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- [00:01]
A
Hi, I'm Emily.
- [00:03]
B
I'm Ashley, and this is Books with youh Besties. Hi, besties. We are back and we actually asked you what you wanted to hear about. And surprisingly, you really like the Ask Us Anything episodes, which, I don't know. I think we're boring, Emily, but apparently people want to know about us.
- [00:22]
A
I think you're boring, Ashley. It's just. It's just me. That's so funny and fun.
- [00:27]
B
I love that every time we do one of these, we look at the listener questions and I. By we, I mean me and you go in completely blind. What if these questions were horrible or super personal? And I'm like, well, here we are. Answer it.
- [00:41]
A
You'll for sure stump me again a few times. It's fine.
- [00:45]
B
We have 21 questions. So a lot of them are about books, not surprisingly, or the podcast because they were asked on the Creepy Book Club account on Instagram. So if you don't follow us, we are at the Creepy Book Club or at Books with your Best Besties on Instagram. And these are all questions you asked. So do you want to get started? Em.
- [01:05]
A
Let's do it.
- [01:07]
B
All right. The first question is very easy. Why did we decide to start a podcast?
- [01:13]
A
Okay. I think the primary reason actually was because we were offering zooms and people were asking for zoom recordings because they missed the zoom or they just wanted to know what did people think about the book? Or what did we think about the book? Like, what was said about the book. They just wanted to process. People want to process, but they can't do it in real time all the time. And we weren't about to just record all of our members talking and put it out into the entire universe. And so we decided why don't we talk about books sometimes and then share it out and let people listen on their own time.
- [01:47]
B
I agree. It felt like a crime of opportunity. Is that a saying where it was kind of like we had this one media outlet piece we weren't using and people were asking us to use because just like when you or I finish a book and we want to talk about it, people want to know what other people think of the books that they're reading and freaking out about. So it felt like a really organic place to share our thoughts on the books that we pick.
- [02:13]
A
Yeah.
- [02:14]
B
And then some other episodes about not book stuff.
- [02:18]
A
I think that all just evolved naturally.
- [02:21]
B
I do, too. Speaking of, if you want to be prepared for a couple weeks from now, Emily told me I should read this Strange Sally book, and I Strange Sally diamond, and I can't stop reading it.
- [02:33]
A
Yeah. So if you want to be prepared. Strange Sally diamond by Liz Nugent, we're going to talk about that one. And then are we going to talk about Ashley Winstead's this Book Will Bury.
- [02:43]
B
Me, and then we will also talk about the quiet librarian, Alan Eskins.
- [02:48]
A
Yes. So that's three books to put on your immediate to read pile so that you can be prepared to listen to us blather on about them.
- [02:56]
B
And I'll put them in the show notes, links to all of them. Okay, next question. Anybody who has listened to us knows the answer to this already, but I do think it's a good question because you and I never really had an explicit conversation about this. Someone wanted to know, do we ever shy away from topics on the podcast people might want us to talk about, like politics or religion? This is just me interviewing you. I've decided. You.
- [03:23]
A
I know you answer this one.
- [03:25]
B
Well, no, no. And we. Correct me if I'm wrong, but we have from the beginning just very firmly stood in who we are and, and what we stand for. And that that wasn't going to stop what we share along with sharing the books that, that we love. Right?
- [03:45]
A
Yeah, I think so. I mean, especially, especially politics. I, I just feel comfortable saying what we feel and believe and think and talking about facts sometimes. And, and if people don't like it and they don't want to hear it, they don't have to listen, and that's okay with us. And hopefully they do listen because we're not offensive in the way that we talk about it. I also think religion, of course, we have our own viewpoints on religion. We're willing to share. I will say the one place that I will talk about something and then say, I don't want it out me, with my personal life, I can't. And I. I just can't talk about a lot of things about my university work or I don't want stuff about my kids on. On podcasts. Right. So sometimes I'll talk, I'll say something, and I'll be like, cut that whole thing out.
