<![CDATA[What Lives in the Lacuna]]>What Lives in the Lacuna is a podcast about stories, the people who create them, and the communities built around them. Through conversations about folklore, romantasy, horror, fandom, publishing, and reader culture, the show explores how genre fiction shapes us emotionally and culturally. Featuring guest spotlights with indie authors, editors, proofreaders, artists, and publishing professionals, the podcast also pulls back the curtain on the indie space by sharing the knowledge too often hidden behind closed doors.

]]>https://riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:00:58 GMTFri, 22 May 2026 13:38:11 GMT60Remy Renard & E. Donohue<p>What Lives in the Lacuna is a podcast about stories, the people who create them, and the communities built around them. Through conversations about folklore, romantasy, horror, fandom, publishing, and reader culture, the show explores how genre fiction shapes us emotionally and culturally. Featuring guest spotlights with indie authors, editors, proofreaders, artists, and publishing professionals, the podcast also pulls back the curtain on the indie space by sharing the knowledge too often hidden behind closed doors.</p>episodicRemy Renard & E. Donohueremy.renard.author@gmail.comyes<![CDATA[Lacuna Book Club #1: Yesteryear & the Missing Empathy]]>SPOILER WARNING: This episode contains major spoilers for Yesteryear, including its central reveal and ending.

Welcome to the first unofficial meeting of the Lacuna Book Club.

This episode we dive into Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, a beautifully written, compulsively readable novel that left us with one very important problem: we could not stop talking about it.

We unpack Natalie Heller-Mills as an unreliable and deeply unlikeable narrator, the novel’s portrayal of Trad Wife culture, and the uncomfortable question we kept circling back to: can a feminist critique of women succeed without asking us to empathize with the women it critiques?

The question opens a few doors. And then we kick down the rest of them.

We get into satire and whether Yesteryear pushes its ideas far enough, comparisons to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, the book’s time-travel-shaped marketing hook, mental health and narrative ambiguity, and our complicated feelings about the novel’s handling of sexual assault and queerness.

We loved some things. We struggled with others. We questioned what the book was asking us to feel, what it was asking us to see, and whether the thing missing from the story might be the very thing that could have made its critique hit harder: empathy.

Because sometimes the most interesting thing about a book isn’t whether you loved it or hated it. 

It’s the questions that are still hanging around after you close it.

Works Referenced

Correction: During our discussion, we stated that The Handmaid’s Tale was banned when it was first published. More accurately, the novel has faced numerous bans and challenges in the decades since its 1985 publication.

]]>882b5071-734d-4d34-a498-f1cdd39b1733Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p><b>SPOILER WARNING:</b> This episode contains major spoilers for <i>Yesteryear</i>, including its central reveal and ending.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Welcome to the first unofficial meeting of the Lacuna Book Club.<br /></p><p>This episode we dive into <i>Yesteryear</i> by Caro Claire Burke, a beautifully written, compulsively readable novel that left us with one very important problem: we could not stop talking about it.<br /></p><p>We unpack Natalie Heller-Mills as an unreliable and deeply unlikeable narrator, the novel’s portrayal of Trad Wife culture, and the uncomfortable question we kept circling back to: can a feminist critique of women succeed without asking us to empathize with the women it critiques?</p><p></p><p>The question opens a few doors. And then we kick down the rest of them.</p><p></p><p>We get into satire and whether <i>Yesteryear</i> pushes its ideas far enough, comparisons to Margaret Atwood’s <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> and Jonathan Swift’s <i>A Modest Proposal</i>, the book’s time-travel-shaped marketing hook, mental health and narrative ambiguity, and our complicated feelings about the novel’s handling of sexual assault and queerness.</p><p></p><p>We loved some things. We struggled with others. We questioned what the book was asking us to feel, what it was asking us to see, and whether the thing missing from the story might be the very thing that could have made its critique hit harder: empathy.</p><p></p><p>Because sometimes the most interesting thing about a book isn’t whether you loved it or hated it. <br /></p><p>It’s the questions that are still hanging around after you close it.</p><p></p><h3><b>Works Referenced</b></h3><ul><li><i>Yesteryear</i> by Caro Claire Burke</li><li><i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> by Margaret Atwood</li><li><i>A Modest Proposal</i> by Jonathan Swift</li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/why-yesteryear-is-everywhere" target="_blank">Why <i>Yesteryear</i> is Everywhere by Rebecca Rothfeld (The New Yorker)</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.vogue.com/article/yesteryear-caro-claire-burke-interview" target="_blank"><i>Yesteryear</i> Author Caro Clair Burke on Writing One of the Most Buzzed-About Books of the Year by Daisy Jones (Vogue)</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thedarlingacademy.com/articles/yesteryear-by-caro-claire-burke-an-honest-review-by-a-real-trad-wife/" target="_blank">Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke: an honest review by a real Trad Wife by Alena Kate Pettitt</a></li><li><i>Wife Shaped Bodies</i> by Laura Cranehill</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Correction:</b> During our discussion, we stated that <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> was banned when it was first published. More accurately, the novel has faced numerous bans and challenges in the decades since its 1985 publication.</p>yes00:59:2517Lacuna Book Club #1: Yesteryear & the Missing Empathybonus<![CDATA[Green Flags, Red Flags, & Why We Want Both]]>What makes a fictional love interest a red flag or a green flag, and why are readers drawn to both?

