Middle Ground Books: After Hours

Chapter Twenty-Three: Does This Costume Make Me Look Fictional?

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Middle Ground Books After Hours steps onto the Comiccon floor. Along the way, you’ll meet Jeffrey Winkler, who founded Cate’s Concepts and works across both design and hands-on building, Stephanie Hasen, a literary agent working with authors and publishers in children’s and young adult literature, Bah See, owner of Sincil Studios, a Midwest-based Black comic book company, Kyle Strahm, known for his work on comics like The Twig, and Chris Grine, an American cartoonist, writer, and illustrator adapting Animorphs into a graphic novel series.

This chapter looks at the people who helped make Comic Con what it is, and shows how those same paths are still open to the ones working toward them.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

Middle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Abandon All Hope (And Finish Your Costumes)

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The bookstore trio scrambles to finish Comicon costumes while celebrating their surprising connection to Wishbone, the beloved literary dog. Lance reads gruesome passages from Dante's Inferno, sparking debate about whether it's profound literature or medieval fanfic. Inspired by a book about magical libraries that relocate people into classic novels, they debate which public domain book they'd escape into, from Winnie the Pooh to Pride and Prejudice.

If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are. Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

The Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence

Middle Aged Man in a Trash Can by William Bryan Johnson

Hell to Pay by William Bryan Johnson

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Twenty-One: Book Club Picks and Character Twists

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Megan and Debra bring in their latest book club picks while Lance reads from a Terry Pratchett story, all of it sitting in the same space at once while they all get ready for Comicon.

Do you push through a book no matter what, question everything as you go, or stop the second something feels off?

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

His and Hers by Alice Feeney

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett

Dragons at Crumbling Castle by Terry Pratchett

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

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Chapter Twenty: St. Patrick’s Day

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Irish mystery fiction, St. Patrick’s Day folklore, and a focus on Caimh McDonnell’s Bunny McGarry series and its mix of humor and crime.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

Disaster Inc by Caimh McDonnell

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

Super Nintendo The Inside Story of the Game Changing Console by Keza MacDonald

All About Allergies by Zachary Rubin

When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

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Chapter Nineteen: Nine Goblins

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Fantasy author T. Kingfisher has built a reputation for mixing humor, horror, and strange creatures in unforgettable ways. This chapter looks at Nine Goblins and the unusual tone that defines her fantasy worlds.

When fantasy mixes humor with darker elements, does it make the story more memorable or does it pull you out of the world?

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

Physical books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.

Print and ebooks

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

This chapter centers on T. Kingfisher’s Nine Goblins while branching out into the tone and storytelling style that runs through much of her fantasy work. Megan, Lance, and Debra talk about the strange humor woven through the story, the unsettling moments hiding beneath the jokes, and the unusual characters that make Kingfisher’s books stand out in modern fantasy.

📖 The Covered Pages

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

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Chapter Eighteen: Strange Shelves

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

This chapter takes a look at the realities of running a small bookstore and the strange things that come through the door. From used book buybacks to unexpected finds, the shelves sometimes fill with items no one could have predicted. The team talks about blind date with a book ideas, unusual inventory, and the day to day surprises that come with owning a bookstore. It’s a glimpse into the unpredictable side of shop life and the stories hidden in the books people bring in.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at

https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

How to Lose a Goblin in 10 Days by Jesse Silva

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

Agnes Abee’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

Beowulf

Island at the Edge of the World by Mike Pitts

How They Get to You by Chris Kohler

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Chapter Seventeen: Page Turners Pt. 4

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT

When you come back to a series years later, how do you refresh yourself? Recaps, spoilers, rereads, or just jump in and hope for the best?

This chapter returns to the Page Turners series and moves through the books currently taking up Megan, Debra, and Lance’s headspace. The conversation ranges from finally finishing a long awaited fantasy finale to revisiting the grisly beginnings of the mystery genre, with detours into cozy goblins and strange trivia. From talking back to characters in the middle of a battle to discovering that the first detective story was far darker than expected, the contrasts are sharp and sometimes hilarious.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

When you use the links above, be sure Middle Ground Books is selected as your store so your purchases directly support the shop.

📖 The Covered Pages

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe

Beowulf

Delvers LLC by Blaise Corvin

More True Facts That Sound Like Bullshit by Tim Rayborn

How to Lose a Goblin in 10 Days by Jesse Silva

The Man Across the River by Zvi Kolitz

Middle Ground Books: After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Sixteen: Legends and Lattes

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 06:48:40 GMT

This chapter centers on Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes and Bookshops and Bone Dust as an entry point into cozy fantasy. The conversation moves from small business storytelling to the realities of self publishing and traditional shelves, drawing in part from SFF Addicts Podcast episodes 39 and 40. From orc run coffee shops to struggling bookshops, the genre keeps its focus on work, community, and quiet stakes. It also returns to independent bookstores and the publishing choices that shape both fiction and the shelves we stand behind.

