Beestie Besties with J & Lo cover art

Beestie Besties with J & Lo

Beestie Besties with J & Lo

By: Laura Thorne
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About this listen

Beestie Besties with J & Lo is a monthly menagerie of updates, author interviews, visits with our pals, inspiring tales of best friends taking big leaps, and more; a delightful blend of nonsense and nonfiction. Jess Neiding (J) is the CFO and chief editor and nonsense maker of Wildebeest Publishing Company, while Laura Thorne (Lo) is the CEO and nonfiction queen — together they make an unstoppable pair who giggle and cry their way through any of life and business’s challenges, as any besties should. Tune in for the latest in self and indie-publishing, fun chats and excerpts from books published in the Wildebeest Publishing HERD, educational snippets from our industry expert friends, and other random visits from everyone from our mothers to other Beestie Besties.

© 2026 Beestie Besties with J & Lo
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Episodes
  • E4 - Intentions, Inspiration, & Our Amazing Herd
    Feb 3 2026

    In this heartfelt and high-energy episode, Laura and Jess reflect on gratitude, intentions, and what it really means to “settle in” without getting stuck. They share updates on upcoming events, including the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) Conference and their summer writing retreat, before welcoming authors Jess Novak and John Simone to the show. Together, they discuss publishing journeys, creative pivots, and the emotional stories behind their books, including Dare to Begin and Tex Simone: The Man Who Saved Baseball in Syracuse.

    The episode wraps with cozy bestie life hacks, longtime friendship stories, and a touching “Beastie Besties” feature about building something meaningful together. It’s a warm reminder of the power of community, creativity, and growing alongside the people who support you.

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    49 mins
  • E3 – Finding Our Flow with the Right "Herd"
    Jan 1 2026

    In Episode 3 of Beastie Besties with J & Lo, the conversation centers on how mindset, stubbornness, and community shape our creative lives. The hosts are joined by branding and marketing expert Gina Matusen, who shares insights on author branding and websites, and radio veteran Gomez Adams, who talks about his book Your Caller Number Seven, Please Try Again. The episode also covers author events, retreats, AI in publishing, creative process tips, and a reminder that success often comes from showing up again and again with the right "herd" beside you.

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    50 mins
  • E2 - Meet Our First Guests
    Dec 15 2025

    In Episode 2 of Beastie Besties with J & Lo, the hosts welcome their very first guests, authors Valerie Cole (The Old Witch’s Home) and Karen Grossman (Listen to Your Heart Song). Together, they talk about writing journeys, second books, publishing later in life, and the power of storytelling to build community and save lives. The episode also dives into publishing news, creative intentions, author events, and a few heartfelt synchronicities along the way.

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    47 mins
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