Novel and Nosh

Courtney
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Novel & Nosh is a podcast about nourishment in all its forms; stories, seasons, food, books, and lived experience. Each episode offers reflections and conversations that explore new ways of living, gathering, and finding belonging through shared moments. Across tables and through changing seasons, we collect stories that remind us we don’t have to do life alone. This is a podcast for those who crave depth without hustle, presence over productivity, and connection that feels real.

  1. 6D AGO

    Six Nature Rich Reads To Send You Outside

    Send us Fan Mail Spring feels like an invitation to step outside, so we share six books that spark the urge to garden, wander, and notice the world again. From children’s stories full of heart to atmospheric novels soaked in scent, marsh air, and cottage gardens, we focus on reads that bring hope and a strong sense of place.  • six spring book recommendations for nature lovers and gardeners  • Seedfolks as a quick read about a vacant lot garden and community change  • how shifting viewpoints reveal prejudice and the stories we invent about others  • The Garden Spells for magical realism and sisterly bonds rooted in plants  • Wish Tree as a hopeful children’s book told by a tree  • The Scent Keeper for sensory storytelling and an island coming of age arc  • Where the Crawdads Sing for marsh atmosphere and immersive setting  • The French Gardener for French cottage garden escapism and long held secrets  If you have any spring books that you love and you think I'd enjoy thinking of atmosphere, let me know what they are by heading to my community. You can go to novelinosh.com, click on join the community, and let us know what books that you are loving. And feel free to share with us if you ended up trying to get out in nature more and what you noticed there as well.  Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    12 min

  2. MAR 22

    Finding Peace With Past Choices Through Two Library Novels

    Send us Fan Mail We get honest about the midlife “what if” spiral and why it shows up in the most ordinary moments. Two library-centered novels help us see that every choice carries both gifts and losses, and that peace comes from returning to the present.  • the everyday moments that trigger rumination and second-guessing  • a personal example of questioning a path not taken  • how The Midnight Library frames alternate lives and decisions  • why regret tends to highlight the ups and erase the downs  • using fiction as a mirror for midlife perspective and self-compassion  • how The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and sacrifice  • the danger of quietly rewriting your own history to fit a simpler story  • seeing past decisions as protection for something you loved  • the good things inventory as a practical presence exercise  • resting without a phone as a way to live more fully  Feel free to head to novelinosh.com. You can join our community, or you can jump on the newsletter where I share a monthly newsletter with information about the books I'm loving, the food I'm eating, any travel if there is any that we go on and how to live more fully.  Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    14 min

  3. MAR 5

    Five Dystopian Novels That Redefine Nourishment

    Send us Fan Mail We explore five dystopian novels that turn food and choice into sharp mirrors, then share simple ways we prepare for storms while learning to taste ordinary life again. The thread is nourishment—physical, creative, and communal—and how to reclaim it with small, steady acts. • framing the core question of true nourishment • five dystopian reads linking food, choice and meaning • Wild Dart Shore and the duty to protect seeds • The Light Pirate and life after repeated hurricanes • The Wolves of Winter and survival in the Yukon • Station Eleven and art as a daily ration • The Giver and the emptiness of managed abundance • moving from reflection to practical preparedness • what’s in our one‑week emergency kit • microgreens as compact living food • slowing down to actually taste daily life Head over to novelandnosh.com, join the community and share with us what you're doing to live a more nourishing life this week Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    19 min

  4. JAN 9

    Moving From Overthinking To Trust: A Threshold Moment

    Send us Fan Mail We speak from the threshold between who we were and who we are becoming, letting go of the need to script the future and choosing one honest step forward. We reflect on fear, faith, and why loving action reveals the path faster than perfectionism. • naming the tension of change and threshold moments • how control and overthinking masquerade as safety • why outsourcing discernment to AI misses the point • a simple lens for decisions rooted in purpose and love • the power of one next step over a perfect plan • trusting timing, consistency and gratitude to open doors • our intent to share where books and food meet life Head to novelandosh.com to learn more I do have a community, and I'd love to have you join me over there as we start to live into this next iteration of life Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    7 min

  5. JAN 3

    Slowing down in January: Embrace winters pace for better health

    Send us Fan Mail January doesn’t have to be a sprint. We’re pressing pause on the “reset” rush and exploring how winter’s slower rhythm can actually make health easier: calmer mornings, warmer meals, deliberate training, and small changes that stick. Instead of chasing quick fixes, we lean into nature’s cues—shorter days, longer rest, and a softer pace—to reduce stress, improve digestion, and build strength without burnout. We start by reclaiming the first five minutes of the day to steady cortisol and set a humane tone: a few deep breaths, a short journal note, or a warm drink without screens. From there, we reframe eating as a mindful practice—sitting down, chewing more, and giving the body time to register fullness for better digestion and natural portion control. On the movement front, we slow the tempo: controlled reps, cleaner form, and intentional recovery to grow strength and mobility while lowering injury risk. It’s progress by presence, not punishment. We also share simple self care that works in real life: magnesium in the evening, an occasional Epsom salt bath, brief mindfulness before bed, and early daylight to support circadian rhythm and eye relief from screens. In the kitchen, we shift to seasonal comfort—roasted vegetables, blended soups without heavy cream, and a warm cacao smoothie or tea for antioxidant-rich, cozy nutrition. For goal setting, we champion one habit per month at about 80% consistency, a pace that outlasts the January hard reset. If you’re a caregiver or feeling post-holiday fatigue, this approach honors your bandwidth while still moving you forward. Try one slow-living habit this week and notice how your body and mind respond. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s tired of the hustle, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    21 min

