How to support creators during the pandemic, part one: Authors

With examples from guests of the Exvangelical podcast.

Hi, everyone. What a decade this week has been.

While I think most of us in technology-saturated cultures have gotten used to the world moving quickly, this past week has moved faster than most. Last Friday, my employer was beginning to implement work-from-home guidance; yesterday, the state of Illinois (where I live) issued a shelter-in-place order.

We’re all coping with both our emotions and obligations. Working parents are adapting to the realities of what I call #WFHomeschooling. Wage earners are facing layoffs. People whose jobs are deemed “essential” are working throughout the crisis, and risking exposure. Our federal government failed us, and President Trump accepts “no responsibility.” This is uncharted territory.

So this is where my mind is - where everyone’s mind is - and it’s impossible to fight it.

I’m still figuring out what the next right thing to do is, from moment to moment. (Frozen 2 is playing in my house a lot right now.)

I don’t have tens of thousands of followers for my show, on Twitter, or on this newsletter. But that doesn’t mean I still can’t do my part to highlight the people who have been on my show and whose work I appreciate.

I’ve had several musicians, authors, podcasters, and other content creators on the show over the years. Many of them have had cancellations as we all move to shelter-in-place. Here are ways you can support the authors who have been on the show. (Authors are listed in chronological order of appearance.) I’ll send emails highlighting other creators like musicians and podcasters separately.

Boilerplate: The links below are affiliate-links; I may receive a small (think pennies) commission if you purchase items through these links. Making the Exvangelical podcast and this newsletter is not my primary source of income, so purchase these people’s work first. You can support me for free by subscribing to the newsletter using the button below, or by signing up for a paid subscription to help me diversify my income. You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Authors

My first guest who was a published author was Greg Coates. He has a book called Politics Strangely Warmed: Political Theology in the Wesleyan Spirit.

Prior to #ChurchToo, Emily Joy & Hannah Paasch had something called The Flawless Project. They are now both published, or about-to-be published authors.

Hannah Paasch’s book Millenneagram: The Enneagram Guide for Discovering Your Truest, Baddest Self is available now. You can also support the Millenneagram podcast on Patreon.

Emily Joy’s book will come out in 2021. You can learn more about her work at emilyjoypoetry.com. She is teaching yoga on Instagram in response to COVID-19 and has her Venmo posted.

Kevin Garcia joined me first way back in 2016. They know have a book that was released in January called Bad Theology Kills: Undoing Toxic Belief and Reclaiming Your Spiritual Authority. They also have a podcast and YouTube channel, which you can support on Patreon.

I spoke with Chrissy Stroop first back in 2016, the day before the election. Chrissy writes extensively on the religious right for several outlets, and is the co-editor of the Empty the Pews anthology, alongside fellow guest Lauren O’Neal. You can support Chrissy directly on Patreon.

While I spoke with Chrissy the day before, I spoke with Mike McHargue (aka Science Mike) on the day of the 2016 election and talked to him about his first book Finding God in the Waves. He has a new book coming out, and also has the popular podcast Ask Science Mike, which you can support on Patreon.

Morgan Guyton is the author of How Jesus Saves the World From Us: 12 Antidotes to Toxic Christianity. He is also a pastor in New Orleans.

Elizabeth Jeffries is the author of Through the Kaleidoscope: How Exploring Cell Biology Transforms My Relationship with God. If you’re looking for a memoir about how one can move beyond fundamentalism through education and maintain a healthy sense of wonder, this is it.

Jason Stellman is a podcaster on the show Drunk Ex-Pastors, and wrote the book Misfit Faith: Confessions of a Drunk Ex-Pastor.

Alice Connor is the author of the books Fierce: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Violence, Mercy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex, and Salvation, and How to Human: An Incomplete Manual for Living in a Messed-Up World.

Jamie Lee Finch is the author of You Are Your Own: A Reckoning with the Religious Trauma of Evangelical Christianity. She is also an embodiment coach. The pandemic has made her work difficult, but you can learn more about it on her website.

Cindy Wang Brandt is the author of Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness, and the host of the podcast and online conference of the same name.

Asha Dahya is the founder of GirlTalk HQ and author of the new book Today’s Wonder Women: Everyday Women Who Are Changing the World. Her book launched just this week, and launch events have been cancelled in light of the pandemic.

Jamie Wright (aka Jamie the Very Worst Missionary) and author of The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll stay inside during a pandemic.

Rev. Tyler Connoley is a pastor and the author of the book The Children are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships. The book was published in 2002 and blazed a trail for a lot of people who are publishing today.

Austin Channing Brown is author of the incredible book I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. You can also subscribe to her Substack newsletter and check out The Next Question.

Josiah Hesse is the author of the Carnality series. Imagine a Stephen King-style psychological horror story imbued with exvangelical rapture anxiety. Book 1 (Dancing on Red Lake) and Book 2 (Sebastian Phoenix and the Dark Star) are available now.

Linda Kay Klein is author of the book Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free. It’s one of the best books on purity culture out there.

Jon Jones is author of How I Escaped Evangelical Hell: A Memoir. He also works in the video game industry and is a great follow on Twitter.

Mark Russell is author of several books and comic books, most recently Second Coming. He has also written comics for DC such as The Flintstones, the GLAAD award-winning Snagglepuss, and others. Check out the rest on his author page.

Pete Holmes is a comedian, podcaster, and author. I talked to him last year about his book Comedy Sex God.

Bradley Onishi is a professor of religion and the author of The Sacrality of the Secular: Postmodern Philosophy of Religion.

Angela Denker is the author of Red State Christians: Understanding the Voters Who Elected Donald Trump.

You can find interviews with all these authors in the Exvangelical podcast feed.

Please care for one another right now: those in your orbit, and those whose work you value. We are distant, but we’re still connected; we’re solitary, but we’re not alone.

Have other ideas about how to support one another? Leave it in the comments. And if you read this online, hit the heart button.