- [04:35]
B
That makes sense, right? Because as mothers and women and people with careers in the world, we have to make sure that we're putting our own safety and keeping some things sacred while also being very authentic in who we are. It's a. It can be a fine line. Okay, we can't answer this one yet, but we got asked this question no less than I think it was 12 or 13 times. People really wanted to Know what authors are going to be at retreat, and if we thought about partnering with a tattoo artist or a place where people can get tattoos. So 1. We don't know who's coming yet, but we do have a list of who we are going to ask. Is that a safe thing to say?
- [05:20]
A
Ish.
- [05:21]
B
Yes.
- [05:21]
A
I mean, we have a list. Ish. Of people we want to invite. The problem is the list is long. I mean, I'd like to invite about 60 different authors. Is that too many?
- [05:32]
B
I think 60. I think 58 would be fine. Actually, we're lying because I do think we know at least three authors who will be attending. And then we just need to. Oh, no. Oh, no. Emily.
- [05:44]
A
Is that true? That's all I'm asking. Is that true?
- [05:47]
B
I hope it's true. I feel like. I feel like it was an unsaid agreement that these three will be coming. Anyway, let's move on because we can't. We can't say anything else.
- [05:56]
A
We're gonna get on this. We're getting on it. We promise. We're working, actually really hard already. And Lauren is working our event planner, her tail off. Already on retreat. 20, 26.
- [06:08]
B
Yeah. And people want us to partner with a. Either a tattoo place in town or have a tattoo artist on site.
- [06:18]
A
Someone said that last year. Okay. So last year we had a hat maker, a custom hat maker, and she put decals and stuff on. Stuff on a hat for you. And we had a custom bracelet maker, and people loved both of those. And the line was really long. And they were not hosted by us. They were just vendors that were there that you could go get in line and purchase a bracelet if you wanted to. And somebody there suggested, what about bringing in a tattoo artist that could. A mobile tattoo artist, I think. I'm not opposed to that idea.
- [06:47]
B
Or.
- [06:47]
A
Yeah, it'd be cool to reach out to a tattoo place and see if they wanted to partner in some way. You know, our members are awesome, and they get tattoos to commemorate doing something for themselves, getting away and being with other people who love something that they love, like thriller books.
- [07:06]
B
I think having one on site, you would have to have like a. A budget and a. Here's the designs we offer. Because someone couldn't be like, I want a half sleeve in the. In the 90 minutes you have here. So if we could partner with someone, there would be more opportunity to get something maybe larger, but on site, it would probably be. Pick from these. Here's. Here's your choices.
- [07:28]
A
Right. You get a little heal. A heart.
- [07:30]
B
Yeah. And and you would be asked, how many espresso martinis have you had? Because I'm not giving you a tattoo if the answer is 12.
- [07:38]
A
True. This.
- [07:41]
B
This question got asked frequently and I guess maybe because we talk about them, people think we have an interest in this. I do not have you. I'm lying. Because if one of the authors we worked with asked us to, we'd be a yes. Here's the actual question. Have you ever wanted to write a book?
- [07:58]
A
Me, Emily, Secretly, Yes, I have thought about it a lot. In fact, I started a book probably five years ago.
- [08:06]
B
Is it the book club book?
- [08:08]
A
No.
- [08:09]
B
Oh.
- [08:09]
A
But that is still the best idea that I have.
- [08:13]
B
It is.
- [08:14]
A
What?
- [08:16]
B
Not the book that you started five years ago. Would it be a fiction book or a nonfiction book?
- [08:22]
A
Fiction.
- [08:23]
B
And not in your line of work or in your line of work?
- [08:27]
A
No, not in my line of work. But I think that because of my line of work, it helps with some good perspective around available topics that could be of interest. So that's kind of why I was interested. I mean, I've had to do a lot of writing in my career, a lot of scientific writing, but just doing so much writing constantly has made me believe that I could write a fiction book that would be 20% legible, maybe, and not at all palatable. But still, it just the exercise of it could be fun. My coworker wrote a book, a fiction book, for fun. I mean, lots of my co workers have written textbooks and stuff. Right. And I've been invited to. I've written like an edited chapter in a book or that kind of thing. Like we've done lots of that kind of writing. I. I would love to bring that kind of same scientific writing energy to the fiction world. Wouldn't that be a good time for everybody?
