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88 Cups of Tea

Love all things upbeat, warm, and uplifting? Welcome to 88 Cups of Tea, an online platform and podcast for creative writers who look for guidance in their storytelling journey and connection to a community, fostering year-round conversations around the personal and professional life of a writer. Our podcast episodes and online essays and articles explore and unpack conversations that touch on topics like overcoming rejections and challenges, querying tips and crafting advice, lifestyle habits that support the heart and the soul, what it means to be Human while navigating a creative path, and more. We pride ourselves in nurturing a supportive environment that aims to encourage, inspire, and entertain. Check out our website 88cupsoftea.com for essays, articles, and access to nearly 200 podcast episodes!
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Now displaying: November, 2015
Nov 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving, Storytellers!

HELLO from Bangkok, Thailand! Just flew in from Phuket last night and am loving the AirBNB I’m staying at right now. We’re super close to a ton of shops and the public transportation for easy access to other cool locations.

Phuket was gorgeous but a bit too laid back for me. I missed the city life and the convenience of food stalls everywhere, which made Bangkok the perfect destination after Phuket. We’ll be heading off for Siem Reap in Cambodia to explore Angkor Wat; I’m SO excited to wander around the temples and to learn about the rich history behind them and to experience the culture.

Today’s a super quick episode as I know you’re all busy getting ready for the big meal tonight! Please have a listen any time you’re free so you’re all caught up on important Holiday announcements for the show.

I also touch a little bit on what I’ve been up to in Asia. I found out super last minute that SOI DOG FOUNDATION was located 15 minutes away from where I was staying in Phuket and I was so happy we were able to volunteer before catching our flight to Bangkok.  

 

Please check out today's shownotes page for ADORABLE pictures of some puppies and dogs we met at the Soi Dog Foundation Headquarters! CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS!

***I want to thank you all for being such incredible listeners and for creating a loving, encouraging, and supportive tribe with me.***

Nov 19, 2015

“If you can reveal everything about yourself, then you can write about anything.”Tweet: “If you can reveal everything about yourself, then you can write about anything.”-@dsanstat #writingtips #careeradvice via @88cupsoftea

 

Hello Storytellers! I just arrived in Singapore about two hours ago– I love how efficient their public transportation is!

Today’s episode marks the 25th episode for 88 CUPS OF TEA— Happy 25th Episode, storytellers!  88 CUPS OF TEA wouldn’t be here without you amazing listeners. Thank you so much for listening in each week and making the storyteller tribe what it is today.

We have part 2 of Dan Santat’s interview today! Please listen to Part 1 of Dan’s interview if you haven’t yet. In Part 1, you get an idea of how his creative mind works through examples of how and why he created Caldecott Medal winning book “THE ADVENTURES OF BEEKLE: THE UNIMAGINARY FRIEND”. (According to a Variety article published in May, “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend” has been adapted into a DreamWorks Animation movie that will be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman.)
 
I’m so excited about today’s Part 2 episode with Dan because you really get an idea of the values that guides Dan’s choices with his career, family, and life overall. He is an incredible example of what it means to be an artist, a storyteller, and a human being. Aside from a ton of actionable advice he generously shares, we dive pretty deep into Dan’s personal life and what drives him to be the father and husband that his family can always count on, all while managing and balancing a wildly successful career as an illustrator and author.
 
In today’s episode, Dan is going to take us through examples of how social media, like Facebook, allows him to network in a genuine and authentic way. Listeners will also learn how social media can act like a portfolio to land jobs for artists and storytellers.
 
This is a super special interview I saved to celebrate my 25th episode on 88 CUPS OF TEA so please soak in every word Dan says and take them to heart!

 

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

  • How social media became an authentic and genuine way for Dan to network and how you can use social media as a portfolio to land a job
  • The importance of marketing your writing towards librarians and teachers
  • Why it’s crucial that writers should not search for a dollar value during their writing process
  • The importance of surrounding yourself with friends that can provide you with constructive criticism
  • How setting small goals for himself allowed Dan to achieve great success
  • Why Dan believes that you should never put aside your happiness for financial stability
  • How being open and honest can allow you to write about anything

“I control my own destiny.”Tweet: “I control my own destiny.

Nov 12, 2015

Hello from Malaysia, Storytellers! I arrived recently to visit my Grandpa and explore my mom’s homecountry. In case you might’ve missed the latest update, I’ve been traveling around Asia and just finished an inspiring and educational intensive tea-study program in Taiwan.  (To listen to a special episode about my trip in Asia and about the tea program–my very first production of an NPR inspired narrative episode, CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!)

 

For today’s episode, I’m so excited and thrilled to share the much anticipated interview with 2015 Caldecott Medal winner, Dan Santat. For those that may not be familiar with the medal— it’s just about the most important award a children’s book illustrator can receive (think OSCARS in the world of children’s books). Dan is also a New York Times bestselling and award winning author and illustrator whose illustrated over 20 books for children. Dan’s book that won him the prestigious award is called “The Adventures of Beekle: An Unimaginary Friend”.

According to a Variety article published in May, “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend” has been adapted into a DreamWorks Animation movie that will be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman.

I’m such a fan of this heartwarming book about friendship, courage, and finding one’s self. It’s proudly displayed on my bookshelf, and recommended to friends time and time again.

 

 

About the 2015 Caldecott Medal Winner “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend” by Dan Santat

This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle.

 

 

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

  • How the birth of Dan’s son was the inspiration behind “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend”
  • The behind-the-scenes creation process of the book
  • How The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) gave Dan a head start with illustrating children’s books as a career and how the organization can help aspiring children’s book writers and illustrators
  • The importance of brevity in storytelling and how it helped Dan with his success, including winning the Caldecott Medal
  • Dan breaks down his writing process
  • How Dan is able to substitute text for illustration while being able to convey emotion and a storyline
  • Dan’s advice on becoming a quality writer and illustrator
  • How Dan forms the characters for his stories
  • How being flexible in your style of work can lead to a variety of opportunities in your field

Learn More About Dan Santat

Dan Santat is the author/illustrator of SIDEKICKS and the winner of the Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators for OH NO! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett. He is also the creator of the Disney animated hit, THE REPLACEMENTS. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and various pets.

 

 

For Dan's shownotes, go to 88cupsoftea.com/podcast/dansantat

 

Nov 5, 2015

Hey Storytellers! Thank you guys so much for being a part of this storyteller tribe and listening in. This episode is really special to me. As you’ll notice, it’s the first episode of this show where I experimented with my own kind of storytelling, similar to that of an NPR episode. I’ve been so inspired by all the interviews with guests on 88 CUPS OF TEA and have been itching to share a story through this kind of medium. Thanks for allowing me to share that with you. 

 

I would really love to hear your thoughts about this episode, so come on over and find me on InstagramFacebook, and Twitter.

I’ve been posting pictures and videos of the tea intensive and my trip around Asia on those same social media accounts so check out #88CupsOfAsia if you’d like to join me on my adventures!

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