Slow Stories – Details, episodes & analysis

Think about the last time you felt connected to night: the moon’s luminous glow, the rhythms of a house party, the pulsing of the music, the heartbeat of a community. Caleb Femi’s modern epic, The Wickedest, offers a way back to those feelings—and asks us to consider what lies beneath the surface. From 10:45 PM to 4:45 AM, readers attend the longest-running house party in South London’s shoob scene, always held at an undisclosed inner-city spot. Rendered in minute-by-minute poetry, photographs, and other visual ephemera, we encounter intimacies, conversations, and perspectives from the party’s attendees, organizers, and the like. In this way, The Wickedest is a singular book that captures time—and a particular moment in time—where the need to gather comes at the height of a loneliness crisis, and we grapple with what it means to truly cultivate communal space. For Caleb, though, the latter is inherent. He continues to lead with humanity, curiosity, love—all of which engender creative work that transcends mediums—and time and place.

In this interview, Caleb shared more about navigating life as a multidisciplinary artist, the private aspects of poetry, the singularity of visual storytelling, and how he honors time both on and off the page. This episode also opens with a story from https://slowstoriespodcast.com/caleb-femi/ 

Subscribe to Slow Stories on Substack: https://slowstories.substack.com/  

Purchase Slowing: https://bookshop.org/p/books/slowing-discover-wonder-beauty-and-creativity-through-slow-living-rachel-schwartzmann/21201888?ean=9781797223759  

Purchase The Wickedest: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-wickedest-caleb-femi/21424991 

Follow Caleb: @caleb.femi

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Follow Rachel: @rachelschwartzmann

What is the role of beauty in this day and age? For some, it’s an aesthetic pursuit; for others, it’s simply a state of mind. If we’re talking about the global, multibillion-dollar industry, it’s something else entirely. But for Gloria Noto, beauty is more than meets the eye. As the founder of NOTO Botanics, a multi-use, gender-inclusive, clean cosmetic line, Gloria and her team are committed to “championing ferocious individuality while cultivating a creative and mindful community along the way.”

Gloria’s extensive experience as a celebrity makeup artist, contributor, and former founder of THE WORK, an arts and culture publication, lends itself well to this mission: In many ways, NOTO’s true beauty lies in its ability to push the narrative of how we can all relate to beauty and identity more seamlessly. Gloria’s personal commitment to storytelling has also contributed to NOTO’s longevity in our rapidly changing world—and helped her reimagine what life looks like outside the pressures of entrepreneurship. Enter her Substack, Studio Noto, a personal journal featuring essays, musings, and prompts.

In this interview, Gloria shared more about her evolving relationship with work and creativity, what qualities are present in her visual “toolkit,” and how time, grief, and solitude have changed throughout her life. This episode also opens with a story by Maggie Featherstone.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/gloria-noto/ 

Subscribe to Slow Stories on Substack: https://slowstories.substack.com/ 

Purchase SLOWING: https://bookshop.org/p/books/slowing-discover-wonder-beauty-and-creativity-through-slow-living-rachel-schwartzmann/21201888?ean=9781797223759  

Discover NOTO Botanics: https://notobotanics.com/ 

Follow Gloria: @glorianoto

Follow Maggie: @maggiefeathers

Follow Rachel: @rachelschwartzmann

An essay, Chelsea Hodson tells us, should be an attempt at clarity. That may be true for a writer, but clarity is the last thing that comes to mind when reading Chelsea's words. Instead, we are swept away by her striking prose, repetition, digressions. Chelsea's words pulse with desire, fear, and hope. Readers walk away from the page, not always knowing what to think but feeling something primal just the same.

The words, in this case, are from Chelsea's debut essay collection, Tonight I'm Someone Else, which was published in 2018 and received widespread praise. Aside from gifting us her own prose, Chelsea has made it her business to help others write their truth. Through projects like her Morning Writing Club and private coaching and editing services, community has slowly become a part of Chelsea's world. Most recently, this culminated in the launch of her latest literary endeavor. Enter Rose Books, her new press.

