In A Word- Vacation (interview with Courtney Clark Cleveland)

Welcome to this audio companion to the In A Word newsletter! Click “Listen in podcast app” link above, just below the player, to listen.

(If this is the first email you’re getting from me, welcome! You can read the latest issue of the newsletter—In A Word: Vacation—here.)

My original vision for In A Word included a podcast, but I wasn’t sure what that would even look like. Interviews? Me reading my essays or poems, spoken-word style, with snaps?

I’m still not sure. But while I was working on the vacation issue, my friend Courtney was taking her family of five on their annual—as in, they do it EVERY YEAR—weeks-long road trip.

And it struck me that this would be the perfect trial podcast-y content for In A Word. (Terri Pershey DM’ed me the phrase “audio postcard,” which is the perfect description.) Courtney agreed to sit down with me, so that’s what we did!

How to listen:

• If you want to listen in your podcast app, the easiest way is to click the “Listen in podcast app” link at the top of this email.

• Or, you can add it manually by pasting this URL into your app: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1820.rss

Here’s what that looks like in the Apple Podcasts app:

• Or, you can simply click the play button at the top of the email and listen on your phone or computer. (You’ll be using Wifi or data to listen since you won’t be downloading it, so be aware of that.)

If this ever becomes a more regular thing, I’ll certainly submit it as a show to iTunes so you can subscribe like you would any other podcast. But thanks for bearing with me in the meantime!

Things Courtney mentioned:

• Kid road trip activities: Look and See books, Water Wow, crayons, markers, coloring sheets (NOT books), journal, audiobooks, movies.

• USA’s Best Trips Guidebook

• Road trip snacks: bougie beef jerky, fancy popcorn, cheese sticks, plantain chips, granola, guac single serving cups, fruit snacks, microwaveable mac and cheese.

• Vacucraft water bottles

• Elta MD sunscreen (this is the one I recently bought)

Connect with Courtney:

• Instagram (She is a fantastic follow!)

• All The Best Days podcast

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this audio postcard! Simply respond to this email to let me know.

Gratefully, Jacey

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