April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and take meaningful action to protect children and strengthen families. As someone who deeply values children and their well-being, I invite you to take part in this important month by participating in Safe Shores - The D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center’s upcoming events and activities:

👉👉🏾 Check out Safe Shores’ Child Abuse Prevention Month calendar of events: Child Abuse Prevention Month | Safe Shores.

Whether it’s attending a training, ordering a gourmet Cookie Box, making a donation (especially on April 25th/Giving Day), sharing resources, or simply starting a conversation, there are many ways to show that children matter—and that their safety, joy, and healing are priorities worth making time for.

Children can’t wait. And they shouldn’t have to. Together, let’s help create the safe, supportive world that all children deserve.

vestaclinicpod:

Audio Drama Sunday - 9th March ✨

I had such a busy week, it was so nice to escape in these worlds!

🌲 @hellofromthehallowoods (183) Loving the strong anti-fascist messages from this episode!! ‘His fight was her fight, and if they lost, they lost together.’ YES, TRUE. And my god, what an absolutely metal line: ‘Fire was precious. His soul was precious. And he was going to burn so much of it tonight.’ I actually felt palpitations hearing the delivery of that. 

🔎 @224bbaker (17) I have so many thoughts and feelings about Sherlock bloody Holmes. I loved hearing Madge, James and Hampton bouncing off each other again and I can’t believe the gang has been split up! I loved the delivery of SO many lines in this ep but “Hmm, I don’t know James, perhaps his own flat, I’ve been reliably informed that it’s ACROSS THE STREET!” was just hilarious. I can’t wait to find out what they get up to next!!! 

Also, can you believe that the F&S team sent me all these stickers 😭 I love them!! Thank you!!!

ALT

🌨️ @thewhitevault (19) No!! Dragana!!!! I really need her to be okay 🥺 Iffy’s backstory is so heartbreaking but I understand where she’s coming from in terms of being frustrated at her dad. I can’t think of a worse time for these emotional revelations to come out!! And she’s a true daughter?!?! I can’t imagine that means anything good!! But it does explain how she got through the quarry unscathed! Maybe their luck hasn’t run out yet! 

💍 @forgedbondspod (11) Oh no, Aphrodite was crying 😭 I’m actually astounded at how drama-free the ceremony was. I’m sure that just means there’s lots to come!! 

🔮 @spiritboxradio (1.13-1.15) I love these little bits of Sam lore we’re being drip fed!! I have some theories! The crystal ball episode felt very remnants-eque to me even though it was written years before. I love seeing common themes and ideas being explored through a person’s work - you can tell that their soul is going into it!! Also, I love the little eyeless doggie - they are a whippet to me on account of the flat-cap wearing owner (and whippets are my faves). 

Hope everyone has a good week!! ☀️

Amazing pods unite! I have loved @thewhitevault for some team — so great — and I just discovered @224bbaker. I. Am. OBSESSED. Every episode of the White Vault gives me chills. Every ep of Fawx & Stallion makes me laugh out loud. Truly the best of both worlds. First-rate productions. Highly recommend both pods. (Just added the others to my queue. Can’t wait to dig in.)

Very cool project at Sadie’s future high school. I hope this is still around when she gets there next year. Via Ashburn Magazine

redvalleypod:

Some Season 4 stats now it’s all out! For context - it took us over 2 years to first reach 300k downloads, and we passed that number in the 9 weeks since we released ‘The Brigadoon’. We’re so grateful to everyone who’s stuck with the show whether you found us yesterday or in the mists of 2020 ❤️

I love this show so much! I CANNOT WAIT for season 5. Thank you, @redvalleypod, for giving us the best podcast on earth!

ethicstownpod:

ALT

S2E1 - Something in the Water - is out now!

Addi catches you up on some of the things that have occurred in town over the past year.

(Frt, I missed posting this in a timely manner yesterday because I was doing something very important (hanging out with Rhys))

Just discovered this pod and I am a HUGE fan! Highly recommend.