In this episode of What Lives in the Lacuna, we take opposite sides of the red flag/green flag debate. E. Donohue makes the case for Team Green Flag, exploring characters who respect autonomy, communicate honestly, understand their own emotions, and treat the people around them as equals. From contemporary fiction to Irish mythology, Fionn mac Cumhaill, and the Fianna, she looks at the ways stories can create models for what we value in our heroes and even help define the standards a culture holds itself to.

Remy takes up the banner for Team Red Flag and asks why fictional danger, obsession, intensity, and power can be so compelling when those same behaviors would send us running in real life. Drawing on research into fiction as a kind of social simulation, we explore the distance between fantasy and endorsement, the agency readers have inside fictional worlds, and how stories can give us a controlled space to experience, question, and think critically about things we might never choose for ourselves.

Along the way, we tackle Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, dark romance, consent, content warnings, and the difference between a story that openly invites readers into dangerous fantasy and one that disguises unhealthy behavior as an ideal. Neither red nor green turns out to be quite as simple as the debate suggests, and we eventually arrive at the eternal question: what happens when the bear tells you up front that it’s a bear?

The conversation then comes back to where the episode began: the very different love interests we write. Remy turns the questions on E. Donohue to talk about Nine Waves, the first book in her historical fantasy trilogy, and Liam the extremely green-flag hero who may have convinced Remy that fictional men do not, in fact, need to be walking warning labels to be interesting. 

By the end, Team Red Flag versus Team Green Flag becomes something bigger: a conversation about what fiction allows us to explore, what stories can model for us, and the freedom readers and writers have to choose the stories that speak to them.

