This is the very first blog post here on landontalks.com, and I’m so glad you’ve wandered into this brand-new little corner of the internet with me. I’ve wanted a space like this for a long time — somewhere I could slow down for a minute each week, sit with a cup of something warm, and just talk about what’s really going on. Behind the scenes, I’m writing constantly, trying to make big things happen, juggling projects, hopping between events, and doing enough admin to qualify for an honorary degree in paperwork. And I wanted a cozy place to share all of that — the travel, the work, the stories, the chaos, and the joy.

So: welcome to the blog. I hope you’ll meet me here every week, like a little digital porch-swing catch-up.

And fittingly, we’re kicking things off with me being flung through time and space for a few weeks straight.

It all started in Nashville at the Hutton Hotel for their Off Broadway series, where they transformed the place into the Emerald City for an immersive show called Witch, Please. The whole thing felt like Broadway rolled into Tennessee for the night — tornado tunnels, Ruby Slipper mocktails, Glindas and Elphabas belting so hard the walls almost shook. The hotel has just been renovated, and it still had that fresh, new-room smell that brought me straight back to my first sorority dorm. By the end of Defying Gravity, I was absolutely ready to run away and join the cast.

A few hours later, I was on an early flight to New York for a holiday event with Food52 and Dollar General featuring Kathy Ireland — yes, the icon. She is exactly as gracious, glamorous, and kind as you imagine. I stayed at The Urbane Brooklyn, a boutique arts hotel in a former speakeasy, complete with creaky wooden floors and a radiator that has its own opinions. Literary, slightly haunted, and perfect.

Once I got home, we packed up again and headed straight for the Smoky Mountains to stay at Auntie Belham’s Cabins in Wears Valley — peaceful, cozy, hot tub steaming, mountains all around. But because we do not know how to rest properly, we went immediately into adventure mode. First stop was MagiQuest Pigeon Forge, where you carry a magic wand, solve puzzles, unlock treasure chests, and somehow feel like you’re starring in your own fantasy novel. From there, we rode the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster, and if you’ve never coasted down a mountain at full speed with no brakes, I recommend it. Then we swung by Area 51 Pigeon Forge for go-karts and laser tag, where I wore my vest backward but maintained full confidence the entire time.

Before we left town, we recorded an episode of The Appalachian Tale Podcast with our friend Jimmy Proffitt, whose cookbook Seasoned in Appalachia is as beautiful as it is deeply personal. Jimmy shot every photo himself, wrote the recipes, and put his whole heart into it, and talking with him about food and Appalachian traditions felt like one of those rare moments where work and joy meet right in the middle.

Then it was off to Dollywood for their Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival, where we checked into Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa. If a hotel could hug you, this one would. Twinkle lights everywhere. Cinnamon bread in the air. Carolers, glittering trees, and roller coasters that test your trust in gravity. Dollywood isn’t just a theme park — it’s a celebration of Southern people and Southern joy.

We wrapped up the trip in Knoxville at Mast General Store, where y’all showed up in full force and sold the place out. I left with an empty Sharpie and a full heart.

And now that I’m home, I’m right back in the thick of writing — a whole lot of writing — along with big ideas I’m trying to shepherd into the world, meetings, admin, scheduling, and the never-ending list of things I’m trying to make happen. On top of everything already in motion, we’ve got a full slate of events coming up:

– Southern Soirée with A Storied Bookery – Hattiesburg, Nov 14
– Thacker Mountain Radio Hour – Oxford, Nov 21
– Friendly City Books Signing – Columbus, Nov 22 (afternoon)
– Kids First Gala – Starkville, Nov 22 (evening)
– Talk Shop Live – Nov 21 at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT

This little blog is where I want to come every week and tell you what’s going on — the big moments, the small ones, the stories I don’t want to forget, and the things I’m excited (or nervous) to share. A porch of the internet, basically.

Thanks for being here for the very first post. It means more than you know. Tell your mama and them I said hello, and I’ll see y’all right back here next week.

— Landon