharing another excerpt. This time it's from the third book, Kidnapping, which was released on November 1, 2023.
The books tell the story of a young boy named Kuro. He has been raised in squalor and neglect by a rather wicked wizard who has groomed him to be a thief. Early on in the first book, his fate turns towards more hopeful happenings and he is sent to a school for magical children. His story continues with him discovering true friendship as well as crafting a chosen family.
In this third book we're getting closer to discovering the truth about Kuro's real heritage and in the reading I share today we witness Kuro meeting three magical weavers who connect deeply with him and create a tartan to represent his homelands.
You'll find accompanying contemplative prompts for today's reading at my website (https://www.fullywoven.com/woolgathering/).
And—this is ridiculously exciting—for a limited time you can listen to the first two audiobooks in the Stealing from Wizards series for FREE! Wow. Click thru to Ryan Consell's website (https://stealingfromwizards.com/podcast) to listen.
Stealing From Wizards: Volume 3: Kidnapping is written by R.A. Consell and is self-published by the author, Ryan Consell (November 2023).
The other self-published books from the Stealing From Wizards series are Volume 1: Pickpocketing (October 2019) and Volume 2: Burglary (June 2021).
I hope Ryan continues to write either in this series or another. I'll read them.
FYI: This is the last episode of this series and I'll return with a new series after a rest. Thank you for listening and engaging. It's always a delight chatting with others who love reading fiction as much as I do. Thank you.
22 Nov 2023
Spinning Silver
This book draws from the thematic threads of the German folktale about Rumpelstiltskin, that magical little imp who makes a horrific deal in exchange for his ability to spin straw into gold.
For me, the stories in Spinning Silver are about finding and making manifest one's golden brilliance. It's about not being afraid of your power and allowing yourself to be fully present in your gifts.
I read an excerpt from the end of chapter six where Miryem encounters the otherworldly Staryk king for the second time.
Accompanying contemplative prompts for this book can be found at my website.
Spinning Silver written by Naomi Novik and published by Del Ray, 2018. Naomi Novik is the author of many other novels, Including Uprooted (which is perhaps an origin story of Baba Yaga), a series about dragons, a series about a secret magical society, and numerous other stories.
2 Nov 2023
The Raven Tower
This delicious retelling of the classic Hamlet, is a familiar tale of deception riddled with class, court, and gender politics. It's told from the point of view of the narrator whose identity is not revealed until the final pages of the book. It's a good reveal!
I read an excerpt from the opening chapter of the book.
Accompanying contemplative prompts for this book can be found at my website.
The Raven Tower is written by Ann Leckie and published by Orbit of Hachette Book Group, 2019. Other novels by Ann Leckie are Ancillary Justice.(2013), Ancillary Sword (2014), Ancillary Mercy (2015), Provenance, (2017), Translation State (2023), and numerous short stories.
24 Oct 2023
Stealing From Wizards
This book is the first in a series of three and tells the story of a young boy named Kuro. He has been raised in squalor and neglect by a rather nasty wizard who groomed him to be a thief. Kuro is quick-footed for speedy get-aways and is well-practiced at blending into his background while being unobtrusive.
Early on in the book, his fate turns towards more hopeful happenings and he is sent to a school for magical children. His story continues with him discovering true friendship as well as crafting a chosen family.
I read an excerpt from the opening chapter in the book. Stealing From Wizards: Volume 1: Pickpocketing is written by R.A. Consell and is self-published by the author, Ryan Consell (October 29, 2019).
The other self-published books from the Stealing From Wizards series are:
Volume 2: Burglary (June 28, 2021)
Volume 3: Kidnapping (November 1, 2023)
2 Sept 2023
Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
This book tells the story of William Bellman from childhood through his life until old age. It's a ghost story of sorts and for me, it is about those losses, shocks, and traumas that colour our perspective of reality and alter our trajectory.
I read an excerpt from Chapter 12 of the book.
Bellman & Black is written by Diane Setterfield and published by Third Draft Limited, 2013.
Other books by Diane Setterfield are The Thirteenth Tale (2008) and Once Upon a River (2018). I wish she would write some more books.
21 Aug 2023
Monk & Robot by Becky Chambers
Some of my thoughts about my preferred book genre (hint: it's some sort of cosy) and a snippet reading from the opening chapter of Psalm for the Wild-Built: Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers.
21 Dec 2022
Advent 2022 - Lucy Looks into a Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
During the season of Advent 2022 I'll be sharing some writings from my favourite authors and thinkers. These readings are part of my online Advent calendar, which can be found here (https://fullywoven-advent-2022.carrd.co/).
Source: The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis, Lucy Looks into a Wardrobe (chapter one); published by Harper Collins, 2001.
6 Dec 2022
Advent 2022 - Together We're So Metta
During the season of Advent 2022 I'll be sharing some writings from my favourite authors and thinkers. These readings are part of my online Advent calendar, which can be found here (https://fullywoven-advent-2022.carrd.co/).
Source:
Eternal Echos: To Find Your True Home Within Your Life by John O'Donohue, Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong (pgs 93-93); published by Cliff Street Books, 1999.
30 Nov 2022
Advent 2022 - Having My Cake by Ursula K. Le Guin
During the season of Advent 2022 I'll be sharing some writings from my favourite authors and thinkers. These readings are part of my online Advent calendar, which can be found here (https://fullywoven-advent-2022.carrd.co/).
Source:
Having My Cake by Ursula K. Le Guin, No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters; published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.
30 Nov 2022
Advent 2022 - A Fantasy Fulfilled by Margaret Laurence
During the season of Advent 2022 I'll be sharing some writings from my favourite authors and thinkers. These readings are part of my online Advent calendar, which can be found here (https://fullywoven-advent-2022.carrd.co/).
Source:
A Fantasy Fulfilled by Margaret Laurence, Recongnition & Revelation: Short Nonfiction Writings, edited by Nora Foster Stovel; published by McGill-Queen's University Press, 2020.
30 Nov 2022
Advent 2022 - Comfort by Mary Oliver
During the season of Advent 2022 I'll be sharing some writings from my favourite authors and thinkers. These readings are part of my online Advent calendar, which can be found here (https://fullywoven-advent-2022.carrd.co/).
Source:
Comfort by Mary Oliver, Long Life: Essays and Other Writings; published by Da Capo Press, 2004.
28 Aug 2022
The Buried Moon
Today story is of the luminous Moon who's curiosity got the better of her and she stepped down from the sky to investigate rumors of dark, evil creatures in the bog. Following the short story are a series of question for you contemplation. The transcript of these questions can be found on my website (https://www.fullywoven.com/woolgathering/).
28 Aug 2022
The Mole's Wedding
Today's story is of two parents who love their young daughter very much and want her to marry only greatest being. It's also the story about two young mole's who are in love and many great beings of varying degrees of greatness depending on one's perspective. Following the short story are a series of question for you contemplation. The transcript of these questions can be found on my website (https://www.fullywoven.com/woolgathering/).
28 Aug 2022
Stone Soup
A retelling of the tale of hungry young man who together with a little old lady makes a bubbling pot of delicious stone soup. Following the short story are a series of question for you contemplation. The transcript of these questions can be found on my website (https://www.fullywoven.com/woolgathering/).
24 Aug 2022
The Woman of the Sea
A story from Northern Scotland of a woman who is also a seal. A story of a Selkie and a man and some children and a thatched cottage with a warm fire. Following the short story are a series of question for you contemplation. The transcript of these questions can be found on my website (https://www.fullywoven.com/woolgathering/).
Contact Woolgathering: Contemplative Rest
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Woolgathering: Contemplative Rest?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