Resources & Works Mentioned

]]>990ffc8b-9e0f-4ee3-9c43-ccb97a01da7fTue, 08 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>What makes a fictional love interest a red flag or a green flag, and why are readers drawn to both?<br /></p><p>In this episode of <i>What Lives in the Lacuna</i>, we take opposite sides of the red flag/green flag debate. E. Donohue makes the case for Team Green Flag, exploring characters who respect autonomy, communicate honestly, understand their own emotions, and treat the people around them as equals. From contemporary fiction to Irish mythology, Fionn mac Cumhaill, and the Fianna, she looks at the ways stories can create models for what we value in our heroes and even help define the standards a culture holds itself to.</p><p></p><p>Remy takes up the banner for Team Red Flag and asks why fictional danger, obsession, intensity, and power can be so compelling when those same behaviors would send us running in real life. Drawing on research into fiction as a kind of social simulation, we explore the distance between fantasy and endorsement, the agency readers have inside fictional worlds, and how stories can give us a controlled space to experience, question, and think critically about things we might never choose for ourselves.</p><p></p><p>Along the way, we tackle <i>Twilight</i>, <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i>, dark romance, consent, content warnings, and the difference between a story that openly invites readers into dangerous fantasy and one that disguises unhealthy behavior as an ideal. Neither red nor green turns out to be quite as simple as the debate suggests, and we eventually arrive at the eternal question: what happens when the bear tells you up front that it’s a bear?<br /></p><p>The conversation then comes back to where the episode began: the very different love interests we write. Remy turns the questions on E. Donohue to talk about <i>Nine Waves</i>, the first book in her historical fantasy trilogy, and Liam the extremely green-flag hero who may have convinced Remy that fictional men do not, in fact, need to be walking warning labels to be interesting. </p><p></p><p>By the end, Team Red Flag versus Team Green Flag becomes something bigger: a conversation about what fiction allows us to explore, what stories can model for us, and the freedom readers and writers have to choose the stories that speak to them.</p><p></p><p><b>Resources &amp; Works Mentioned</b></p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/over-nine-waves-a-book-of-irish-legends-marie-heaney/cabc3e7842c40c09?ean=9780571175185&amp;bkshp-astro=t" target="_blank"><i>Over Nine Waves</i> by Marie Heaney</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://fionnfolklore.org/en" target="_blank">The Fionn Folklore Database</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fenians" target="_blank">Encyclopaedia Britannica: Fenians</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/wcs.1185" target="_blank">“The Cognitive Science of Fiction” by Keith Oatley</a></li><li><i>The Knight and the Moth</i> by Rachel Gillig</li><li><i>The Once and Future Queen</i> by Paula Lafferty</li><li><i>One Dark Window</i> by Rachel Gillig</li><li><i>The Ritual</i> and <i>The Sinner</i> by Shantel Tessier</li><li>Works by Elle Thorpe</li><li><i>Twilight</i> by Stephenie Meyer</li><li><i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i> by E.L. James</li><li>“Down by the Glenside” / “The Bold Fenian Men”<br /></li></ul>yes01:44:3613Green Flags, Red Flags, & Why We Want Bothfull<![CDATA[Tangent #2: When The Nice Guy Is The Monster]]>In this Lacuna Tangent, Remy Renard and E. Donohue explore Obsession (2026), a psychological horror film that asks a simple question: who is the real monster?

Using the film as a jumping-off point, we explore how horror can challenge our assumptions about violence, control, and the "nice guy" archetype. We unpack the symbolism behind the film's protagonist, Bear, discuss obsession disguised as love, and examine why the most visibly frightening character isn't necessarily the story's true monster.

Along the way, the conversation connects modern horror to folklore, the "man versus bear" debate, selkie mythology, and the unsettling ways stories reveal that monstrosity is often rooted not in appearance, but in the desire to control another person's autonomy.

Topics Discussed

  • Obsession (2026) 
  • Horror and psychological horror 
  • The "nice guy" archetype 
  • Obsession versus love 
  • Consent and autonomy in horror 
  • The "man versus bear" conversation 
  • Visual versus moral monstrosity 
  • Selkie folklore 
  • Symbolism in horror films 
  • Performance analysis of Inde Navarrette

Resources & References

  • Obsession (2026), directed by Curry Barker 
  • Selkie folklore of Ireland, Scotland, and Isle of Man
  • "Man versus Bear" online discussion

About What Lives in the Lacuna

Hosted by author and humanities omnivore Remy Renard and author and professional horticulturist E. Donohue, What Lives in the Lacuna explores folklore, horror, fantasy, literature, mythology, and the stories that shape how we understand humanity and ourselves. Through full-length episodes and shorter Lacuna Tangents, we blend literary analysis, folklore, science, and pop culture to uncover what lives beneath the surface.

About the Hosts

Remy Renard is the author of The Florilegium Cycle, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.

E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of The Raun Cycle, a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.