- [09:28]
B
I would read it. I'd be your first pre order.
- [09:31]
A
No, no, no. I don't think it's probably in the cards. Unless what we need is, we need about a lot more Patreon members to help support the show so that we're actually making, you know, a little bit of money that I could have.
- [09:44]
B
Time, freedom of time, freedom of money to write your book. I think you would be an extraordinary author and write a great book. I would never write a book. Can you even imagine? I can't even write an email. I could write. I could vomit ideas onto a page and then hire a. Is it a ghostwriter?
- [10:01]
A
Yeah.
- [10:02]
B
Here's the story I want to tell. I can't personally write it, but you probably could.
- [10:07]
A
But it would be so bad. I would have no, no training everyone. I'd be like in those author groups and people would be like, did you read that lady's book? I couldn't even get through it. I DNF'd it at page 12.
- [10:20]
B
Oh, that. You perfectly led me into one of the questions. What is one book that you dnf?
- [10:29]
A
You go first because you told me earlier and we had a moment. So you go first.
- [10:34]
B
I.
- [10:35]
A
The one question that I heard, this is the one question I knew.
- [10:38]
B
So here's the thing. It's not that the book was poorly written. It's not that I wasn't moderately invested in it. I just wasn't invested enough that I felt the need to have to finish it. And I don't like to bash any books, but this is a question that was asked and lots of people have liked it. So comment with or message us with how it ended. I did not finish. First lie wins. And I was reading it with my eyes.
- [11:01]
A
Okay. I didn't finish it either. And I was reading it with my ears. And that's just funny because I don't think I told you that. I think I. And I got really far into, like, probably 70% and I was just like, I'm all done. I don't. I just can't continue.
- [11:16]
B
Yeah, same. I. I looked at it on my shelf last night and thought I could finish it, but I'm not going to.
- [11:23]
A
Yeah. Isn't that funny?
- [11:24]
B
I know. Let's do another book question. What is one non thriller book? And I'm going to say non Kristin Hannah book, because that's always what we go with. That we would recommend.
- [11:37]
A
Non thriller book that we would recommend.
- [11:40]
B
And I added the caveat. Non Kristin Hannah.
- [11:43]
A
Right. I think in my recent past, I really enjoyed American Dirt by Janine Cummings. I really enjoyed Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. That's two.
- [11:59]
B
That is two. What would you.
- [12:01]
A
What would you recommend?
- [12:03]
B
Well, do you. I don't. So you and I are weird because books that other people might think are thriller, like, I don't see as thrillers. So mine I think I probably read two years ago. It's the Invisible Life of Addie Larue.
- [12:20]
A
I love that book.
- [12:22]
B
I just. Beautiful book. And it wasn't. There are elements of it that are different, but I wouldn't categorize it as a thriller.
- [12:31]
A
No, it's not at all. I love, loved that book. I would totally recommend that one as well.
- [12:35]
B
Yeah, that's one that, if anybody asks me for a book, it's kind of a deal breaker for me if they read it and don't like it. I have books that I recommend and if people don't like them, I'm like, well, now I don't like you.
- [12:46]
A
Yeah, that's everything we read. We're like, can you believe she said that? I'm just kidding. We don't do that. We don't really care most of the time.
- [12:55]
B
Our listeners wanted to know if we cheat on our own book club, like are we in any other book clubs? Do we want our members?
- [13:05]
A
I do, I do. I have a book club locally and we don't read thrillers. We read all kinds of other things. And a lot of, a lot of very unique reads lately. And it's I think up to 14 women or 13 women. And we get together once a month at somebody's house and have food and wine and it's fun. And it's tonight.
- [13:27]
B
I didn't know you had it tonight.
