Book chat: exploring the life & work of Shirley Jackson with Sarah McGrath

Book chat: exploring the life & work of Shirley Jackson with Sarah McGrath

This week on my podcast It’s a Lot, I joined forces with my friend Sarah McGrath, a bookstagrammer, avid reader, physical therapist, and mom, for a book chat about two of Shirley Jackson’s books that represent the two very different sides of her work: We Have Always Lived in the Castle and Life Among the Savages. Jackson is well known for her gothic/psychological horror; most of us read her famous short story “The Lottery” in school, and The Haunting of Hill House was adapted into a Netflix series a few years ago. But her domestic memoirs are lesser known in 2026, and I love them as much as her other writing!

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It's not about me, it's about telling stories, says Katie DeRaddo, creator of A Grave Attraction

It's not about me, it's about telling stories, says Katie DeRaddo, creator of A Grave Attraction

On my podcast It’s a Lot this week, I chatted with Katie DeRaddo, the human behind A Grave Attraction. She spent years cleaning headstones for fun before deciding to start sharing the stories of the dead through social media. From there, she’s received tons of opportunities, met interesting people, and cleaned many more headstones along the way. During the first half of the show, we discuss proper headstone cleaning techniques, how she does her research, and some of her favorite cemeteries to work in. In the latter half of our conversation, we dive into the pesky comparison trap of social media, her feelings on long form video content, and fears of being a washed up content creator. I really appreciated Katie’s vulnerability in talking about these things that so many of us struggle with!

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