Connect with Us

Podcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacuna

Podcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacuna

Remy Renard
www.remyrenard.com
IG: @remy.in.the.wild
TikTok: @remy.in.the.wild

E. Donohue
www.edonohueauthor.com/
IG: @e.donohuewriter
TikTok: @edonohuestoryteller


]]>24348cc4-c83d-4815-8003-9d62396f26c2Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>In this Lacuna Tangent, Remy Renard and E. Donohue explore <i>Obsession</i> (2026), a psychological horror film that asks a simple question: who is the real monster?</p><p></p><p>Using the film as a jumping-off point, we explore how horror can challenge our assumptions about violence, control, and the "nice guy" archetype. We unpack the symbolism behind the film's protagonist, Bear, discuss obsession disguised as love, and examine why the most visibly frightening character isn't necessarily the story's true monster.</p><p>Along the way, the conversation connects modern horror to folklore, the "man versus bear" debate, selkie mythology, and the unsettling ways stories reveal that monstrosity is often rooted not in appearance, but in the desire to control another person's autonomy.</p><h2>Topics Discussed</h2><ul><li><i>Obsession</i> (2026) </li><li>Horror and psychological horror </li><li>The "nice guy" archetype </li><li>Obsession versus love </li><li>Consent and autonomy in horror </li><li>The "man versus bear" conversation </li><li>Visual versus moral monstrosity </li><li>Selkie folklore </li><li>Symbolism in horror films </li><li>Performance analysis of Inde Navarrette</li></ul><h2>Resources &amp; References</h2><ul><li><i>Obsession</i> (2026), directed by Curry Barker </li><li>Selkie folklore of Ireland, Scotland, and Isle of Man</li><li>"Man versus Bear" online discussion</li></ul><h2>About <i>What Lives in the Lacuna</i></h2><p>Hosted by author and humanities omnivore Remy Renard and author and professional horticulturist E. Donohue, <i>What Lives in the Lacuna</i> explores folklore, horror, fantasy, literature, mythology, and the stories that shape how we understand humanity and ourselves. Through full-length episodes and shorter Lacuna Tangents, we blend literary analysis, folklore, science, and pop culture to uncover what lives beneath the surface.</p><h2>About the Hosts</h2><p>Remy Renard is the author of <i>The Florilegium Cycle</i>, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.</p><p></p><p>E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of <i>The Raun Cycle, </i>a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.</p><h2>Connect with Us</h2><p>Podcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacuna</p><p>Podcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacuna</p><p></p><p>Remy Renard<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.remyrenard.com" target="_blank">www.remyrenard.com</a><br />IG: @<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://remy.in" target="_blank">remy.in</a>.the.wild<br />TikTok: @<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://remy.in" target="_blank">remy.in</a>.the.wild</p><p></p><p>E. Donohue<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.edonohueauthor.com/" target="_blank">www.edonohueauthor.com/</a><br />IG: @e.donohuewriter<br />TikTok: @edonohuestoryteller</p><p><br /></p>yes00:18:3215Tangent #2: When The Nice Guy Is The Monsterbonus<![CDATA[Episode #2: There Is No Black And White: Morally Gray Characters]]>What does it really mean to be morally gray?

In this episode of What Lives in the Lacuna, Remy Renard and E. Donohue explore one of fiction's most enduring character archetypes: the morally gray character.

Beginning with trickster figures from folklore, including Coyote, Loki, and the Sídhe, we examine how stories across cultures have used morally complex characters to navigate survival, change, and uncertainty. From there, the conversation moves into philosophy, comics, dark romance, and modern storytelling, asking whether morality can ever be separated from context.

Along the way, we discuss moral philosophy, reader interpretation, Batman, Deadpool, Dexter, John Wick, Legion, and the uneasy line between hero, antihero, and villain. Rather than offering a single definition, this episode embraces the complexity of morality itself and asks why morally gray characters continue to resonate so deeply with modern audiences.

Topics Discussed

  • What makes a character morally gray? 
  • Trickster figures in folklore 
  • Coyote, Loki, and the Sídhe 
  • Moral philosophy and ethics 
  • Consequentialism, virtue ethics, and deontology 
  • Reader response and morality 
  • Heroes, antiheroes, and villains 
  • Batman, Deadpool, Dexter, John Wick, and Legion 
  • Dark romance and comics 
  • Why morally gray characters remain so compelling

Resources & References

  • Coyote America by Dan Flores 
  • Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman 
  • The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec 
  • Over Nine Waves by Marie Heaney 
  • Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals 
  • Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 
  • John Stuart Mill 
  • Jeremy Bentham 
  • Simon Stern, "From Clapham to Selena" 
  • Valentin Jeutner, The Reasonable Person: A Legal Biography

About the Hosts

Remy Renard is the author of The Florilegium Cycle, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.

E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of The Raun Cycle, a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.

