Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

S6 E1: D.G. Kaye on her podcast “Grief - The Real Talk” Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.  I am delighted that blogger, non-fiction writer, memoir author and podcaster, Debby Gies and I are connecting Toronto and Vancouver, Canada. Debby is a Canadian author, writing under the pen name of D.G. Kaye. She writes about real life and the events that she has had to navigate through and overcome.  Her intent is to inspire others by sharing her stories and the lessons that have come along with them. In her podcast “Grief – The Real Talk”, Debbie speaks from the heart and from personal experience.   She takes listeners through the painful journey of her grief after losing the love of her life, sharing her observations about the changes that occur during the grieving process. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this profound and moving conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Debb

S5 E23: A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is a delightful prose work by the Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas. First published in 1954, the piece is a nostalgic and vivid recollection of the author’s childhood memories of Christmas time in Wales. Thomas takes readers on a journey through the sights, sounds, and experiences associated with the festive season.' Through rich imagery, Dylan Thomas portrays the joy and excitement felt by children as they anticipate the arrival of Christmas. He reflects on the small yet significant moments that make the holiday special, like gathering with loved ones, enjoying festive meals, and engaging in playful adventures. The narrative is imbued with a sense of warmth, whimsy, and the universal nostalgia that accompanies the holiday season. Thomas's prose captures the essence of childhood innocence and the timeless magic of Christmas, creating a lyrical and enchanting atmosphere that resonates with readers of all ages. "A Child's Chr

S5 E22: Eglund on The Emergence of AI Technology “Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”  Marcus Aurelius Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. The future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of debate among experts in the field. AI has been around for decades, but recent advances in technology have allowed for rapid development in the field. As AI continues to evolve, it will become increasingly integrated into our lives and businesses. Should we fear the emergence of AI technology? Will AI control our lives and take away our jobs and careers?  Will AI be used to create malicious software?  Will AI replace human creativity and knowledge?" To discuss these questions, I am travelling virtually over 7900 kilometers to Berlin, Germany to meet up with my friend, Eglund, journalist and write

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am heading across the ocean to Wales, a beautiful country full of magic, mystery, music, and brilliant writers and poets.  I am excited to reconnect with a great storyteller – Paul Andruss. Paul is the author of the Young Adult magical realism trilogy, the Jack Hughes Books. He has written several short stories and novellas.   Over the past several months, Paul and I have been exploring the evolution of storyteller.   Who were the bards of old?  What stories have come through the centuries?  How do we add our stories to the greater narrative of humanity. This is your invitation to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Listeners, thank you for sharing this moment with Paul and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. I invite your to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and on Amazon.  You are only an internet click away from a darin

S5 E20:  Catherine Cavendish Reading “The Haunting of Henderson Close” Welcome to Tea. Toast. and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper.  They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.  Public libraries and bookstores have expanded their reach into a global community. Book readings have gone virtual.  We are learning to embrace technology in new ways.  Welcome to the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which brings authors and their books from across the world to your home.  I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that Catherine Ca

"The very first work of art in the street that I took pictures of was in Winnipeg. It is a Charlie Chaplin mural, with a fab story behind it. I posted it in 2013." Resa McConaghy Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. I am heading over the Rocky Mountains across the Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, to the vibrant city of Toronto, Ontario to meet up with Resa McConaghy, blogger, artist, photographer, and established costume designer in film, television, and digital media.  Resa has worked her costume designer magic on productions for Showtime, ABC, Disney, CBS, CBC, Hallmark, and more.   She brings out personalities with her costume designs and adds dramatic moods to each scene by balancing texture and colours. Resa’s passion for photography and outdoor ephemeral art, is captured in her website, Graffiti Lux Art & More, Today, Resa invited us to walk with her as she e

S5 E18: Brian on Fear of Missing Out Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia Thank you for listening in! I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. Today,  I’m heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta. Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation  on embracing a greater journey. How do we live the fullest in that stage of life that we find ourselves in? How do we embrace the twists and turns that life gives us? How do we gracefully give up the things of youth and embrace the age of active wisdom?   Today, Brian and I will be discussing FOMO, which is the short form of “fear of missing out.” FOMO is that uncomfortable, even anxious, feeling you get when think that other people might be having a good time without you. FOMO can happen at any stage of life “from childhood to old age” Thank you for joining Brian and me on this conversation. Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures take you. Music by Eric Williams "When I&