- [13:28]
A
I know, but I'm not sure if I can go because Steve hasn't worked dinner. So anyway, I do cheat in that way. It is actually hard sometimes to integrate the other book into my reading because I have so many things I want to read and that I'm handed this book like right now. Our book is called I'm gonna tell you a certain hunger by Chelsea Summers and it's about cannibalism.
- [13:51]
B
Did you see my face?
- [13:54]
A
We, we read some interesting stuff. We read some interesting stuff. I don't know, you know, some of them have been really amazing. That's where we read tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. I read that through my book club and sometimes I'm not that into them, but it's really fun getting all that.
- [14:08]
B
Variety and it's fun to have an in person book club. Right. Like when we do retreat every year, I'm like, oh my gosh, it's so good to be with these people offline talking about the things we love.
- [14:19]
A
Totally.
- [14:19]
B
The next book related question is what is a movie or miniseries? We actually thought did a good job for telling the book's story. So like a book that was made into a movie or miniseries, you know, usually you see it and you're like, oh, the book was so much better. What is one that we think they actually did a good job.
- [14:40]
A
I can. I'm gonna give you two.
- [14:42]
B
Oh, you better not steal mine. Go. You start.
- [14:45]
A
I thought Gone Girl was phenomenal both ways. And I read the book first and I also thought the girl on the train was excellent both ways.
- [14:58]
B
Agree 100 on both of those. My other one would be sharp objects.
- [15:04]
A
I thought you were gonna say that. I liked it, but here's what I didn't like about it as a. As a film. It was one of those that was so dark, and I'm almost 45 years old. I couldn't freaking see half of the time what was going on. I needed. You know, I need a dark room. If I had. If we had more Patreon members, I could get a movie theater in my house. It has to be dug out underground because there's nowhere to put it. But then I could have seen it in our pitch black movie theater room, maybe.
- [15:35]
B
Let's be really honest. If we had more Patreon members, you could get. You don't even need a movie theater. You just need a new laptop.
- [15:44]
A
That's true. It'll be bad.
- [15:47]
B
You could watch movies on your laptop.
- [15:49]
A
Oh, that's interesting. I could get blinds on the windows so that I could actually see because it's so, like, lit up and bright.
- [15:57]
B
I know.
- [15:57]
A
Huge problem. All this natural light in my home is making it hard to watch my tv.
- [16:02]
B
This is gonna. This is controversial, and I wasn't gonna bring it up, but I don't give an shi. I'm not gonna say the whole thing. I disregard all of the controversy around it and the actors and the actresses. I thought Colleen Hoover. What's the name of the book?
- [16:20]
A
It ends with us.
- [16:21]
B
I thought that that movie adaptation was very well done from the storytelling in the book.
- [16:28]
A
I did, too. I don't understand why people hate it so much. Like, I thought the movie was super entertaining. I guess I'm easier to please. I don't know.
- [16:36]
B
Did you see Luckiest Girl Alive? I thought that one was very well done.
- [16:40]
A
I did. Yes, that too. Yeah. So there's some really good ones. I al. I also liked the window. Woman in the Window. The ruth ware. Wait, A.J. finn.
- [16:51]
B
A.J. finn.
- [16:52]
A
I was getting the woman in cabin 10 mixed up. The Ruth wear one. And that's coming out. I heard.
- [16:56]
B
Yes. And is. So it's Verity. Another question is, will we see Verity when it comes out? Yeah, of course.
- [17:02]
A
Of course.
- [17:03]
B
Like one? I. I wish it was coming out at retreat. And we could just buy a movie theater and be like, we are all going to watch Verity.
- [17:10]
A
Wouldn't that be so much fun? Let's call the movies and see if they'll, like, try to release it that same weekend.
- [17:19]
B
People did want to know both how we picked Scottsdale and why we are deciding to stay there. So I'll I'll take the first part, you take the second part. Does that sound like a deal?
- [17:29]
A
Yes.
- [17:30]
B
We picked it because a of all we like to be places that are hopefully predictably a tad warmer in the middle of winter. And a lot of our members requested that be of all it is in a location that's fairly easy to get to from wherever you are in the United States. A major hub being Phoenix Sea of all that's it. We loved the resort. The second we saw the resort where we were hosting it, we thought this is, this is our feeling. This is what we want our members to feel when we're together.