In this interview, Chelsea shared more about the inception of Rose Books, her process as a writer and editor, and the questions on her mind. This episode also opens with a story from musician (and Rose Books author) Geoff Rickly.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/chelsea-hodson/ 

Learn more about Chelsea's work: https://chelseahodson.com/ 

Follow Chelsea: https://www.instagram.com/chelseahodson_ 

Purchase Chelsea's book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/tonight-i-m-someone-else-essays-chelsea-hodson/9844494

Learn more about Rose Books: https://www.rosebooks.co/ 

Follow Rose Books: https://www.instagram.com/rosebooks.co 

Follow Geoff: https://instagram.com/geoffrickly 

Purchase Geoff's novel: https://www.rosebooks.co/store/p/someone-who-isnt-me-by-geoff-rickly-paperback-preorder 

How do we find and maintain a sense of wonder in a world that's become so unpredictable? Katherine May (author of Wintering and The Electricity of Every Living Thing) tackles this pressing question in her latest book, Enchantment, which is “an invitation to each of us to experience life in all its sensual complexity and to find the beauty waiting for us there.”

Calling upon the natural elements—earth, water, fire, and air—Katherine launches a personal and collective investigation into how we can restore ourselves and restoke imagination. Far from prescriptive, Katherine's work always invites readers to follow their curiosities. To slow down and open themselves up to a process of reflection. As she writes in Enchantment: “When we look for enchantment to give us direct, concrete revelations, we miss the point. It is too big for us to swallow all at once. It teaches us in constellations, and invites us to undertake the slow, lifelong work of assimilating a moment.”

In this interview, Katherine shared more about the process of finding Enchantment, musings on motherhood, and what she's learned about living, working, and creating—both online and off. This episode also opens with a story from Jess Dekker.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/katherine-may/ 

Learn more about Katherine's work: https://katherine-may.co.uk/

Follow Katherine: https://www.instagram.com/katherinemay_/ 

Purchase Katherine's books: https://bookshop.org/contributors/katherine-may 

Follow Jess: https://www.instagram.com/jessdekkerreads/

The world can learn a lot from Tembe Denton-Hurst—like how to tell a story and, perhaps more importantly, how to tell the truth. She does this and more in her stunning debut novel, Homebodies, which “is a testament to those trying to be heard and loved in a world that refuses to make space.”

In this electric story, readers follow Mickey Hayward, a writer in New York navigating the crossroads of personal, professional, and romantic tumult. After an unjust, devastating job loss, Mickey takes the reigns by crafting a letter detailing the racism and sexism she's faced as a Black woman in media. But when the letter goes unanswered, in tandem with rising tensions in her relationship, Mickey finds herself paralyzed with doubt and uncertainty. Seeking reprieve, the mounting pressure culminates in Mickey's return to her hometown.

Page after page, Tembe takes us through Mickey's past and present milestones, and as we get to know Mickey's world, readers can't help but wonder: What does it mean to truly feel at home in our lives—and ourselves? 

In this interview, Tembe shared more about her life as a writer, her evolving definition of ambition, and the idea of legacy on and off the page. This episode also opens with a story by Emma Leokadia of Girls on the Page.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/tembe-denton-hurst 

Learn more about Tembe's work: https://tembedentonhurst.com/ 

Follow Tembe: https://instagram.com/tembae/ 

Purchase Homebodies: https://bookshop.org/p/books/homebodies-tembe-denton-hurst/19218543?ean=9780063274280/  

Learn more about Emma's work: https://www.girlsonthepage.com/ 

Follow Emma: https://www.instagram.com/girlsonthepage/ 

Who are you when no one is looking? This question came to mind when reading Allie Rowbottom's incisive debut novel, Aesthetica.

The story follows Anna, a former Instagram celebrity, on her path of reflection and redemption as she seeks to undergo a high-risk elective surgery called Aesthetica™, which is said to “reverse all her past plastic surgery procedures, returning her, she hopes, to a truer self.”

As readers bounce between Anna's past and present, Allie paints a nuanced portrait of a woman stepping into herself while considering her relationship with fame, family, and the trappings of a landscape predicated on image and youth. In this interview, Allie shared more about why Aesthetica is a continued conversation from her memoir JELL-O Girls, her thoughts on privacy and pace, and embracing womanhood. This episode also opens with a story by Dakota Bossard.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/allie-rowbottom 

Learn more about Allie's work: https://allierowbottom.com/ 

Follow Allie: https://www.instagram.com/allierowbottom/ 

Purchase Aesthetica: https://bookshop.org/p/books/aesthetica-allie-rowbottom/18180848?ean=9781641294003

Follow Dakota: https://tiktok.com/@dakotabossard 

To hold joy in your hand means to honor sadness in your heart, for the two are inextricable. This sentiment is one that many of us will recognize after a prolonged period of chaos and transformation. But for poet and author Ross Gay, studying these modes has paved the way for art that will stand the test of time. Enter Inciting Joy, Ross's latest essay collection, which “considers the joy we incite when we care for each other, especially during life's inevitable hardships.”