For the month of February, Middle Ground Books is offering 10 percent off all Black American authors in store.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite

The Everything Store by Brad Stone

Operation: Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

Pity the Reader by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Fifteen: Interlude I

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT

This interlude steps away from a single theme and introduces unrestrained conversations between Megan, Deborah, and Lance about what has been taking up their headspace lately.

The conversation moves through author habits, hobbies, and the dynamics between each member.

From sea creatures to the kinds of museums that make you wonder who decided they should exist in the first place, the range is wide.

It offers a clear sense of the voices behind Middle Ground Books.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Amy Engel

Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Believe in Yourself by Rosemary Wells

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Chapter Fourteen: Black History and Literature

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Lance, Megan, and Deborah reflect on Black History Month, sharing personal experiences, reading insights, and the authors and stories that have shaped how they think about the month. The conversation moves between books, culture, and lived experience, creating space for thoughtful discussion rather than tidy conclusions.

Support Middle Ground Books wherever you are.

📖 Physical books and ebooks through the shop’s Bookshop page

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read.

You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

American Nations by Colin Woodard

Personal Everest by Renée Watson

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

A Sword and a Sea by Vanessa Riley

The Second Daughters of DePree by Nekesha Williams

Evicted by Matthew Desmond

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

Will’s Race for Home by Jules Parker

(Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner)

Erasure by Percival Everett

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Chapter Thirteen: Page Turners Pt. 3

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Page Turners series continues as the group settles in to talk through what they’ve been reading lately. The conversation bounces between time travel, romance, bookish love, and the usual side paths that come with a table full of readers. Along the way, they share what’s been happening around the shop and invite anyone in the Emporia area to stop by, hang out, and find their next favorite read.

If any of these books caught your ear, you can get your copy through Middle Ground Books, wherever you are.

Print books and ebooks are available worldwide through the shop’s Bookshop page, and audiobooks are available through the store as well.

Print and ebooks

https://bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks

Audiobooks

https://libro.fm/middlegroundbooks

If you’re near Emporia, Kansas, visit Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS to browse in person, meet the team, and find your next great read. You can also explore upcoming events, book clubs, and everything happening at the shop at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

Follow and subscribe to @middlegroundbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay connected with the shop and the reading community.

📖 The Covered Pages

George Falls Through Time by Ryan Collette

Galentine’s Day by Rebecca Anderson

Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire

Middle Ground Books After Hours is produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. If you’re working on a podcast, business media, or creative project and need audio, video, or media assets, learn more at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Twelve : Book Talk at Tiffany’s

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The group revisits a conversation with Tiffany Killoren, talking through her move from practicing law into writing fiction, what it cost to walk away from one profession, and how that decision slowly opened the door to a writing career that found readers far beyond where it began.

Stay connected with Middle Ground Books After Hours by following the store on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The team shares new arrivals, staff picks, community updates, and behind the counter moments.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Middle Ground Books After Hours is remotely produced and audio engineered by Cosmic Atom Sound Studios. Learn more about creative audio, music production, and media services at https://www.cosmicatomsounds.com.

Follow @CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Eleven: A Boy Who Loved His Bear

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

A January episode with a little something sweet in the air, offering a happy early birthday nod to A. A. Milne.

The group spends the episode in the Hundred Acre Wood, talking all things Winnie-the-Pooh and the world Milne wrote into being.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

📖 The Covered Pages

The Bookbinder’s Secret by A. D. Bell

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott

Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear by Daniel Bernstrom

The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne

Halfway Down by A. A. Milne

Waiting at the Window by A. A. Milne

If this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section above.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Ten: Now We’re Tolkien

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

A special tribute episode in celebration of the belated "Tolkien day" based on Tolkien’s January 3 birthday.

The group talks about J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, touching on their personal histories, their books, friendships, and all that helped shape their writing.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

📖 The Covered Pages

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis

Perelandra by C. S. Lewis

That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis

The Pilgrim’s Regress by C. S. Lewis

The Allegory of Love by C. S. Lewis

The War of the Ring by Christopher Tolkien

The Kalevala translated by Elias Lönnrot

Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus

The Aeneid by Virgil

The Iliad by Homer

The Odyssey by Homer

The Mythmakers by John Hendrix

The Rembrandt Heist by Anthony M. Amore

The Museum of the Missing by Alex George

The Book Haters’ Book Club by Gretchen Anthony

Read This If You Want to Be a Great Writer by Ross Raisin

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

Dubliners by James Joyce

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

If this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section above.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Nine: The 2025 Epilogue

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Lance, Debra, and Megan look back at their favorite reads from 2025 and share what they’re excited to read in 2026. The episode touches on what’s ahead for the store, including new events and activities, and ways they’re hoping to make the shop an even more active place for readers to spend time together in the year ahead.