- [18:01]
A
Yeah. And we went New Orleans the year before so that was a little bit more east and so we were trying to come back a little west. I understand we could go back towards the east coast. The problem is and why we're staying in Scottsdale and maybe forever, we don't know. But moving a massive retreat every year is impossible. We had zero resources at our disposal. Going to New Orleans we had to just plan everything sight unseen and hope that it worked out. Even this year in Scottsdale, the first half of our planning was very much like fly by the seat of our pants flying blind until we found an on the ground event planner. Lauren is the most exceptional event planner and human being and she's just phenomenal at every single thing she does and we would never give her up. And the way that she can operate in and around the Scottsdale area is so valuable to us. So that's why we're going back is we can't fathom trying to accommodate 400 people and make it feel personal and comfortable and give everyone all the access that they want in a brand new place again. And I will say of our size and scope we would. We are the only book club who did not previously have a home location. So all of these other retreats are in the same location. Even. Even the exact same location every single year. So while we loved the idea of bebopping around, we just have way too much demand to try to accommodate too many people. And we're going to stay there for now.
- [19:46]
B
But we're so excited about it because I think we have already built some relationships with businesses we didn't get to work with last time who are super eager to work with us the next time around. So I think when you stay put to you can build those relationships and people get so excited for you to come back. Yeah.
- [20:04]
A
And you know what? The Scott loved our group and it's because our people are all Kind and awesome and happy. And this, you know, showing up with a bunch of people who like to read books and get to see authors was way more fun for them than some of these corporate retreats where everyone's miserable. And so I think, you know, just being present the way that we are in Scottsdale, those connections are going to come even faster.
- [20:31]
B
Well, that brings me to the next question which makes me think about something you are very aware of and have helped me be very aware of. People wanted to know, are there any behind the scenes stories, things that have happened with either retreat or book club we would feel comfortable sharing that we have kind of hidden from our members when it's happening. And I thought a great example was when we arrived in New Orleans. The hotel where we were staying just felt a little corporate and you and I quickly kind of pivoted to making it the best experience for everyone that we could. Right. Yeah.
- [21:12]
A
Well, and I would say there were a few things that happened in New Orleans that we hid from most of our membership. You know, we talked to a few members about maybe, but our AV no showed. I mean that's the thing about planning an event somewhere you don't know. And then we didn't have backup people that we knew to call. So we were, we really struggled there. So I'd say that was another big one.
- [21:37]
B
Yeah. And I think we. One of the behind the scenes things, without naming any group in particular, we have had countless issues working with publishers. I think the issues people don't understand that go into trying to order hundreds of books and little snafus that can happen and we're not telling our members along the way. Like I spent nine hours on the phone today or Emily being like, FedEx showed up at my house with the books. They're supposed to be in Portland. Just the number of hours put into dealing with working with multiple, multiple people and feeling like your head's going to spin off to get our members books. And by the time our members get them, they're beautiful in their boxes on their doorsteps and you really want to be like, you have no idea what journey we took and that book took to get to you.
- [22:27]
A
No, totally. One time when they came to my house like this, the third time after we changed our address with all the publishers, the third time they still accidentally ship them here. And they every time they have been like, our bad, we're sending them the right place. But the UPS guy, usually they come on a pallet normally like a freight truck delivers them on a giant pallet. And it's all wrapped, so it's like not that big of a lift for the driver because they have a liftgate and all of that. But there's a couple of publishers where they come in individual boxes. And one time. One time, my delivery driver, we have a regular UPS guy here, and he came by and he knocked on the front door, and he's like, I have 70 boxes of books for you. I was like, pull them around the side. You know where they go. He knew what to do. And he and I worked together to unload them. And he was super nice and happy, and I was fine. But I wasn't home when this second error happened. And so Steve didn't really know. And also, there was a UPS guy. Sub. We had a sub. So it wasn't our normal UPS guy. Dang it, Derek, you can't go on vacation because this UPS guy unloaded all of the boxes onto the front porch. And then Steve's like, we need to refuse those. They go back to sender. And he was so pissed off that my husband tipped him. My husband gave him money because he felt bad for him. He was so mad. And we were. I was like. I was like. Kept texting my husband. I was like, is it Derek? He's like, I don't. I don't think so. I don't know. Who's Derek? And I'm like, derek would never, never unload all of the boxes.
