Today’s guest on the Happy Hour Podcast is Kate Conner, who is the author of two books: Enough & 10 Things For Teen Girls. I first was introduced to Kate when I was given her book Enough to review. While reading her book I knew that I wanted to meet her and have her on the podcast, and I’m so happy that I did! She is just pure joy and someone that I would love to have lunch with often if we lived close enough to each other.
She writes at her site KATE CONNER where she encourages women, writes biblical truths, and simply shares her life with us.
{You can listen to the show HERE, and make sure you never miss a Happy Hour by subscribing through your favorite podcast app (ie. iTunes, Stitcher). And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends!}
From the podcast:
- Her blog posts that started off her whole book – “10 things I want to tell teenage girls”
- How we feel about birthday milestones and what Kate is doing for her 29th birthday.
- #29things is what she hash-tagged her birthday list of nice things this year
- She told me all about how to sign up to be a Bone Marrow Donor (and since we recorded this, I have signed up too …. eek!) Check out Be The Match and maybe you too will be a donor – let us know if you do! In fact if you do, tweet this: “I listened to @jamie_ivey & @kateeconner on the #happyhourpodcast and now I’m gonna be a bone donor. #BeTheMatch http://wp.me/pJqGY-3q8”
- From Relevant Magazine: Fifteen books every millennial has read
- Post where Donald Miller talks about how he’s changed since writing Blue Like Jazz
- What Kate is reading these days: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and The Honest Toddler & recommended The Glass Castle
- I’m still reading The Best Yes, Wherever the River Runs by Kelly Minter and Women of the Word by Jen Wilken (which I have finished now and LOVED)
- WALK IN LOVE – check out their awesome shirts!
Questions for you:
- Harry Potter is big at our house right now, and I have only gotten through the first two books. Have you guys read them?
- Have your kids read them and if so how old were they when they started?
- What Christian fiction do you guys like because Kate and I both haven’t found much that we like?
- Kate’s friend will take her daughter to opening night if she reads a book to encourage her to read. How do you encourage your kids to read?
- What series have you watched on Netflix that we should know about?
FREE STUFF:
Kate is so gracious to give away some awesome stuff to you guys! First off we are giving away ten of her books ENOUGH. I'll pick five winners and you will each get two books. One to keep and one to share. What fun is that? I'm basically giving you a Christmas gift for someone. You are welcome.
Along with that, one of those five winners will also receive a shirt from Walk In Love. I can't tell you how much I love their shirts and can't wait to get mine in the mail soon! You are welcome for this one too.
Entering is super easy, just follow the requests below. As always you can do as little or as much as you want! Up to you!
I love a good Netflix binge…. Here’s some of my faves: Parenthood, The Killing, Friday Night lights, Dexter.
We’ve just watched Parks & Rec on Neflix … stick it out through season 1 and soon you will be laughing out loud!
Yay!!!
I’m only 18, but I love Kate’s blog and now yours! I don’t have any kids yet, but I can tell you what my mom did to encourage my love of reading. Instead of toys, or ice cream or something, she would bring me to a bookstore when I won an award/did something well and let me pick out a book. To this day, every time I ace a test or get a promotion, I drive myself to the bookstore and pick something new out. 🙂
I recently watched and ell in love with New Girl on Netflix! Parks and Recreation is always a good choice. After the first season, it gets SO GOOD.
If you can get past the feeling of “only certain kinds of people read those kinds of books and that’s not me”… Pilgrim’s Progress is a GREAT book of Christian fiction and it is written in such a storylike form that it would be great for older kids to read or even better to be read out loud to! (middle to high school age?) I’m not sure since I don’t have kids, but I will definitely be reading it to my kids! Also have you ever considered doing a happy hour with someone who has struggled with and overcome infertility? Thanks Jamie!
Netflix props: New Girl & Lost
Christian Fiction Fav: Zora & Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney.
I loved this book especially since it deals with interracial relationships, denominational differences, and race. My heart is for diverse families and churches so this one is awesome.
I just started getting into Netflix! While on maternity leave I watched how I met your mother…but documentaries are typically what we lean on!
I loved this podcast! It made me laugh so much. Especially when you told about your blood donating experiences. I seriously have thought about doing it for extra cash, haha. Maybe someday! And I have not thought about the book “I kissed dating goodbye” in FORVER! I read it when I was probably 15 or 16. I did not kiss dating goodbye, but I probably should have! Except for when I dated my husband
Some Christian fiction I love is Lisa Samson and Charles Martin. I read robin jones gunn when I was a teenager (and still do, but they are geared for teenage girls) and I love her too.
Hi, Jamie! I am twenty and single, no kiddos, but I am a homeschool graduate and what my Mama did to encourage me to read was allow me to fall in love with reading by allowing me to read “good literature” (not the air-brained rainbows and dolphins and glitter stuff) that I wanted to read. She allowed me to see where reading could take me, what it could teach me, and how it would shape me. This may not work for every child, but I was–and still am, for that matter–an individual who thrives on intellectual challenge. I fell in love with the works of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte early on, around 7th grade.