📖 The Covered Pages

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss

The Everlasting by Alex E. Harrow

Whitewash by Carey Gillam

Poisoning the Well by Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin

The Call by Yannick Murphy

Fast Like a Girl by Mindy Pelz

The Menopause Reset by Mindy Pelz

Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe

The Torchlight by Mura Bofini

Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear by Daniel Bernstrom

If this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section below.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Eight: A Dungeon Crawler Carl Christmas

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

This is the final part in the Christmas Special trilogy, closing out the holiday season with a conversation about Dungeon Crawler Carl and how it can actually be attuned to Christmas, kind of like Die Hard.

📖 The Covered Pages

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

If this caught your ears, you can find it through the links in the section below.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

A Thank You to Listeners and Followers:

The cast of Middle Ground Books would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours, and to say thank you for joining them for the laughter and the in depth conversations about the books they have come to love and wanted to share with you, the listening audience, After Hours once the store is closed for the day. There is more to come, but in the meantime they wish you a safe closeout to the year and an even safer time bringing in the new year.

Cosmic Atom Sound Studios would also like to thank you, the listener, for the interaction and support, and hope you enjoy every moment of hearing these three voices come through your speakers, headphones, or even your TV. Here’s to many more episodes ahead and, one day, to you visiting their shop in Emporia.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Seven: Tales for Tots

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Part two of the three part Christmas special finds the group talking through children’s Christmas books and how those stories land differently now than they did growing up.

The Covered Pages

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss
Jan Brett Christmas and winter titles: The Mitten, The Hat, The Christmas Sweater, Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, Gingerbread Baby, and The Night Before Christmas
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney by Mac Barnett
That Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Elmore the Christmas Moose by Dev Petty and Mike Boldt
Murray Christmas by E. G. Keller
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Greg Pizzoli
A Stickler Christmas by Lane Smith
Let it Glow by Marissa Meyer
The Christmas Murder Game series: The Christmas Cracker Killer by Alexandra Benedict
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

If any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Six: A Hogmas to Die For

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The crew opens their first Christmas special by settling in with The Hogfather, the holiday tale they all read to get into the spirit of the season.

The Covered Pages

The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

Mort by Terry Pratchett

The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett

If any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Five: Page Turners Pt. 2

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The crew settles in to talk through the books they just finished reading, sharing first impressions, lingering thoughts, and the pieces of each story that stayed with them. They dig into how a book’s structure shapes the experience and how certain themes land once the final chapter closes. Also, Lance follows through on a promise he made in the last episode.

The Covered Pages:

“A Fire Endless” by Rebecca Ross

“The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling

“Treasury of the World’s Best Loved Poems”

"Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need" by Blake Snyde

If any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Follow CosmicAtomSounds on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. If you have a podcast or creative idea waiting to be heard, Cosmic Atom Sound Studios helps bring your vision to life and make it sound. Let us come together and build something new.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Four: Page Turners

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 03:59:01 GMT

The crew settles in with drinks and finally gets a moment to breathe after a long day. They share what they are reading now, what is waiting on their shelves, and how their different tastes shape the rhythm of running Middle Ground Books and Gifts in Emporia KS. It is a soft, late night conversation with the lights turned low, a family style moment in their own bookstore, talking about the stories that match their moods as much as their personalities.

📖 The Covered Pages:

“Flatland” by Edwin Abbott Abbott

“The King in Yellow” by Robert W. Chambers

“A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness

If any of these caught your ears, you can find them through the links in the section below.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Three: The Publishing Market? In This Economy!?

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:06:31 GMT

The hosts dig into the reality of today’s publishing market and how small bookstores are expected to compete with giant companies that control prices and swallow the profits. They talk about overpriced banned books, the way big retailers create fake rarity, and why local shops carry the same titles without the inflated cost. It is an honest look at surviving as a community bookstore in an industry that feels stacked against you.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter Two: This One Time at Banned Camp

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

From coming-of-age stories to provocative adult fiction, the crew unpacks what happens when books get banned and authors land on the cancel list. They dig into who draws the line, how those labels reshape careers and readership, and why the stories meant to be silenced often end up louder than ever.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter One: Young Adult Things

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Lance, Megan, and Debra introduce themselves, brainstorm the show’s name, and dive into the world of young adult fiction over drinks and laughter.

Explore upcoming events, book recommendations, and new releases at https://www.middlegroundbooks.com.

If you are near Emporia Kansas, stop by Middle Ground Books and Gifts at 606 Commercial Street to shop local, meet the hosts, and find your next great read.

If you cannot visit in person, you can support the store through their Bookshop page at https://www.bookshop.org/shop/middlegroundbooks.

Every purchase through Bookshop helps keep the shelves full and the community growing. You can also browse expanded reading lists curated by each host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.