- [24:08]
B
Well, and then you called me, and I was on a run, and you were like, why are the books at my house? And I called the publisher. We won't blast who they are. And I got the nicest gentleman who worked in customer service, and he was like, this is not my job, but I'm gonna figure it out. And he stayed on the phone with me, and we figured it out, and it turned out being okay.
- [24:27]
A
Yeah.
- [24:28]
B
Oh, yeah. Poor Steve. I think I sent Steve a text after that, just being like, hey, sorry about that, Steve.
- [24:33]
A
You sent him, like, a $10 Venmo.
- [24:36]
B
For a. I would say the other behind the scenes thing. Because here's the thing. And you're better at this than I am. We are always making every single decision from the question of how will this benefit our members? Like, how will the decisions we are making impact them? Not how will it impact our business, but how will it impact the way it feels to be a member of this book club or podcast listener? And we literally hired someone, worked incredibly hard. And by we, I mean Emily, because she built our website from the ground up to change platforms to go to a completely different platform and then decided that wasn't what's best for our members. And that was hours of work and communication on our part, on the contractors part we were using. But in the end, I mean, you can speak more to this than I can. And we thought, this isn't. We have to keep doing what we're doing because it's best for our people.
- [25:38]
A
Yeah. So that we spent so much time and money trying to figure out the best way to serve our community because we just wasn't feeling like we had a good landing spot. I actually think Patreon's amazing, and I'm so glad we finally pivoted to that and got there. And then we have our shop online that people can shop, but I think that's working better.
- [26:00]
B
Okay, do you have time for three more questions or do you have to go.
- [26:02]
A
No, I don't have to go.
- [26:04]
B
One more. And I don't know exactly if they mean monetary success or building community success, but someone said, what is a barrier to success in the podcast and. Or book club world?
- [26:19]
A
Oh, so many.
- [26:21]
B
I was like, we can take. Just go for it. Say all the things.
- [26:24]
A
Well, actually, I will say one thing that sort of fits both of the last two questions that our listeners can here today that we recorded our entire. First, we're offering a true crime episode for our Patreon members only, our VIPs. And it's once a month and it's a totally extra episode. And it's purely true crime. And we recorded the entire episode on Kyron Horman yesterday, and we're starting over. So I'd say a barrier is getting it right and how much time you spend getting it wrong. Being able to make progress with how often that kind of thing does happen. I think just finding our audience is really hard. And I think the problem for small businesses is. Oh, my gosh, I could talk forever about this. I'm just going to say a few small things. One is costs. We can't compete with Amazon in terms of our book prices, but we don't even make money anymore on our books. Like, our net profit is zero because everywhere raises their costs. They're huge and can absorb loss in customers. We can't. Right. So there's like, it's very complex that way. For small businesses, we can't compete, but we can't get the prices they get, if that makes sense. So that's a huge barrier, is finding people who are willing to spend a few extra dollars, three extra dollars or something to support a small Business versus going with the largest, cheapest option.
- [27:55]
B
What else to add to that? We are also absorbing the costs as we are shipping our books of prices of boxes going up, prices of tissue paper going up. And since we started, we've never raised our price for the book of the month.
- [28:09]
A
I know, and I think, I think that's going to be over. I mean, especially with tariffs. Like there are just products we buy that I know they outsource some of their materials that are going to be tariffed and their prices are going to go up to the point that we are literally losing money.
- [28:21]
B
Money.
- [28:22]
A
We cannot lose money and keep our doors open. So at some point I think that our book of the month price is going to have to increase.