Connect with Us

Podcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacuna

Podcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacuna

Remy Renard
www.remyrenard.com
IG: @remy.in.the.wild
TikTok: @remy.in.the.wild

E. Donohue
www.edonohueauthor.com/
IG: @e.donohuewriter
TikTok: @edonohuestoryteller

]]>470fd872-5917-49bd-8d56-ad2cbee67306Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>What does it really mean to be morally gray?</p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>What Lives in the Lacuna</i>, Remy Renard and E. Donohue explore one of fiction's most enduring character archetypes: the morally gray character.</p><p></p><p>Beginning with trickster figures from folklore, including Coyote, Loki, and the Sídhe, we examine how stories across cultures have used morally complex characters to navigate survival, change, and uncertainty. From there, the conversation moves into philosophy, comics, dark romance, and modern storytelling, asking whether morality can ever be separated from context.</p><p></p><p>Along the way, we discuss moral philosophy, reader interpretation, Batman, Deadpool, Dexter, John Wick, <i>Legion</i>, and the uneasy line between hero, antihero, and villain. Rather than offering a single definition, this episode embraces the complexity of morality itself and asks why morally gray characters continue to resonate so deeply with modern audiences.</p><h2>Topics Discussed</h2><ul><li>What makes a character morally gray? </li><li>Trickster figures in folklore </li><li>Coyote, Loki, and the Sídhe </li><li>Moral philosophy and ethics </li><li>Consequentialism, virtue ethics, and deontology </li><li>Reader response and morality </li><li>Heroes, antiheroes, and villains </li><li>Batman, Deadpool, Dexter, John Wick, and <i>Legion</i> </li><li>Dark romance and comics </li><li>Why morally gray characters remain so compelling</li></ul><h2>Resources &amp; References</h2><ul><li><i>Coyote America</i> by Dan Flores </li><li><i>Norse Mythology</i> by Neil Gaiman </li><li><i>The Witch's Heart</i> by Genevieve Gornichec </li><li><i>Over Nine Waves</i> by Marie Heaney </li><li>Immanuel Kant, <i>Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals</i> </li><li>Aristotle, <i>Nicomachean Ethics</i> </li><li>John Stuart Mill </li><li>Jeremy Bentham </li><li>Simon Stern, "From Clapham to Selena" </li><li>Valentin Jeutner, <i>The Reasonable Person: A Legal Biography</i></li></ul><h2>About the Hosts</h2><p>Remy Renard is the author of <i>The Florilegium Cycle</i>, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.</p><p></p><p>E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of <i>The Raun Cycle, </i>a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.</p><h2>Connect with Us</h2><p>Podcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacuna</p><p>Podcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacuna</p><p></p><p>Remy Renard<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.remyrenard.com" target="_blank">www.remyrenard.com</a><br />IG: @<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://remy.in" target="_blank">remy.in</a>.the.wild<br />TikTok: @<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://remy.in" target="_blank">remy.in</a>.the.wild</p><p></p><p>E. Donohue<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.edonohueauthor.com/" target="_blank">www.edonohueauthor.com/</a><br />IG: @e.donohuewriter<br />TikTok: @edonohuestoryteller</p>yes01:44:0214Episode #2: There Is No Black And White: Morally Gray Charactersfull<![CDATA[Tangent #1: Why We Need More Readers, Not More Gatekeeping]]>In this Lacuna Tangent, Remy Renard and E. Donohue use The Atlantic article The End of Reading Is Here by Rose Horowitch (July 8, 2026) as a jumping-off point to ask a different question entirely: if we truly care about the future of reading, are we focusing on the right problem?

Rather than blaming readers, we explore the pressures that make reading harder in modern life, from economic realities and education to accessibility and digital technology. Along the way, we discuss oral storytelling traditions, genre fiction, children's literature, disability access, and why creativity itself can become an act of resistance during difficult times.

Whether you love classics, fantasy romance, graphic novels, audiobooks, or folklore, this conversation argues for creating more readers, not policing what "counts" as reading.