S5 E17: D Wallace Peach On A Poet's Voice moonlight stitches lace frosty hems on scarlet leaves glints of fallen stars D. Wallace Peach, Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. The Moons of Autumn: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, edited by Colleen M. Chesebro and JulesPaige is a profound exploration of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. The theme of this journal was influenced by the Harvest, Hunter’s, and Frost moons, which are the names given to the three full moons that transpire during the autumn months. Within the pages of this poetry collection, the diverse mix of syllabic poetry has ignited my desire to explore a poetic journey. Today, I am delighted that D. Wallace Peach whose poetry is featured in “The Moons of Autumn” has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to podcast series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which br

S5 E16: Dr Derek Bryce on Cultural Heritage, Destinations and Tourism "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” Robert Louis Stevenson, Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am travelling virtually to Glasgow, Scotland, where I am meeting up with Dr. Derek Bryce, Senior Lecturer Marketing, The University of Strathclyde. Derek’s research has been influenced by his extensive involvement in the UK and Canadian travel management sector and his academic studies in tourism and business.  His PhD in Cultural Studies has positioned him to bring a strong historicist and humanities perspectives to teaching and research in the Marketing domain, where his contextual focus is on Cultural Heritage, Destinations and Tourism Why do we travel? Does our heritage influence our choice of destination.  Do we feel a co

S5 E15: Dave Astor on Being a Blogger and a Writer Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Today, Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between Montclair New Jersey and Vancouver, British Columbia Dave is the author of the 2017 literary-trivia book “Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time” and the 2012 memoir “Comic (and Column) Confessional.” Dave serves as a National Society of Newspaper Columnists board member and writes the weekly “Montclairvoyant” topical-humor column for Baristanet.com.  Dave’s weekly Sunday morning blog posts on DaveAstorOnLiterature.com generate great conversations, which have prompted me to think, consider and share my thoughts over the past years.  I am delighted that Dave has graciously agreed to join me to discuss what it means to be a blogger and writer.  It’s time to put the kettle on and add to this exc

S5 E14: Luanne Castle on A Poet’s Voice “Note how the red rose,velvet worn by early frost,clings confidentlyto its own treacherous stem,never accursed by mirrors.” Luanne Castle Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Today, I am delighted that Luanne Castle poet, writer, blogger and art journalist has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to the podcast series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home. Luanne Castle’s poetry explores the breadth and depth of the human experience. In her book, Kin Types, she speaks of the hopes and challenges of ordinary lives from the past. Her first collection of poetry, Doll God, studies traces of the spirit world in human-made natural objects.  Today, Luanne shares her thoughts and insights on her latest poetry collection “Rooted and Winged.” I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversat

S5 E13 Julie Riso on A Winter Walk February 2022, Winter: this one so cold, dark, eternal. Outside the window, a moon encased in ice vapor, cradled in the forest’s naked embrace. A languid ascent from the realm of dreams. A gentle command: release to receive. Be open to that which you never considered. J.D. Riso La Vagabonde Vs. The Machine February 26, 2023 Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that writer, Julie Riso, from her Substack “Wish I Were Here” blog and I are connecting Vancouver and Northern Michigan for a discussion on A Winter Walk. Julie has created a space that welcomes authentic conversations. She writes that many years ago, she chose to follow an unmarked path – the one filled with detours, dead ends, hitchhikers, kitschy roadside attractions, and unexpected destinations. I knew immediately that I found a kindred spirit. “Wish I Were Here” is Julie’s

S5 E12: Julianna Wagar on the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion and the Lyon in Mourning Project Sing me a song of a lad that is gone, Say, could that lad be I? Merry of soul he sailed on a day Over the sea to Skye.   Billow and breeze, islands and seas, Mountains of rain and sun, All that was good, all that was fair, All that was me is gone. Sing me a Song of a Lad that is Gone By Robert Louis Stevenson Vocals and music by Julianna WagerWelcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. The 1745 Jacobite rebellion has been romanticized in literature and media.  However, this was a difficult and complex period.  The stories of those who lived during this time have been captured in “The Lyon in Mourning” manuscript, which was compiled by Rev Robert Forbes.  The tragic Battle of Culloden shattered the hopes of restoring the Stuarts to the throne.  The communities and social structure of the Scottish Highlands were changed for

S5 E11: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene on Dead of Winter and Creating Epic Stories “As the moon cast its light on simple grave markers, the air was split by a sliver of pale gray light. It shimmered like the giant star sapphires of ancient Tiglath. Thunder pealed. The splinter of light seemed to bulge forward and retract, again and again, until it shattered as if lightning had struck. The sound reverberated through the ground. Gravestones toppled.” Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene, Prologue, Journey 1 Forlorn Peak Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am thrilled that Teagan Geneviene has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss her epic narrative, ⁠Dead of Winter⁠. The adventure is presented in a series of 14 Journeys that begin in the Flowing Lands at Forlorn Peak. The heroine, Emlyn, is a 12-year-old girl who sees and hears spirits. She receives a supernatural warning that she knows is not about the weather: “Winter is coming!” Teagan makes brilliant use of serialization to enhance a