- [28:30]
B
I agree. Two other not so much barriers. But you and I don't like to self promote. As much as I'm on the Internet and talking about myself and my life, you and I don't like to really do that with our business or feel like we are begging for anything. Right. Because we chose to do this business. We love doing it. But the thing about the book world is that I have come to recognize people who love to read books don't really love to talk about how much they read books and the community that they're a part of. So I would never ask our members to please share with us everywhere. But the amount of private messages we get from people saying how much they love being a part of the club and how much joy it's brought their life, but they're just not people who are sharing it widely. So it's just really hard to figure out how to reach more people without asking people to do something they might not feel comfortable doing, if that makes sense.
- [29:31]
A
Yeah, I think that's really hard. I mean, we need to hire professionals to help us, but we can't afford to hire professionals to help us. That's the chicken and the egg problem with any small business. Right, Right. And I know if we did, it could probably help us. So at some point it's going to be worth it to do that. But it really is just getting that, getting our products and our information into the hands of consumers.
- [29:57]
B
And figuring out how. Yeah, that's. Maybe that's a 2026 problem because right now we just have to finish. Planning retreat is a ten month process.
- [30:05]
A
Totally. And like just filming a podcast and editing it every week. We're just trying to stay afloat here in OR and like getting books and all of that. So the other thing is, yeah, the self promotion piece is hard And I think we have a hard time because we really care so much about the community asking for money. And we hear and have seen, like, pushback on when we have changed things where people would have to pay for something, right?
- [30:33]
B
Yes.
- [30:34]
A
And it hurts our feelings. We're too sensitive when we look at comparable events.
- [30:41]
B
I mean, we could talk about this forever when we look at comparable events to retreat or comparable subscription programs. Even our Heidi, who you all have met, who is our, like, one employee, is begging us to raise our prices on everything. She's like, you guys, I don't understand. I don't understand. But for some reason, the love of our community stops us from doing it.
- [31:03]
A
I know. Like, the closest thriller book festival that's four readers that I could find has a ticket that's like $600 for an inclusive weekend. And yeah, 25 for the book of the month is really cheap. Let's just say it's going to be 28 probably or something. Right? Because it has to. It has to rise to just cover our costs. But I just, I think it's hard for us to do that because we want you to have the access. Does. Does that make sense, Ashley?
- [31:36]
B
Yeah, that absolutely makes sense.
- [31:38]
A
Like, we don't want to restrict that. It's like, now it's too expensive and you can't afford to do it anymore. We want you to be here. We want you to stay part of the community. But we also were like, but also, AV does cost $40,000, FYI for an event like this.
- [31:54]
B
We put on. I didn't tell you. I'm gonna out it right now. I'm outing this right now. Last week, when. When we. When Lauren and I talked about planning 2026.
- [32:03]
A
Yes.
- [32:04]
B
She had had a quote. I'm gonna stop yelling. She had a quote from an outside AV company. And that quote was fantastic. Like, okay, but here's the thing. Then she. Then she asked how much would it cost to have this AV on property? So literally what she's asking is if you facilitated having them here, like, showing them where to plug things in, how much would that cost us? $27,000.
- [32:31]
A
So it's more expensive. So it's $27,000 for us to bring in an outside AV company.
- [32:36]
B
And that doesn't. That's not. Of the AV company.
- [32:39]
A
That's like the wine corkage fee.
- [32:41]
B
Yes. So anyway, I was like, oh. She's like, I'll try. I'll try more and get back to you.
- [32:48]
A
That's what last. Last year, I think the WI fi was really Bad in the conference spaces. That's because. How much was it? It was like $9 per person. Who. If we got a better wi fi, I was like, we don't need to spend five grand on people. Let's. Let's unplug. Everybody turn off your cell phone.
- [33:08]
B
We have two more. One of them, though, could take us forever. So I don't think we're going to talk about that one today. It's about being women in our 40s and just, like, how our hormones. That's a. That could be a whole nother podcast. People wanted to know what are. I feel like we answered this one before, and I actually hate this book. And I hate this whole thing, but it's a term people know. People wanted to know for you and I, what are our love languages? You know, like gift giving, getting gifts, physical touch, words of affirmation. What are ours?