So I didn’t reach my goal of reading 117 books this year — I’m at 110 — but such is a full life. I read 115 in 2023, but that was my wonderful year without work, so 117 was wishful thinking. Maybe I can read a few more in the final 12 days of the year…but really, who cares? It’s just fun to reflect on all the amazing stories out there. And as author Libba Bray wrote, “There is no greater power on earth than stories. People think boundaries and borders build nations. Nonsense—words do. Beliefs, declarations, constitutions—words. Stories. Myths. Lies. Promises. History.” 💯

I am so grateful for Libby and my public library for giving me the world, for free, at my fingertips. And thank you to Goodreads for the recommendations and keeping track. Some faves below. May we all find a good book or three in 2025!

Some of my favorite reads in 2024, from the end of the year to the beginning:

* Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

* All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

* The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

* The Kingkiller Chronicle series by Patrick Rothfuss (who REALLY needs to complete the trilogy already!)

* Verity by Colleen Hoover

* Young Jane Young, Elsewhere, both by Gabrielle Zevin

* The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

* The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley

* Dune by Frank Herbert

* Luckiest Girl Alive, The Favorite Sister, both by Jessica Knoll

* Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett

* When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

* The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty

* Ms. Demeanor by Elinor Lipman

* The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith

* The Braid by Laetitia Colombani

* The Women by Kristin Hannah (anything/everything from her)

* The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros

* Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

* Mister Magic by Kiersten White

* Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

* Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

* Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

* The Future by Naomi Alderman

* Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

* The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

* The Shattered Sea series by Joe Abercrombie

* The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro

* Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I am proud to serve on the Board of Safe Shores, the DC Children’s Advocacy Center, where we work to support child victims of abuse in DC. Each year, Safe Shores organizes a holiday giving drive to provide gifts for the children we serve. Every child completes a wish list, ensuring each child receives gifts they truly want. Right now, we have an opportunity to sponsor one (or more!) of the 150+ kids who created a wish list by either shopping for gifts (must be dropped off by 12/2) or donating directly to Safe Shores, as I did: https://www.safeshores.org/2024/11/08/help-make-the-season-brighter-for-child-victims-holiday-giving-2024/

I hope you’ll consider including Safe Shores in your charitable giving this year. We are dedicated to helping children and families heal from abuse in ways that honor their dignity and individuality. Safe Shores recognizes that when it comes to being trauma-responsive, one size fits just one. Please join me in making the holiday season brighter for children in need!

I just finished listening, for the second time front to back, to @camlannpod — a Welsh, post-apocalyptic, queer, intersectional, #feminist, fictional #podcast about three friends and a dog exploring identity, mental health, and Arthurian legend. The story is completely original and utterly hopeful, the soundscape is lush and bright, the acting is brilliant and award worthy, the music gives me chills — all told, it’s simply, impossibly gorgeous. Possibly the best scripted podcast EVER. I highly, highly recommend! Thank you Ella Watts and Amber at Tin Can Audio. I hope Camlann’s home fires burn for a LONG time.

Check out my top tip for adults facing #coercivecontrol on LCF’s Insta! The part that got cut off: the best part of new nonprofit #LivingCultFree is that we talk about what comes after. Bc we CAN all thrive after trauma: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6ElqC1Ocz6/?igsh=bm1lcWxsYWtmMHM2 Check out livingcultfree.com for more!

Y’all, please do me a favor and go buy #TheCheatingWife by my lovely friend and author Shelly Snow Pordea, now available on Amazon, then leave a review! I was honored to serve as editor for this book and I can tell you: it’s AWESOME. Shelly is the hardest working writer I know, plus a fellow #feminist and Board Co-Chair of our new nonprofit, Living Cult Free. No one deserves our support more! ❤️ #livingcultfree https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D23YHWP7?dplnkId=f5d46915-9fb5-44b9-a6c9-ea9921336619&nodl=1