As to a series on Netflix, The Blacklist is one heck of a good show that has me, my parents, and my sister on the edges of our seats. Goodness. We binged watched the first season in like a week and a half. Although season 2 is playing now, we’ve decided to wait until it comes out on Netflix due to stinking commercials. But so is life.
I so appreciate the way Kate chooses to share her thoughts and her life. She is such an encouragement to me, in many ways. She encourages me to be real and upfront, to pick up my pen and write–because those thoughts in your head don’t usually stay forever–and to be a Godly example to the young women behind me. Because it matters eternally. Because they’re trees that need to be planted beside the waters…and they won’t know where those waters are unless they are shown.
I am not a podcast girl, but this one makes me want to listen! As for Christian fiction, Dee Henderson is my goto recommendation for those who don’t love what I call ‘cheesy’ Christian fiction. Read her O’Malley series then read Full Disclosure in that order. 🙂 I don’t do Harry Potter for personal reasons and dont have Netflix so I am no help there!
I’ve only read books 1-3 of Harry Potter…once the movies came out I had a hard time reading the books!
Ted Dekker is a good Christian Fiction author, but his stuff is pretty dark. I read 3 awhile ago and it was great, but creeped me out.
My little is only 6 months old, so I just read board books to her in hopes that she will become a lover of reading!
I just binge watched The Blacklist last week! So good! And my husband and I are finishing up the last season of Friday Night Lights. I’d also have to say that The West Wing is amazing! I was telling my husband just last week that FNL reminds me a lot of WW because of how well it’s written and the fantastic character development. There’s my little plug for The West Wing
I have not read HP, but my husband has and loves them! If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out Justified on Netflix 🙂
Hi, Jamie! So enjoyed your Podcast with Kate. I appreciate Kate and her real-life, down-to-earth, funny, Godly self. I so appreciate her encouraging me, even though she may or may not know about that. She encourages me to pick up my pen and write, because those thoughts I think I should write down won’t always be there. And she encourages me to be a Godly example, to all who come behind me, and to be humble.
So, about the encouraging kiddos to read…I’m not a Mama, but am a reader and am indebted to my Mama for that. I am a homeschooling graduate and when I was about 10, my Mama encouraged me to read “good literature” (not the dolphins and glitter and kittens and sequins stuff-haha). She encouraged me to read things that challenged me and I’m always up for an intellectual challenge. So that’s my story.
Netflix is one of my best friends. And The Blacklist, if you’re not already fully aware, is amazing.
Netflix- House of Cards, Sherlock Holmes, North & South and so many more! The one Christian Fiction book that I have read that still sticks with me is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
I started the first HP book in a bookstore one time… and that’s as far as it got. So no, I’m not a big fan. 🙂
I don’t read a whole lot of Christian fiction either, but I did like Ordained Irreverence by Macmillan Moody. It’s pretty funny
Love love your podcast!!
Once Upon A Time is the best way to spend a Netflix binge!!!
Gilmore Girls was just added to Netflix and that’s been my latest addiction!
I love the podcast Jamie!!
Also you definitely need to keep reading the Harry Potter books!!! They are my absolute favorites! I love when people are reading them for the first time!
And I agree that you should watch Sherlock next on Netflix! It’s addicting, but so good!
As a Die-Hard Aggie, I am LOVING the maroon and grey baeball t-shirt on the Walk in Love site!!! Do you think I can wear that to an Aggie game and still count it as an Aggie shirt??? Love it, and will buy it. Wish I knew how to make a picture of it appear right here —>
=)
And I haven’t read any of the Harry Potter, but after hearing you and Kate talk about it I may try it.
I’m sorry to hear that you two ladies haven’t found many Christian fiction books that you like. I have a few suggestions.
Biblical Fiction –
A Voice In the Wind by Francine Rivers {All time favorite! This book won me to the genre.}
In the Shadow of Jezebel by Mesu Andrews {All of Mesu’s books are good but I liked this one the best.}
Iscariot by Tosca Lee {Wow! Goosebumps good!}
+ All of Tessa Afshar’s books, Randy Singer’s The Advocate, Lynn Austin’s novel Gods & Kings
Historical Fiction-
The Butterfly and the Violin by debut author Kristy Cambron
Our summer reading club enjoyed For Such a Time by Kate Breslin.
Romance –
Normally not my favorite genre…I just read and loved The Covered Deep by debut author Brandy Vallance.
Action/Suspense- author Ronie Kendig
How do I encourage my own children to read?
1. Model it.
2. Take them to the library.
3. Limit screen time.
I have read Harry Potter and I love it!
I just listened to this episode of your podcast and now I need to go download the rest of them! LOVED your chat with Katie. Now I need to go pick up her book for some wisdom on leading the 9th grade girls group at my church.
Excuse me, but, I can’t find the “you are enough” flowy shirt… Have they discontinued that? Thanks!