Topics Discussed

  • The Atlantic article "The End of Reading Is Here" 
  • Reading statistics and literacy 
  • Education and creating lifelong readers 
  • Classics versus contemporary literature 
  • Dark fantasy, romance, and genre fiction 
  • Oral storytelling traditions 
  • Accessibility and digital reading 
  • Graphic novels and Dog Man 
  • Creativity as resistance 
  • Why joy matters in reading

Resources & References

  • Rose Horowitch, The End of Reading Is Here (The Atlantic) (July 8, 2026)
  • Shooting the Shit podcast (CeCe Lyra & Carly Watters) 
  • Walter J. Ong and oral storytelling 
  • Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak 
  • Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros 
  • A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 
  • Dog Man by Dav Pilkey 
  • The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne 
  • A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 
  • Works by Toni Morrison 
  • Greek mythology and Rick Riordan 
  • Norse mythology 
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

About the Hosts

Remy Renard is the author of The Florilegium Cycle, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.

E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of The Raun Cycle, a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.

Connect with Us

Podcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacuna
Podcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacuna

Remy Renard
www.remyrenard.com
IG: @remy.in.the.wild
TikTok: @remy.in.the.wild

E. Donohue
www.edonohueauthor.com/
IG: @e.donohuewriter
TikTok: @edonohuestoryteller


]]>d6cb8c6e-5d73-406a-a895-4f10e9417df3Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>In this Lacuna Tangent, Remy Renard and E. Donohue use <i>The Atlantic</i> article <i>The End of Reading Is Here</i> by Rose Horowitch (July 8, 2026) as a jumping-off point to ask a different question entirely: if we truly care about the future of reading, are we focusing on the right problem?</p><p>Rather than blaming readers, we explore the pressures that make reading harder in modern life, from economic realities and education to accessibility and digital technology. Along the way, we discuss oral storytelling traditions, genre fiction, children's literature, disability access, and why creativity itself can become an act of resistance during difficult times.</p><p></p><p>Whether you love classics, fantasy romance, graphic novels, audiobooks, or folklore, this conversation argues for creating more readers, not policing what "counts" as reading.</p><h2>Topics Discussed</h2><ul><li><i>The Atlantic</i> article "The End of Reading Is Here" </li><li>Reading statistics and literacy </li><li>Education and creating lifelong readers </li><li>Classics versus contemporary literature </li><li>Dark fantasy, romance, and genre fiction </li><li>Oral storytelling traditions </li><li>Accessibility and digital reading </li><li>Graphic novels and <i>Dog Man</i> </li><li>Creativity as resistance </li><li>Why joy matters in reading</li></ul><h2>Resources &amp; References</h2><ul><li>Rose Horowitch, <i>The End of Reading Is Here</i> (<i>The Atlantic</i>) (July 8, 2026)</li><li><i>Shooting the Shit</i> podcast (CeCe Lyra &amp; Carly Watters) </li><li>Walter J. Ong and oral storytelling </li><li><i>Dr. Zhivago</i> by Boris Pasternak </li><li><i>Onyx Storm</i> by Rebecca Yarros </li><li><i>A Clockwork Orange</i> by Anthony Burgess </li><li><i>Dog Man</i> by Dav Pilkey </li><li><i>The Scarlet Letter</i> by Nathaniel Hawthorne </li><li><i>A Tale of Two Cities</i> by Charles Dickens </li><li>Works by Toni Morrison </li><li>Greek mythology and Rick Riordan </li><li>Norse mythology </li><li><i>The Hunger Games</i> by Suzanne Collins</li></ul><h2>About the Hosts</h2><p>Remy Renard is the author of <i>The Florilegium Cycle</i>, an Appalachian dark fantasy romance series set in Lorewood, a town where monsters are ordinary, folklore is real, and every story leaves its mark. Drawing on a background in the humanities, education, and storytelling, she explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, folklore, and pop culture.</p><p></p><p>E. Donohue is a professional horticulturist and author of many works of creative non-fiction about ecology and our connection to the natural world. She is also the aspiring author of <i>The Raun Cycle, </i>a historic grounded fantasy trilogy set on the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and England at the time of the Roman invasion. Drawing on a background of ecology, anthropology, and creative writing, as well as a lifetime study of folklore, she explores the science and archeology behind the magic of folklore.</p><h2>Connect with Us</h2><p>Podcast IG: @whatlivesinthelacuna<br />Podcast TikTok: @whatlivesinthelacuna</p><p></p><p>Remy Renard<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.remyrenard.com" target="_blank">www.remyrenard.com</a><br />IG: @<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://remy.in" target="_blank">remy.in</a>.the.wild<br />TikTok: @<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://remy.in" target="_blank">remy.in</a>.the.wild</p><p></p><p>E. Donohue<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.edonohueauthor.com/" target="_blank">www.edonohueauthor.com/</a><br />IG: @e.donohuewriter<br />TikTok: @edonohuestoryteller</p><p><br /></p>yes00:43:1813Tangent #1: Why We Need More Readers, Not More Gatekeepingbonus<![CDATA[Episode #1: Unpacking Monstrosity]]>In this episode, we explore the multifaceted concept of monstrosity in folklore, literature, and pop culture, focusing on Irish mythology and modern interpretations in romance and fantasy genres. We discuss how cultural context shapes our understanding of monsters and the importance of acceptance and empathy.