Through lenses like gardening and grief, Ross charts a loving exploration into what it means to connect in a world that challenges our time, attention, and hope. In this interview, Ross shared more about writing and re-encountering his life, the joys and lessons of aging, and the importance of change and curiosity. This episode also opens with a story from Caro, a multidisciplinary craft artist based in Los Angeles, California.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/ross-gay 

Learn more about Ross's work: https://www.rossgay.net/ 

Purchase Ross's books: https://bookshop.org/contributors/ross-gay 

Learn more about Caro's work: http://carolinerosoff.com/ 

Follow Caro: https://www.instagram.com/carolinerosoff 

From Chopped to Top Chef to restaurant dreams, Fatima Ali's star was on the rise. But after a devastating cancer diagnosis upended her plans, the young chef vowed to experience all she could with the time she had left. Yet as her illness suddenly worsened, Fatima pivoted once again, this time turning to the page as a place to reflect on her identity, food, family, and life. The result is Savor, a collection of intimate vignettes from Fatima and her mother guided by collaborator Tarajia Morrell, whose editorial prowess and shared values helped bring Fatima's story to book form. 

Like Fatima, Tarajia's appreciation for gathering around a table has informed how she moves through the world. And her own story of creativity, resilience, and love reaffirms a universal truth: There is so much to savor when we pay attention to the things that connect us most.

In this interview, Tarajia shared more about her time with Fatima, telling stories in the digital age, and what she's learned about motherhood, love, and loss. This episode also opens with a story by Jenna Matecki.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/tarajia-morrell 

Learn more about Tarajia's work: https://www.tarajiamorrell.com/ 

Follow Tarajia: http://www.instagram.com/tarajiamorrell 

Purchase SAVOR: https://bookshop.org/p/books/savor-a-chef-s-hunger-for-more-fatima-ali/18069623 

Learn more about Jenna's work: http://jennamatecki.com/ 

Follow Jenna: https://www.instagram.com/jennamatecki/ 

How do you define beauty? Where does beauty come from? Why is beauty important? For Ella Frances Sanders, these questions take center stage in her latest book, Everything, Beautiful, an artful guide that encourages readers to “find hidden beauty in the world.”

With elegant prose and calming illustrations, Everything, Beautiful provokes deeper inquiry into how we've come to understand beauty and our potential to see it anew. But off the page, Ella also understands that it can be difficult to envision where beauty fits into our demanding schedules, grief, and longing. Ultimately, Everything, Beautiful makes the case to pay attention to and embrace the little things—even when it seems impossible.

In this interview, Ella shared more about her path to making Everything, Beautiful, how beauty manifests for her online and offline, and the importance of reflecting on questions and answers. This episode also opens with a story by Tree Abraham.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/ella-frances-sanders 

Learn more about Ella's work: https://www.ellafrancessanders.com/ 

Purchase EVERYTHING, BEAUTIFUL: https://bookshop.org/p/books/everything-beautiful-a-guide-to-finding-hidden-beauty-in-the-world-ella-frances-sanders/17776858?ean=9780143137061 

Follow Ella: https://www.instagram.com/ellafsanders/ 

Learn more Tree's work: https://www.treeabraham.com/ 

Purchase CYCLETTES: https://bookshop.org/p/books/cyclettes-tree-abraham/18365484?ean=9781951213626 

Follow Tree: https://www.instagram.com/treexthree/ 

Think about the places you frequent most. What’s the experience like? How does it make you feel? How are you connecting? And who are you connecting with? Whether online or offline, Naj Austin has been exploring these questions through her visionary endeavors, which include Ethel’s Club and, most recently, Somewhere Good, an “audio platform for intimate community conversations.”

With its distinct, design-driven app and a growing suite of partnerships and offline offerings, Somewhere Good is poised to become a leader in how we can authentically connect in our complex digital age. For Naj, shifting away from scrolling our feed and moving towards feeding our relationships remains a through-line. And with that mission comes recalibrating how we pay attention to ourselves—and each other.

In this interview, Naj shared more about the role of slowness and solitude in her work, her relationship with listening, and the importance of community participation. This episode also opens with a story from Amy Snook.

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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/naj-austin 

Learn more about Naj's work: https://najaustin.com/ 

Follow Naj: https://www.instagram.com/najaustin/?hl=en 

Learn more Amy's work: https://www.pareastudios.com/parea-books 

Follow Amy: https://www.instagram.com/asnooks/?hl=en