- [33:40]
A
Mine's acts of service, for sure. Like, if somebody does something that helps lighten my load, that feels like love. What's yours?
- [33:49]
B
Anything except physical touch. Unless it's you. I like to hug you and sit close to you. So mainly anything but that. Acts of service, for sure. Or I. I like when I do something and I'm not doing it to try to get a thank you, but I get a thank you. So is that like words of.
- [34:08]
A
Words of affirmation.
- [34:10]
B
Yeah, words of affirmation. I just like being recognized for doing something I didn't expect to be recognized for doing.
- [34:17]
A
Oh, that's. That's nice.
- [34:19]
B
Yeah, maybe. And okay, this one. I don't. People said if you have. If you could only do one for the rest of your life, would you pick a paper or hardback book or audiobooks if you had to do one, probably paper.
- [34:38]
A
What would you pick?
- [34:41]
B
So, you know, I love the way a book feels, but. And I love reading books with my eyes. But you're gonna get. I think you'll get way less content. Like, you'd have less access to books than if you picked audiobooks.
- [34:56]
A
I'm like, I. I just can get through an audiobook in, like, three days because I go for a run, I drive, I. Whatever, I walk the dog, right?
- [35:04]
B
Okay, we have time for one more dream location. If money wasn't an object for us or any of our members, and we were just like, here, here's where we're going.
- [35:13]
A
Oh, do we have somebody? The person who asked, did you pin them and see if they could afford to take us?
- [35:17]
B
Are you a venture capitalist?
- [35:19]
A
Do we have a billionaire on. In the book club? As a member, that's super fun. I don't know. What do you think?
- [35:28]
B
I feel like my scope is so limited to places I've been. Like, my heart says Italy because of the coast and the food. But I've. There are other places I haven't been that probably our listeners will say, well, this place would be awesome.
- [35:42]
A
Well, I mean, yeah, let's go to New Zealand.
- [35:45]
B
You know, I think they don't have snakes in New Zealand. Someone said so I would go there.
- [35:53]
A
Indonesia? I don't know.
- [35:55]
B
No, I'm not going anywhere. Cold or super windy.
- [36:00]
A
Probably New Zealand's out. How about Tahiti?
- [36:07]
B
Oh, that sounds fun. Although it's super humid. I'm such a person in my 40s who just wants to become. Honestly, just sun. River. I would say sun.
- [36:15]
A
Ashley's like, I want to be in my living room.
- [36:20]
B
Okay, the last one, and I just think this one's cute. People were like, with how much work you put in, how tired are both of you at the end of retreat?
- [36:31]
A
Lots of crying. So I think that's both tired and happy and relieved. We are very, very invested in your experience.
- [36:42]
B
And literally, we went to Postino's the day after and hugged and cried. We were like, we did it. We did it. But I would say the tiredness doesn't hit me until I'm probably four days out because I'm still on such a high.
- [36:57]
A
Yeah, I feel like I don't get that tired because it's just so good.
- [37:02]
B
Yeah.
- [37:02]
A
Like, I'm so happy that. Yeah, that. That high helps attenuate any of the fatigue. I do think I had maybe a week where I was like, I can't do anything.
- [37:13]
B
When I got back, I think we get sad, maybe not tired. We're like, oh, we can't. We can't have espresso martinis for breakfast and laugh with all of our friends all day long.
- [37:24]
A
I just want to point out that you said, okay, two more questions. Then you asked, like, five.
- [37:29]
B
I just saw that you were still here, and I took advantage. Okay, you have to go, and I have to go read Strange Sally Diamond.
- [37:36]
A
Okay.
- [37:38]
B
Hey, thanks for listening, guys. Make sure to pop over to Patreon and check out everything that's going on. Bye. Bye. Thanks for listening.
- [37:50]
A
For more content, find us on Patreon at the creepy book club.
- [37:54]
B
Happy reading.