  6. 12/11/2025

    From One-Click Carts To Shared Moments: Rekindling The Joy Of Holiday Shopping

    Send us Fan Mail In this reflective holiday episode of Novel and Nosh, we explore what’s gained and what’s quietly lost when convenience takes the driver’s seat during the Christmas season. Sparked by a simple conversation about online shopping, Courtney shares nostalgic memories of mall dinners, open-air shopping trips with friends, and the small, sensory-rich moments that made gift-gathering feel magical. Together, we look at how modern life, burnout, and the emotional labor so many midlife women carry make convenience a lifeline—and why it deserves zero shame. But we also unpack the subtle ways convenience can flatten our experiences and separate us from the rituals, surprises, micro-connections, and sensory delights that ground us and help regulate our nervous system. This episode offers a compassionate “middle path”: practical ways to blend the ease of online shopping with simple, seasonal traditions that bring back meaning—like creating one intentional shopping outing, pairing errands with cozy rituals, browsing for just one special gift in person, or using convenience to support small makers. You’ll walk away with gentle questions to help you notice where convenience truly serves you, and where a little slowness might bring back joy, connection, and presence. Tune in for nostalgia, nuance, and an invitation to savor the season—one small experience at a time. Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    18 min

  7. 12/04/2025

    Five Novels That Spark A Craving For Fresh-Baked Bread

    Send us Fan Mail We share five comforting novels where bread, small towns, and second chances meet, then walk through a simple sourdough method that drops the rules and keeps the flavor. The joy is in the making, not perfection, and we invite you to bake along with us. • Jenny Colgan’s Little Beach Street Bakery as coastal escape and renewal • Evie Woods’s Rue des Paris with magical realism and hidden baker • A community mystery led by older women after a death on the tracks • The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living as a Vermont second chance • Bread Alone trilogy as night-shift healing and craft • Starter care that lives in the fridge • The no-fuss formula: 50g starter, 325g water, 500g flour, 11g salt • Overnight rise, minimal folds, and flexible timing • Bake at 450°F, covered then uncovered, for a crust that sings • Realistic results, real pleasure, permission to skip perfection Join us: “Just head to novelandnosh.com, click on the join the community or the book and bake club”  “It's Novel and Nosh on YouTube” Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    17 min

  8. 11/13/2025

    Author Interview: Sasha Preston, Novelty Turns Ordinary Lives Into Adventures

    Send us Fan Mail A rule follower joins a heist, discovers her nerve, and reminds us why novelty can make life feel bigger. We sit down with author Sasha Preston to unpack The Sweetest Getaway, a witty, food-sprinkled caper where friendship, entrepreneurship, and courage take center stage. Jennifer, a cautious comic artist with big dreams, and Nari, a fearless hustler with flexible ethics, team up against a corporate villain and learn that risk can be a bridge to growth. It’s sharp, funny, and full of heart. We go behind the scenes of Sasha’s creative process—how weekly short-story swaps rekindled her writing habit, how she drafted on walks and lunch breaks, and why she now blends a loose outline with room for surprise. She shares the invaluable role of beta readers and editors, the sting and payoff of honest feedback, and the craft choices that turn a playful caper into a page-turner. For readers and writers alike, you’ll hear practical strategies for building momentum, shaping character arcs, and sustaining voice across a series without losing spontaneity. Food weaves through the book as a love language—Thai dinners, mango mocktails, and cookies that taste like freedom—inviting cross-cultural connection and presence in a screen-heavy world. We talk about friendship as fuel, women’s entrepreneurship as a throughline, and small, repeatable adventures that slow time and spark joy. Expect a smart heist rec for your TBR, a silky tofu smoothie you’ll actually make, and a sneak peek at an upcoming international caper that raises the stakes without losing the humor. If you’re craving a fun, fast read with thoughtful themes—female friendship, cozy crime, culinary fiction, rom-com energy—this one’s for you. Grab The Sweetest Getaway on Amazon, snag the free first chapter at sashapreston.com/newsletter, and stick around for the bonus chapter info. Loved the conversation? Follow, rate, and share the show with a friend who’d join your dream caper crew. Support the show Head to the website Novel and Nosh.com to join the community, grab our monthly newsletter, and read our blog posts.

    26 min
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About

Novel & Nosh is a podcast about nourishment in all its forms; stories, seasons, food, books, and lived experience. Each episode offers reflections and conversations that explore new ways of living, gathering, and finding belonging through shared moments. Across tables and through changing seasons, we collect stories that remind us we don’t have to do life alone. This is a podcast for those who crave depth without hustle, presence over productivity, and connection that feels real.

Information

  • Creator
    Courtney
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Novel and Nosh
  • Show Website
    Novel and Nosh