S5 E10: Brian on Transitions Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in! Life is full of transitions, from the small daily changes to the major life-altering events. Navigating these transitions can be challenging and overwhelming, but it’s a necessary part of growth and progress. Whether it’s starting a new job, moving to a new city, or experiencing a personal loss, transitions can be difficult to navigate.  Perhaps when we experience uncertainty and ambiguity, that is when we do our best work. Embracing new stages in life is recognizing that change is inevitable. It is our opportunity to experience a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world in which we live and engage. Brian, my brother, came back to continue the discussion on embracing a greater journey.  Today, we are looking at transitions and life cycles. How to navigate the stages of life. (This podcast was recorded during the months of a Canadian Winter. Brian lives in Alberta known for cold weather and sunny skies. I live i

S5 E9: Macbeth’s Witches Chant with Shehanne Moore and Catherine Cavendish Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. The 400th anniversary of the first folio of Macbeth is set to take place in 2023. Published in 1623, the first folio is considered one of the most important works of William Shakespeare. It is a collection of 36 of his plays, including Macbeth, and is an important part of the literary canon. The anniversary of this folio will be celebrated around the world, with events taking place to commemorate the work of William Shakespeare and the impact the folio has had on literature and culture. Catherine Cavendish, writer of Gothic horror and Shehanne Moore, writer of exhilarating historical romances, have joined me to commemorate this momentous milestone.  With the magic of WIFI, we have brought Dundee Scotland, Southport England, and Vancouver, Canada together to whisk you back four hundred ye

S5 E8: Rachel McAlpine A Poet’s Voice on Aging What is your job? "What is your job when you no longer have a job? What is your work when you don’t go to work any more? When you retire you gain such a lot—like freedom and time and multiple choice. You left with relief so why this incongruity of grief? Work gave you friends, a schedule, a label a space and a fable a reason to get out of bed a dress code and your daily bread and at your very core a sense of who you are and what you’re for." © Rachel McAlpine Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am traveling virtually to Christchurch, New Zealand, to meet with Rachel McAlpine, a digital content pioneer, eminent New Zealand poet and author of 30+ books.  She joins me today to discuss her poetry and embracing our evolving journey with joyful anticipation. Rachel became obsessed with the ageing process from a personal point of view. At 75

S5 E7: Mary Lunnen on Embracing our Inner Wisdom “I cannot know, none of us can, what the year ahead will bring.  I can make plans and hope that they will become reality. And they may well change through my choice or through circumstances outside my control. My ‘word of the year’ for 2023 is ‘Presence’…To be in the moment as much as possible.” Mary Lunnen, Dare to Blossom January 2023 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Join me as I travel virtually to Wadebridge, a town in north Cornwall, England, to meet up with writer, artist and Global Life Coach, Mary Lunnen.  I first met Mary through a mutual friend and frequent guest on TTT, Liz Humphreys. Liz shared three “rediscovery cards” in an Instagram Post.  These rediscovery cards are used by Mary for guided meditation and reflection. I was intrigued!  Dare to Blossom Life Coaching with Mary is based around the principle of

S5 E6:  Ken Gierke on A Poet’s Voice warmth of a pale light found as clouds part rewarded while seeking the moon on a cool autumn night Ken Gierke, The Moons of Autumn, Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. The Moons of Autumn: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, edited by Colleen M. Chesebro and JulesPaige is a profound exploration of Japanese and American syllabic poetry.  The theme of this journal was influenced by the Harvest, Hunter’s, and Frost moons, which are the names given to the three full moons that transpire during the autumn months.   Within the pages of this poetry collection, the diverse mix of syllabic poetry has ignited my desire to explore a poetic journey. Today, I am delighted that Ken Gierke, whose poetry is featured in “The Moons of Autumn,” has joined me to give voice to his poetry. Welcome

S5 E5:  John Quinn on The Dundee Connection with Mary Shelley “I lived principally in the country as a girl and passed a considerable time in Scotland. I made occasional visits to the more picturesque parts; but my habitual residence was on the blank and dreary northern shores of the Tay, near Dundee. Blank and dreary on retrospection I call them; they were not so to me then. They were the eyry of freedom, and the pleasant region where unheeded I could commune with the creatures of my fancy. Mary Shelly, In the introduction to the 1831 edition, Frankenstein Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Who was Mary Shelley?  What is her connection to Dundee?  What influence did Dundee have on her writing of Frankenstein? I am delighted that I am travelling virtually to Dundee, Scotland where I am meeting up with John Quinn, writer, poet, and lyricist to discuss these questions. I invite