Resources

What Manner of Man Is This Hound by Finn Longman

Ciarán Carson, The Táin, Penguin Classics, 2007

Cecile O’Rahilly, Táin Bó Cuailnge from the Book of Leinster, 1967 

Roland Barthes - Mythologies

Irish Mythology - Golems, Werewolves, Deer Woman

 

POINT OF CLARIFICATION

In the Tain, CuChulainn and Ferida are also foster brothers, a relationship that does not indicate blood relation but rather a relationship of connection and obligation between families. Ferida is parted from Cu because Ferida fights for Connacht rather than Ulster and CuChulainn ultimately kills Ferida at a ford using a very monstrous weapon called the Gáe Bolga which you should definitely look up. The death of Ferida may be a later addition to the text, appearing possibly in the 11th century. 

]]>b7dbb768-3059-4d57-8e09-85f422071c55Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>In this episode, we explore the multifaceted concept of monstrosity in folklore, literature, and pop culture, focusing on Irish mythology and modern interpretations in romance and fantasy genres. We discuss how cultural context shapes our understanding of monsters and the importance of acceptance and empathy.</p><p></p><p>Resources</p><p>What Manner of Man Is This Hound by Finn Longman</p><p>Ciarán Carson, <i>The Táin</i>, Penguin Classics, 2007</p><p>Cecile O’Rahilly, <i>Táin Bó Cuailnge from the Book of Leinster, </i>1967 </p><p>Roland Barthes - Mythologies</p><p>Irish Mythology - Golems, Werewolves, Deer Woman</p><p> </p><p><i>POINT OF CLARIFICATION</i></p><p>In the Tain, CuChulainn and Ferida are also foster brothers, a relationship that does not indicate blood relation but rather a relationship of connection and obligation between families. Ferida is parted from Cu because Ferida fights for Connacht rather than Ulster and CuChulainn ultimately kills Ferida at a ford using a very monstrous weapon called the <i>Gáe Bolga </i>which you should definitely look up. The death of Ferida may be a later addition to the text, appearing possibly in the 11th century. </p>yes01:24:5112Episode #1: Unpacking Monstrosityfull<![CDATA[Episode #0: Welcome to the Lacuna]]>Welcome to What Lives in the Lacuna. We're Remy Renard, author of Lupines Bloom Where Blood Falls, and E. Donohue, author of The Raun Cycle. In this introductory episode, we discuss the books that shaped us, our different reading and writing backgrounds, and why we wanted to create a space for thoughtful, curious conversations about storytelling and the indie book community. Whether we're talking literary fiction, fantasy romance, folklore, publishing, fandom, or the people working behind the scenes to bring stories into the world, we're interested in what happens in the gaps between categories, expectations, and genres.

]]>ca6e8221-6992-47b4-b9b8-eca7156670e1Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:27:46 GMT<p>Welcome to What Lives in the Lacuna. We're Remy Renard, author of Lupines Bloom Where Blood Falls, and E. Donohue, author of The Raun Cycle. In this introductory episode, we discuss the books that shaped us, our different reading and writing backgrounds, and why we wanted to create a space for thoughtful, curious conversations about storytelling and the indie book community. Whether we're talking literary fiction, fantasy romance, folklore, publishing, fandom, or the people working behind the scenes to bring stories into the world, we're interested in what happens in the gaps between categories, expectations, and genres.</p>no00:55:1911Episode #0: Welcome to the Lacunafull